The next morning, when we went down for breakfast, we hungry students were pleasantly shocked))

THERE WAS EVERYTHING!!! So much food that our eyes were darting in all 4 directions)) We wanted to eat everything!!! (As you can understand, when a person travels by bus, their main food becomes various snacks, and at best, they eat at McDonald's during transfers. So, that morning was blissful—freshly brewed aromatic coffee, soft, warm cinnamon rolls with maple syrup, omelet, and yogurt were just chic after double cheeseburgers))) Like real students, we, of course, didn't forget to grab a couple of green apples with us.

We left that hotel with a heavy heart... THAT place where we were to live for the next month was not even one-tenth (or even one-hundredth!) like the Holiday Inn. The caring girl at the reception had already called our employer yesterday and delighted him with the news that some Russian students were waiting! when will you pick them up for work...

And now we are already rolling with some woman (whose eyes were just popping out of their sockets, they were so bulging) to the main McDonald's office...

We pay the deposit for the uniform... We pay the deposit for the bed linen (you should have seen it—the sheet, the pillowcase, it was just trash! It's good that a set of my own bedding flew with me from Russia! MOM, THANK YOU FOR PERSUADING ME TO TAKE IT!)

HERE WE NEED TO MAKE A LYRICAL DIGRESSION NUMBER ONE

The thing is, from our city, to the same city, to the same organization, a boy (hereinafter modestly referred to as Andryusha, Andr, Andrey) and a girl of 22-23 years old, Anna, were sent. So... the first thing we asked her was where Andrey and Anna work... It turned out—in the city next door!

In general, all the towns in Alabama are small.... From one to the other is about a 20-minute drive... Later we reached the city where our fellow countrymen lived, Bay Minette.... Sounds true, right???))

So... After signing everything necessary, we were taken to our apartments!!!

That's a loud statement... Let me try again.... So... after signing all that nonsense they shoved at us, we crammed into the car and went to inspect our little rooms...

It was something like a courtyard where houses are located in a circle... Entering the apartment, we saw a sagging sofa with scattered things, a plastic! table, a rocking chair, a fireplace—all this was in the living room! Oh yes!! There were also a Thai boy and girl there. They were talking quickly about something. There was a specific smell in the apartment—Thai spices and "fried cockroaches")) We went into our room (there were two in total) and found three mattresses lying on the floor, and...... THAT'S IT! That's all that was in our room. The auntie-manager who brought us here stood on the side and smiled sweetly, and quite uncomprehendingly... She was waiting for a different reaction—you know, enthusiastic shouts, gratitude for the wonderful apartments.... But... a bummer... Russian students (instead of that, look at such impudence!!!) sternly asked how one can live in this.... in this.... I don't know.. well, okay... room... The doors don't close, the toilet doesn't flush, the bathtub is as if no one has bathed in it for 1000 years—it's rusted in some places and covered in someone else's hair. And in general??? We don't need such untidy neighbors!! When do you say they are moving out???? Tomorrow?? Excellent.... Yeah.. we need a uniform for work? Excellent.... Will you kindly take us to the shop? Excellent.... Well, let's go!!!

Oh yes.. In the end, the quiet Thais received a strict order from us to scrub everything to the max by our arrival.

In general, she did take us to the store, but she suggested we get home on our own... Well, so! What's wrong with that? Of course!!! But we didn't know then that there is no public transportation in Alabama at all.. NOT A SINGLE SCHEDULED BUS! MOREOVER, ORDERING A TAXI IS UNREAL! YOU CAN ONLY ORDER A TAXI FROM ANOTHER CITY (WHICH WILL COST YOU A PRETTY PENNY) OR ORDER A WHOLE SHUTTLE BUS (WHICH WILL COST YOU EXACTLY HALF OF A TAXI)

Now a little about American youth.... Their culture... customs.. traditions

Imagine... Heat... It feels like you are melting from the inside... The side of the road.. Three Russian girls walking with heavy bags.... A stream of cars, where every 1st! driver stares at you, and every second one honks... There were even some minors who, opening the window, showed us their (sorry) fifth point.... It was hoooorrible... I have never seen such rudeness from Americans, whom everyone praises as THE MOST GOOD-NATURED NATION...

The day ended with swimming in the pool.... The next day a big test awaited us....