What other work and travel programs are there? What kind of feedback is Work and Travel getting? Program conditions, required documents Volkin travel program for students

The Work and Travel program attracts students who love to travel, adopt foreign experience and dream of traveling to distant States.

Just going to this country for the holidays is not a cheap pleasure; not all students can afford an expensive life abroad. And there is a way out - work in America for students for the summer.

Combining leisure and work, a cultural program, comfortable living conditions - in a few months you can learn much more about the USA than during your vacation. At the same time, you will be able to bring back a decent amount of money from the trip: you must agree, this is more than tempting.

What is Work and Travel

The Work and Travel program is a way for students to travel to America for the summer. The US government has developed special conditions for the exchange of experience between young people.

Students from all over the world come to the States to immerse themselves in local life, get to know national traditions better, and have a good time.

Of course, if students came only for recreation, there would be no benefit in this. That is why the program is divided into parts:

The student works for several months - 3 or 4, and receives a salary, which he can immediately spend or save at will;
Within a month after completing work, you can travel around the country, visit amusement parks, sightsee, enjoy life and spend the money you earn. Or you can go home if you managed to see a lot during working hours and want to bring home a substantial amount of money.

The attractiveness of the Work and Travel program is that a person without a higher education can earn quite a lot, which is almost impossible to achieve in his native country.

In addition, you will be able to relax, see another country, and learn from the American experience.

It will be possible to learn English better and bring back invaluable experience with a lot of impressions. In the future, when finding a job, having experience in America will play into your hands.

The student program will also teach independence - the teenager will return as an adult, capable of making decisions.

You need to be mentally prepared for the fact that you will represent Russia in the States, so your behavior must be thoughtful and your actions balanced. It is on the basis of your behavior and attitude towards citizens that the indigenous residents will form an opinion about the Russian population.

Who can participate in the program: requirements and documents

The requirements for program participants are extremely simple: you need to study full-time at a university, know at least a conversational level of English, and be 18-26 years old.

However, behind the excessive simplicity lies the painstaking collection of papers and funds for moving abroad.

So, you should collect a package of documents in advance:

A valid foreign passport and its copies;
Russian passport and copies;
A certificate from the educational institution confirming that you are a full-time student;
Student ID and its copy;
Photos 3x4 cm – 4 pcs., 5x5 cm – 2 pcs.

You need to decide in advance about your future job. However, no specific knowledge or physical effort is required - students are offered simple vacancies with low pay by local standards.

How to become a Work and Travel member

Once you have decided to participate in the Work and Travel program, contact an agency that offers this service. Finding the official website is not difficult; there are 11 such companies in Moscow, and there are a large number in St. Petersburg.

There are also agencies in other large cities: Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Voronezh, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Perm, Samara. And also: Rostov-on-Don, Krasnoyarsk, Volgograd, Omsk, Irkutsk, Yekaterinburg, Penza, Kaliningrad, Vladivostok. There are Work and Travel offices in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, in cities such as Minsk, Odessa, Kyiv, Dnepropetrovsk.

So, you contacted the agency. What happens next? They will tell you what work is like for students in the USA, what documents you need to submit, and how to get to America. You will need to fill out forms and pay a service fee. How much does the program cost? The participation price is 1300-1500 dollars.

For this money the student receives:

Assistance in preparing documents;
Medical insurance;
Search for work using free sources;
Orientation materials;
America's Guide;
24/7 support in Russia and the USA.

The Work and Travel USA 2019 program may include airfare, but if you decide to save money, you'll have to buy it yourself.

Additionally, agencies provide assistance in finding housing, which is quite convenient, but the cost of participation increases accordingly.

CMO Working and partners usually provide a guaranteed loan - if you do not have money, payment can be deferred until you return home.

When all the documents have been collected, an interview will take place at the US Embassy. It is necessary to prepare thoroughly for the interview, as you will be asked a complex question. The consul will check how well you speak the language and whether such knowledge is enough to live and work in the States. Questions at the embassy will help find out how independent a person is, whether he can psychologically live away from his family. An important point will be the question of the student’s intentions: whether the student will decide to stay in America illegally.

If the Work and Travel interview was successful, you will be issued a j1 visa, and the agency will give a “farewell” lecture, where they will tell you tips on how to pass an interview with an employer, where it is better to go, which state to choose. Accordingly, they will talk about taxation and tax refunds, partners and sponsors.

The most famous partners in the CIS countries: Startravel, Anyway, Ambassador, Intex, Sonata, Kset, Columbus.

Which city to go to, where to work, income level

An important issue is the purely practical side of participation in Work and Travel.

Students are worried about which city to go to, which company to contact for employment, and how much they can earn.

The most popular destination is New York, a metropolis where there is always a shortage of unskilled personnel. What is attractive about this city? It allows you to experience American life, and on weekends you can travel to Washington, Boston, Niagara Falls, the canyons of Arizona and Nevada, and the coast of two oceans.

You can also go to any State. Both Texas and Alaska open up for you. However, you must understand that summer in the southern states, for example, in Florida, will be very hot, so ask yourself, are you ready for dry weather and constant heat?

Having arrived in the chosen city under the Work and Travel program, you are not at all obliged to sit still - you can work in any state, combine several vacancies, trying to earn more money.

