Four months working in the US on a J-1 visa

Arrival

I landed at JFK. I would’ve loved to see the skyline from the plane, but it was very cloudy. Everyone at the airport was friendly. At the time, my English was good enough for basic things, but nothing complex.

I couldn’t stay in the city to explore, because I had to get to my new home in Wildwood that night. It was 3 p.m., so I took the subway for the first time, a little afraid of getting lost. I made it fine and caught the bus to Wildwood via Atlantic City. I didn’t know how to buy the ticket, so I asked an officer, and the conversation went wrong because I couldn’t pronounce Wildwood properly. Fortunately, the officer understood what I meant and helped me buy it. The trip took longer than expected because of traffic, but I got home safe and sound.

On the job

As a floor attendant at Gateway 26, a casino-style arcade on the boardwalk, I assisted customers, gave out change, refilled machines with tokens and tickets, closed the business late at night, kept the floor clean, and fixed machines when they got stuck or showed common errors. I was also trusted to help at the counter from time to time: redeeming tickets, handing out prizes and organizing the shelves.

The Fourth of July and Labor Day are some of the busiest days of the year in the US, and the shore was no exception. On Labor Day, Gateway 26 traditionally gives away a high-value prize. That year it was an Audi, and I had never seen so many people in one place. The workload was heavy on weekends, and especially on holidays, but I really enjoyed helping customers and making their summers more fun. I also made friends I still talk to today.

Exploring

Wildwood turned out to be far more special than I expected. I visited many places nearby, such as Cape May, Atlantic City, Rio Grande and Wildwood Crest, and walked the whole boardwalk. At the end of the season, I got to visit Philadelphia, New York, Milwaukee and Chicago.

What I brought home

Fluency, confidence with strangers, and the resilience to handle high-pressure environments. Today I use the English I learned there every day at CORUS, working with international teams, which stands out in the company, especially at my age.

I also know the J-1 process from the inside: the sponsor, the DS-2019, the visa interview and the rules during the program.