Hello everyone! My name is Togzhan Amankeldy. I am 21 years old now. I don't have a particularly interesting story about student exchange programs, but I will tell you how I entered a foreign university after graduating from school.
Since childhood, I dreamed of studying abroad and traveling to different countries. After finishing school at 17, having discussed it with my mother and made a decision, I enrolled in Sakarya University in Turkey. Initially, it was incredibly scary for a 17-year-old girl to go abroad alone without her parents. But now, at 21, I realize that the decision to go study abroad was one of the most correct and important ones in my life, which ultimately taught me to be patient, helped expand my knowledge, meet people of different cultures, and gain invaluable experience in student life and my future adult life.
November 2018 was my first year, my first experience in Turkey; it was my Foundation year. I studied Turkish at a language school to later pursue my education at my university. The language school was called Tomer, and only foreigners studied there. As a 17-year-old girl, everything was interesting to me; I learned about so many different cultures and nations from Africa, Europe, Central Asia, and East Asia. And in that language school, without even knowing it, I made friends with someone who opened America to me. His name is Adel; he is Turkish by nationality but was born and lives in Canada.
At the beginning of our acquaintance, Adel and I didn't know which country each of us came from. At first, we had casual conversations, which eventually grew into friendship. Our close-knit group consisted of me, a girl from Kazakhstan, and friends from Albania, Iraq, and Canada. It was incredibly interesting for us to be together, as we learned something new about each other every day: what they eat in our countries, what the strangest dishes and drinks are, what the most beautiful places to visit are, etc. The most frustrating thing was that almost 80% of my acquaintances knew nothing about my country, let alone where Kazakhstan is located. This, of course, put me in an awkward position, but every time, I told them about my Motherland with interest.
One day, Adel suggested we meet at a cafe to eat and have coffee, and I, of course, gladly agreed. During the meeting, Adel often talked about how his parents wanted him to learn Turkish. I was terribly curious to find out for what purpose his parents wanted this so much. As it turned out later, I learned that Adel was Turkish by nationality, which shocked me, but thanks to this unexpected fact, we had a long conversation. He talked a lot about life in Canada and America, mentioned what interesting dishes and products they have, how they live there, and periodically compared the two countries; sometimes I talked about Kazakhstan and compared the countries as well. There was even an incident when I decided to invite my friends to dinner and gave them the opportunity to try our national dishes—a meat dish called Et tamak, a fermented milk product called kurt, our domestic "Kazakhstan" chocolate, and other local products. Of course, my friends were somewhat surprised that we eat horse meat. Oh, we all laughed so much. Like any young people, my friends and I often said, "Well, in our country it's like this, but in Turkey, it's different," and everyone laughed at our comparisons, as we understood that every country has its own mentality, traditions, rules, pros, and cons. In short, the 9-10 months of study at the language school flew by in a flash. We received our certificates, and it was time to part ways. Adel flew to Canada, and I stayed in Turkey to continue my studies in a bachelor's program.
Recalling and writing my story, I realize how full of enthusiasm and energy we were, how we strived for everything new, and how our whole close-knit group dreamed. Perhaps you are wondering why I am talking about this in the past tense?! You know, when a person gets older, they understand that everything that seemed simple and easily attainable before is now something unreal. But I remember one thing: when my friends and I were seeing Adel off, I promised him that we would meet again, but in America this time.
Four years have passed since Adel left, and, of course, the word I gave him is still in my memory. But my friend is not the only reason I want to go to America. The main reason is that I want to learn even more about our world, about a culture I really want to get to know and befriend, expand my knowledge, gain invaluable experience, improve and enrich my English, and become an example for myself.
The decision to participate in the Work & Travel program was both spontaneous and convincing. I saw that most of my friends participated in this program and returned inspired. It felt as if they had visited another planet. My friends shared stories about how they spent time in America, how they lived there, and told me about new friends from different corners of the world and the beauty of nature they saw with their own eyes. Their fascinating narrative about America inspired me as well. I started thinking about this program, but I hadn't decided yet. I weighed all the pros and cons, and then thought: "I, who moved to a completely foreign country at 17, where there was no one but myself, do I really need to be afraid of going to America?! If I don't gain huge experience there, I certainly won't lose anything."
Then I told my mother everything, showed her, and convinced her that this program could be a key moment in my development and future life. Of course, my mother didn't hesitate for a second, and at that very moment, we contacted the Work and Travel organizers and signed all the necessary documents. At that moment, I had a natural fear; thoughts were spinning in my head: "Am I doing the right thing? What will it be like for me in America? Will I be able to be on another continent alone?" and a million other questions wouldn't let me relax. Perhaps, on the outside, I looked calm, but inside me, a revolution was playing out.
How will participating in the program help me in my future career?
It is no secret to many that America is a model country and even creates a WOW effect. Many movies and series we grew up with always urged us to be decisive, fearless, confident, and able to stand up for ourselves when necessary. Even most of the top, best universities in the world are in America. The very fact that you were in America not for a week-long vacation, but through the Work & Travel program, is a huge plus for your career, as it shows your desire to learn something new. It indicates the courage and curiosity of a person who was able to overcome the fear of living in another country and cross an entire ocean for the sake of their goal and dream.
Yes, we can talk endlessly about the incredible opportunities this program gives for our future career, but it is another thing to prove and show it in action.
From this program and from myself, I expect the very best. I want to see how different our mentality is, how people my age live, and what situations will help me become even better, smarter, and more experienced. I want to feel what it's like to live in the country that global TV channels talk about, that many of the world's scientists speak of, and that all children, teenagers, and adults know about. I want to see the country where the technologies of the future are created and where fashion and style are born. I wish to see the country where the most famous scientists, presidents, and celebrities come from. I want to understand what America can teach me so that my contribution to the future leaves an indelible mark. I want to see for myself if America is the country I have heard so much about, which is extremely attractive to me.