WAT Participant Dushica Koleva
Some of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met came into my life through the Work and Travel program. Three summers in a row, it pushed me beyond comfort, reshaped my perspective, and surrounded me with individuals whose kindness, resilience, and stories changed me in ways I never expected. It wasn’t just a program — it was a chapter of growth, connection, and becoming.
In my three years on the Work and Travel program, I didn’t just discover new places — I discovered extraordinary people. Each summer brought friendships that felt like fate, and shared moments that shaped my character and direction. It taught me that sometimes the most transformative journeys are the ones we take with others.
Work and Travel changed me from the inside out. The people I met became the heart of the experience, teaching me about connection, courage, and myself. Everything feels easier when you’re surrounded by souls like that. ..
Everything feels easier when you have people like that close to you — the ones who make work feel less like a duty and more like a shared journey.
friends at work
Being in Hawaii was like touching the edge of something sacred. The land moved with a heartbeat of its own, and for a moment, mine matched it. I left changed in ways only the ocean could explain.
Hawaii
Cape May — a place where every street feels like a memory and every sunset feels like home. It’s the kind of town that stays with you long after you leave, soft and unforgettable. Some places you visit, but Cape May is one you keep.
Cape May
These friendships became milestones in my personal growth
friendships