To make a summer job a reality, you need to create a resume.

The agency will provide you with a sample, or you can find a video resume on the Internet on YouTube, filling out all the necessary fields yourself.

Where can a foreign student find a job?

Young people are in demand in various industries, so Russian students work:

Waiters in restaurants, fast food cafes;
Cashiers in supermarkets;
Sellers in stores;
Maids in hotels;
Administrative assistants in hotels;
Rescuers on the coasts;
Attraction operators.

You can find a job - Travel Job Offer on your own, if you speak English well, there will certainly not be any difficulties, although you must receive an invitation from the employer in advance in the form of an application letter.

Earnings depend on the amount of working time and your expenses. Accordingly, the employment rate is about $7-11 per hour. The weekly schedule involves 40 hours of work - 8 daily, excluding weekends. Recycling is allowed, paid at one and a half times more expensive.

Common Student Mistakes

When preparing for a trip to the States, you should carefully study the conditions of participation, analyze the pros and cons, and understand what difficulties you will encounter.

There is a list of the most common mistakes when moving under the Work and Travel program:

Didn't book tickets or rooms. It is recommended to book a hotel and plane ticket in advance, so you will be sure that the cost will be lower and you will not be left on the street;
Let's go without money. You need to bring cash and at least a thousand dollars on your card. You should discuss in advance with your relatives the possibility of promptly transferring funds in an emergency - fortunately, this takes a few minutes;
You don't know English. The level of English must be sufficient. You need to at least tighten it up a little; in America you won’t communicate well after moving;
You take a lot of unnecessary things. There is no need to drag a suitcase of clothes; in the States you can buy branded items for a ridiculous price. Optimal luggage should be minimal;
You are bringing electrical appliances - you can also buy them in America, especially since the voltage in the sockets is 110V - the usual equipment will not work. Buy adapters in advance;
Didn’t take care of the workplace - having received a work permit at the International Exchange Center, check whether the employer is really waiting for you or whether the document is fake - this also happens;
If you neglect security measures, you should not joke with the law and hope for chance. In the USA they also get robbed - especially in tourist and disadvantaged areas, so you should not carry large sums of money with you, and also take a passport - if it is stolen, there will be a lot of problems;
You just work without devoting time to rest. Of course, the desire to bring home more money is commendable, but still remember that there is only one life, and there are many attractions in America - take at least a little time to explore them.

Plan your trip to the USA carefully, study not only Wikipedia, but also specialized forums and blogs. Stock up on at least the minimum amount of funds, warn your family about the trip, find travel companions - and then your stay will be pleasant and useful.

Is it possible to stay in the USA after participating in the program?

Having arrived in the States for the summer, many students are so captivated by American life that they wonder: how to stay after Work and Travel?

There are several possibilities for this:

Get a tourist visa for six months, but you will not be able to work legally in America;
Become a student in the USA and, accordingly, stay for the duration of your studies;
To ask for political asylum requires compelling reasons;
Marry a US citizen.

Some boys and girls who have been in the States remain illegally, but this risky method guarantees you will soon end up in immigration prison and deportation.

It's also worth considering whether you want to give up everything for the elusive American dream. There are people who left for the USA, nothing worked out for them abroad, but it’s also difficult to return to their homeland - they fell out of their social circle.

I continue to talk about opportunities to travel, including for free. The idea for this article was born after the incredible popularity of my guide to obtaining a Green Card. Since then, I began to cooperate quite closely with the US Embassy in Ukraine in the fight against scammers and deception when obtaining a migration or tourist visa to the United States.

The Work and Travel program attracts a lot of young people, students who want to try an independent life, taste the “American freedom” and perhaps take the first step towards the “American Dream”. In this article I will look in detail at the essence of this program, how to take part in it, earn money and travel without encountering scammers.

So, if you want to learn the nuances of the Work & Travel USA 2017 program, welcome to this article. I hope you can find the information you need and answers to your questions. If not, I’ll be happy to help, ask in the comments.

Navigation

What is Work and Travel

The basis of this international program for students from various developing countries is the opportunity for young people to go to the United States, work there, earn some money and travel through the vast expanses of the New World.

The founder of the program and its main regulatory body was and remains the US Congress, which allows for maximum protection against fraud. Unlike many free volunteer trips, here a person receives one important privilege - a visa with a work permit.

Every year, tens of thousands of students from all over the world travel to North America. There they get a job (mostly menial jobs like dishwashers, etc.) for which no special education is required, and where they earn a certain amount of money. After working for several months (and the J-1 visa gives you the right to stay in America for up to 4 months), you can go on a trip. My readers are mostly tourists, and therefore they know that it’s just a fairy tale: driving a powerful American car along ideal roads from state to state, enjoying nature and cities.

The main idea of this exchange is cultural exchange, opportunities for ordinary children from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and other countries to realize themselves and start an independent life.

How to participate

The terms of participation

Not everyone can participate in this program and you need to meet a number of criteria, such as:

Know English at a good conversational level (Intermediate school level is sufficient). You can learn English on your own, I’m just writing an article about it
Be a student of a state university (students of vocational schools and technical schools cannot participate)
Study on a full-time stationary basis
Age from 18 to 23 years

If you meet all of the above criteria, great, then you can apply for the program. In return, you receive a visa for 4 months and the opportunity to work in the USA. Based on this, you can plan your trip, work, place of residence, etc.

