RUSSIAN TRADITION, UKRAINIAN PASSION : What is actually Work&Travel? Some tips to new comers

When you want to go to USA, Canada, Australia and work then travel, the best option is Work&Travel programs for students. As the name underlines: first you work abroad, earn money and then you can spend it by traveling. Jobs can be really different, depends on if you are going to work on a camp as a support stuff or rather in the city or in the amusement park which are huge in USA.

I was working in a Camp – as a support stuff, housekeeper. For me it was the best choice as I was 20, after my first year of University. I applied through CCUSA and as a new comer I got the free flight. It was typical back then. Because I didn’t really know how to start to look for accommodation and I wasn’t prepared to the “real life”, I chose camp. If you work at the camp you have accommodation and unlimited access to food. I applied, I got requested by Pine Forest Camp in Pennsylvania and in June I had my first cross-continental flight by Lufthansa. When I got to JFK in New York, our CCUSA buddies picked us up and accommodated at the hostel. We had a full day to visit Manhattan. The next day me and four other people took a bus to Greeley – our new home for the summer. Everything was logistically organized, so there were no unexpected sad surprises.

At the camp I lived in a bank with 6 other girls! At the beginning it was shock!! After first week (and first party) we became friends with no issue about how to share the bathroom. We are still friend though… almost 5 years passed. That is a life experience which will stay with you.

About the job: I was living at a Pine Forest Camp but working in Owego Camp for boys. There were me and Alejandra – my crazy Mexican friend. Two housekeepers against all the guys and their unbelievable mess! But we did it, we were fast enough and all in all it wasn’t that bad. We chose housekeeping instead of working in a kitchen because of one good reason: our schedule was from 8.30a.m. to 4p.m. – 6 days a week. Kitchen stuff was working on triple schedule: breakfast/lunch/dinner. They had to wake up earlier and they were done later. Of course they had breaks in-between. Job wasn’t demanding, just you made sure everything is clean. Probably that might be a problem for boys that’s why most of guys were in a kitchen and only girls were cleaning ladies. I was working for two months at the primary camp, then I was staying for the post camp and also had some night duties – I was on call and got 25 dollars. Luckily I earned a lot but I didn’t to travel, I spend all my cash for clothes, shoes, presents, I bought computer. I came with one hand and one basic luggage and came back with two huge suitcases and three hand luggage. It was worth it :D

Below some picks of how it looks like: the camp.