Go the Extra Mile
Maybe this has happened to you this summer as you were out and about. Let’s say, buying Glazers at the new Kwik Trip, for example. And you see a couple of young people, college aged, picking up some groceries. You happen to overhear them talking. Their English is perfect, yet you detect a slight accent. You hear them talking about how they miss their family back home, but then you hear, “We better hurry. We need to get back to work.”
This scene plays out all around the country, especially in areas like Rome, Wisconsin where the summertime population – especially on weekends – increases tenfold. What you’re hearing is the conversations of students, from far away places, who travel here to temporarily join the workforce during peak times. It’s all part of a government sponsored program known as the Exchange Visitor Visa. These students are known as J-1 students, better known as J-1’s.
The program truly is a win-win. J-1’s come to the US from all corners of the globe to work and gain valuable life experiences as they earn their college degree. And the local businesses benefit from hard-working, responsible employees to help them through their busiest times when there is otherwise a shortage of local help.
Recently, Visit Rome, the organization that promotes tourism and good will for the town of Rome, hosted a casual “sit-down” session with the J-1’s spending their summers at Sand Valley Resort. Chelsea Sorbo sat down with young people from Columbia, Jamaica, Turkey, and Pakistan just to name a few of the representative countries.
She asked them things like, why are you taking part in this program? What are your career aspirations? What is your favorite experience so far? What will you miss the most? And, do you think you’ll return to Wisconsin?
The group was more than willing to share their stories, and a couple themes rose to the top as each and every one of them proudly spoke. It was clear that these students are goal oriented. To a person, they knew what they wanted in life – both professionally and personally.
They study hard and they work hard. But they also know how to have fun during their down time. In fact, when asked about their favorite experience so far, more than a couple sited their field trip to Milwaukee to see a Brewers game, a first for all of them. Others couldn’t hold back the laughter as they described tubing on the river and “almost drowning.” A little exaggerated, but a lifelong memory for sure.
One thing that was surprising to hear was that they weren’t doing this for the money. “Sure, the money is nice, and we need it to live, but this is more about learning different cultures and experiencing things most people don’t get to see and do,” said one student from Uzbekistan.
Asked if they’d ever return to Wisconsin, and the answer was a resounding yes! “The weather here is perfect. Where I come from it’s always too hot and humid. And the people here are so nice. I heard about mid-west people being nice before I even knew what the mid-west was. Now I understand. I’ll be back for sure.”
We’re glad they’re here and glad they’ll be back. Not only to provide valuable service to our local businesses, and to us, but to share with us new and wonderful cultures from around the world.
So, next time you come across any of these young people (probably with a backpack over their shoulder), say hello and thank them for all they do for us as they literally go the extra mile.
Watch the full video of the Visit Rome conversation with the J-1’s here.
Written By: Lydell Capritta