Melinda matkusti road tripillä halki USA:n!

Melinda oli kesällä 2017 STS:n kanssa road tripillä USA:ssa ja matkusti halki maan tutustuen matkan varrella yhteensä 12 osavaltioon.

Nimi: Melinda
Ikä: 16 vuotta
Kotimaa: Ruotsi
Kielimatkakohde: USA Coast to Coast

The Coast to Coast trip is one of the most fun things I’ve ever done and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. With four buses we travelled across the United States, from Los Angeles to New York, about 13 people in each bus. In my bus, there were teenagers from Sweden, Denmark and Spain, and in the other buses, there were people from Italy and Norway as well. We did almost everything together, which made us become close friends very quickly.

There are four special events from the trip I will remember for a long time. The first was the funniest activity on the trip – the rafting! I had never done anything like that before, and it was so fun to try it out. The other was when we ate pizza and watched the sunset in Grand Canyon – where you really were in the present and realised that we actually were in the United States. The third event was our good bye with our Spanish friends at Time Square in New York. It was the last time we were going to see each other, and there was no cooler and more intense place to say goodbye at than Time Square. Finally, the fourth special event was the last night, when I and seven other people bought candy, chips and soda, stayed up to four in the morning, talked, listened to music and enjoyed the last time we had together in the USA.

I would definitely recommend others to go on the Coast to Coast trip just as I did. Obviously, the journey costs money, and in order to earn and save money for it, I did several things. I actively started to save for the trip and stopped wasting money on unnecessary things like coffee at cafés. I also asked if I could help out as a coach of the sports I practice, which I got to do. Another thing many do is to check with different cafes if they can work there, or work as a babysitter for relatives and friends.

On the trip, it is important that you have the courage to speak English and that you like to meet new people. I have previously been on an ordinary language trip with STS, so I did not think it was that difficult to speak English on the road trip. Since we mostly live in campsites, you must be prepared that you will not always look 100 % perfect. Also, think about packing well, with tolerant things. Otherwise, I just want to say - take the chance and go!

Kirjoittanut: Melinda Håkansson

Seuraa Melindan jalanjälkiä ja varaa kesän 2018 paikkasi minibussissa halki USA:n jo tänään!