To make sure my trip to America with Work and Travel USA didn't just stay a conversation but became a reality, I applied for the program right away—in the fall. As it turned out later, that was the right decision, because it's impossible not to feel some fear about traveling alone to the other side of the globe. The non-refundable deposit became a reliable anchor, keeping me on the list of participants. And I'm glad I attached that anchor to myself. I worked in Colorado, a picturesque western state with the kindest people, where I even became like a local—Americans treated me as part of their society, which consists of migrants of varying degrees of tenure, so fitting into the team wasn't difficult. Everything is in the hands of the participants; it's enough to define your goals right away, and the land of opportunity will immediately provide a chance to realize them. The main thing is to be open to new experiences and new acquaintances. By the way, it's a great opportunity to make friends from all over the world, even from places where there are no direct flights from Russia. The employer is always friendly and trusting, but they count on a positive attitude and honesty in return. People who work conscientiously are valued. In terms of English, I didn't notice any major changes. My level remained Upper-Intermediate. This is a fairly high level, and everyday communication doesn't pose any difficulty for me. At school, we were offered to compose monologues on the fly on more complex topics. The nuance: at school, you are always given time to prepare, but in real life, there is no time to think at all, so as not to lose the listener's attention. So, inarticulateness and the difficulty of remembering the right word on the fly are exposed. Furthermore, a Russian person thinks in Russian, using Russian structures that are sometimes not characteristic of the English language. But what's said is said, so it seems like your speech is getting worse, but this is a deceptive impression: in reality, the brain is learning to think in English and perceive speech more vividly. But sometimes, while thinking about what to say next, you don't realize what you are saying at the moment, so Russian words might slip in (yep!). Every American state has unique, breathtaking nature. Sometimes the landscape is so indescribable that the feelings aroused by the beauty around you are so overwhelming that "I feel like I can’t take it, and my heart is just going to cave in," it becomes cramped in the chest, and tears well up in the corners of the eyes. I couldn't believe it, I still can't believe that such things happen for real; the memories seem like just a sweet dream. Mind-blowing (everyone agrees with me) photos don't convey even a fraction of the beauty of those burning sunsets in the mountains and the rare, but soul-stirringly romantic, purplish twilights that replace the wild, scorching days. In such rare moments in life, it seems that you dissolve until you disappear into the environment. I didn't know that nature could cause such ecstasy. Previously, I only experienced similar emotions while listening to music when in a certain state of mind. The diversity of nature is also striking. By driving just a few hours, you can cross several zones, from the mountains of Colorado with an almost Russian climate and grayish birches to the warm tropical beaches of Southern California and the piercing ports of Northern California, through the Martian, one-of-a-kind canyons of Utah.
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