Before the pandemic, Gulf Coast Diplomacy regularly hosted youth exchanges where international teens interacted directly with their American peers. The switch to an online platform naturally transformed the international exchange experience. From virtual host families to online icebreakers, Gulf Coast Diplomacy redesigned its programs to accommodate the environment of Zoom.
In July 2021, the organization hosted a group of Iraqi teenagers participating in the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP). As life in the U.S. was beginning to reopen, Gulf Coast Diplomacy added a new element to its youth programming, the live casting of virtual “site visits” to share traditional aspects of American culture through on-location reporting. Interns took international youth on virtual explorations throughout Pensacola to highlight popular spots enjoyed by American teens. They also featured important organizations that impact the local community.
The interns joined video calls from different locations: the beach, local parks, a drive-through restaurant, a grocery store, and Car City, to name a few. Through these experiences, the young leaders learned what it would be like to visit various places in person, and the encounters sparked meaningful dialogue.
The international youth were also encouraged to go on site visits with their host families, giving them a glimpse of home life in the United States. In turn, the host families enjoyed learning about the lives of the young exchange students. Despite being separated by thousands of miles, both the international youth and local participants remarked how close they felt to one another and how well they could build significant relationships. By encouraging mutual understanding accompanied by visual appreciation, the live site visits have proven to be one of the most successful methods of virtual international utilized by Gulf Coast Diplomacy.
-Graybill Partington, Youth Diplomat alumna & Gulf Coast Diplomacy intern