Decide on the need

Deciding whether or not you need to participate in Work and Travel is one of the main tasks. After all, you must understand that this pleasure is expensive. All the agencies that I have seen promise that you will earn money for travel there. But it’s worth understanding that the average salary you can expect is about $8 per hour. And working 8 hours a day you will receive 1500 - 1600 dollars in a month. And in order to pay for participation in the program, you will have to work two or three jobs.

Why do I take a month's work as an example? In Ukrainian universities, as well as in Russian ones, the majority will hold exams in June. And the student has a maximum of 2 months left (you can participate only during the period when there is no training), of which you want to travel for at least a month. And for what money? Oh, yes, housing and food are also at your expense, they are not provided.

So I will give my opinion:

If you want to improve your knowledge of spoken English, break away from your parents for at least a couple of months, and feel like an American, this program is for you. If you have friends or relatives living there who will shelter you, have a place to live and even borrow a car - this is absolutely ideal!
If you just want to see a piece of America, it’s better to go on a trip yourself for the same money. Fortunately, you can get to the USA for 300 - 500 dollars, depending on the dates, and with a transfer in Europe (if you have one) it’s even cheaper. Obtaining a US tourist visa is also not difficult; it is issued for 10 years at once. However, it does not allow you to work legally.

If your university exams are held early and you are sure that you can spend more than 2 months in America, then you should also try your luck. After all, how it was... We will regret more about what we didn’t do than about what we did! Go for it!

Find an agency

You probably know that I am a fighter against intermediaries. All these lessons of mine on obtaining a Schengen visa, a US visa or are aimed at ridding people of terrible agencies and intermediaries who deceive their clients in order to profit from their ignorance of the situation. However, in the case of the Work and Travel USA program, you have no other choice. You have to work with an agency that acts as an intermediary between you and the inviting party - the sponsor.

There are hundreds of such agencies. And their name is Legion. I’ll tell you a secret, there isn’t much difference between them. Therefore, I recommend choosing the most popular one in your region.

We immediately point out those who claim to have “connections at the embassy” and ask for too low or too high a price. Those who are trying to sell air tickets for a thousand dollars go there too. Roughly speaking, the task is to find the most adequate agency with which you personally will be pleased to work.

Prepare documents

Everything is quite simple with documents. The fact is that the agency’s services include preparing documents for you, helping you fill out forms, and the like. But you yourself will have to make some efforts.

All the papers that you will collect are your ticket to participate in the program. Take this seriously and never use fake documents or false information. If such a deception is revealed, you risk securing the status of “non-entry” in the United States for ten or two years. Trust me, it's not worth it.

Initially you will need:

Copies of all pages of the general passport that contain any marks
Copies (at least 3 pieces) of all pages of the passport with any stamps or visas
Certificates from the university (2 in English, 2 in state)
At least 4 photographs 3x4cm
Photo 5x5cm
Photo in electronic form 5x5, color, on a white background
Copies of all pages of the record book from the place of study
Copy of TIN
Copy of student ID

In addition, you must complete the DS-2019 form and a letter from the sponsor. The agency should help you with this.

Price and payment for participation

So, as I already said, this pleasure is not cheap. Therefore, if you are traveling with the goal of at least recouping your investment, you need to weigh and think through everything several times. And then get hold of the necessary amount. Here, of course, your loved ones can come to your aid. I don’t recommend taking out a bank loan for such a thing.

How much will participation cost on average?

Payment to the intermediary is around $600 - $1200, depending on his “appetites”
Consular fee for J-1 visa – $160
Search and selection of vacancies – $150 – $350
Registration in the SEVIS system - $35
Round-trip air ticket - from $700 through an intermediary, or up to $500 if you buy it yourself

Why did I highlight the flight item? The fact is that without exception, all the intermediaries that I found on Google have prices for flights to the USA at least 700 bucks. They also humorously promise “student discounts” that do not exist. However, you and I know very well that even a direct flight from Kyiv or Moscow to the USA rarely exceeds $500. The main thing is to be able to search.

Under no circumstances should you fly with “cash in hand.” You must have at least $500 on your card or bank account in reserve for the first time. It is not uncommon for a student to find out upon arrival that he was denied the job that was agreed upon. You also need to live on something. And eat. I wrote 500 USD because this amount is enough to buy a ticket and return to your homeland if something happens. The more money you have, the calmer you can feel in the States.

Interview

After you find an agency, fill out and send the documents - you will be scheduled for an interview at the US Embassy. You will go there in order to go through a kind of “filter” from unreliable emigrants. All questions will be aimed at ensuring:

You are an independent person and can take care of yourself
You do not intend to violate the laws of the state where you intend to work.
You will return to your homeland after completing the program, rather than remaining in the country illegally
You know English at a sufficient level to work and live in America

There are no universal questions, as well as answers to them. You should have a good knowledge of English and remember the basic information that you can get in preparation for the interview.

