Fewer hours than expected
The job offers fewer hours than planned, and money gets tight.
How we help: We help the student understand their options and bring the sponsor in right away. If the sponsor approves a second job, we help them look for one.
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About us
Help in the U.S., in Thai, the same day.
Stars & Summer Exchange prepares Thai students for the J-1 Summer Work Travel program, and keeps a Thai-speaking contact in California for when they need help during the season.
Why we started
Students should not face problems alone, half a world away.
Every summer, Thai students travel to the United States to work and travel. For most of them it is the first time living abroad. When something goes wrong, such as fewer work hours, a housing problem, or a misunderstanding at work, they are far from family, often in a small town, and many hours behind Thailand.
Many agencies have staff only in Thailand. When a student calls in the afternoon in the U.S., it is the middle of the night there. Small problems can grow while the student waits for an answer.
We started Stars & Summer Exchange to fix that. We recruit and prepare students in Thailand, and we have a Thai-speaking contact in California throughout the season.
Problems students face
Common problems, and how we help.
These are problems Summer Work Travel students often run into. We prepare students for them before departure and help when they come up.
Housing falls through
The housing is not what was promised, is too far from work, or the lease ends early.
How we help: We help find safer or closer options, explain U.S. rental basics, and keep the sponsor informed.
Getting around
Many seasonal jobs are in towns with little public transport.
How we help: We help plan routes, bike or ride-share options, and safe ways to get to work and back.
Paperwork after arrival
Sponsor check-in, a Social Security number, a bank account and tax forms all take time.
How we help: We explain each step in Thai and remind students of deadlines, so nothing is missed.
Language and workplace culture
Misunderstandings with a manager or coworkers can grow into bigger problems.
How we help: We explain what U.S. employers expect, help students say what they need, and help sort out misunderstandings early.
Health and emergencies
Illness, an accident, or a lost passport, far from home.
How we help: We help the student reach the sponsor's emergency line, find a clinic, and know what to do next, and we keep the family updated.
Why it matters
The advantages of having someone in the U.S.
Same time zone, same day
Thailand is 11 to 15 hours ahead of the U.S. When a student has a problem in the afternoon, an office in Thailand is closed. Our U.S. contact is awake and can answer that day.
Help in Thai
Under stress, it is hard to explain a problem in a second language. Students can talk to us in Thai, and we explain things back clearly.
A U.S. phone number
Students call or message a U.S. number, with no international charges and no waiting for Thailand office hours.
We know life in the U.S.
Our founder lives and works in California. He knows how things work day to day, from workplaces and housing to banks and clinics, and can give practical advice.
Faster with your sponsor
We report issues to the sponsor quickly, in English, with the facts already gathered, then follow up until the issue is closed.
Families stay informed
Parents in Thailand can contact us in Thai. That gives them peace of mind and lets students focus on work and travel.
We work alongside the sponsor, not instead of them
Under U.S. rules, the sponsor monitors participants and runs the 24-hour emergency line. We add a Thai-speaking contact in the U.S. who helps students act quickly and reports issues to the sponsor. Students always know both numbers.
More reasons to choose us
What else sets us apart
Better preparation
Our pre-departure orientation draws on real life in the U.S.: tipping, renting, banking, workplace rules and staying safe. Students arrive knowing what to expect.
One program only
We work only on the U.S. Summer Work Travel program. Our team knows it in detail, from the visa interview to the end of the travel period.
Clear, honest fees
Students get an itemized fee list in writing before paying anything, and we never take payment before we sign an agreement with a sponsor.
Leadership
Ratchathep Panthongta
Founder & CEO
Ratchathep lives in California and works in both Thai and English. He knows what it is like to build a life in the U.S., and he started Stars & Summer Exchange so Thai students would have someone nearby who speaks their language when they need help.
Based in CaliforniaThai & EnglishThai-speaking support in the U.S.
สรุปภาษาไทย
มีคนไทยคอยช่วยอยู่ในอเมริกา ตลอดช่วงโครงการ
นักศึกษา Work and Travel มักเจอปัญหาหลายอย่าง เช่น ได้ชั่วโมงทำงานน้อยกว่าที่คาดไว้ ปัญหาที่พัก การเดินทาง เอกสารหลังเดินทางถึง ความเข้าใจผิดกับนายจ้าง หรือเจ็บป่วยฉุกเฉิน แต่เวลาไทยเร็วกว่าอเมริกา 11–15 ชั่วโมง ถ้าโทรกลับไปหาเอเจนซี่ที่ไทยมักไม่มีคนรับสาย
Stars & Summer Exchange มีผู้ติดต่อที่พูดภาษาไทยอยู่ในแคลิฟอร์เนีย
- ติดต่อได้ในเวลาเดียวกับอเมริกา ช่วยได้ภายในวันเดียวกัน
- คุยภาษาไทยได้ และโทรเบอร์อเมริกาได้โดยไม่เสียค่าโทรต่างประเทศ
- ผู้ก่อตั้งอาศัยและทำงานอยู่ในอเมริกา เข้าใจชีวิตประจำวันและให้คำแนะนำที่ใช้ได้จริง
- ทำงานร่วมกับ sponsor ช่วยแจ้งปัญหาและติดตามจนเรื่องจบ
- ผู้ปกครองที่ไทยติดต่อสอบถามเราเป็นภาษาไทยได้
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