I’d like to take the English speaking theme a step further. This may seem like American Embassy advocacy, but it’s sincere. And advocacy. The State Department sponsors fantastic opportunities for college students to work and travel in the United States over the summer, which Bulgarians call студентска бригада. We call it Summer Work and Travel (SWT—see http://bulgaria.usembassy.gov/j1_summer_work.html). This is not something fancy like the highly competitive Fulbright educational exchange program (http://www.fulbright.bg/) but a chance for any qualified Bulgarian student to spend a summer in the U.S., earn good money, experience a new job, deploy English-language skills, and then use their student ID to travel cheaply around my vast country.
So why am I such a SWT booster? Well, why am I such a booster of any internship? Einstein complained that the biggest problem with the German educational system of his time was that it prematurely tracked young people into determined professional or vocational fields. The beauty of the internship idea is that it allows you to try your hand at a variety of jobs. Now I’m not going to argue that typical SWT jobs like scooping ice cream for tourists, lifeguarding a swimming pool, or waiting on restaurant tables will help you choose a career, but people who have a variety of job experiences in their youth usually report that they are enriching. You might also learn whether you like dealing with the public, or working outdoors--or pick up insights about the business you end up in, and file it away for later use.
Personally, I did a sort of SWT in my 20s: I was an au pair cook in Paris, meaning that I lived with a French family while preparing their meals. Some 30 years later, I still look back on this period of my life as the most rewarding, and just spent the yearend holidays in Paris with the same family. I learned to speak French, studied French film and theater, and generally ensconced myself in the culture. Admittedly, I was there for more than 2 months, but then again, Bulgaria has one of the highest SWT repeat rates worldwide, so participants obviously like it. It’s not bad to experience the U.S., travel, and earn money to pay your university tuition.
Finally: some of the Bulgarian media reporting on SWT have been inaccurate. Participants will earn at least the U.S. local prevailing wage, but not as much as sometimes reported. Americans tip at 15%, not 20 percent—unless you really charm them, and then who knows?
Let me know if you are considering this and have any questions. It’s a great opportunity.
You're right - young people in Bulgaria desperately need exposure to the wider world. While these SWT placements may not be glamorous, they do deliver precisely this exposure.
ReplyDeleteIt will allow the same young people to better-contextualize opportunities further down the line.
You both are absolutely right. I just graduated from the American University in Bulgaria and I personally have been to already 3 SWT programs.
ReplyDeleteThe experience is amazing and very enriching. Boyan, I was present at a couple of your presentations at AUBG, and I was charmed by your spirit and motivation. I want to see more young Bulgarians to be like you. In that sense I completely support the opinion that students need exposure to the wider world. I've tried it and I encourage everyone else to try it too. I was a waitress for 3 summers in the US, which doesn't really sound that flashy, but it was worthed. I gained lot's of friends, I learned more about myself and what I'd like to be doing in the future, and most importantly I opened my mind to a new way of thinking and behaving.
I did 3 SWT, too. So far those were some of the most rewarding experiences I have had. The hard work in a local supermarket taught me on discipline, persistence and (the following may sound strange, but it is true) gave me strong belief in my own abilities and skills. Apart from that, I made genuine friendships and am quite sad I might not be able to visit my american friends this year.
ReplyDelete