Together: o que há por perto, como chegar e quando ir · 2026

ANAziz Nadjimutdinovanadjimutdinov · 3 de dez. de 2015Ler

One fine day, I was just working, and deep down, I knew something unique was supposed to happen today. I had been waiting for this moment for almost a year. But I didn't know how it would happen or when to expect it. And then, finally, Evgeny walked into the kitchen. The very same Evgeny Petrov—my closest friend, colleague, and comrade from last year, with whom we still keep in touch. He had arrived in Montana a long time ago but was staying in the town of Whitefish, not far from us, and we had been urging him to come to us every day. His arrival marked the beginning of my season. The beginning of my summer. Even though it was already June 19th, only now did I feel that I was really here. Last year, this person and I met in Missoula, MT, on a bus on the way to our village. We met, but at first, we didn't like each other. He was supposed to be a barista, but they put him in the kitchen because of his good English so he could call out orders. And so, we went through the hell of the season together. Side by side. Slowly but surely, we grew closer to the point of being best friends. Now I want to make a reference to the previous blog, but if you haven't read it, you won't understand. It's a shame. I sincerely hope you read it and understand what I'm talking about. So, that story with the tire (which went flat in the middle of a road unknown to us) finally brought us together. And then a few days pass, and nothing suggests any events at all. I was sitting silently in the common room watching TV when a young 24-year-old Romanian woman walked into the room, and we both rushed at each other with wild screams. It was Mihaela. The 3rd part of our friendly international triangle. I knew she was supposed to arrive around these days, but I didn't expect to see her at that moment, and this meeting turned out just like in a movie. Especially considering that Evgeny's birthday had happened about an hour before. Oh, and yes, Mihaela was moved into my old room. Why am I telling you this, right? You see, I just realized that there are people who are not bothered by distance. People with whom you can be thousands of miles apart but still be close friends. Not just friends, but waiting insanely for a meeting. Out of hundreds, no, thousands of job options in different places, choosing that same place again just to see them again, to enjoy their presence, jokes, laughter, and time together again. It's priceless. There are only a few such people. And it is a joy to meet them during the program. This is one of the giant pluses you can win by going overseas. Who knows, maybe I will be friends with them for the rest of my life, or maybe we will drift apart in a couple of years. It's not for me to decide, but for the happiness they gave me, I am already infinitely grateful to them. And last year, when they were leaving on the same flight, I was so lost that I was ready to drop everything and go with them. But I just stood there and shed tears.

AKAziz Khamitovinfo_32 · 24 de nov. de 2015Ler

It all started with looking for funds for the program. Later, when the necessary amount of $3000 was collected, my friends and I started the application process. There were 5 of us (4 guys and 1 girl). As soon as we all got together, we went to the local office to sign up for the program. We were warmly welcomed by the staff, Zauresha and Mahabbat. They explained how everything worked, and we were completely hooked. We signed up that same week; by the way, we were among the first participants of 2014... We paid the money, filled out all the necessary documents, and started waiting diligently... Days and weeks flew by... We studied English and simultaneously looked for a job offer, as it was problematic to find work because we had unrealistic demands—we all wanted to work together in the same place :))) Tip #1. Learn English everywhere and always. Sign up for a tutor even if you have a super level of English. Watch movies, TV series, translate your favorite songs, read children's fairy tales in English)) in general, you should have a desire to learn it, it will be much easier that way. Spring arrived, and we managed to find job offers for all 5 of us, but we had to pay $300 each. The job offers were in a small town called Plattsburgh, NY. A small town of 17km, on the shore of Lake Champlain, 400km from NY... work was waiting for us at the Days Inn & Suites hotel as housekeepers with a salary of $8.75/hour. I will tell you about the city and the work later.... Tip #2. Check the job offer and the place you are going to carefully. Call the employer and talk to them; this will definitely be a plus. They will know you are real, and vice versa. Tip #3. Don't be afraid of the interview. Behave confidently, even if your English level is poor. Speak to the point, don't be sarcastic or say anything unnecessary. After successfully passing the interview at the consulate, we were already sitting on the plane, waiting for our dream...

