As much as it was a pity to leave New York, further adventures awaited us, so we packed our bags and headed further into the state where we were to spend an entire summer – Virginia. Before the trip, all I knew about this state was that after the War of Independence, it was the main political center of the country and that the authors of the Constitution came from this state. Now, having returned to my homeland, I can safely say that, alas, this is still all I know about this state. With the exception of the names of new cities, my piggy bank of knowledge in this area has not been replenished.

We worked and lived in the coastal town of Virginia Beach. Obviously, the city is mainly for tourists, so we worked in a hotel. It was hard. Very. But we managed, largely thanks to understanding managers and a simply wonderful team. We met a huge number of people from different corners of the earth; I will say right away that at the time of being in the USA, the most useful acquaintances are acquaintances with Americans. They will tell you where to find something, how to get there, and most often they will take you there themselves, and they also know how to have fun. Largely thanks to these acquaintances, work for all of us brought joy and was not something that had to be endured in order to have a good rest later. One way or another, at the end of the summer, it was very difficult to part with colleagues, neighbors, and friends, but we knew that an exciting journey awaited us ahead, which, like for many, began with Las Vegas.

Now I might shock someone, and someone might want to argue with me, but for me, Las Vegas is the most boring city I have ever been to. Not only in the USA, but in the whole world. Las Vegas, to be honest, is one long street along which dozens of hotels, casinos, shops, and restaurants are located. And that's... it. Besides, it is incredibly hot here, exactly the degree of heat that is usually described with the words "the asphalt was melting." It is not surprising that we escaped from this city quite quickly.

Of the parks we visited, I would like to mention the Grand Canyon and Sequoia National Park. To put it very briefly, the second one looks like a green version of the first. Although okay, I'm lying. These are amazing, completely different places with unique energy. The Grand Canyon cannot be accurately described, nor can its beauty be conveyed in a photo. When you stand at the top and look down with a sinking heart, an irresistible desire arises to soar upward like eagles soaring along the towering walls of the canyon, and fly around at least a small part, to feel and see what is available only to birds. After all, if I, standing right here on the edge, am so struck and fascinated by these views, what does an eagle feel?

Sequoia National Park is diametrically opposite in every sense of the word. It is dense, green, it is not so hot here, and in general, with its coloring, it is much more familiar to the Russian eye. From one of the observation decks, an amazing view opens up of hills covered with trees reaching high into the sky. This whole place reminds me of scenes from old Jurassic Park movies; you keep expecting a Tyrannosaurus to growl somewhere, a Brachiosaurus to show its long neck, or a flock of Pterodactyls to fly by.