VI Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2014

“Work and Travel” (USA) is a program of international cultural exchange that allows students from different countries of the world to depart on summer vacations to the United States to work and travel. The primary purpose of the program is to acquaint foreign students with the culture and life of modern America and the distribution of other cultures among its inhabitants. The founder of the program and its main supervisor is the Department of State, which determines the number of students that have a right to take part each year [1]. Object – “Work and Travel” (USA) program as a good asset for Service and Tourism students’ experience advance.

Results. Agency "Manhattans" (Kazakhstan), that represents Work and Travel USA program, arranged all the documental facilities for 3 months according to job offer and Work Permit up to the 3rd of September + 1 month of travelling with Visa deadline of 30^th of September, has registered mе in the program. Also it has provided some information: to make my journey draft at my future place of work and grasped the possibility of purchasing international airline tickets on students tariffs.

My journey started with my departure from Yekaterinburg on the 15^th of via Moscow, New-York, Seattle, with the terminal point of Ketchikan (the state of Alaska) on the17th of June. We have been assigned to a company E.C. Phillips & Son Inc. 1775 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska. Zip code: 99901. Phone № 9072477975. www.ecphillipsalaska.com. My duty was: seafood Processor.

A representative of Phillips&Son Incorporation met us at the airport. Just the same day we have dwelled some Campuses. My Campus addressed 1813 Tongass Avenue. In two days we signed a rent agreement according to which we’ve paid $ 6.36 a day. 15 – from Russia + UIS, 30 – from Turkey, about 30 – from Philippines and Mexicou worked at the same time as we did. Also Americans – Arizona (2 persons), California (2 persons) have come to work for full season (working factory period is mid-June-mid September). American citizens are allowed to do that.

Our salary was $ 7.85/an hour, twice a month, $ 12.5/over time (after 8 p.m./a day or 40 hours a week). After 250, 500 and etc. the salary increased. I had $ 8.75 /an hour and $ 13.25/over time. There was a strong work control – clock in and clock out (entrance and exit). Donut’s days: the collaborators are given some Donuts – Wednesday, then - Wednesday and Friday.

Our working duties embodied sea food production as a whole – pumping the fish over the ship, assortment (Arctic salmon, dark @ bright, King, Chum), processing (fish, cavier, filet) on the conveyor system or on troll-table. Perfect clean.

Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the south-easternmost city in Alaska. Not large one – with a population (at the 2010 census) of 8,050 within the city limits, it is the fifth-most populous city in the state [2]. The city attracted visitors with its peculiar north charm that is why it is overcrowded by some tourists who has come with the cruise vessels. There are many souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, and very beautiful park with the unique Museum of Totems. To look around the city and a half of an island the city occupies by hiking into the mountains. It was the place of our leisure time spending.

After work time at Alaska we started with my friends travelling on the 17^th of September. We booked some tickets in advance for a route Los-Angeles-Grand Canyon-Las-Vegas-New-York (one night was in Los-Angeles, three days spent in Grand Canyon, both the city and Canyon, and New-York sightseeing was given one week). On the 30^th of September I was leaving for Russia.

Conclusion. Program Work and Travel has given to some students a good possibility to familiarize ourselves with the culture of the United States as whole through the very specific conditions of American North (Ketchikan, Alaska). All aspects of arrangement and management at concrete enterprise (hard work of fish procession) clarifies the future specialists of service field some nuances and peculiarities of this profession. Because on completion of the work time students are free to travel throughout the United States and have grasped the chance to advance their professional competence in the field of tourism from some point of tourist centers geography view.

References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_and_Travel_USA (information day 19^th of January, 2014)

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan,_Alaska (information day 19th of January, 2014)