Most frequently asked questions:

Where are you studying, what course are you in, what subjects did you study in the first semester of your first year, what is your zodiac sign, etc. Don't be surprised, these are basic questions, the purpose of which is to make sure that all the documents you provide are real and contain truthful information.
How long do you plan to stay in the USA? Where to work? Why this company \ this direction. What city is your work in? What do you know about this city and state? That is, they will make sure that you understand where you are going and will actually work there.
Do you have relatives in the USA? Do your parents live with you? What do they do? What are your plans for the fall? They need to be sure that you will not become an illegal immigrant.
How do you understand the proverb ***? Can you tell me the Gimlet Rule? Prove the Pythagorean theorem. Such questions are also not uncommon; they should show how you will react in an unusual situation.
The consul can switch to English at any time during the interview. You must at least understand it and be able to put together a worthy answer in your head.

Try to get yourself in order before going to the interview. Get your nails done, wear a decent shirt. Nobody is talking about a strict or business style... But in a T-shirt and shorts, you most likely will not even be allowed into the embassy itself.

Girls - I’m warning you right away! Short skirts, deep necklines - put aside! The chance of failure increases significantly.

Job

A very important nuance is finding a job. Your work and its conditions, comfort and safety, earnings and mood depend on which vacancy you choose and which employer you find. Therefore it must be taken very seriously.

You can look for a job on your own, or you can entrust this task to an agency for an additional fee. But there is another option, for the most desperate and those who like to “try their luck” - this is looking for work locally. However, it is only suitable for people who can easily and naturally communicate and win over. But without an approved job (Job Offer), you will not be allowed to participate and the embassy will refuse a visa.

The vacancies that are usually offered to students do not require special skills, but it will be very good if you already have experience in a similar field. As a rule, students work:

Newspaper and pizza delivery people
Lifeguards on the beach
Waiters
Washing dishes in cafes and restaurants
Amusement park and hotel staff
Cleaners
And so on.

Naturally, you should like and be satisfied with the work. For example, if I were on this program, I would definitely choose to work in national parks. Yes, it’s far from the city and the social circle is smaller... But nature and starry nights are what I love first of all!

Plus, you can get a second job to earn even more money for your travels, rather than just breaking even.

Travel is one of the components of the Work and Travel program

Trips

The program is called “Work and Travel”. Initially, the idea is that after earning extra money, go on a trip to the USA and/or nearby countries (Canada, Mexico). Here it all depends on your desire and financial issue. The States are not a cheap country. A night in suburban motels will cost $80 - $150, depending on the state and proximity to the attraction. An overnight stay near a national park can cost $300, and all the places will be taken.

Public transport, in our understanding, is poorly developed. Buses are quite rare here (I mean intercity), and the price of a bus train or railway is often more expensive than plane tickets. Therefore, it is best to travel between states either by plane or by car. And again the problem is to rent a car for a month - it’s easier to buy your own. Buying your own means also paying its cost, insurance, and so on. Buying a car when traveling for up to 3 months is not profitable, unless you travel in a group of 3 - 4 people and chip in on the cost.

But with all this, it cannot be said that you will not have the opportunity to see America. In the end, there are hitchhiking and that will save you a lot of money.

Answers to frequently asked questions

You can always ask any questions you are interested in in the comments, and I will try to answer them.

Is it possible to travel via Work&Travel if I don’t know English?

No, you must have basic knowledge to communicate with other people and representatives of government and law in the United States. You will be bombarded with an interview at the embassy, which takes place in English.

Can a part-time student take part in this program?

No, only day care.

If I am under 18 years old, what should I do?

Then this program is not for you. On the other hand, there are dozens of others, no less interesting. For example - Flex (not for students in the Russian Federation).

As I understand, you are interested in paid internships abroad. I will be happy to tell you about the best programs.

Paid Volunteering in Colombia for English Teachers

The organizers (the Ministry of Education of Colombia together with a partner NGO) call this program a volunteer one, but in fact, this is the most paid internship.

Requirements: Level of English proficiency not lower than C1 (documented), age 21-50 years, desire and ability to teach. Desirable, but not required: experience of traveling/living abroad, in particular in Latin America; TEFL certificate, teaching experience, basic level of Spanish. These additional conditions increase your chances of participation.

Now about the conditions. Participants will help teachers and students in grades 6-11 improve their communication skills in English.

Interns are paid a stipend of 1,500,000 Colombian Pesos (approximately $450). These funds are enough for accommodation, food and household expenses. For comparison, this amount is more than twice the minimum wage in Colombia and is comparable to the average salary of school teachers.

You can read about how to apply for participation

Paid volunteering in Chile

This program is generally similar to the Colombian one. The only significant difference is that you will a priori be provided with accommodation and meals for free, and the stipend, which you can spend at your own discretion, will be about $100.

Paid volunteering in Portugal

Great program! Throughout the year, the eco-project in the Algarve requires volunteers for a variety of tasks: from cleaning the area to maintaining documentation.

Volunteers are provided with private rooms with shared baths in the cottages and two meals a day. The work is paid: each volunteer receives 100 euros per week + 30 euros per month for transport from and to the cottage village. The minimum period of participation is 3 months.

Teach Russian abroad

This area of internship is very interesting! Moreover, in most programs, language teaching experience is not mandatory, which means that not only a philologist can become a Russian teacher.

Almost all programs of this kind are paid, that is, while performing their functions during the academic year, the assistant receives a salary (usually about 800 euros per month), and in some cases the host country provides him with housing.

