So, the daily grind has begun. Our duties included: watching the kids, regulating traffic on the trampoline slides, and occasionally helping out around the park and such. A child stuck at the top of the trampoline and afraid to slide down? Be kind, go up and get them. Forgot to take off socks on a wet slide? Give a warning! Scraped a hand or leg? Take them to the first aid station! Using a phone was strictly forbidden, but sometimes I really wanted to, especially since there were almost no people in the first half of the day, and there was nothing to do but sit on a chair. Honestly, it was a shock for me—surrounded by English speakers I didn't understand at all. They often approached with various questions, and I had to awkwardly ask them to repeat, but as a rule, smiling Americans were always ready to repeat and say the same phrase more slowly and in simple words. Surprisingly, by the end of the first month, without much effort, you practically start to understand them, and awkward situations become much less frequent.
Now about the park staff. Mostly, the guys were J-1 students just like us. During the work routine, you manage to get to know all the workers—Bulgarians, Serbs, Turks, Kazakhs, Dominicans, and, of course, your own compatriots. Speaking of compatriots! We were incredibly lucky in this regard. We met guys from our hometown of Saint Petersburg, and I cannot help but express my gratitude because, for the three months we stayed, we truly became one big, friendly family. I sincerely wish new program participants to find such amazing new friends!
Let's get back to work.
Honestly, it was tough to sit in the sun for 8 hours on hot days, so the essentials in my bag were: a bottle (or two) of water, a hair tie, a cap, sunscreen, and sunglasses. In the middle of the day, every worker has the right to take a long-awaited 30-minute break. At such moments, a bicycle was always a lifesaver. I will tell you a little later where and how to acquire this mode of transport on Cape Cod. Now let's talk about the downsides of this job. First, it depended on the weather. If it rained, they might declare a day off, which is usually inconvenient. Second, there are many guys who have been coming here for years, so extra hours are offered to them first. Third, from my own experience, I advise not to get into conflicts with managers, as there is always someone to replace you.
As a result, I can say that you get used to any job, especially when it pays well. If something doesn't suit you, you can always quit, find a replacement, or get a second job to increase your earnings. In any case, you gain huge experience, learn something new, and, of course, practice your English.
In August, after our trip to Miami (which I will also tell you about a little later), we decided to earn some extra money before our vacation. The weather was inconsistent, and working hours were often canceled at the park. Since the season was coming to an end, it was extremely difficult to find a second job. However, we were incredibly lucky. When we went in search of extra income in Hyannis, I decided to stop by a large American bar called "Typ city grille" just in case. I was sure that, like all other employers, they would just take my contact number and say goodbye. They actually called me and offered me a dish washer position! I was incredibly happy, because after the park, we could come in the evening and help in the kitchen, where (attention!) only Americans worked. That was real practice! Wow! A friendly team that always helped in any situation. Besides that, they fed us a full dinner, and we could change our uniforms as often as we wanted! In general, we were really lucky.
And what about the salary? Yes! That's the most interesting part! So, at the main job in the park, the money earned was transferred to a Bank of America card every Friday. $11 per hour minus about $8 per day for state taxes. Good news! Upon arriving back in your home country, you can get all the taxes back. You will receive a tidy sum! Not bad, right? This salary was enough for us for a four-day trip to Miami, paying for housing, buying new things, and food.
At the second job at the bar, every Friday we were given checks with the earned amount, which had to be cashed at the bank. Here, they paid $12 per hour for our work, minus, again, taxes of about $5 per day. Thanks to this salary, we visited cities such as Washington, New York, Boston, and Provincetown.
I advise you to look for a second job as soon as you arrive. There won't be many students yet, so there will be spots in almost every establishment, and it's better to rest at the end of your trip to the USA.
Our faithful friend throughout our stay was a bicycle. I won't hide it, in Massachusetts, for a Russian person, it will cost a pretty penny. However, to our great surprise, there is a wonderful religious grandfather living in Dennis who is ready to offer you his bicycles completely free of charge. His hobby is fixing previously used bikes. Every day, neighbors bring him broken ones, and he gladly accepts them and brings them to a "like new" condition. That's how Papa Denny (as he calls himself) decided to help people. To pick up a bicycle, you must write to him by email in advance and agree on the date and time of the meeting.
