It was a period when a huge number of students were flying out. We were among them; on June 2nd, nearly 70 of us were departing.
Everyone was very excited and tried to get to know each other quickly, realizing we would only spend two days in New York, yet everyone stuck together despite barely knowing one another. The mood was very positive, as some of us were flying for the first time toward independent life—even if just for a short while, it was a huge experience for them.
Some were saying goodbye to family, there were many friends seeing us off, shouting well wishes for a great summer, and others were saying goodbye to their significant others. But after passing through customs, everyone felt a bit lonely for a moment, lost in thought, maybe even a little sad—perhaps starting to wonder what awaited them this summer?! But that passed quickly... Then the "selfie" phase began, photographing boarding passes, passports, and finally Instagram; that’s how our 40 minutes until boarding passed... We flew with Lufthansa, and what can I say, we liked it))) We didn't have time to get bored; there were movies, music, and a library the whole way.
Students don't sleep on the plane, especially when flying to the USA. Everyone is discussing something; it's interesting to meet groupmates who didn't know all year that they were also program participants. It's good they met at the airport on the way to the USA; there were even cases where people met for the first time only on the return flight. And they were so surprised!
Transfer in Frankfurt.
The transfer was very convenient; we waited for only about 2 hours, quickly went through registration, spent half an hour in the waiting area, and then we were back on the plane, though not as active anymore—everyone wanted to sleep...
When they announced we were approaching New York, we were fed one last time and asked to raise our seats and fasten our seatbelts. You could see the feeling of anticipation for something incredible on everyone's faces; everyone was so alert, so excited! The plane made a very soft landing, we taxied to the terminal for a long time, and slowly everyone started grabbing their carry-on luggage and moving toward the exit.
John F. Kennedy International Airport is the largest international airport in the USA, located in the Queens borough in the southeastern part of New York City, 20 km southeast of Lower Manhattan.
Can you imagine the traffic at the airport when everyone is waiting for permission to land or take off because there is simply no space, and an "airplane traffic jam" has formed?
There were so many people at the airport, so many that it took us almost 3 hours to get through customs. Tip: If you brought fruit with you, please make sure to declare it on your customs declaration. Otherwise, you may be fined or detained until circumstances are clarified. This also applies to other products.
After passing the check and collecting our luggage, we all gathered at the exit. A cool bus with a guide arrived and took us to the Hotel Pennsylvania. On the way, the guide told us about everything we saw on the road, about shops, groceries, car rentals, and even inexpensive restaurants and shopping.
Hotel Pennsylvania, the location of this hotel is simply fantastic. Pennsylvania is in Manhattan, across the street from the Madison Square Garden sports complex, and was one of the most frequently booked in New York City! Times Square and the Museum of Modern Art are less than a 15-minute subway ride from the Penn Hotel. The hotel is also one block from the Macy's department store and 2 blocks from the Empire State Building.
Midtown is a great choice if you are interested in landmarks, shopping, and museums.
At the hotel, a girl was waiting for us at a separate reception desk with an "INTEREXCHANGE" sign.
She quickly collected our passports and, calling everyone one by one, handed out room keys. She reacted very quickly to requests to change rooms and helped in every way she could. Even though there were many of us, she handled it very quickly. She also handed out information brochures about the meeting that would take place the next day.
Everyone, tired from the flight and the long journey from the airport, scattered to their rooms—some to the shower, some to the buffet—but we agreed in advance to meet in the evening to walk around.
At 9:30 PM, we went to eat, and everyone wanted to go to McDonald's; the stereotype probably won. After dinner, we went for a walk around Times Square, visited shops, and drank coffee. By the way, it was very cold.
But we couldn't walk for long and returned to the hotel. In the morning, there would be a meeting with representatives of the INTEREXCHANGE organization; we needed to get some sleep.
Orientation, 9:00 AM, Madison Hall
Everyone had to arrive at the meeting without being late, but there were not only students from Kazakhstan there; there were students from Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and somewhere else—there were many of us. Everyone was asked to enter the conference hall; each person had a packet of documents and necessary travel supplies on their chair, such as maps, guidebooks, SIM cards, a folder, etc.
The meeting started on time, and it was opened by a coordinator named Tatyana. She explained all the safety rules to everyone, how to behave properly in the USA so there would be no problems with the law. She explained in more detail about the SEVIS system and how important it is. About how to get to the employer, she pointed out on the list who is going with whom. Possible routes on how to get to the employer. She told us how to travel properly and even how to spend the rest of the day in New York. In general, everything that a J-1 student who doesn't know much yet might need. Afterward, they sold tickets to the Statue of Liberty at a very attractive discounted price. They handed out information sheets with routes to museums, parks, the nearest Social Security offices, and a subway map of NYC.
Many were already in a hurry at the end of the meeting, as they would soon be flying to the city where their employer is located. Some were in a hurry to take a quick walk around the city. Some only went to buy a ticket; they still had time.
With those who stayed, we went for a walk around the city, went to Chinatown, and ate. Afterward, we walked to the Brooklyn Bridge, went to Central Park, Wall St, the 9/11 Memorial, the World Trade Center, and explored the subway a bit.
So, that's how our 2 days in NYC went. Everyone promised each other to meet on the way back and spend more time together during shopping. Have a great summer, everyone!
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%8D%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%82
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https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%83%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D1%8C%D1%8E-%D0%99%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BA
