Յուրաքանչյուր հրաշալի արկած սկսվում է մի ինքնաբուխ որոշումով։ Once you’d like to try something new, even have a bit of fear or uncertainty, but then your lifestyle will never be the same. Երիտասարդները խիզախ հայտնագործողներ են, որոնք բաց են աշխարհի համար։ Then, something that can change and fill the life of many students calls ‘exchange programs’. I’m not an exception, so I’m ready to get new experience in Work and Travel USA program.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” Փոխանակման ծրագրերը վերաբերում են նշանակալի անձնական փոփոխություններին, որոնք ունեն կարեւոր ազդեցություն ապագայի վրա։ Ուսանողները ստանում են անգնահատելի փորձ՝ միավորելով նոր մշակույթը, նոր քաղաքի եւ երկրի ուսումնասիրությունը, նոր մարդկանց ու համայնքի հետ շփումը եւ նոր հմտություններ սովորելը եւ բազմաթիվ զարմանանքներ տեսնելը։ Անշուշտ, այս բոլորը ընդլայնում են աշխարհայացքը, սակայն դրանք նաեւ կարող են օգնել գտնել ինքդ քեզ եւ քո նպատակն կյանքի մեջ։ Համոզված եմ, որ երիտասարդական ուղեւորությունները նույնպես շատ օգնում են մարդուն որպես անհատ ձեւավորվել, այնպես որ այս փորձից հետո տարբերությունը նրանց հետ, ովքեր չեն մասնակցել, զգացվում է։ Այսպիսով՝ խոսքը հասունացման մասին է, եւ ասելու եմ՝ հաճախ արագ եւ երբեմն անհարմար ձեւով։

Students are the drivers of change because they have the power to build a better society around them. Therefore exchange programs can be a great tool to recognize what best young people can take from other cultures and implement in their native land. During intercultural interaction in programs, students are able to share their own culture, traditions, and different features with each other, so the result is a combination of something greater. By the way, I hope in America, it is possible to learn and understand their world (I’m sure it will be 100%) and also get to know exciting things from other students from different cultures.

Next, exchange programs are one of the most significant types of non-formal education. In schools or universities, we used to have typical studying with books, lectures, teachers, and other standard things, but in youth trips, students have practical lessons. New conditions force you to take care of yourself independently. This is a kind of school of life where students face many challenges – from organizing their budget to finding the necessary place in a new city. Nevertheless, the moment of really growing up also can be great thanks to youth traveling.

Everything I described above related to my experience too. In July 2022, I was in Summer School “Waves and Ebbs of Democracy”: Lessons learnt from Central European 'There and Back Again” at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, and it was a great three weeks. Except that we had an educational plan, I spent a fantastic time exploring a new country and communicating with new people from Georgia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Montenegro, and Armenia. Honestly, it was exciting to interact with them and share my thoughts and feelings about russian invasion of Ukraine. Sometimes I recognized that they didn’t understand the Ukrainian context, so my mission was to describe how it happens. I wanted first to introduce them to our culture and then tell them about our history and brave people. Nothing captivates people like food, so I decided to cook Ukrainian traditional cuisine borshch for the group. And they could give thanks by donating to our army. Two goals were achieved: in this way, we joined the victory of Ukraine, and international students learned more about my culture and Ukraine in general. (Video here)

Furthermore, this program consisted of traveling in Central Europe, so we were in Budapest, Prague, and Vienna. The best opportunity to combine hard work and funny nights is to catch the moment as we did during our trips. Besides, I realized how similar we are: international students also can have responsible preparation for the test after a crazy night or submitting a task at the last minute. Because previously thought these related to Ukrainian students only, but fortunately, I was wrong. We had fantastic night walks in Budapest and prepared the final project together in the morning. Memories, in a word, will last a lifetime.

Why did I decide to participate in Work and Travel USA? One day I tried it by going to summer school, and I want more and more of these experiences again. Obviously one of my motivations for applying for youth exchanges, in particular to Work and Travel USA, is to continue to create the best moments and fill my life with marvelous adventures. A new environment (culture, language, living conditions) will force me to get out of my comfort zone, which is about development. Unusual days allow me to feel new emotions and impressions, which I will tell my grandchildren about in the future.

I agree with Kevin Kelly that travel is still the most intense form of learning because this isn't only about beautiful pictures for Instagram. Traveling, especially in the USA, can teach me more than one year in university. I hope such an experience will give me new skills during my future job, new people with whom I will communicate even after the program, and improve my English. Moreover, I prefer to use my academic holiday productively by traveling and working.

In addition to my story about the program's value, I would like to tell you how participating in the program will help me in my future career. So I want to invest the income and experience what I will get after the program in the development of Ukraine. In this challenging time for my country, it is essential to support it in any way possible, so I plan to donate a certain amount of my earnings to the military and veterans' rehabilitation programs. Also, I want to implement all the new and interesting things I will learn from American culture into Ukrainian society.

Finally, I will appreciate the chance to explore new international experiences thanks to Work and Travel USA. As you understand from my essay that participation in the program is something more for me. Knowledge and skills after that will help not only me but through my involvement in societal reforms in Ukraine, my home country as well.

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