Through hardships to the stars
Introduction & why I decided to participate:
To start, let me introduce myself. My name is Diana, I am 23 years old. I am a third-year full-time student at the Faculty of Pedagogy, specializing in two foreign languages: English and Korean, at the International Taraz Innovation Institute in the city of Taraz.
At the moment, I have no experience participating in student exchange programs, and this is exactly what motivated me to take part. I am one of those people who is afraid to say "yes" to something new and unknown, but this time I am saying "yes" and looking my fears and anxieties in the face. I am curious about what awaits me, and I don't want to regret missed opportunities. I always thought that I wasn't ready enough: "I'll gain experience and then I'll start," "I'll master English to the maximum and then I'll go"—those were my thoughts. But now I think differently: "Life is short and you shouldn't put everything on the back burner, do it right now!" Jump in at the moment when you feel scared and you are ready to run away! You can improve everything else along the way. It was scary, it will always be scary, but that's what makes it interesting.
The thought of international experience, new acquaintances, a change of scenery, new people, customs, and life makes my heart beat faster. One of the main reasons why I am participating in the program is that I want to grow as a person. And I have no doubt that during these three months spent outside my comfort zone, growth will definitely happen.
I haven't been studying English for that long, since 2020. I had a clear goal and a daily plan that I have selflessly followed all this time. Thanks to two years of hard work and friends around the world who helped me develop my speaking skills (thanks guys!), I quickly leveled up my speaking & listening. During my journey into the world of English, thousands of apps were downloaded (Memrise/Cake/HelloTalk/Grammarly/U-Dictionary) and thousands of movies and series were watched, from which I remember Secret life of Walter Mitty/Hidden Figures/In Time/Coach Carter. I highly recommend using all of this for self-study. I left other aspects like writing and reading for dessert.
I learned about the program from my classmate who went on it in 2021 and got a bunch of impressions and emotions. The only obstacle for me was the payment and the fact that at that time I had already finished my studies and managed to get a bachelor's degree in tourism. Since I quickly realized that this field was not for me, I decided to take a risk and change my specialization. I enrolled in the major "Foreign Language: Two Foreign Languages" so as not to do what I don't like in the future. Taking a gap year, I earned money for my studies, simultaneously went to a speaking club, and built my personal life. There were, of course, many ups and downs (especially downs), but I am grateful to them; maybe not completely, but they helped me form as a person and understand exactly what I want in life.
What I hope to learn & how the program will help me in the future:
I think that the Work and Travel program will help me improve qualities such as self-confidence, responsibility, and creativity. I want to develop my leadership, mentoring, and problem-solving skills in combination with strengthening my knowledge of the English language. I want to learn more about the culture, the values of Americans, see how they live, what they cherish, and what ordinary US citizens dream about. In addition, I believe that W&T will help me improve my professional skills necessary to achieve my career goals and gain international experience, networking, and will teach me to adapt quickly and inspire me not to be afraid to take an active position in society in the future. I am sure that as a future teacher of foreign languages, I will have something to tell and something to teach my students.
I would like to continue helping people as a teacher, volunteer, and public figure. The Work and Travel program will allow me to develop the necessary skills and gain knowledge for my future career to solve educational problems, pass on my knowledge to the younger generation, make new friends, and adapt to a new environment that will contribute to intellectual and socio-cultural development, which I can use in my country after I finish this program.
What programs will be like in twenty years & what could be improved in the program if I were in charge:
I can only guess what the program will be like in the future with advanced technologies, but I believe that everything will be simplified with documents and cooperation with universities will appear, everything will be in one click; this would save time and effort for guys from the provinces many times over. If I were in charge, I would introduce a discount for students from vulnerable segments of the population.
At the moment, I really like the work of the coordinators and the IEC itself, thank you very much for your prompt help and advice!
Student exchange programs are not just an opportunity to visit another country, it is an opportunity to make friends for life from all over the world, see the versatility of cultures, nations, cuisines, and most importantly, an opportunity to glean something important for yourself for the rest of your life. I really hope that in the summer of 2023 I will learn a lot of new things myself by becoming a participant in this program, try dishes from all over the world, and discover something valuable for myself. Then I will definitely write about it in detail.
If I'm lucky, I plan for my experience in the program to be connected with major festivals/concerts at the end of the grace period. I plan to attend concerts of Taylor Swift/Imagine Dragons/Coldplay and travel around my favorite US states: Alaska/Hawaii/Washington/New York/Arizona/Florida/Nevada/California, which I have dreamed of. Take as many photos as possible, create wonderful memories, and bring souvenirs for myself and my loved ones so that we can sit together in the evenings and remember these short but wonderful moments of my student life.
If you are hesitant to do something – take a risk! We are the directors of our own lives, we build our own environment, choose what we will do, and who we will be in life. So don't be afraid to choose something new and better for you! If you want it, everything will definitely work out, the main thing is to believe in yourself and your strengths.
Happy New Year! Thank you IEC for the opportunity provided! I wish you prosperity and development!
