How did I decide to go alone? How did I fail to pay for the program because of a blocked passport? Why didn't the sponsor confirm my offer? How did I get a visa 10 days after a refusal? How did I miss my flight and fail to reach my dream destination? How did I sit in the third row at the finale of the most popular show, America's got talent? How did I fly in a helicopter over Arizona? Stay with me, I'll tell you everything.
If you count how many times I heard the phrase "it's just not meant to be" before both trips to the States, you could go crazy. Everything was going wrong, or rather, nothing was working out at all. It didn't work out in 2016, nor in 2017. I'll start from the very beginning.
I had heard about the program for a long time, but I wasn't really planning a trip. I knew that a significant amount of money was required, and it was somehow far away. America seems so close to me now, but back then it was a distant country of huge opportunities and freedom for me. But the key word here is "distant." I won't tell you how I spent the summer of 2015, but the thought that I needed to change something in my life was firmly stuck in my head.
My second year of studies had just begun, and I ran to an agency to find out about the Work and Travel USA program. Everything about the program suited me, but I decided not to rush, as the enrollment had only just opened. Literally a few days later, I learned about another exchange program that allows you to spend a semester in America, studying English and immersing yourself in the country's culture. The thought of Work and Travel USA faded into the background, and while all my acquaintances were signing up for Work and Travel USA, slowly but surely, without even realizing it, I was moving forward to the final selection of candidates for the exchange program. I put in a huge amount of effort back then (writing motivation letters, taking exams, collecting hundreds of papers). When many of my friends were preparing for their US consulate interviews in March, I was still waiting for the results. I waited and realized that if I didn't become a finalist for the exchange program, I would have catastrophically little time to process documents for Work and Travel USA. And I didn't make it. I received a letter thanking me for participating and congratulating me on becoming one of the top 100 candidates. Thanks, of course, for the consolation. I had mentally prepared myself for such a result, but I couldn't hold back the tears. It was painful to spend so much time and effort.
There were only a few days left before the enrollment for Work and Travel USA closed. But there was nothing to think about; I had this backup plan clearly developed. I came to the office and simply signed all the papers, paying for part of the program. I didn't need any stories about what opportunities a summer in the USA would open up for me; I knew everything myself.