VKViktoria Khrapovaviktoriya.hrapova.94 · 31 de jan. de 2015Ler

I didn't even think I would be so comfortable in America; everything went perfectly. It was fun, I practiced my English, I didn't get sick, and I didn't gain weight) I earned good money, learned a ton of new information, and traveled. We often went to Boston together. Oh, and what a time that was) I fell in love with Boston so much. You know, it's a mix of a big, noisy city and a calm beach area. It's so beautiful and clean there! So peaceful and at the same time, it has an active pace of life. * I attended a Linkin Park and 30 Seconds to Mars concert in Mansfield. It was my dream; I grew up listening to their songs. And here you are, with a bunch of American fans, rocking out at a live concert, and you just can't believe it all* That's how our summer went, in a work-party mode. But don't be afraid of the work. I didn't witness a single instance of negativity towards the staff. On the contrary, all the guests try to lift your spirits. They look at your name tag and say, "Oh, my name is Victoria too, how cool," or just gesture for you to smile, joke around, or ask how you're doing, etc. In general, they show attention, and that's nice. And our tips were good. Sometimes you didn't even need to cash your pay check. Me and Felix from the Dominican Republic, who lived with us. I love him very much and we still talk to this day=) And that flag with his wishes is sitting on my windowsill in the dorm. *Everyone chooses for themselves how they will spend their time. Everyone shapes their own summer. I met students who didn't like anything at all. I don't know why; either they didn't do anything to make their stay overseas happy, or they were just moody and pessimistic * Below in the photo are the four (the fifth left us after a month) main heroines of this story (the frogs) and our new friends=)

ARAnna Rutmanrutman-anna · 30 de jan. de 2015Ler

"Another morning, another shift"... those were the thoughts I woke up with most of my workdays. Opening my eyes, I would usually notice a sweet note from Natashenka. Natasha lived with me. She loved writing cute notes with all sorts of messages. One of them, for example: "Good morning, didn't want to wake you, I'm downstairs on the internet, come down if you want :*" I loved waking up and seeing messages from her. It was an instant boost of strength and energy. After changing into my work clothes, I would slather my body in a ton of sunscreen because the sun was scorching and I was afraid of getting burned. Afterward, grabbing all the necessary things, I would run to 7-Eleven or Dunkin' Donuts to get coffee. It wasn't far; I'd put on some music and walk, lost in my thoughts, for a hot, invigorating coffee (sometimes a cold one). "Someday this will end, I'll be back home again, immersed in my own worries... what is it like to leave?... Okay, need to get that out of my head." For the last few months, I had been struggling not to think about it. I was so used to running to Aika and Masha before work, asking if they were awake and if they were coming with me for coffee. I loved hugging them in the morning; they had become so dear to me. They worked with me and lived nearby. I loved dreaming with them in the morning about getting to work on my favorite water slide so we could splash ourselves with water and periodically hide from the sun, which wasn't possible on the dry slides. And in the evening, I loved dreaming with them, making plans, hanging out... I loved seeing Natasha's smile in the morning and watching the line at the park form even before it opened... I loved watching the guys who worked with us come down, ready for a hard day's work. These people became close to me. Every morning, I heard "good morning" hundreds of times, spoken with a smile. In the morning, we would enter the park and wait for the manager to assign us to the slides. During this time, Natasha and I would hold hands, letting them know we wanted to work together. Natasha and I became like two sisters; we even looked alike, and strangers often asked if we were sisters. We worked together on the same slide for almost the whole summer. They put us there almost every time because we did our job very well :) Of course, it wasn't without adventures... something was always happening... Every workday seemed endless. Every day I got more and more tired of the kids who asked a bunch of questions and were constantly screaming loudly. The only thing that saved me was talking to Natasha. We would shout to each other. We worked on the same slide, but one person was at the top and the other at the bottom. We switched every hour. We only had one break, and it was only 15 minutes. I would run to my room or Masha and Aika's room. Our rooms opened without a key. You might ask: "How?" We just opened the window and opened the door from the inside))) that's how we visited each other. Work ended at 6. Natasha and I would run to relax and enjoy our freedom, discussing when we had a day off and what we would do. In the evenings, we would either meet our American friends and have a fun time, or just hang out together... I remember with a smile the time when Danny and Nate brought treats, and we would sit in our room, talking, learning new words))) With a touch of sadness, I remember getting on the bus after work to go to the neighboring town to meet a dear person. And our kitchen hangouts... It was a wonderful time... I want to bring it all back... To spend time with Natashenka, to run 11 km with Aika, to have heartfelt conversations with Masha, to have fun with Maya, to watch Domenic's training... I could list forever... I met so many good people that summer. That was my normal life there. It had everything: wonderful friends, work, travel, a nice room... Everything was as if I had changed my life and now it would always be like this... I felt good, calm... And then that terrible