Such projects are being implemented in Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Europe. You can read about the conditions and application process for participation

Teach English in Thailand

The Thai organization "SEE Tefl" invites young teachers to a paid 4-month internship in schools in the Chiang Mai region in the north of the country.

Upon arrival, selected candidates undergo two weeks of training and then begin full-time work in one of the Thai schools for 4 months. The young specialist is provided with accommodation, food and a monthly salary of 650 euros. A language certificate is required. Details

Teach English in Peru

The VolunTeach Peru organization invites graduates and final-year university students majoring in English language teaching for a paid internship. Young specialists will teach English in schools in different regions of the country.

Teachers will live with families that cooperate with the project. In addition to accommodation, the organization provides interns with meals, transportation to and from work, and a salary of $500 per month.

Internship at the European Commission

This is an opportunity to work side by side with specialists from one of the departments of the European Commission for five months. This is invaluable international experience and a significant line on your resume, so the competition is huge.

Depending on experience and preferences, the intern may be involved in administrative work, legal issues, preparing and editing publications, projects in the field of ecology, organizing meetings, conferences, and public lectures. All this during the day. In the evenings - in the best traditions of student exchanges - international parties, football, wine tasting, cultural program in Brussels and Luxembourg and a lot of other interesting things.

Trainees receive a monthly stipend of €1000.

Other programs

I wrote this article for students who are planning to travel to the United States under the Work and Travel USA program or other similar programs, as well as for anyone who is thinking about traveling to the states.

Work and Travel USA is a popular international program for students, whose participants go to the United States for the summer, work there, and travel part of the time. I went on Work and Travel in 2010 and spent some amazing months in the states. I lived most of the time in the beautiful city of New Orleans, and also visited New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In this article I will talk about several common mistakes that students make when preparing to travel under the program and already in America.

Reference:

Full-time students can go on Work and Travel; the duration of their stay in the USA is about 4 months. BEFORE departure, the student must complete a number of documents, the most important of which are: a passport, a visa (student J-1 Visa) and an invitation from an American employer (Job Offer). To do this, the student contacts a local representative/agent/company that deals with Work and Travel. Students usually work in seasonal jobs in the service sector: waiters, beach lifeguards, guides, bartenders, but they can also get other jobs.

Work and Travel is a great opportunity to travel, gain a unique life experience, and improve your knowledge of the English language. Based on my experience, on the experience of my acquaintances, as well as other participants in the program, I will tell you about some mistakes that they make when preparing for a trip, and already in America.

1. Not booking tickets and rooms

Flights and hotel rooms booked in advance are much cheaper than if purchased on the last day. Once you've decided on your job and your departure and return dates, book flights to and from the US (usually New York), and domestic flights if needed (for example, New York to New Orleans and back, as was in my case). If you are spending the night somewhere, be sure to book a place in a hostel or a hotel room. Otherwise you will remain on the street. You can do all this yourself using special online services, for example:

My friends were going to work in New Orleans, but did not book tickets from New York to New Orleans in advance. Someone “kind” told them that if they buy it on the spot, there won’t be any problems. They arrived in New York, went to the ticket office, and tickets to New Orleans were only $300. No others. $300 for a ticket like this is VERY expensive. I had to fork out more, but at least I had enough money. But they arrived in New Orleans with almost no money.

If you want to travel at the end of summer, go somewhere (which I highly recommend), think through the route in advance and book tickets and rooms - this way you will save yourself from unpleasant surprises and save a lot of money. Often students go to the USA in a group or find friends on the spot, then they can cooperate and come up with an interesting trip.

2. Travel without money

When I was preparing for the train, I was advised to take at least $1,000 with me, even taking into account the fact that I had already agreed on everything about work and housing. Just to be on the safe side. Now, I think, this recommended amount can be increased by one and a half to two times. You need to keep the money on a card (make a dollar card in advance), having 200-300 dollars in cash, preferably not in hundreds.

When you arrive, anything can happen. For example, like my friends who had to spend a lot of money on tickets to New Orleans. They did not foresee such expenses, but, fortunately, there was enough money, otherwise they would have had to call home and ask for urgent help.

3. Not taking care of your English

The higher your level of English proficiency, the better your experience in America will be. This will especially affect work. Do you think that with poor English you can best work as a waiter? It’s good if you’re an assistant waiter, because a waiter is a position that you still need to grow into.

Without knowing English, you will constantly have to ask someone to cope with basic tasks: open a bank account, fill out documents, order a taxi, and you won’t even be able to go shopping properly.

Don’t expect that when you arrive in the states you will magically speak English. Immersion in the language environment really helps, but if you already have some basic knowledge, if you already know how to somehow communicate and constantly practice. Otherwise, you can live for years in America and not speak English normally, as happens among emigrants.

Prepare in advance, learn the language, improve your level. Focus on, look. Take the time to prepare as much as possible. It's hard to learn, but it's easy to fight.

4. Bring a bunch of extra things to America

Students are prepared for the trip by their mothers, fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, so sometimes children come to the resort town for the summer with suitcases of sweaters, knitted socks, woolen mittens, three jackets, a down jacket, boots, ten shirts and other rubbish. As a rule, everything ends up being thrown away, since in America you can update your wardrobe inexpensively and without problems, and at the end of the trip, many people go shopping, which makes their luggage significantly heavier.

