International Exchange Center is a public organisation, giving students the opportunity to work and travel around the world, improve their knowledge of foreign languages, see other countries “from within”, make friends from all around the world, and, finally, grow up.

History of organisation

It all started on 27th of June 1989. Two graduates of University of Latvia arrived to New York with big hopes and dreams and total of 8$ in their pocket. A little bit earlier, while submitting their documents for J-1 visa, they declared that they are going to work in American summer camp. Employers of the Embassy of U.S. in Moscow could not believe that something like that is possible and went for 3 hours to get “consultation from Washington”.

When students finally landed at Kennedy airport, american who was meeting them at the airport could not believe that they have actually arrived and that they are not agents of KGB. For two whole weeks after starting work at the camp both weren’t able to understand a word in English, although foreign languages were their specialty. Much later in autumn, when they returned one of students came with idea, something like “if we could do it probably others can as well”. This idea grew in to organisation with offices and representatives in 11 countries and thousand of students, that are taking part in the program every year. First students from International Exchange Center took part in the program in 1990.

Take a journey in this site, choose a program and , maybe, this will be beginning of your own story...