NSNuriddin Shayakhmetnurik02191 · 9 de jan. de 2023Ler

Everyone once thought about how to get to another country or travel around the world. As a child, it was a dream and a fantasy that we could only see on TV. Something unreal. However, now we have matured and we know that we have every chance to make the dream a reality. My name is Nuriddin and this is the story of how I got into the "Work and travel 2023" program. Far back in 2018, I heard from friends how they visited America on a student program, I was a schoolboy who thought only about where to enroll and for what profession. America did not concern me at that moment and was not interested. After a while, many people started talking about travel and programs for traveling abroad. Back in 2020, I just started to be interested in America and England, as I was studying English hard. At that moment, I realized that in order to understand the whole essence of the language, I had to visit and stay in the homeland of this language. And in the 11th grade, I actively studied all the programs for admission abroad. But it was already too late, unfortunately I could not enroll in Universities in America. Having entered the University of Kazakhstan, I did not give up and was looking for ways to improve my search and get to America. And at the end of 2021, my friend said that he was going to America under the “Work and travel” program for 3 months. After hearing this, I started looking for sites, information about this program. As a result, I found many agencies that offered to get to America. And one day on the social network “Instagram” I found the agency page @international_exchange_center. And then there was a set for “work and travel 2022". And with ambitious goals, I started studying this program, as a result, I realized that I would not be able to apply for 2022. For financial reasons, as well as lack of self-confidence. But what’s going to stop me? Absolutely nothing. Having studied this program well, I decided to prepare for “work and travel 2023”. Because I realized that this is my last chance. And also not a little important choice in my 20 years, I think. Since I am studying for the 3rd year. Soon I got a job, started saving money and actively studying English and the history of students who have already visited the USA. Thank God, now I am a participant in this program. So what do I think about this program? I am sure that this is one of the best chances to see the world and open up to it. Since before, many could not afford to visit another country, namely the United States at the age of 18. Every day I get an impression and a good opinion about this program. After all, it gives you so much experience, acquaintances, an interesting summer in America and a good lesson that you can't give up, you have to take risks and be responsible. In the future, this program will be very popular, although it still has a good reputation among young people. And now there are many agencies that help to get into this program. One of them and the best is @international_exchange_center (IEC). Since one of the reliable and have good experience and feedback from the participants. As well as good and high-quality cordinators and affordable prices. By the way, they have many different programs to travel around the world, and this makes them one of the best. In conclusion, I want to say a few words to young people, including myself. Never give up, pull yourself together , look at the world openly with interest. After all, you are closer than you think. Just believe in yourself, that's all you need to be successful and competitive. Use every opportunity and time to make your dreams come true. And remember, the world does not stand still, it moves, and you young people need to move with it, so as not to regret it in old age. Shayakhmet Nuriddin was with you and this is a story or an essay for the competition, I hope I will win.

