0. Be confident, don't be afraid of new things, but rather learn more about them. Be patient—the way they butchered my name and the name of my country (Kazakhstan, Pakistan...) was unbelievable. They called me Chinese, Filipino, Thai... (how many times did Chinese people approach me and try to talk, and when I said, 'I am not Chinese,' they looked at me with suspicion, especially the grannies, probably thinking I didn't recognize my own 'country'!))

It was hard for Americans to pronounce the 'Zh' sound, so I introduced myself to everyone as 'Zaya.' But even then, they were intimidated. The funniest moment: my supervisor ('boss'), a married guy, was explaining something in detail at a staff meeting, and at the end, he said: 'Did you get it, Zaya?' 'Zaya' sounded like 'Za-ya.' Well, you can imagine the intonation! My sister and I laughed our hearts out.

Also, it was the end of the workday. I was in a hurry to leave when a guest asked where the Spa was. I said I wasn't sure, but it should be at the end of the hall. When I returned, he was angry and started complaining that I wasn't doing my job and wanted to report me. But it ended with him not being able to read my name on my badge. Such are the pros and cons =)

Everyone who knew that Kazakhstan was part of the USSR tried to figure out my position between Russia and Ukraine. I advise not to argue on this topic; in my case, they tried to impose their opinion and didn't know how to listen. I became friends with a bartender, and it was pleasant to have a dialogue with him (he was an exception!). I encountered many people who loved talking about politics. Whether you know it or not, some states (e.g., my New Hampshire) do not support the president's policy, and I often heard open negative conversations on the radio. So be careful with such topics.

1. Download everything you need on your phone while still at home, especially Maps, Booking, and the NYC subway map. I got lost in the New York subway so many times, thinking each time it was the last. I want to play guitar in the subway; I even bought a guitar (for $200, I don't know if it's cheaper there, but mine is very cool and comes with two cases), but I never got around to it. But all is not lost. This summer, I'll check that off my bucket list. Maps is a cool thing; I didn't part with it during the whole trip. Buy a Bank Charger, a charger you can carry with you. My HTC phone drained quickly because of the internet, and I think you'll have such problems too... I bought a Chinese one for $20, but there is a large selection of charger sizes and power capacities, so prices vary greatly.

2. If you work in a hotel, check the website for vacancies, send applications, and after arriving, transfer to a better job. Because you might not find a good offer initially, but you can change jobs. You don't want to work a boring job for 3 months. Look, you will definitely find a second and more convenient job. In your resume, you can lie that you have extensive experience in this field, for example, that you worked part-time in a cool restaurant for a year during your studies =) (oops, I didn't tell you that)

3. Make friends with the people who work in the kitchen, help each other) Honestly, the first year I spent money on food for a month, the second time—only a week. In the hotel, all holidays were catered with food (buffet). And, of course, there was always a large selection of food left over. I always returned with food boxes. Our trash bin consisted only of them.

4. Don't be afraid to ask, preferably double-check with 3-4 people, for example, about locations. Because we got lost a couple of times, which is fun, of course. But we planned everything by time, and we didn't visit several places...

5. Supermarkets constantly have discounts; you can check them in advance at home, which will allow you to save on food. That's what we did at the beginning, before getting to know the guys from the kitchen.

6. !!! When buying clothes, ask the sellers about coupons; if it's a chain of stores, they will have an information desk, and coupons are usually given out for free. You can take them home, study them in detail, and do your shopping faster and save up to 70%. There are many store chains with good promotions; I want to tell you about TJ Maxx—there are a lot of brand-name things at a 20-25% discount, from watches and perfumes to clothes, they have everything. I, for example, am not a fan of spending the whole day in stores, so it was convenient for me to shop there. I was at TJ Maxx in my city 5-6 times, and I was also in the NYC one. They have constant arrivals, definitely visit. I also liked the clothes from the Forever 21 brand. I left with 2 full 25kg suitcases, and 70% was clothes)) The site http://workandtravel.org.ua/ru/shopping helped me.
   This is a very useful tip!!! I could have saved much more with coupons at Outfitters ((

7. Start planning your trip; tickets and tours have discounts when bought in advance. And it will be pleasant for you to know that you are working, and at the end, you have a vacation plan ready. The first year, we bought a tour in the last week... so I know it's not easy. You want to see everything, but you're too lazy to plan, search, read... But in the second year, I started planning as soon as I arrived; I read a lot and asked people where they vacationed. That's how I found many cities where they can host you and even show you the city. So, don't be lazy))

8. It is advisable to go with one backpack; it is more profitable to buy a suitcase there. You won't worry and drag things around. I went with a huge half-empty one, and it was very painful while I was looking for where to leave it; I got tired and envied those who were smarter and took a backpack. Simple clothes can be bought at Walmart for very low prices. There is even a Dollar store; we bought sneakers and wore them out in 3 months)). You will find a large suitcase at good prices both on the internet and in stores.

9. When buying online, read in detail about the delivery time; I was inattentive and placed an order on Amazon with a 3-week delivery, and I didn't manage to receive it before leaving. But at least I have one more reason to return to America). I ordered absolutely everything (except clothes) online. I know 2 major online stores. They are eBay and Amazon. As I understood, eBay has more choice because they sell more used products (i.e., every person can put them up for sale). Personally, I made all orders on Amazon (mostly specific companies put items up for sale there), it seemed safer to me. All goods arrived with delivery, there were no problems. My sister placed orders through eBay, and everything arrived on time. You just need a debit card, and you are free to make purchases as much as you can afford) A debit card is the card you open when you start working, and your salary will be deposited there.

10. Communicate more with Americans at McDonald's and other places; you can find people willing to host you for free or for a small fee. (A friend met a woman from Uzbekistan at McDonald's who had been living in America for many years and offered help). Housing there is expensive compared to the CIS. I had $80 a week. Or make good friends with your employer and ask to lower the price after a month, say you need to save for studies) my case)

11. When you arrive where your offer is, and you will arrive) you need to get a Social Security Number after filling out SEVIS. My mistake was that I applied for a Social Security Number before filling out SEVIS, and because of that, I spent a lot of time re-registering. So do everything by the rules)

12. I will say it again, don't be afraid to meet new people, ask for advice; I met so many good, kind people ready to provide any help so that my summer would be special. I spent 4 days in Boston at a woman's house completely for free; I didn't even ask her, she offered help herself. And there were many small things, but I remember everything and someday I will repay their kindness. =) Over the summer, I even improved my personal qualities; I became more open, kind, smiling, cheerful, and confident.

So far, I've only been able to write down 12; I'll add more when I remember. I hope you find my advice useful

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