For example, I arrived with virtually no belongings, taking only a light jacket, second shoes, a minimum of clothing and a laptop. I had no luggage, only hand luggage of about 15 kg. He returned back with a gigantic hand luggage and two tightly stuffed suitcases. And I’m far from a “clothes person.” Moreover, you should not buy clothes specifically for a trip to America. Better take more money and buy things there already.

5. Take unnecessary electrical appliances

In the USA, the voltage is 110V, not 220V, so if you take devices that are not adapted for 110 Volts, they will work poorly or not at all. Even if you have 110V equipment, you should not bring an iron, electric stove and other appliances that will only make your luggage heavier. If necessary, in the US you can buy essential household appliances cheaply by chipping in with friends, although this is usually not necessary.

You must take your phone with you; you will need it immediately to call your parents or contact your employer. I also highly recommend buying a couple of adapters for the outlet before leaving. In America, of course, they exist, but firstly, you have to look for them, and secondly, they cost 5-10 dollars.

Selfie in New York. True, the word “selfie” did not yet exist.

6. Rely on a fake Job Offer

To go on Work and Travel, you must first find a job and receive a so-called Job Offer - a document confirming that a specific employer is waiting for you in America. They won’t let you go to the states without an offer. Offers can be real or fake. Usually, Work and Travel companies have the opportunity to help students find normal real offers, for an additional fee, of course.

Having received such an offer, you must call the employer to make sure that he exists and is waiting for you. If you can, you can get an offer yourself: find a job via the Internet or through friends who have already taken part in the program.

But there are times when a student deliberately makes or asks to make a fake offer. The idea is this: I just want to get into the country, and then I’ll figure it out somehow.

I really don't recommend doing this. Finding a job will take time. Maybe a day, maybe a week. Or maybe a month. All this time you will be spending money and not earning money. You risk finding yourself in an unpleasant situation and creating unnecessary difficulties for yourself. If you are coming to America to work, take care of your workplace in advance.

7. Joking with the law and neglecting safety precautions

In America absolutely You absolutely cannot joke with the law. Good-natured police officers who, smiling and politely explaining how to get to the library, will mercilessly handcuff you and take you to the police station for shoplifting. Tears and “uncle, I won’t do it again” won’t help. Even for a crime that, in your opinion, is trivial, it can cost you so much that it doesn’t seem like much. You can actually be imprisoned because of petty stupidity.

Also, you should not look, as they say, for one place of adventure. When I arrived in New Orleans, I was immediately warned at work not to go anywhere, that is, to bad neighborhoods, and not to carry a passport or large sums of cash with me.

They told about a guy from Russia who was walking around the French Quarter, where there are a lot of tourists, with a wallet in his back pocket. The wallet was stolen, and there was money, cards, a passport with a visa. The parents had to spend a lot of nerves and money to help their son out.

Of course, if you're afraid of wolves, don't go into the forest, but you need to have a head on your shoulders and not ask for trouble.

8. Turn Work and Travel into Work and Work

Students often view the Work and Travel program as simply an opportunity to go and earn money. Aiming at the pursuit of a long dollar, they save on what they can, do not travel and spend all the time allotted by the visa on work.

Friends! I don't currently tutor, but if you need a teacher, I recommend this wonderful site- there are native (and non-native) language teachers there 👅 for all occasions and for any pocket 🙂 I myself took more than 50 lessons with the teachers I found there!

Work and Travel USA is the most famous international program for students. Its name speaks for itself - participants go to work temporarily in the USA, and then travel around the country. I also had this chance, so I will gladly share my experience with you.

I learned about the Work and Travel program when I entered the Faculty of Foreign Languages in 2010. Many told how they went on summer vacation to America, communicated with Americans, practiced their English, studied the local culture, and then returned home, but there were also those who stayed in the United States. At that time, for me, as a future English teacher, it seemed very important to live in an English-speaking environment, hear native speakers speak, communicate with them and study a living language, not a book one. Then I decided for myself that I would definitely go to America.

What you need to know about the Work and Travel program

To participate in the Work and Travel program, you need to meet the following criteria:

Be a full-time student.
Be of legal age at the time of departure. The embassy is very picky about senior students (23-24 years old) and does not always issue visas, because it considers them potential immigrants.
Speak English at a level or above. Although everything here is quite controversial. I've seen people get visas with pretty little knowledge but a lot of self-confidence. However, these are isolated cases, and I would not advise relying only on confidence or luck, especially since the selection becomes tougher every year. In addition, you will have to live and work in an English-speaking country for four months - without knowledge of English it will not be easy.

If you meet these requirements, then you have every chance to go to America. Depending on the country in which the student lives, the duration of the program may vary. For students from Russia, the program begins no earlier than May 15 and ends no later than September 15. Be sure to check with your university whether it is possible to pass the exam early and start studying later than September 1st.

Preparation for the Work and Travel program

I decided to go to America after my third year. It seemed to me that in three years of studying at the university I would have time to learn a language, gain experience and mature a little in order to feel confident in a foreign country, 8,000 kilometers from home. In the third year, representatives of the company came to our university to help students successfully go through all stages of preparation for the trip - of course, for free. Sometimes students who have already participated in the program ask their former employer to send a job offer letter that guarantees employment (a job offer), and thus dispense with the help of an intermediary.