АААсем Амантаеваasem.serikovna.18 · 6 de jan. de 2023Ler

I was born and grew up in the city of Aktobe, located in the western region of Kazakhstan. Currently, I am a second-year student at Kudaibergen Zhubanov Regional University. As someone from a hospitable and cohesive society, travelling and understanding a culture is always the topic of my interest that makes me aware of my community as well as other communities that are different to mine. I, therefore, devote my spare time to exploring various community related things that allow me immersive experience in relevance to this. As someone in the growing up phase in life, a youth, I have had travelled a few parts of my country and developed an unyielding desire for a Student Exchange Program recently. As far as now, I have no success at such an opportunity. Although not being fortunate enough, I see the student exchange program as a very beneficial chapter that a person can experience in their university episode of life. It is indeed a remarkable opportunity to be a participant in the phase. Having the access to such a program would possibly be a once in a lifetime opportunity to better my knowledge in many things, ideally, the cultures thousands of miles away and a global level confidence and knowledge on many things. Throughout my lifetime, I travelled within the country on several occasions, on various purposes: to visit friends, to study, comprehending various cultural elements, as well as for adventure and unwinding. In my opinion, I believe travelling is part of a transition to adulthood; enhancing the knowledge of surroundings, possibly the most efficient route in gaining immense knowledge of the world of things and culture. In a nutshell, I regard this as an expansion of the education process to acquaint myself with numerous unknown. Of course, there are no particular definitions of youth traveling, my opinion as it is. One of my most recent travelling episode that I would like to share herein is my travel in 2022. A youth travelling program organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, where I went to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis, to participate in a forum. The length of the trip was very short, about 3 days. I went there along with others, mostly my friends and some strangers of my age; we were not accompanied by our parents. What was the most interesting there that it was my first time on a plane. As I walked up the ramp to the entrance of the plane, the butterflies came in the pit of my stomach. A strong and strange sensation of agitation appeared in me. It was as if my legs would collapse at any moment of that time. This is notably the experience which I could never forget. Oh! Good heavens! Little did I know that I was scared of heights until the plane took off. Aargh! Not only that, it was my first-time unaccompanied travel, too. The nervousness and fear cast over my eyes to the deep in my soul. Never before the state of my mind and soul had gone through such feelings as I bordered the plane. In order to boost myself out of this, rolled my eyes and I said with a teeny-weeny smile to my own feelings: get out of my way! Interestingly enough, it worked! Little time after, I felt more comfortable by being there than ever before. All the negativities were replaced with positivity, so were the feelings and emotions that I had. The most astonishing part of the experience so far was yet to happen; the discovery of my plane seat. Zoinks! Holy Smokes! Luckily enough, my seat was reserved by the window. From there I could enjoy the absolutely fantastic panoramic view of the downtown of my hometown. A captivating, magnificent photographic look that filled my heart with happiness; thrilling. Never seen before views were just before my eyes. While I was looking at those views, I remembered the memories that was the present just minutes ago. My parents; and how we came to the airport and stayed together until my check-in. Remembering those memories prompted me to thinking about the past, the recent and future achievements

