Students explore diverse US towns via unique exchange program
Youth from various states traveled across America to visit unfamiliar communities and build empathy through a special domestic exchange initiative.
This domestic program sends high school graduates to weeklong stays in towns vastly different from their own hometowns. Participants then host visiting peers in their local areas to create a true interchange of American experiences.
Saskia Sassen once argued that culture geography does not strictly follow national borders or require ocean travel to understand different ways of life. This ethos is embodied by an intercultural exchange program operating completely inside the United States for youth.
Many students find these exchanges offer deep discussions about how their lives differ yet remain surprisingly similar to others. Such interactions are becoming uncommon because people increasingly choose to reside where neighbors hold views similar to their own.
Instead of focusing on new political views, the project helps young people immerse themselves in unfamiliar American contexts. This approach builds empathy for individuals whose communities and cultures differ significantly from their own backgrounds.