🌿🗽🌹 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲: 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐔𝐒𝐀✈️

🌿🗽🌹 In this Home and Away story, 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐧ė 𝐀ž𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭ė, 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲, 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟒, takes us along on her 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐔𝐒𝐀 🇺🇸🌿🌹 experience — from working beside Glacier National Park to road-tripping along the West Coast and finally seeing the cities she had grown up dreaming about.

🌿🌹Here is 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐧ė’s story, in her own words:🌿🌹

“This summer, I had the opportunity to spend three unforgettable months in the United States through a work and travel program.

🌿🌹For the first two months, I worked at West Glacier KOA, a campground right next to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen — Glacier National Park. When we arrived, we were taken in by our two amazing supervisors, a retired married couple who live in an RV with their dog and cat, travelling across America. They welcomed us not simply as employees, but as friends, and thanks to them, we got to experience Glacier National Park in a way we never could have imagined.

In between workdays, we were able to explore the incredible nature, go on amazing hikes, meet people from all over the world, and create unforgettable memories that I will carry with me for a very long time. Most of the views that we were so fortunate to see are simply impossible to explain with words or capture in a photograph — you just have to visit and explore them for yourself.

After that, together with my two friends, we set off on a road trip along the West Coast. We travelled through Oregon and California, visiting some more breathtaking National Parks and driving along the most amazing coastal roads. There were so many moments when we had to pull over, get out of the car, and take in the ocean, the cliffs, and every little rock sticking out of the water.🌿🌹

Later, we finally got to see the cities that had always seemed unreal and so far away because of the movies we grew up with. Of course, travelling also means discovering that reality is sometimes different from what you imagine, especially when you have been imagining it for such a long time. Some parts of the cities we visited were difficult and sad to see, and they made us reflect on the differences between what we see in the media and what life is actually like. But still, seeing Hollywood, walking through famous streets, and experiencing places we had dreamed of seeing one day was incredible.🌿🌹

Three months in America gave me so much more than photos and stories could ever portray. Being back for a week or so, I think I never fully realised where I was or what I was seeing while I was actually there. There were moments when I would be standing in front of these places I had dreamed of seeing my whole life, yet somehow it felt almost normal because I was so overwhelmed by the views that had become part of my everyday life.🌿🌹

It was only after coming home and getting back into my routine that I began to understand how extraordinary those moments were. I hope some of the photos will give you at least a glimpse of my wonderful experience, although I believe everyone should go and experience it for themselves.” 🇺🇸🌿🗽🌹

🌿🗽🌹Thank you, 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐧ė, for sharing your story and giving us a glimpse into such a memorable summer🇺🇸🌿🗽🌹