The first step is to collect all the necessary documents (passport, photo, certificate from the university, record book with good grades) and pay for participation in the program. If you do this in advance, the cost may be less and you are more likely to get a good job. On average, be prepared to spend $2500-3000. This amount includes the cost of the program itself, the services of an intermediary company, consular fees and round-trip air tickets.

You should understand that you will be offered a job in the service sector. From the list of vacancies you choose the most suitable one for you. For example, a housekeeper, a dishwasher, a kitchen assistant, a sales assistant, a fast food server, a beach or pool lifeguard, or in a water park (a lifeguard), an employee who greets visitors in a restaurant (a hostess), a waiter / waitress (a waiter / a waitress), etc. The salary depends on the chosen position (a position) and the state in which you will work - on average $7-10 per hour, sometimes more.

I was offered a job at a Dairy Queen fast food restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The restaurant is located right on the Atlantic Ocean, and the city is one of the most popular resort destinations among Americans. Of course, I agreed, although the salary was not very high - $7.5.

Next, you need to undergo an interview via Skype with the employer or a representative of an American sponsorship organization - such organizations act as an intermediary between the employer and the applicant. This meeting is necessary so that the employer can evaluate you as a future employee: find out about your work experience, make sure that you speak English sufficiently and know how to establish contact with people. And you can ask all the questions you are interested in about responsibilities, salary, days off, etc. Be sure to check the date of your last working week if at the end of the program you want to travel around the USA. I also recommend asking in detail about housing (price, deposit, conditions), because it is often the employer or sponsor who is looking for housing.

My interview lasted 5-10 minutes. I prepared well, learned all the answers to possible questions. The American who interviewed me spoke calmly and without haste, so there were no problems with understanding. But if something is unclear to you, smile and ask again - I am sorry, can you repeat that, please? (Sorry, could you repeat it, please?) I was asked to talk about my work experience, where I study and what my plans for the future are.

After I successfully passed this interview, I was sent a Job Offer. This was followed by an interview at the embassy. On the Internet you will find huge lists of possible questions and answers, but in reality they can ask you about anything - studies, hometown, finances, work in America, plans for the future, what your mother does or what you had for breakfast. The visa officer will also evaluate your behavior: do not be nervous, be polite and friendly. Otherwise, he may discern behind your words and behavior a desire to immigrate to the United States. In preparation for the interview, I also memorized the booklet about my rights in America, addresses and emergency numbers.

Two days before departure, I found out on the embassy website that my visa had been approved. Some received visas after the departure date and had to change their tickets. I saw how one guy was refused at the embassy without explanation. They simply said: Sorry, not this year. The money for the consular fee and the commission of the intermediary company was not returned to him, but he received part of the funds for the program and tickets.

Living and working in the USA

After a multi-hour flight with a transfer in London (Kyiv-London - 4 hours, London-Washington - 8 hours), I ended up in Washington, from where I took a bus to Virginia. I remember that I wanted to immediately start practicing English and I actively communicated with everyone. The Americans immediately won me over with their smiles and desire to help. One of the Americans once told me: You have such a beautiful European accent! Where are you from? (You have such a beautiful European accent! Where are you from?)

Several other people from my city came with me. When we came to work on the first day, it turned out that we would have an internship for 2-3 weeks, we would work an hour or two a day and receive an appropriate salary. We didn’t count on this, since we took some money with us, for one month. The situation was further complicated by the fact that the manager often sent me home when there were few visitors due to bad weather, and I often worked less than 8 hours a day. This greatly affected my salary.

At Dairy Queen, my main responsibilities were taking orders and preparing food - mostly ice cream desserts and drinks. But I also had to do different jobs: washing something, cleaning something, bringing it, serving it. Our team consisted of both Americans and students from Thailand, Turkey, Bulgaria and other countries - we often joked, chatted, went to lunch and spent interesting time together at work and outside of it. I remember how we laughed at the fact that no one could quickly and clearly pronounce the price for an ice cream cone - $3.33 (three thirty three).

The salary at Dairy Queen was not enough for me, so I started looking for a second job. Thousands of tourists flock to Virginia Beach in the summer, and the restaurants and shops along the waterfront are constantly in need of new employees. I went into establishments and asked: Are you hiring? (Do you have any vacancies?) So I was hired at one of the 7-Eleven stores - this is a huge chain of mini-markets around the world. I was a cashier, but I also did other work - from cleaning to putting goods on shelves. The salary was $7.5 per hour. I liked my second job better: it was less strict, free food and regular customers to chat with. We had an international team, for example, the manager was Indian with an interesting accent.

Our first home was found by a sponsoring organization. The rent was quite expensive - $90 per week, but we couldn’t refuse. It turned out that we also had to pay a deposit of $300, which we were not warned about. When I saw the place where I would live for the next four months, I was completely confused: one bedroom with four bunk beds, a living room with a sofa and a TV, a kitchen with a small amount of dishes and two bathrooms. Five of us arrived, and two more had to be accommodated. The only good thing was that the balcony had a view of the ocean.

