On the road to Orlando, Florida, Ila and her boyfriend pulled into a Buc-ee’s, a gas station so big it counts as a destination in its own right. Her verdict: “this is the America you see on TikTok!”
Ila is a young professional from Stellenbosch, South Africa. Since January she has been training in Marietta, Georgia on the InterExchange Career Training USA Program, a U.S. Department of State BridgeUSA exchange. What she’ll remember just as vividly is everything she’s done outside the office, in a country in the middle of celebrating its 250th birthday.
Her traineeship has taken her further than she expected. She’s traveled to Houston for work, been flown to Cancun for a fully-sponsored company training trip, and has an invitation to Seattle still ahead of her.
Experiencing America 250 on the Open Road
That drive to Orlando was timed for the Fourth of July, with her boyfriend visiting from South Africa to see America’s 250th birthday up close.
After Buc-ee’s came the theme parks. Orlando had 250th anniversary promotions running everywhere, which got her half-price tickets to SeaWorld. At Universal Studios, she rode Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and worked her way through one of the famously large turkey legs sold in the park.
Then there were the American flags. Ila was struck by how many of them there were, on houses, on porches, and at one point wrapped around an entire car.
The Fourth of July fireworks left her almost speechless. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Southern Comforts and Stepping Outside the Comfort Zone
When she isn’t traveling for the holidays, Ila is busy exploring her temporary home region, the American South. A road trip to Tennessee with her friends introduced her to the quaint charm of Chattanooga and the overwhelming, bustling “cowboy life” (and bachelorette parties!) of Nashville.
At Black Rock Mountain, Georgia’s highest state park, she and her boyfriend took on a 13-mile hike and spotted a bear along the way. That night they ended up running a BBQ with campers they’d met that afternoon, and slept out under the stars.
Deepening Community Roots
Within weeks of her arrival, Ila had built a circle of international and American friends right in her housing complex. “I’ve never ever stayed in a place that’s so welcoming, with so many events,” she says. “Everyone is so friendly.”
As her program continues into next year, Ila is diving even deeper into local life. She is currently exploring different local churches with friends and is actively training for the upcoming Harvest Festival Half Marathon. There are Thanksgiving plans with a friend’s family on the horizon, and dreams of visiting New York City and Las Vegas. “I’ve done quite a few things!” she laughs.
Ila’s Top Tip for Future Career Trainees: “Don’t be afraid to travel light and look for a bargain! Grab a backpack, book a budget flight, and get out there to see the country.”
Ila’s traineeship runs into next year. If you’re thinking about your own, here’s how the Career Training USA program works.
