When I was a child and a teenager I was very interested in American culture. I often dreamed of how I would live the American life. I knew a few adults who had the same interest, but they didn’t try to move to USA. It was strange for me. But after 5 years I forgot about the idea to go to USA, because I had a lot of worries about study in a university, a job and my girlfriend. One day my friend suggested we go to USA by the Work and Travel program. I thought that it might be a good idea to spend the summer, but we were so busy and I doubted that we could do it. Bit by bit I was recovering my interest about America, but worries were increasing too. I got my visa just the day before our departure. The day of departure was a very cold in Moscow, maybe it was the coldest spring which I can remember. I couldn’t believe that I was flying to USA until I boarded the plane. It was going to be a terrible journey, because our English was too poor. But my friend told me that usually we get more fun if our trip is hard to start. I believed him.  New York welcomed us with unusual heat and unknown smells. People, buildings and cars immersed me in the sense of being in a movie. I had never seen people from all over the World concentrated in one city. It was amazing to see and speak with people who I had seen just in movies. It was the most wonderful summer in my life and I wanted to tell my family and friends about it.

In the fall we returned to Russia. A couple years later, I graduated from university and got a promotion in my job. Although I was satisfied with my life, I often reflected what I should do next. The thought about the American life didn’t allow me to relax. One warm sunny day I decided that I had to realize my dream. I tried to find different ways of immigration and one of them was to participate in the lottery. Before I won a Green Card, I had participated in a lottery only once when I was a teenager and I lost.

It was not easy to leave everything, because my girlfriend couldn’t go with me. Also it was not easy to say to my parent “see you in 6 months”. But we have to move on and leave the comfort zone. It is an integral part of the way to become a successful person. The period of my long-term adaptation began 6 months ago with the words of the immigration officer "Welcome home!" in J.F.K. airport. When I got out of the airport I didn’t take a taxi or subway. I walked close to the airport and gradually realized that I was again in USA and I was at home. I am an IT specialist and I am going to find a job in my field. There are the largest number of companies specializing in information technology and innovation in USA. These technologies form the basis of the economy of the future. And even during the crisis this sector continued to grow. Now I am actively improving my English and professional skills and I am sure that I will be able to get a job in the near future. I am still getting used to the American life, but America is a nation of immigrants and many things have been done here to make adaptation easier.

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