Looking at this photo, program newcomers are probably thinking: "Damn, once I get my J-1 Visa, I need to go and buy a flag." Yes, my friends! Absolutely. In my first year, I didn't think of this idea and arrived without any gear, and only this year did I bring a piece of my homeland. Last season, we only had two flags hanging. American and Romanian. Marius, a waiter from last year, brought both of them, and then, knowing he wouldn't return the following year, passed the American one to me like a relay baton. This year, I had an important mission. Not just to bring my own flag, but to return the American one, which, as it turns out, has been hung for several years in a row. Even before I arrived here. I later saw old photos of Ukrainian J-1 participants from here. Also, this year, Eugeni arrived with his flag, and Mihaela gave someone the task of bringing a Romanian one. The others arrived by chance. And so, we ended up with this international dormitory. Unfortunately, we are still missing Armenian and Nigerian ones, but even so, this staircase made every passerby in the parking lot stop and try to guess whose flags these were.

This year, it happened that there were a few more Russian-speaking people in the dorm than last year (last year there were 2 besides me, this year 3), although we still tried to speak English. And, of course, this all plays into your hands. How? Well, because I came home speaking Russian with an accent. My mom was scared by every phrase I said, as I had to think before speaking. If I'm not mistaken, I've mentioned this before. And I'm ready to repeat it. Friends, try to go to places less popular among the J-1 community. Don't you want to find yourself in such an international circle? To study different cultures, learn a few other languages (for example, at least learn how to swear in a language unknown to you), and find friends from other countries? I constantly see people striving for places where the majority of students are from the post-Soviet J-1 space. But what's the point? Isn't the essence of the program to improve your English or communication skills, huh?

This is, of course, your business, but believe me, finding yourself in such a situation might be difficult, but later you will realize what a blessing it is.