So, let's start from the beginning of the program.

I started the application process back in October. I submitted all the documents and began looking for a job. Mass emailing my resume and filling out applications didn't bring any real results. I got lucky around January when I met a wonderful young man in a VK group (Andryukh, thank you so much for all your help!!). He told me about a wonderful peninsula in the state of Massachusetts (I'll tell you more about it later), gave me the direct contacts of a person recruiting students to work in a supermarket, and generally helped me a lot with all sorts of useful advice. I contacted this person and successfully received an offer, becoming one step closer to my dream trip!

Then came the embassy. Since I submitted my documents quite early, I went to the interview in one of the first waves. I know that all assurances like "It's nothing to worry about" don't help until you go through it yourself. But it really is nothing to worry about! The interview was on February 19th. They gathered us early in the morning. At first, there were only two feelings: the desire to sleep and the cold! People who will have an interview in the first waves - dress warmly!!! We stood outside for about two and a half hours. We finally entered the embassy. After our frozen limbs warmed up, we started shaking with fear. What if I don't understand him? What if I say something wrong? All the fear disappeared the moment I walked up to the window and the nicest consul said positively: "Hi! How are you?". Suddenly, an unknown knowledge of English woke up in me! I started answering all the questions without hesitation. And the questions were about where I study and what subjects I take. Then he asked something... I didn't understand, I said "Excuse me..". He repeated, I still didn't understand. I said, sorry, but I don't understand your question. He smiled sweetly, waved his hand and said "Never mind". Then he asked where I was going. When the consul heard that I was going to Massachusetts, he was so happy! He said he was from there himself. For another 5 minutes, he told me what wonderful places there are and all that... He finished his story with the cherished: "Have a good summer in the USA".

I, all happy, decided that now I could relax and start preparing for early exams. But that was not the case! The staff at CMO threw a problem at me. I signed up for the program with the ticket purchase through the agency (i.e., CMO). I indicated the desired flight dates: June 11th there, August 29th back. I, of course, understood that the ticket dates might differ slightly from the desired ones... but when I found out that they bought my return ticket for SEPTEMBER 29th!!! I was a bit in shock. It took me a month, a bunch of phone calls to Moscow and Riga, several personal visits to the office, and a lot of nerves for the staff to finally deign to change my tickets. In general, the conclusion: buy the tickets yourself! Fortunately, my troubles ended there. I successfully passed all my credits and exams and flew to the USA on June 11th!..