Step 05 · Living
Living in the US on Summer Work and Travel: housing, insurance, safety and the law
Where you sleep, what your insurance must cover, which numbers to call, and the US laws that surprise visitors most: the drinking age, ID checks and driving.
7 pages in this section
Culture Shock on Work and Travel USA: Stages, Tipping and Getting Help
What culture shock feels like on a J-1 Summer Work and Travel season, its three stages, how tipping works, ways to cope and when to call 988 or your sponsor.
Driving on a J-1 Work and Travel Visa: License, IDP and Car Insurance
Can you drive on a foreign license during Summer Work and Travel? What an International Driving Permit does, state license documents, insurance and road rules.
Getting Around on Work and Travel USA: Bikes, Buses, Trains, Rides
How J-1 Summer Work and Travel participants get to work and around town: bike laws by state, walking safely at night, trains, buses, ride-hailing and heat.
Health and Safety on J-1 Summer Work and Travel: Emergency Numbers, Heat and Who to Call
Who to call in an emergency on a J-1 Summer Work and Travel season: 911, your sponsor, the State Department helpline, plus heat, beach and workplace safety.
J-1 Summer Work and Travel Health Insurance: Minimums, Gaps and What Happens Without It
The J-1 health insurance minimums, who must be covered, what a policy may leave out, and what a sponsor does when a participant has no coverage.
Laws and Your Rights on J-1 Summer Work and Travel: Alcohol, Drugs, Police and Work
The US laws an exchange student breaks most often by accident, from the drinking age to drugs and driving, plus your rights with police and at work.
Work and Travel USA Housing: Who Arranges It, What It Costs and How to Avoid Scams
Who arranges J-1 Summer Work and Travel housing, what it costs, how leases and deposits work, and how to spot rental scams before you pay.