Assem Duisenbay
What is “today”? It feels like just another unremarkable and forgettable day. Today might be one of those days when we don't want to do anything. We convince ourselves that everything can wait until tomorrow because there is still plenty of time. And no one considers the fact that everything starts today. Today is the most important day of our lives. What we will do, where we will go, and who we will see right now. In our lives, everything happens when it is necessary. That is what happened when I learned about the Work and Travel program last year in 2022.
It is time to introduce myself, my name is Assem Duisenbay. I am a 3rd-year student at Suleyman Demirel University. I learned about the program quite by accident, from an acquaintance in our university dormitory. She had been to America twice through this program, and listening to her stories, work experience, adventures, and even difficulties, I was overwhelmed with emotions; I wanted to jump with excitement and joy, and I felt as if I had seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and at that moment I firmly decided that I would participate in this program. I was so inspired by this thought that I started looking for even more information, subscribed to all possible blogs, to the accounts of people who participated in the “Work and Travel USA” program, and watched all parts of the famous Ukrainian program "Oryol i Reshka”. I studied all the conditions, told my parents with great joy, and recounted all the information I had studied over time with such enthusiasm. My parents supported me, but they still had a fear of letting me go alone to such a distant country, as I had never been to other countries before. My parents agreed because my friends were also planning to go, and we found your quite famous agency, “International Exchange Center”, with good reviews and high-quality work. Also known as “TSMO”. And there were no doubts about this program, I finally decided to participate. But that same year, I won a free grant to study on a student exchange program in Poland, and I could not participate in the program. I was surprised and happy, but at the same time, I hesitated until the last moment before making a choice; I had mixed feelings because visiting America, the land of unlimited opportunities, soaking up that vibe from American TV shows, feeling that magical atmosphere, the American spirit of the people, and the indescribable energy had been my dream since childhood. From the 1st grade while learning English, right up to finishing school, I read about America many times, listened to Western pop songs, and studied their culture, traditions, and mentality. And all this interest and enthusiasm for this country grew into a big dream, and I had a goal not just to watch someone else's life, see it all from a glossy cover, or from a phone screen, or listen to stories, but to visit the land of opportunities, America, to live through all these moments, situations, cases, connect with new people, broaden my horizons, and learn something new every day.
I am a 3rd-year student at Suleyman Demirel University, and, honestly, participating in an exchange was never part of my study plans. I really still don't know how I got involved in this amazing experience; I think it was a kind of destiny, and I feel so privileged that I grabbed this opportunity with both hands!
Only after I received a confirmed place at Adam Mickiewicz University and booked tickets to Poland did my nerves start to fail. I suddenly realized that this would be one of the biggest challenges I had ever had to face. It was scary and at the same time exciting to think that I would be an international student for half a year, especially since this would be my first experience of living independently far from my country.
At present, I am in Poland, in the city of Poznan, and I am studying for one semester at Adam Mickiewicz University. At the very beginning, I had to face a number of difficulties, as I needed to understand how to communicate in a new foreign language and learn how to manage my money (at that time I barely knew how much groceries or a bus ticket would cost). Let's just say, the first couple of weeks as an Exchange student aged me by at least 2-3 years. It was very difficult for me to get through the first weeks, but I learned so much about myself, and it helped me grow in many ways; I never thought I could overcome these difficulties on my own. Now I can look at this as a great experience in my life, as well as a completely fantastic challenge that I appreciated and loved every minute of.
I was asked to describe what I have experienced over the last few months, but, honestly, no words can accurately describe the exchange experience. You have to experience it for yourself! I can only tell you to prepare yourself for the fact that you will lose yourself in time, that you will spend days and nights in endless conversations, that you will find out that you like food you never thought you would eat, that you will get to know so many unimaginable places that you will feel like you are seeing a dream, that you will celebrate nights you will not remember with people you will never forget!
The exchange program will make your dream of visiting stunning and new places a reality; you will see that the program has opened many doors for you, as it gives you knowledge about the world and allows you to build connections with people from all over the world.
Prepare for months that will turn your life 360 degrees, because after you experience the Exchange program, your life will never be the same! When you return to your country, you will not be the same person with the same thoughts, otherwise, you were not on Exchange!
First of all, I must thank my parents for making all this possible; without their support, I would never have been able to go through such an amazing experience! I must also thank all my intercultural exchange friends for making these months the best of my life. I had everything an exchange student could wish for: parties, travel, and a group of amazing friends. This was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences I have ever taken part in.
I have been here for 3 months now, and I am incredibly happy to have such an opportunity. The pleasure of the student exchange program did not start when I began my Exchange: it started earlier, on the very day I received the notification that I had been accepted into the program. The exchange program gave me the opportunity to live in a different environment and step out of my comfort zone, as this is my first trip abroad. Also, thanks to this program, I managed to visit 12 countries already, such as France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Prague, etc. To feel the subtle cultural nuances of each of these countries, to get to know the mentality, languages, and traditions closer, as well as to feel the spirit of the country and the people from these countries.
Since next year is my last year in my bachelor's degree, I see this year as the perfect time for the “Work and Travel USA” program. I am writing to express my interest in the program. Since I participated in a student exchange program, it is very important for me to study the experience of other countries in the field of my specialization (two foreign languages) and make the best use of it in my future career. The program that your company offers is, without a doubt, what I have always dreamed of; it meets all my requirements, and I hope I will fulfill my dream.
Every experience has its difficulties, and this summer I expect to face many of them, such as accepting and adapting to different cultures, solving personal problems independently, and, of course, the variety of responsibilities that I will have to face with competence and a sense of logic.
Unlike short-term vacations, working abroad is a wonderful opportunity to fully immerse yourself in a completely new environment and culture. For a few months, I will have the opportunity to explore the place where I will work and observe local life daily. In addition, I will likely learn a lot about the culture and lifestyle of the country, which may be significantly different from the one I am familiar with at home.
Working abroad, I will constantly find myself in situations outside my comfort zone, in which I will truly learn more about myself and my surroundings. Thanks to this, I will most likely return home more calm about uncertainty and will strive to take risks, as I will learn to make the most of new and unexpected situations. In addition, my ability to adapt will always get better while working abroad, as well as while traveling to neighboring states, as culture and customs can be significantly different.
Therefore, considering all the above reasons, I give myself a chance to become part of the program. I will not only practice my foreign language skills but also improve my personality in a more professional way in an international atmosphere.
This experience will help me build long-term relationships, even close friendships, which I will strengthen to eliminate prejudices due to cultural barriers, and always stay in touch in order to have professional friendships as well. This is what I think about why I want to participate in this program. I am sure that by participating in the “Work and Travel USA” program, I will gain more knowledge and experience that I will share with other people.
Everything happened exactly as it should have happened, and it happened exactly now, not tomorrow, not in a year, but exactly now. I accidentally saw this contest, literally a day before the deadline, and I noticed that I started looking for excuses, saying that I wouldn't have time, or that too many people were participating and my chances were small, but who knows, it's better to try and regret than to do nothing and think about what could have happened if I had taken a risk. Gathering all my will into my fists, I am sending this essay with 3 A4 pages. This contest would help me and my parents with a number of financial problems. I am very grateful to “International Exchange Center” for the opportunity provided and I hope to win this contest.
Tomorrow, as it always happens, depends on today. Only today can we change and influence our future. And let's start right now. After all, our future is in our hands.
Best regards,
Assem Duisenbay assehm2003@gmail.com
