This story won't start as brightly as it ends. Who knows when and how exactly everything will end?

October 2018, I decide that I must participate in the Work and Travel USA program. I decide that I won't let myself miss the opportunity to go to America a second time. Why a second time? Because once upon a time I wanted to participate in the Flex program, but I got scared, I don't even know of what.

So, I decide that I need to apply my language skills in practice. I haven't been learning it since I was 4 for nothing, right? I contact an IEC representative in my city, and he helps me process all the documents. But it feels like I'm cursed; every document has to be redone because I keep making mistakes. I'm incredibly worried and think it's all for nothing. But giving up is not in my character. I decide to go all the way.

I liked one of the job options sent to my email. It's decided, I'm flying to Minnesota. What did I know about Minnesota? A huge number of lakes. I was incredibly lucky with my employer; she was worried and concerned about me from the very first minutes. I sign up for an interview at the embassy and go to Moscow. I meet up with friends and have a great time. A tip! Don't overwhelm yourself with thoughts about the interview, relax, everything will be fine.

I go to the embassy, everyone in line is scared, re-reading a huge number of pages with the 'CORRECT' answers to questions. That's when I wondered, how do students expect to predict the officers' questions? Anyway, I didn't rehearse any 'correct' answers. Before entering the embassy building, we are asked to hand over our phones. I give my phone to a woman who was standing in line with her daughter. Thank you, by the way.

I won't surprise anyone with the embassy procedure. Everything is standard, except for my interview, which went like this:

• First time in America?
• Yes.
• Going to Minnesota?
• Yes.
• Did you read the brochure?
• Yes.
  here the officer and I laughed at my brevity
• What are you studying at university?
• To be a teacher.
• Approved.

There were tears and laughter in the embassy building, but that's a separate story. I walk out of the embassy and realize that in a few days I will be in America. By the way, this was never my cherished dream, but it was a goal.

7 days later I was sitting on a plane, happy, with an open exam session. I won't be receiving a scholarship for the next few months, but that's no big deal.

A tip! Take books with you, you won't be able to be on your phone all the time, plus you need to save battery. Books are a great way to get distracted. Personally, I had several: in Russian, in French, which I missed terribly in America. If you are learning two languages, be sure to take a few works in the second language.

And then everything went wrong.