As much as all of us J-1 students would like to extend the summer, it is time to head back home. After all, "Travel is worth it if only to return home afterwards!"

Every day I called my parents, and we missed each other. Living with a 7-hour time difference was becoming impossible; I wanted to hug my loved ones as soon as possible and tell them everything about my summer in detail.

The last few days were spent buying gifts and summing up the experience.

I agree that "Travel is not always pretty. It is not always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that is okay. The journey should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you... Hopefully, you leave something good behind." And I took a lot with me; I changed, became more independent and responsible. When we are so far from home, we begin to appreciate many of the things we didn't value before. And, upon returning, we become different. I realized that all the pleasure in life comes from encountering the new and unknown. Yes, I cannot judge America 100% yet, but I can definitely say that it is not going anywhere.

At the end, New York was waiting for me again. I had more time to appreciate all its beauty and the diversity of places.

"For him, there were only two favorite moments in life: when he approached a big city and when he left it." I had the opportunity to admire all the splendor of the skyscrapers and the architecture of the buildings themselves.

I once again encountered this stream of different people in the huge metropolis.

It all started with New York and ended with it. "I haven't been everywhere yet, but it's on my list."

You are, of course, wondering what I would change about my trip...?

1. I would book tickets in advance.
2. Now I know what days-off are, and at every opportunity, I would grab a backpack and set off to travel to new places.
   I would attend all student meetings because it is incredibly cool.
3. I wouldn't have to spend time getting a social security number, but could have gone to The Metropolitan Museum of Art instead.
4. I would have taken more photos of America and organized my own mini-exhibition at my university in Kursk.

Describing my summer in America, I wanted readers to get closer to that atmosphere and, together with me, experience and feel everything I felt while being far from home. Participating in this contest brought me back to those wonderful warm days day after day.

In conclusion, I would like to express my special gratitude to the International Exchange Center for the opportunity to get to know America. It is thanks to the International Exchange Center that thousands of students from all over the world can discover new countries and make new friends.