The city where I spent most of my summer was called Ocean City, Maryland. It borders right on the state of Delaware, which is actually where my job was located.

There, I met a woman who worked at a Baptist church. She told me about all the life hacks that came in handy for me later on.

What I love about Ocean City is that there are churches and student organizations that help J-1 students. For example, several times a week they hosted free breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as various events like pool parties, and in early June, they give away free bicycles.

On my first day, I got one of those beauties too. No one asks for your documents; it all depends on your conscience. Of course, at the end of the season, you need to return the bike, and I don't think that's any trouble at all considering it will serve you all summer. And my first piece of advice: if anyone is going to this city, run to the church as soon as you arrive if you want to get a free bike. You can track all the news here: https://www.facebook.com/ocbaptistchurch/

Second, don't be afraid to meet new people. Personally, I'm not the type to make acquaintances easily, but in America, it was different. I was very sociable and wasn't afraid to be open-minded. It's so cool to have friends from different countries.

Also, upon arriving in Ocean City, I faced some housing issues. My landlord at the time let me down, and I urgently needed to find something new, otherwise, I would have spent the night on the street. I sorted out my problem immediately, as I mentioned earlier, and even managed to get a bike. Yes, that all happened in one day. Here is another tip: when you are looking for housing, never send a deposit, because everything can be agreed upon verbally, but if you find a house, find a backup option too. Once you are there, you can decide, and no one will do anything to you if you turn down one place or another. But you will be sure that you have a place to stay upon arrival. No one guarantees that you won't end up in the same situation as me.

Next, I started settling into my job. My first impression was wrong, not what I had imagined. In the team, no one spoke Russian except me, so it was a good chance to improve my English. Then, I found a second job, and it was the opposite there—almost everyone spoke Russian.

Over time, I started to get used to it and didn't feel any discomfort. Tip: Every boss loves it when an employee gives their all at work. I don't mean working like a horse, but just knowing your job from A to Z and not standing around doing nothing. For example, if a task doesn't concern you, you can offer your help; they will only like that. In any case, you won't go unnoticed.

By the way, you will probably be notified about this, but I want to add something from myself.

Upon arrival, get yourself a bank card. You don't necessarily have to get a Bank of America card; you can get one from PNC, for example. At the beginning of the summer, there will be a huge line at Bank of America. And why do you need a card in general:

1. Your salary goes directly to the card, and it's a safer way to store money.

2. In any case, you will go traveling, and you need to buy, for example, a ticket. I bought everything through my friend's card, and as a result, I had problems. Let me explain: I planned to go to Las Vegas, I had already bought the tickets, but upon arriving at the airport, they told me at the check-in counter that my flight was canceled, but they didn't refund my money. Naturally, I bought the tickets using someone else's card, and to solve this problem, I needed to go to the bank with the owner of that card. Why would someone want to waste time on your business? Therefore, keep this fact in mind and get a card, because it will be useful not only for buying tickets. Having money on a card is much more convenient than keeping it in cash. It seems like such small things, but they play an important role.

Ocean City is about a three-hour drive from New York. How to get to Ocean City? There are two options.

1. First, in America, there is the well-known Greyhound; it costs about $30-40, but you will spend a lot of time, considering that the flight to America is long.

2. Second, in OC, there are two organizations for J-1 students. They are "Let’s go" and "E-Point". They handle transportation and various trips. It costs about $70-80, but it is twice as fast, they will pick you up from the airport, take you to your house, and there are fewer people and free Wi-Fi.