We are Kristina, Mariyana and Hristina, and this is our story of an unforgettable summer full of positive emotions, adventures and new friends – and not just anywhere, but on the other side of the world – America! Yes, America, the land of dreams we see in the movies, where our favorite actors and performers are, where everything is radically different from Europe. Perhaps none of us had imagined we would have such an opportunity at such a young age.
We learned about the Work and Travel program from Krisi's older sister, who had already taken part. We were captivated by her stories – about the city of lights, Las Vegas, about incomparable New York, about the world-famous Grand Canyon and Niagara. She talked about them with such delight and fire in her eyes that it was almost impossible not to feel her euphoria and happiness as your own, as if you had been there yourself.
And so it became a dream – a dream for which fear and insecurity were a big obstacle. We put it off the first year; we didn't have the courage to take the initiative, and it was easier to give up, using the excuse that it was our first year at university. We were even ready to skip our second year as well, but one September day, while we were having coffee, we just decided – "We're in." We quickly went to the nearby NGB Consulting office, and since it had just opened in Plovdiv, even their consultants from Sofia were there. We won't lie, we were very nervous – after all, at the time it was a big deal for us to have someone find us a job in America. Everyone was very cheerful and kind; they offered us very good and encouraging offers and let us think about which would be the best for us. So after "a day to think it over" we chose an employer in New Hampshire, whom we will tell you about later.
Step by step, everything fell into place. We signed the contract with the company and then with the employer. Gradually our visits to the office became more frequent, whether to prepare for the notorious visa interview or for a nice chat with Ventsislava – NGB's consultant in Plovdiv. Very kind and smiling, she always reminded us and explained what we needed to do and never got annoyed by the countless silly questions we asked her.
And then came the most important day – the visa interview at the US Embassy. As we already mentioned, we are not the bravest, and even though we had been told hundreds of times that it isn't that scary or difficult, we were so nervous that even the police officers at the embassy cracked a joke or two with us.
Everything went smoothly – all three of us were approved for a visa. We now knew we were going together, and the feeling was indescribable, truly unique. Now the only thing we had to take care of were our university exams, for which we had full support and understanding from our professors.
Before we knew it, departure day arrived. There were a few tears, some sadness and many feelings mixed with euphoria. Our flight was smooth, and even though our connection was at one of the biggest airports, Heathrow, we managed quickly and easily, since we had already gone through an orientation held by NGB, which covered everything – from useful information about the flights to what to do first when we arrived in the USA and, of course, our rights there. Our employer had been informed of our arrival time and was waiting for us at the airport in Boston . A very good man – he asked us how our trip was, helped us with our luggage and had even prepared dinner for us.
The house we lived in was also his, and we had everything we needed. As we had requested in advance, the three of us shared one room.
And our adventure began. We quickly got used to the new environment and met many people of different nationalities. Every evening we gathered in the yard – lots of fun; we were all students with similar interests, kindred spirits. There were several little houses in the yard where those of us who worked together lived, and many true friendships were born. We always went to the movies together, walked on the beach and celebrated several birthdays, which turned into amazing parties. After the end of the season we traveled a bit . We decided our trip would be to Boston. Boston is an amazing city, full of life and offering opportunities for growth. At first glance the city looks like a European city – cozy and beautiful. We had the chance to explore all of it.
America is a dream, and our advice to everyone who has the chance is not to miss the "America" adventure.