My big dream — to visit America

Surely, in almost every essay you've been sent there are phrases that a trip to America has been their dream since childhood. And perhaps it already seems banal and hackneyed, but how can a dream be banal? Yes, many dream of getting to the States, and that is not surprising. After all, we all grew up in roughly the same environment. We were influenced by the same culture of Hollywood films that show cozy American houses and the busy streets of big cities. But these films attract not only mesmerizing locations, but also emotions, attitudes to life, relationships between people, and an ease in perceiving various situations. American films have formed in our minds the idea that there, in distant America, people live completely differently, that they are happy there. For how can one be unhappy when you are surrounded by New York — the city of opportunity, where all dreams come true, where every street whispers: "You can do anything." So, let someone call me ordinary, but I boldly and confidently declare: "My big dream — to visit America." And in this essay I will lay out, point by point, why this dream in 2023 became my goal.

1. My mother works as a teacher at the school where I studied. This circumstance formed in me the "overachiever" syndrome. I always tried to do everything perfectly and was afraid of making mistakes. This fear often prevented me from trying something new and each time put obstacles in my way. But at some point I got so tired of missing opportunities because of imaginary failures that, despite this fear, I began to act. Thus, while studying for my bachelor's degree in Kazakhstan I twice won a competition at the university and went on exchange to China for two semesters. Later, having graduated with honors, I won a government grant to study in China at the master's level, where the Chinese government fully covers my expenses and, as a bonus, pays me a monthly scholarship. Unfortunately, due to the epidemic, I was unable to visit China for the third time. I also had many doubts and fears about the Work&Travel program. But now I am in my penultimate year of my master's, which means this is my last chance to become a participant in Work&Travel. So all fears aside and only forward. To try and do everything I can for my goal.

2. After the trip to China I discovered new feelings, emotions and a new outlook. I realized that you only truly become close to a new city or country after you have lived there for more than 2 months. In a 10-day vacation you don't have time to form a soulful connection with a place. Yes, you undoubtedly learn something new, you enjoy yourself and have an amazing time. But I always want to get to know a place more closely, befriend it, discover its hidden and non-touristy sides that are soaked in the real life of the locals and centuries-old history. Walking the streets and thinking about such things I experience feelings close to falling in love: butterflies fly in my stomach, a smile appears on my face, and my legs just carry me as if on wings. I want to experience these emotions again; I want to get to know America, befriend it and fall in love with it.

3. While studying for my master's, I work part-time as a manager at a local coffee shop. To be honest, I would never have thought I would tie my life to the food service and hospitality sector, but this job touched my heart. When the whole fuss with the epidemic began, borders closed and it became unknown how soon I could continue my studies in China. In order simply not to waste the time I had outside of study, I decided to find a job that I could combine with my studies. Friends advised me to try working at a Starbucks café — the job is not difficult, and the schedule is very flexible. At first I did not take this job very seriously and in every way ignored career advancement, because I thought I wouldn't stay long, at most three months, and then my beloved China would be waiting for me! But alas, already for the second year I have been working in a café and to some extent I like it. I met great people, many of whom became close to me and taught me the subtleties of "communicating with guests"; I became more sociable and, so to speak, opened up, began to understand the coffee "business" and, ultimately, I know how to brew delicious coffee. Now I would like to learn what the service industry looks like according to Americans — how they perceive and perform their work, what their service standards are, what the mentality of local customers is, what they prefer and how it all works.

4. This year I will turn 25. This is an average age when already half of classmates have started families, had children, taken out a mortgage. And, as a rule, they already have a bunch of household responsibilities and worries that don't even let them do something as simple as go to karaoke with friends. I don't know when family life will catch up with me, but right now I am free and not tied to children or a mortgage. This advantage gives me the opportunity to travel, discover new sides of myself, meet people of different nationalities and, through that, become better and more interesting. And recently I saw a clip from an interview with Ruslan Usachev where he talks about travel. I will not give the exact quote, but will convey its essence in my own words: "In childhood time seemed to stretch, because every day we learned and did something new and unknown to us. In adult life time seems to go several times faster. The thing is routine. Every day we do the same things that are already familiar to us, that we already know how to do. And travel gives us the opportunity to return to that childlike state when everything around you becomes unknown again, and you study it with curiosity. And you manage to do so much; time may pass unnoticed, but at the end of the day you are amazed at how much you have done, learned, seen." In short, I perceive this thought as follows: more travel — a higher-quality and longer life. This idea resonates strongly in my soul and pushes me to act.

These are the four main reasons why I so want to become a participant in the Work&Travel program. Thank you for reading.

Mits

Alla

3 group