Douglas: Guide de voyage, prix et hébergement gratuit · 2026

DDDaria Dikovadikovadasha2002 · 10 janv. 2023Lire

“There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed.” Kate Douglas Wiggin Even though I have not participated in the Work and Travel program yet, youth exchange programs are an extremely important part of my life. That is why I want to share with you the story of my experience with such kinds of programs. My story is a sequence of failures, victories and valuable lessons that youth exchange programs give me that make me love them so much. This is a story about my vision of youth exchange programs and how they shape my personality, so I gladly welcome you to read it. Since childhood, I have been obsessed with the idea of exploring the diversity of our world. However, there is a question of what does this exploration really mean? Is it enough to arrive in the country’s capital and see the main tourist sights? For me, the answer is definitely no. I believe that a true understanding of the visited country is impossible without cultural exchange, which can be gained with the help of interaction with locals. That is why for me youth exchange programs are the best way to explore new cultures. The format of youth exchanges gives me emotions different from any other type of journey. Moreover, youth exchanges often include educational parts or provide an opportunity to improve professional skills, making them not only enjoyable but extremely useful experiences. Thus, being raised in a small city without the financial opportunity to travel a lot, I always struggled to see the world, and I chose youth trips as my tool for achieving it. As a result, today, I have visited 11 countries and created connections with more than a hundred people in diverse world corners. My first interest in international exchanges occurred in 2017 when I decided to apply to the FLEX program. I tried twice, but I only got the status of alternative finalist and finished one step away from my dreamy exchange school year. Analyzing the situation from today’s perspective, I realize that I was denied because my applications for both attempts were almost identical. Thus, the first lesson that exchange programs taught me is to keep progressing all the time. After five years, in 2022, I returned to the idea of participating in the US exchange program, which is why I chose the Work and Travel opportunity. For me, Work and Travel is an amazing opportunity to earn not only money but things that are much more valuable. With W&T, I am eager to dive into unknown American culture and learn how people live on the other side of the world. Driven by such motivation, I signed the job offer and prepared for my summer in the US, but my plans were ruined by the war. I am from Melitopol, which is now an occupied city and being there at that period of time did not allow me to make confident decisions, and that is how my plans to see the US was ruined for the second time. In such a way, the second lesson that exchange programs taught me is never to give up. Thus, aside from chasing my American dream, I actively investigated other parts of the world with the help of youth exchange programs. After my failure on FLEX, I started to search for further opportunities and applied for several exchange programs at international universities. Again, I did not manage to pass the last selection stages and got refusals. Still, I did not give up on searching for an active social life and decided to start with the program inside my country. Thus I took a gap year and entered the Ukrainian Leadership Academy, which is a program of informal education gathering young leaders which allows us to share experiences and implement social projects. With the Academy, I went on my first cultural exchange to Israel. During this trip, we lived in Machines, which can be described as social leadership preparatory programs for high school graduates. We stayed with Israeli students who shared their national values with us as well as we introduced them to the beauty of our Ukrainian culture

WWladekmariaalicenicols · 13 avr. 2010Lire

I was hoping to get to Habiniwski (you've already guessed why), and I was already approaching his window, WHEN SUDDENLY THE SECOND-TO-LAST WINDOW OPENS AND THEY POINT AT ME – OVER THERE, DEAR, OVER THERE… - Me: Hellllo! I’m here! Smile from ear to ear, hand raised (a psychological trick, you subconsciously let them know you don't have a weapon in your hands, this came to us from ancient times, people used to show their hands so the other person would know you are friendly). - Me: How are you doing? With an expression like I’d come to see an old friend I hadn't seen in 20 years. The vice-consul beamed with a smile from ear to ear. - HE: Hello, I’m feeling good and you? - Me: Well, I’m fine, for sure (Said it a bit too confidently, but not arrogantly) - HE: Is your name Uladzislau? - Me: Yup! You are right! This is my name - HE: Where do you study? - Me: I am a student at * ** ** named after *. (the name of a famous Russian poet, and I said it in such a way that I almost believed myself that he was the greatest poet in the world, although maybe he is) - HE: It seems to be very interesting place - Me: Definitely! (He stared at the computer, and I kept up a slight smirk) - HE: Ok, I see you studied at another university? - Me: Yes, but I transferred to my University, by reason of better education and… (I wanted to say cuz it’s closer to my home and I’ll get better job opportunities, but it wasn't meant to be L) - HE: So, what is your course of study? - Me: I’m a fourth year student and my major is Economic(al) Law? (blurted it out, it happens, I was nervous, you know) - HE: Sorry? - Me: Ooops, Economic Law (He starts looking at the passport, the page with my visas – there’s a Schengen and a Polish National one) HE: I see you have several visits to EU? (And there are about 10 stamps there, good thing I renewed my passport in time, otherwise he would have seen there wasn't a clean page left for a visa, he wouldn't have opened it). He says to himself: “To Poland”. Me: Yes, I travel much, (here I think I’ll raise my value) there is a good shopping, I buy different stuff there and when the last time I was there… I have bought a car. (here I either misheard or he said “Yes, I know”) HE: And where are you planning to go? Me: I’m planning to visit *. It is a historical city HE: I know (here the connection starts to get lost) HE: What duties are you going to do there? Me: Well, I will do some cleaning job, like brushing, swiping, some storage work like preparing cleaning stuff, brooms etc., moving, removing furniture… (he interrupted me again… I’m talking too much, smiling too much and speaking in what seemed to me a familiar tone, trying to correct myself…) But it was not to be!!! - (He quietly) Your visa is approved - Thank you, (I don't want to leave) Have a nice day! - No, you have an exciting summer! (And a smile like at the beginning J))))) Conclusion: He’s a good guy after all, Douglas Johnston, Dzieki bardzo [Thanks a lot J] *By the way, I misheard two questions, he repeated them for me himself. I’m definitely not planning to stay in the States, Belarus needs to be reformed, there’s still a lot of work here, so we’ll work… I walked out, as expected, turned off my brain, but turned on the audacity. Asked a passerby for a cigarette, lit up and relaxed. The poor woman was so scared that at first she didn't understand what was going on. And I find it funny J. Oh, and the lighter I buried in the ground in the flowerbed, I never found it…