A month later, we asked the landlords about the possibility of paying the rent a little later, but they refused. Then we found an apartment that was cheaper and much more comfortable. We had three rooms for $70 a week where we could really feel at home and invite friends over (this wasn't allowed at our previous place). The ocean was no longer visible from the window, but we admired the forest and the river.

If you want to not only get back all the money you invested in your trip, but also earn a little money to travel around America, you’ll have to work hard. So I worked from morning until late evening, sometimes working for several weeks in a row without days off. Despite the work, fatigue and problems, I wanted to explore America, so I tried to do everything and spend every free minute outside the house. Even at night after work we could go to the cinema for the next premiere. One day we went to school - we wanted to make sure that everything there was as they show in American films about teenagers. Everything turned out to be even better - it cannot be compared with any of the schools in my hometown.

In Virginia, I visited an outdoor water park for the first time. We also spent a lot of time in shopping centers; shopping became my weakness - the prices were too attractive. I flew to America with one suitcase, and flew away with two. We tried different cuisines, but what I remember most was a place called Happy Buffet. This type of cafe is very common in America. Everyone has the same principle - you pay for entry (on average $10-20) and put on your plate whatever you want and as much as you want, but you can’t take food with you.

Many courtyards with apartment buildings have swimming pools for residents. This didn’t happen in my yard, but a couple of times we secretly had mini-parties at other people’s pools at night. We ourselves would hardly have decided to do this, but friends who have lived in America for many years told us and even showed us how it is :-) In nightclubs, documents are carefully checked at the entrance, and crosses are drawn on everyone under 21 years of age. hands. This is because you can only drink alcohol in America if you are 21 years old - if there is something alcoholic in a young hand, it will be immediately noticed. They may simply kick you out or even call the police. By the way, law enforcement officers are on duty everywhere around the clock.

I advise you to go to different places, meet people, try different foods and enjoy every minute you spend in this country. Believe me, time will fly by very quickly, your visa will expire and you will go home. Who knows when you will end up in America again.

Travel across America

My friend and I managed to carve out a week and a half of rest for ourselves before flying home. On the Internet we found a site where you could buy a tour of America for every taste and budget. I really wanted to visit California and see the Grand Canyon, but time was short, so we settled on what was closer to us.

The cost of the tour (about $160) included transportation, overnight stays in hotels, breakfasts and excursions. We had flights home from New York, so we chose a tour that started and ended in this city. We traveled from Virginia to New York by bus, taking all our suitcases with us, since going back to get our things was expensive in terms of time and money. We became the main attraction of our tour :-) Every time we checked into the hotel, we had two suitcases and a bag with a laptop, a backpack on our backs and several bags of food. Our Chinese fellow travelers stared at us like we were monkeys in a zoo; no one could understand why we needed so many things.

The first city was the capital of the United States - Washington. All famous landmarks - the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, the Washington Monument - are close to each other. But if you want to plunge into the atmosphere of the city, go for a walk. It is a very interesting feeling to see with your own eyes what you had previously only seen in films.

Then there was New York, which both captivated and disappointed me. Of course, I was impressed by Manhattan and the view from the Empire State Building, noisy Broadway and bright Times Square, the scale of Central Park and the comfort of small green squares that you accidentally stumble upon in the middle of the nicest residential areas. But New York has another side. In the early morning you see huge bags of garbage piled one on top of the other at every restaurant, in the late evening you see rats running around Chinatown, and a huge number of homeless people sleeping in McDonald's. This is a city of contrasts and is worth a visit.

We got to know Boston - a quiet, clean and cozy city. All Harvard students were envious - the prestige and status of this university are visible from afar. If I wanted to stay in America, I would probably choose Boston.

We stopped in Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell (nothing interesting), and then went to Niagara Falls. This is a sight that takes your breath away; you feel the insignificance of man and the greatness of nature. This is a beauty that you want to look at forever. If you go there, be sure to buy a raincoat, although even with it you will get wet to the skin!

There were many funny stories during this tour, I'll tell you my favorite. We liked to look at everything around us for a long time, and when we were at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the bus left without us - we had been admiring Van Gogh for too long. I remember the state of panic - all our things and documents were gone, we only had a little cash left. The museum staff found us the guide's number. We didn’t have a mobile phone with us, and no one allowed us to call. We were sent to a street payphone. On a noisy street, it was difficult to understand what the tour guide was saying with a Chinese accent. But in the end we figured it out, caught a taxi and met the group at Madame Tussauds.

Four months flew by quickly. Despite the fact that I was very tired from work and long journeys from city to city, heavy bags, lack of time to sleep and eat, I was very sad to leave. I wanted and didn’t want to go home at the same time. But the visa was expiring, and my whole life was waiting for me at home.

I am often asked if I wanted to stay in America. But I never even had such a thought - I never saw my life in the states and still don’t see it. But many people go to stay in the United States: some receive refugee status, girls marry Americans, etc.

Answer yourself honestly: are you ready to leave your family, friends and job for the American dream? It is very important not to look at life in the US through rose-colored glasses. Things don't always work out the way they do in Hollywood films. Soberly assess the situation, check the information, make sure that you will be safe. And only then go to conquer America - a wonderful country with a lot of opportunities, which is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. I know for sure that I will return there again and again.