Like most people, we ended up in the program by accident, dropping by with a friend, then forgetting about it, and then suddenly... well, everyone knows how it goes.) There are three of us, me and two beautiful girls. Plus, another goofball joined us (as it turned out later) a bit later. The first thing we encountered was Sasha, the head of our IEC, who told us about the wonders of life in the land of the free and tax breaks. Then another guy promised to tell us about the most interesting places in America someday, and, happily and tastily, we parted with our first installment. We even thought we were parting with it on the last day of a super promotion with a $100 discount.
As it turned out later, after the last day, a super-duper promotion kicked in, which lasted for another 3 months, but oh well. The guys need to hustle too). That's it. There's no turning back. Or is there? In general, it's unclear for now, but backing out is already harder. "Okay, how's my English? Is it enough? Where should I go? AAA, someone tell me where to go???? And how much money do I need?? I don't have that much!!! Work, work, I need to go to work! Although it's stupid, working to earn money to go work... But it's not just work, it's a super-trip through work. Is this all a scam?" - these were roughly the thoughts that visited me after signing all the papers.
I still had to learn to drive and get an international driver's license to drive legally there. And of course, it dawned on me on the Friday before New Year's. I called all the schools in the city - everywhere the same answer: "Are you kidding, young man? Spots were booked 3 weeks ago, the price is going up by 8 thousand after the New Year," and all that. What?? How?? Is the great plan ruined at the very beginning?? I have a budget!! I leave university, go to a driving school near my house, get the phone number of an instructor from a nice lady, "who might know a school that might still have spots," I call him, get the school's number. They say the last spot was just taken. I hang up... Well, that's it... So much for driving... New York for you... Chicago...
Suddenly someone calls back. I pick up. A voice: "The guy who just signed up turns out to already have a license, he just needs to exchange it, so we have one spot left." Well, holy cow, here I am!!! And on December 26, 2008, at 5:50 PM, I, likely the last person in St. Petersburg, signed up for driving school at the old price. Phew.
