A story of an ordinary guy from a village who visited the USA.

Throughout human history, "travel" has been one of the most fascinating activities, as it not only brings pleasure but also leaves a significant mark on the history of every traveler. By traveling to different countries, people not only seek entertainment but also gain a solid wealth of knowledge and skills from the local population, which will be useful in the future. It is not for nothing that one of the most significant representatives of realism in the second half of the 19th century, the French writer, publicist, and politician Émile Zola, said: "Nothing develops the mind like travel." Speaking of developing the mind, one should also note the American writer, humorist, journalist, and public figure Mark Twain, who expressed a similar opinion to Zola, stating: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." Just a couple of decades ago, it was very difficult to imagine that by the 21st century, traveling to different countries would become accessible to almost everyone. This is because even in the 80s of the 20th century, technology did not allow for such fast and high-quality movement from one point of the world to another. With the development of technology and the improvement of international relations, the opportunity to travel to different countries is growing more and more. Speaking of such opportunities, one should especially emphasize the existence of student exchange programs that allow you to test yourself in the role of a "free bird" and "go with the flow" in order to conquer the world. As an example of such programs, one should note programs like GLOBAL UGRAID, which allows undergraduate students to undergo free training at leading US universities, and the WORK and TRAVEL GERMANY program, which gives students from different countries the opportunity to travel in Germany and earn money. One should also give credit to the ERASMUS and ERASMUS+ programs, thanks to which thousands of students get the opportunity to study and undergo internships at leading universities and companies in Europe for free. In fact, the international community is aware of hundreds of such programs, but it must be admitted that the WORK AND TRAVEL USA program still stands at the top of exchange programs, which is exactly what I will talk about next...

Being a second-year student of a dual-degree program between KAZGUU and TSUL universities majoring in "International Law," I decided to participate in the Work And Travel USA program. This program is quite well-known among the younger generation and is one of the most popular exchange programs. Coming to this decision was much easier than convincing my parents to confirm it :). This is primarily due to the fact that the USA is located more than 10,000 km from our country and, moreover, on a completely different continent. In addition to this, the palette of repulsive aspects also included American films that contained a lot of weapons, lust, drugs (which are legalized in some states), and crime. All this "post-Soviet propaganda" that "America is a very bad country" was one of the barriers I had to overcome to convince my parents.

Having solved all material and organizational issues, I was faced with the question of choosing an agency through which I had to fly to the States. After analyzing the recommendations of friends, as well as feedback on social networks, I turned to agencies like KCET Corvette and TMO. After having a consultation at TMO, I realized that no other company located in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan could provide a more reliable and high-quality service for the W&T USA program (since I am a student at two universities at once, I can participate in the program from both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan). Having paid all the program fees, I gained access to the sponsor's website, where I later received a job offer. To be honest, at that time I was still a beginner and didn't really know much about this topic, so I didn't really look for different job offers and accepted the first one I found to get the DS-2019 form faster. After choosing a job offer, all I had to do was pass an interview at the US Consulate in Astana. Before the interview at the Consulate, TMO provided a number of online English lessons as well as offline meetings aimed at preparing for the interview. I remember right before entering the US Consulate, the coordinator Zhuldyz told us that "you will succeed and there is nothing to worry about!". In fact, such words gave great confidence at a moment when an absolutely incomprehensible atmosphere was walking around the consulate, when one person was happy that they received a visa, and another was crying because they were denied a visa. After passing the interview, in which I spoke with a woman (I think her name was Laura), I answered more than 10 questions, and halfway through, I already understood that I was doing everything right and that if it continued like this, my dream would come true. Having received the answer "your visa is approved," I flew to the heavens and the first thing I did was call my parents to inform them that I had succeeded. Then the process of preparing for departure began in an accelerated mode because I had very little time to finish all my business and close the session (I had only 10 days for everything).

