From New Yorker to New York City
We are the only ones who create our own lives, and it depends only on us how our day goes, where we will be tomorrow, and where we were yesterday. We are our own best friends and worst enemies when we independently hinder our dreams, which sometimes seem unattainable. But is fear really stronger than all your cherished desires, the scenarios in your head before sleep, your wildest dreams? That is exactly what I was thinking about when I hesitated to sit down and write this story, putting it off. Even though here it is—the chance you have been dreaming of. What are you waiting for? But if you are reading this now, then apparently, I made up my mind. What pushed me to do this? Of course, not even trying to participate, to test my luck and fortune, is foolish. Just as adults keep their untouched expensive crystal in cabinets at home, I keep all the pictures, songs, stories from acquaintances, YouTube videos, blogs, and articles related to this dream—or rather, this goal. It all started in school, but not right away. I have been learning English since the first grade. My first memories of English lessons at school are our teacher, Lyudmila Nikolaevna, playing some recording on a tape recorder while reading a horoscope from the penultimate page of Cosmopolitan magazine, or giving us an assignment to read a text while she goes to the cafeteria to drink coffee with a bun. Then came the tenses, structures, articles, prepositions, “London is the capital of Great Britain,” and all that. I didn't want to go to class at all, and seeing this subject on the schedule made cold sweat and goosebumps run down my body. The lesson itself seemed like an eternity when you calculate which sentence you will get and nervously look at the clock. Since childhood, my parents have been opening up the world to me through travel and more, talking about the importance of learning languages, and helping and supporting me on this path. That is why, during my school years, I was enrolled in courses and had tutors. My older sister, who has always been a role model, helped and motivated me to learn through her love for foreign music. But my true desire and aspiration—when you do it not because it is right, or necessary, or because you don't want to upset anyone—appeared in the 8th grade. When I accidentally stumbled upon Marie Novosad's YouTube channel. This girl went to America on a student exchange program and filmed vlogs about her life every day. She showed everything: Americans, studies, dorms, shops, nature, etc. In a word, the American life from those very series/movies on Jetix, Disney, and Nickelodeon. Each video was filled with such a new and unexplored atmosphere that I wanted to jump from the emotions overflowing in me. I retold her videos to my mom and friends and rewatched them. I realized that I wanted the same; I don't want to just watch someone else's life, I want to live these situations myself, see these cities, and talk to people. Thanks to this, I started looking for various programs for my country. And I stumbled upon the Work and Travel USA program, studied the requirements, and started looking for even more information. I subscribed to all possible blogs and channels of students who participated in this program and shared their experience. Back then, I was in the 10th grade and understood that all I could do for now was: learn English, enter university, try to work in the service sector in my country, hang a picture of New York City in front of my bed, and not forget to dream. Now I am 19 years old, I am a third-year student at the Minsk State Linguistic University, studying English and Spanish, and working part-time as a sales consultant at the New Yorker store. (By the way, I haven't introduced myself, my name is Nadya. Now that you have a little idea about me, you will definitely remember me). It is hard for me to say whether all this happened on purpose or by accident, but I like where I am now and what I am doing. On one of my very first work days, when I was folding white t-shirts with the red “Los Angeles” inscription, the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song “Empire State of Mind” started playing. And then, a feeling appeared deep in my chest—it is hard to describe, but I am sure everyone will understand. Some kind of unexpected surge of emotion, as if I had done a somersault inside, everything turned upside down for a moment. I thought that over the coming year of working in this store, folding t-shirts, jackets, and shorts with the names of American cities, the power of visualization (if it exists, and it really does exist) will definitely work. I don't know exactly when it will happen, but it will definitely happen; I will see America and visit these cities! I even have a picture in my head: I am standing in Times Square in New York, listening to that very Jay-Z song about this city in my headphones, surrounded by a bunch of ads and people taking photos, and I am standing there, bewildered by the fact that I am here and this is not a dream. I don't know how it will actually be, but most often, this is the exact reaction my acquaintances who have been to America describe.)
Work and Travel is a program that annually allows tens of thousands of students from different countries around the world to spend several months in the USA during their summer holidays. Program participants have the right to work and travel throughout the country. These are huge opportunities and an experience you will remember for the rest of your life, stories you will tell breathlessly with a smile on your face. Real practice of English, a real language. This is not a P U P R (practice of oral and written speech) class at university where you talk to a teacher but subconsciously understand that you will be understood anyway and can switch to your native language. It is an opportunity to make interesting acquaintances, ask questions you are interested in, see a completely different world, and form your own opinion. To live a new life or several lives in one summer. I have talked to a large number of participants in this program. Everyone has different stories, experiences, problems, situations, and advice, but everyone has emotions and memories. No one regrets participating. I am sure that travel makes our lives brighter because they give us emotions. Not always positive ones, but you are the only one who decides how to react to them. On the way to your dream, you face certain difficulties. Getting a visa, finances, university exams, fear of mistakes, the language barrier, the realization of your independence and adulthood—all this is not easy, energy-consuming, and sometimes seems impossible. But if you imagine that these are just levels in a game that you need to pass to reach a new level and so on until the “boss,” it becomes much easier and more fun.
When I was just starting to write this story, “A story about youth travel and student exchange programs—now and in the future,” I had a vague idea of what I could write about for three full pages. But all the advice from the internet about “The main thing is to start!” works, especially when you have something to say. It is now 4:08 AM on December 19, 2022, and I can say I am jumping into the last carriage by sending this story. But if this is your carriage, then there will definitely be a seat for you with a view by the window. Regardless of the outcome, I am already glad that I was able to do this, overcome some of my internal hang-ups, realize my desires, and analyze my experience and path. By imagining in your mind that your desire can come true, your psyche or brain—I don't know what exactly—starts to imagine problems, bad situations, and failures. But when the desire is stronger than the upcoming possible difficulties, all this fades into the background. It is time to take the glasses, tea sets, tablecloths, and towels out of the cabinet that have been lying there for a thousand years for some special occasion. Because a special occasion will never come if you don't arrange it right now. In my essay-story, I tried to cover the topic “Why I decided to participate in the program.” I hope I managed to do it and you read to the end. Thank you for such an opportunity!
Thank you for your attention to my letter.
Kutuzova Nadezhda Dmitrievna
Email.com: tubezelka@gmail.com