In Russia, I worked at a hotel for exactly six months. My schedule was 24 hours on, 72 hours off. To be honest, I worked more for the experience than for the money. My salary was 22,000 rubles a month—impossible to live on, but okay for pocket money. Management decided that such a "promising" apart-hotel should have qualified staff with degrees at the reception, since they provide such a "huge" salary and are known worldwide, and for me, a 3rd-year student at the time, there was nothing to do there. So, our "collaboration" ended exactly a month before I left for the States.

Upon arriving in the USA, in California, as everyone already guessed, we got jobs at a 7-11 store (a large chain popular in America). My duties included: ringing up items at the register, keeping the store clean, receiving deliveries, stocking shelves, and helping customers. Shifts were mostly 8 hours, 5-6 times a week. Pay was $13 an hour. If you worked more than 8 hours, the rate doubled. Also, as a side job, we worked at a golf club. Our duties included assisting the head coach. The rate was $13 an hour, 2-3 times a week for 5-6 hours.

You might say: "Well, everything is expensive there, so it works out the same as here." So, with this money, we pay $250 a week for housing for two, about $20 for groceries every two days, money for clothes, 3 days in San Francisco cost us $350, and we each have savings for travel. In general, working a regular job here, you can live decently, as long as you don't get sick. And that's not even mentioning people who have a decent way of earning money.