And so, a week after receiving my passport from the US Consulate, I was already standing in line at a US airport, and the same words were spinning in my head: "Alhamdulillah, I did it." From the very first minutes of being in America, I felt like I was in a completely different world, and all the post-Soviet myths that America is bad immediately evaporated into thin air. Traveling alone, on the way I met two students from Uzbekistan and 15 students from Kazakhstan who were also flying to the USA in search of adventure. I met all of them either at the airport or already in the USA. We spent our first day in New York admiring the beauty of Times Square, marveling at the height of the Empire State Building, and the colorful view of the city. After we spent one day in New York, all the students left for their states, and I was left alone again. Due to the fact that I could not buy plane tickets to Wisconsin, I had to buy tickets for a Greyhound bus. The duration of the trip was 23 hours, and it was the longest journey of my life. When I reached my state, I was met by one of the hotel managers (Jacob) where I worked and he drove me to the hotel. Then I met the hotel staff and went to rest.

The hotel management allocated an entire floor of hotel rooms for students who arrived under the W&T program free of charge, so no one had any problems with housing. Then I underwent brief training from the managers and started working as a bartender and waiter. The hotel management treated the students very well and always helped with all questions, be it trips to shopping centers, documentation, or even entertainment. By the middle of summer, 23 students from more than 7 countries were already working at the hotel, and a school bus was rented especially for us by the hotel management. This bus took us to the shopping center every week so that we could buy groceries and other necessary things. On weekends, we often went for walks, swimming, traveling around the city, restaurants, amusement parks, rode a boat, went to the beach, and all this was paid for by the hotel. The most memorable moment was that Americans, learning that we had come from the other end of the earth, always wanted to please us and help with advice, tips, and deeds. It must be admitted that, in fact, Americans are a very polite and tolerant people, and there is a lot that we should learn from them.

Most students participating in this program want to earn more money to pay for tuition, the program, etc. In my case, it can also be said that I worked very hard, and Americans had the question of who I really was: "a human or a machine" :). Still, despite the fact that I worked very long hours, 80-100 hours a week, I did not feel tired, because standing at the bar counter pouring elite alcohol to rich clients who were intently listening to my stories and tales about our countries and studies, the political situation, I felt very comfortable. The fact that when serving customers I received quite good tips, gifts, and valuable advice from established millionaires motivated me to work on myself even harder. Speaking of earnings for the summer, I think it should be noted that the program 99% allows you to recoup the costs of paying for the program itself, and in most cases, it even allows you to earn 2-3 times more than what was spent on the program.

On weekends, we often organized various kinds of parties, cultural evenings, trips around the city, and other entertainment and American life. One of the most unforgettable adventures in my life is jumping into the water from 50 meters and riding a roller coaster, since I have had a phobia of heights and attractions since early childhood. Thanks to the support of American friends, I still managed to overcome my fears and get a colossal flow of emotions.

Having spent the whole summer in a cool team in a chic hotel, I spent the best summer of my life and was grateful to everyone who contributed to this event. Then, coming to the end of the summer, I had to say goodbye to all the friends from America I was lucky enough to meet, and I went on a trip to Detroit, Massachusetts, and New York. During the five-day trip, I visited places such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Times Square, Manhattan Bridge, and dozens of other famous tourist places located in the USA.

Having experienced the role of a Work and Travel participant, I not only met many people but also improved my horizons by looking at the same things through the eyes of people from different countries. Communicating with Americans incredibly improved my English, bringing it from pre-intermediate to advanced level. I received very valuable advice that helps me in my studies and in everyday life. Summarizing the above, I would like to advise every student to take a risk at least once in their life and take part in this program. In support of this, I would like to quote my own words, which I said to my friends while standing in Times Square watching the night show of local enthusiasts: "Who would have thought that an ordinary guy from a remote village would be standing here and now?". And in fact, a year ago this idea was something unattainable for me, and only after visiting the USA did I realize that if one person succeeds, another will too, and if no one has succeeded before, then you have to be the first! And indeed, I was the first person from my circle who visited the States, and this motivates me day after day to go on feats. And in the end, I would like to add that if an ordinary village boy could do it, then you can definitely do it! So don't miss the chance and take part in the Work and Travel program together with TMO!