AAAnelya Abildinamibadulina · 2 de jan. de 2023Ler

Greetings to everyone reading my story regarding the W&T Program. My full name is Abildina Anelya, currently I am 19 years old. I was born in the Northern part of Kazakhstan, and lived in my hometown- Ekibastuz for 12 years, then from 7th grade till 11th I have studied and finally graduated a Kazakh-Turkish Lyceum for Gifted Girls in Pavlodar, and now I am a sophomore student at KAZGUU University. I know 4 languages which are Kazakh, Russian, English and Turkish. Also, I was self-studying Korean, and now, I’m learning French at the university walls. Honestly, I have such an indescribable love regarding new languages and cultures. I do enjoy watching youtubers such as Varlamov, or Anton Ptushkin, «ТОПЛЕС» and others. They film whole episodes about the countries they visit, tell their history and experiences the face with. This, I could say, the most entertaining way of time spending, plus it’s kind of business with pleasure thing. Now, after I finished scholar’s life and entered a student’s life, I immediately thought that I have to do something with my life, since I am becoming an adult. For me, school life and university life differ a lot. Personally, I could not wait to eventually graduate the school and it’s all because of a freedom and personal right of choice which now, I have at the university. With all that, I want to brighten my life myself, step by step, facing and learning through difficulties (and not) that could happen to me. I understand, and hopefully I am more than just ready to put as much effort as I am able to, to make my current dreams eventually become my reality. At this young age, I believe, that our generation can make unbelievable things and changes not just in our lives, but worldwide as well. We all are full of enthusiasm and charisma that can lead us to reach something in a highe degree. Personally, I believe in myself. This is why, I am applying to this program, to try my best to take a step forward to a better future. Frankly, The US was something frightening and unreachable my whole life, I was grown with Western music and TV series, as well as the other representatives of my generation, and that seemed to be beyond of my reality. However, after maturing, I realized that everything in this life is as possible as you allow to think about that in your brain. While searching information about the program, I suddenly stopped myself and imagined what is it like to take a plain to your dream city of New York, wake up every day to these beautiful sunsets, chat with an American, order from Amazon your favourite books in original, not just translated version and everything else that a person just can think of. I just want to see where not only influencers get the inspiration and motivation from. How do locals catch the vibe and what is it like to live a real American life. Moving onto the questions, what I hope to learn and achieve by enrolling to this program is the opportunity to travel abroad, to get to know the culture and mentality of the US. Indeed, watching Instagram stories from the phone and actually seeing everything with own eyes hits different. Honestly, what I am really into experiencing is the way of how I would act all alone by myself overseas. As was mentioned before, I have been away from home from early teen ages, and now, hanging that chance to be completely apart from even my country excites me in totally different way. I would like to see how stressful and mature I am, to see me grow by facing an enormous numbers of different life situations. After all, I think if I haven’t matured enough yet, there, I, 100% will. Also, one thing I want to get from this travel is increased list of soft skills. As we all know we only develop our soft skills by communicating every day with people. Along with these, I would like to test and look at myself after the journey. In what way have I changed, what perspectives do I hold now, what have changed considering my beliefs and stereotypes. This is going

DPDudin Paveldudin123451 · 9 de dez. de 2019Ler

I didn't even notice that it's already 2039. 20 years ago, I never thought things could turn out this way. Back then, in the distant 2019, I was calmly studying at medical university, working as a nurse in a hospital, and helping kids rehabilitate after surgeries. After night shifts, I would run to the dormitory, where everyone—even the cockroaches—lived their own independent lives with their own worries and joys. I was exhausted, working like a dog. But student life had its own sparks. It was exactly at that time that I met my future wife, who was always by my side. She encouraged me and instilled confidence in the future. By the way, thanks to her idea, I learned what IEC is and started learning English. IEC provides an infinite number of opportunities. We went together to conquer America. We realized that together, we are a force. But! It's 2039 now, and I don't regret anything. Although, if we were students now, everything would be faster and easier. Now you can talk to any IEC representative from any corner of the world, in any language, and achieve what you want. Together with my fellow doctors, we have developed the implantation of a unique POLYGLOT GENE for anyone. Technically, we don't touch vital vessels or nerves. The gene is placed inside the Circle of Willis and, with the blood flow, spreads throughout the brain, smoothly coming into contact with the cranial nerves responsible for all sensory organs. Now everyone can truly feel languages. The procedure is completely painless. That is why this gene is unique. Now, it doesn't matter what your native language is, because with this gene, you can understand everyone. The barrier between people of different languages and countries has been destroyed. With this gene, absolutely everyone can travel without worrying about communication problems. Since the development of the polyglot gene, people have stopped being afraid to travel abroad. Since 2030, we have been working closely with IEC throughout Russia. Since then, we have significantly increased their workload. But they are happy about it, because they give more memories and break down borders. Now students travel without fear of getting lost in an unfamiliar country. They get more enjoyment from work and travel. And now I want to share some good news! This year, IEC has sent out a record number of students into the "wide world." This is also our merit. In general, we never got flying cars, but medicine is moving confidently forward, which undoubtedly makes us happy. IEC, I am amazed at you—how do you remain relevant and popular even after 50 years of existence?