Every Thursday we hosted a concert for the resort guests, representing our countries and celebrating, even if there was nothing to celebrate. When it was past midnight and the happy guests were fast asleep, we would pile into cars, drive to Pinky Town on the other side of the highway, and have a bonfire party.

At one of these parties, my close friends from Kazakhstan, Madina and Olzhas, said: “We’re leaving for New York tomorrow, we’ll try to find work there.” When I asked if they were going to tell their sponsor, they replied that they would tell them upon arrival—why waste nerves now? Besides, it’s scary to get a negative answer, so it’s better to say it when you’re already there; yes, they would definitely tell them.

A couple of days later, they left, and a couple of weeks later, they were sent back home for violating their contract. They won’t be able to enter America for a very long time now.

In the States, the law is extremely strict. The police can stop you on the street for no reason just to check if everything is okay; they searched our American friend Megan’s car right on the highway a couple of times. Once, I was walking through a rough Chicago neighborhood, and a guy asked: “Miss, by a chance, do you want some marijuana?” God forbid you agree, and if you do, God forbid you get caught by law-abiding citizens.

And, as always, here is my advice:

1. Whatever happens, discuss everything with your sponsor. If you make a decision on your own, you will be the one responsible for it.

2. I am sure that in America you will encounter drugs, alcohol, and theft. In Chicago alone, there is so much crime that someone is killed every two hours. All of this is on your conscience, but I wouldn’t advise it.