Williamsburg: Travel guide, prices and free housing · 2026

EKEkaterina Kudriavtsevakate_rina-93 · Nov 23, 2015Read

To sum up: this was the most unusual journey of my life! Honestly, at first, I wasn't as impressed by America as I had expected. But then, day by day, I realized that I liked America more and more. You start getting used to American life quickly because it seems incredibly comfortable. It's as if everything is made for people, for every individual, and that is captivating! But the greatest happiness lies in the people who surround you. That is what made my summer! Dozens of interesting people, many of whom became not just good acquaintances but true friends, thousands of shared memories, self-discovery, and new perspectives on life. And most importantly – stepping out of my comfort zone – that was my summer of 2015. What worked out and what didn't? I managed to overcome the language barrier, blend into the American rhythm of life, figure out how to work in America, how to find a job and get hired, understand all the everyday aspects, and get a little feel for the spirit of America. And as for what didn't work out (my global trip to the West Coast) - no regrets. I realized that America deserves more than a week-long 'whirlwind' trip that I could have afforded. Trips to New York, Washington DC, Norfolk, Williamsburg, and a long stay in Virginia Beach seemed sufficient for my first time in America. More to come!!! New York Norfolk Virginia Beach To truly feel America, you need time, as well as a global trip across the states, which will allow you not only to see all the hyped and most famous places like the Hollywood sign in LA or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, but also to talk to different people, compare living conditions in different states, and look at various aspects of American life from a different angle. That is why my main American journey is still ahead of me. America hasn't gone anywhere... This was just the beginning, a bright and unforgettable beginning!

PPolinapolly_radchenko · Jun 19, 2012Read

The second place that captured my heart turned out to be Williamsburg, the very city I had been waiting to meet for almost 7 months. An incredibly cute, well-kept, pleasant city with indescribably beautiful nature. Honestly, I thought that only in Russia it was THIS beautiful, but no... no! The hotel where we stayed accommodates a huge number of exchange students. It's very nice here, it's located not far from our work, and there's also a cool pool—a traditional meeting place for students in the evenings) By the way, about the pool: my friend and I were very happy, but soon got upset that we wouldn't be able to go there—I didn't have a swimsuit, and she didn't have flip-flops. We had to go to the store. The result: about 4-5 hours passed, and in our hands were colorful bags with various t-shirts, bags, shorts... oops. And what about the swimsuit? And the flip-flops? Anyway, the next day we made a second attempt. We bought only WHAT we needed and happily headed to our shell (that's what we call our room in the hotel) hoping that the next day we would finally visit the pool) But the next day, probably, wasn't really aware of our plans, so it made us think about one more purchase—an umbrella. Yes, yes, yes... it was rain that mercilessly covered us all the way from the hotel to the employer. Yeah) But in reality, all the emotions cannot be conveyed in a blog, because there are so many of them that they, like little ants, run around my head, confuse my thoughts, baffle me, and don't let me type at all) Today is Monday, June 18—I want to lie like a starfish on my huge bed and whisper: I'm happy ...)

PPolinapolly_radchenko · Jun 19, 2012Read

So, the blog is officially open and ready for reading) The 10-hour flight didn't seem that exhausting—I sat next to a pretty nice guy named Vasya, who was also a program participant. I was struck by the sheer number of people in lime-green t-shirts... are there really so many of us? O_o At the Washington airport, while waiting for our connection to NY, we all got to know each other, laughed, tried burritos (rarely have I tasted something so gross!!—my poor stomach cursed me), and overall had a great time during those 6 hours) But the beautiful New York, greeting us with colorful lights just past midnight, had already prepared some minor troubles for us. It turned out that the Hotel Pennsylvania could only provide a room for me and my friend at 3 p.m. on June 14th (and we arrived just after midnight on the 14th). The problem was that we didn't fly via full service and had accidentally booked rooms in the same hotel as everyone else... BUT! at the wrong time... in the end, a fairly friendly hotel employee kindly offered us his help (for which he was undoubtedly rewarded!!) and put me in a room with 3 Chinese girls, and my friend with 5 Russians. We slept for about 3 hours that night... woke up early and went for a walk through the streets of Manhattan! It was one full day in New York, and it will undoubtedly remain in my girl memory forever: a ton of money spent (how could I???), a ton of new blisters, incredible fatigue, photos, Americans, and... of course, the Empire State Building!!! The city is like in the palm of your hand... and you can't see the end or the edge of those stunning lights. And also, golden butterflies are flying in the sky... what are they? Fireflies? I don't know... but they were part of that atmosphere, the atmosphere of the American dream... Later, we were finally given the room we had booked, we spent exactly 1 night in it, paid $300, and headed to the state of Virginia, to a glorious city that someone named Williamsburg... P.S. Among the many new acquaintances, I would like to highlight the rapper Phinelia, whom we met while standing in line at hotel check-in. He doesn't know a single Russian rapper, which, as you can understand, says a lot..) A very cool and very talented guy. He gave us his CDs. A cutie:) Also, I apologize for the different fonts, it doesn't listen to me and doesn't want to be the same everywhere. Let it be something like an indicator of mood swings and emotions))