The next stop was Philadelphia. It was an amazing trip full of impressions and emotions. Museums, fountains, architecture, a huge number of universities, cute designer spots, cafes, diners, street art, surreal monuments that were hard to fully grasp, skyscrapers, and amazingly dressed passersby – all of this was absolutely thrilling! People seemed so free and open! Some were doing yoga in the park on their mats, some were just sunbathing, some were reading books, and some were feeding squirrels that, surprisingly, acted like they were tame – in that moment, I felt like a part of real American life.
In the USA, I managed to celebrate my American coming-of-age – turning 21. It was incredibly fun, surrounded by all my new friends from different countries, including Americans. I can confidently say that it was my most unforgettable and unusual birthday! On days off from work, we would gather in the backyard, have a barbecue, roast American marshmallows over the fire, and share stories from our lives.
The variety of goods in American supermarkets never ceased to amaze: the shelves were simply bursting with 'products for the lazy.' You could find everything and even a little bit more. Although I wasn't impressed by American food at all—in fact, I was a bit disappointed because it's very unhealthy and packed with chemicals—it was still easy to find some tasty treats in the stores. It was very surprising that fast food in America isn't actually that tasty, despite the fact that America is the birthplace of fast food worldwide.
I remember Wildwood with special warmth and tenderness, as I spent most of my American trip there and got very used to Wawa – a chain of convenience stores where we would run for delicious self-made coffee, sandwiches, and chats with friendly American staff, to those cute streets and houses, to such a calm and measured life in a small town, to Dunkin’ Donuts with their tempting donuts. Oh, how I miss it! On the boardwalk, there was always something incredible happening. A huge number of locals, J-1 students, and just Americans who came to relax. You could play various games, feel like a gangster by dressing up in a costume, or test your luck with slot machines, ride roller coasters, spend a whole day at a water park, eat freshly made chocolate prepared right in front of you, impressive caramel apples, get a piercing or a tattoo, buy a T-shirt or a phone case with your photo in a couple of minutes, try the best pizza in town, or just take a walk, breathing in the ocean air.
