My Experience. Coincidences are not coincidental

Preface

First and foremost, as a participant in the Work and Travel USA 2022 program, I want to thank the International Exchange Center (or as the Jedi call it, the CMO) for a wonderful summer in the States and for fulfilling the dreams of thousands of students around the world. During my time in the States, the curators from Kazakhstan were in touch with me even at night and provided support not only to their own wards but also to students from other agencies who found themselves in difficult situations. Also, having gone through the path of a Jedi (J-1 Visa student), I became acquainted with many cultures and traditions of the locals, watching those very scenes from my favorite movies with my own eyes. For example, my first and hopefully not last Independence Day in the States left an indelible impression of American culture and its values. Drawing a parallel with the celebration of Independence Day in Kazakhstan, one can notice the scale of the event; even in small villages, residents decorate their houses and launch fireworks into the night sky.

Five years ago, a distant relative who had just returned from abroad came to visit us. Although I saw her for the first time, I heard a lot of praise for her that evening. She was seated in the place of honor for guests - the tör, and my parents, like other relatives, began to ask about her past summer in the States through the Work and Travel USA program. At that moment, I was aware of the possibilities of this program, but I could not imagine that in just a few years I would also be sharing my experience at the same table, and my mother would be pouring tea into my mug and listening to my stories just like that same evening five years ago.

Part 1. The International Exchange Center unites hearts

Despite spending more time on social media while studying the entire second year remotely, I lost touch with many acquaintances. How pleasant it was to meet them again and have meetings, but this time while preparing for an interview with the consul. We held meetings, sharing tips and future plans for the upcoming summer. During that time, I could not find a "travel companion" who was going to spend the summer in the same village as me; since this was my first trip abroad, and it is easier to settle into a new country together than alone. There was one guy who attended our meetings who had his job offer approved in a neighboring village, but he was denied a visa. I, having received my visa, was already sitting upset at the pre-departure meeting of the International Exchange Center, where we were instructed on how to fill out the SEVIS, shared the experience of former J-1 Visa students, and precautions for using transport. A girl sitting behind me reached out to my ear and asked where one could get bikes in the village, to which I replied, "We'll figure it out upon arrival, but for now, listen carefully." At the end of the meeting, where about a hundred students had gathered, I shouted loudly:

• Who is going to village X?
• Me! Me! - shouted the girl sitting behind.

Spark, storm, madness, and after 10 minutes of storming, we find out that we are not only going to the same village, but we are also flying on the same flight and working in the same bar. While we were clarifying the details of our upcoming trip, I was overjoyed to learn that 12 more Jedi were flying on our flight (five of whom would later move into the same house as us).

Part 2. Plan your flight in advance

It was nice that before flying to the States, I would visit one of the cultural places of our country - Turkestan. Previously, there was no opportunity to visit this beautiful city, but since I was going to fly out from there, I had the opportunity to enjoy this view. At the pre-departure meeting of the International Exchange Center, we were clearly instructed to take some pocket money in cash, but I, not having managed to cash out in Almaty, planned to do it in Turkestan (it's not called the spiritual capital for nothing). Having driven around all the banks in the city, I could not find dollars anywhere. How was I to know about the lack of currency for sale?

Worried that huge commissions would be charged at ATMs in Istanbul and New York, I didn't notice how time passed and didn't manage to arrive on time for the COVID test, which was mandatory for entering the States this summer. Without the test result, I might not have been allowed on the flight to the States, and the Turkestan airport did not provide express test services on the very day of my departure. Having planned to take the test at the Istanbul airport (fortunately, there was an 8-hour layover) and cash out money there, my friend (p.s. future colleague and neighbor) and I, having checked our luggage, posted our passports covered with tickets on social media.

I didn't notice the other students right away, but closer to the transfer in Istanbul, I was familiar with everyone. And no, we weren't seated next to each other on the plane; we introduced ourselves to each other during the commotion at the Istanbul airport.

Part 3. In search of Wi-Fi or how we were adopted by repeaters

Arriving in Istanbul, my friend and I rushed to look for a testing center, while asking about ATMs. Having taken the express test, I stood at the ATM and realized that I had not set a PIN code for my card, and after unsuccessful attempts to enter the application without network access, we began to look for blue machines with Wi-Fi distribution for an hour, which all W&T Telegram channels were buzzing about. With my low level of Turkish, I approached passersby and airport staff, trying to explain what we needed from them. We walked from one end of the building to the other until one of the guards said that you could find Wi-Fi terminals outside the exit. There were many people on the street, but not a single terminal. Returning to the exit, that same "good-natured" guard would not let us in, telling us to enter from another entrance. (P.s. if I am asked where I have been in Istanbul, I will answer honestly, in shock). For comparison, Istanbul Airport is the largest, and the hour and a half that we ran around in search of an entrance back seemed like an eternity. On the way, we had already managed to run into Russians while going up the elevator. And yet, how pleasant it is to see and hear a familiar language abroad.

Somehow, having found ourselves inside the building, we started looking for the blue terminals again. Seeing a young man, and as it seemed to me, a local explaining something to elderly people, I instinctively headed towards him, praying that he would understand at least a little English.

Me: - Siz İngilizce konuşuruz mu? (in Turkish this means "Do you speak English?")

He: - Yes, I do, but it would be better if we switch to Russian.

We looked into each other's eyes and dropped our jaws. At that moment, I realized that another J-1 Visa student was standing in front of me. Hundreds of questions in my head, but we started with the main thing:

Me: Where are you heading?

He: To the state of Massachusetts.

Me: We are too..

He: And to which village?

Me: To village X.

He: And me and my girlfriend as well.

Amazement in our eyes, and our next question about the landlord, after which I begin to believe in fate. Meeting future neighbors somewhere at the Istanbul airport, thousands of kilometers from home, was something incredible for us. Later it turned out that they were repeat participants, our mini-senseis, showing us how to use the Wi-Fi terminals and explaining how to get to the nearest hostel upon arrival in New York, they said goodbye to us but not forever (they went to pick up a couple of things from friends in New Jersey, after which they joined us).

Part 4. You know, I'm something of a prankster myself

New York is a separate topic. One article is not enough to tell about all its attractions. It is better to move on to the part where we got on one of the Peter Pan buses and safely reached our village. Having met our landlord, we settled in with the "senseis" in neighboring rooms and went to explore the surrounding world. Listening to their stories about the memories of last summer, we imperceptibly reached the nearest mini-market. Examining unfamiliar brands on the shelves, we chose must-have products and headed back home, simultaneously experiencing symptoms of jet lag.

Waking up the next morning, we went straight to the employer. Not finding him at the workplace, we were told to stay for training, which we were very happy about. In the kitchen, a tall Asian man was standing and cleaning something; seeing him, my friend began to pull my sleeve and whisper that this was a student from Kazakhstan. He came up to us to get acquainted, extending his hand, and said, "Hi, my name is Liam. I am from Thailand." A young cook standing nearby, by the look of whom it was clear that he was a local, smiled broadly and said his name. I didn't pay much attention to this, as Liam immediately got to work and started teaching us everything.

His level of English was impressive, but the accent was too similar to ours. Having spent more than an hour on our training, he walked over to the bar to check his notebook, and returning, he continued, saying without an accent in Russian, "if anything." We caught him red-handed, and our Thai friend confessed that he decided to play a little joke on us and pretend to be a foreigner, which, of course, we fell for. After that, we were pranked at another job or by our new neighbors, but that's another story. Liam's real name is Alim, and the cook himself came up with a nickname for him, and he himself decided to have a little fun with it.

We didn't spend much time at this job, but we certainly weren't met by anyone like that at other places.