Hello fellow reader, first, let me introduce myself. I am Maxence, a 21 years old civil and structural engineering student undergoing a master degree in France at Ecole nationale des ponts et chaussées. In order to comply with the French regulation concerning engineering schools, I am to do a internship abroad for a few months. A few months !? Doesn’t seem like a lot, does it? Well, it depends on what you expect from your internship I would say! Nonetheless, to have a real experience and a proper cultural exchange, it would require more than that!
So here I am, wanting to go to the US for a year! What seemed completely out of a dream a few weeks ago is starting to come into being. After obtaining on my own an offer in an engineering and architecture firm in New York, I was recommended Architect-US to help me in the arduous process that is the J-1 Visa. I knew absolutely nothing about visas, much less US J-1 Visas! Nonetheless, Architect-US managed to help me through the whole process, days after days. They cleared every single doubt I had (and trust me there were a lot!). As I moved forward with the paperwork, I was able to learn about the process, step after step.
Today, I chose to write my first blog post as I am nearing my embassy interview (So stressful!!!). After all that seemingly bottomless pit of paperwork (I will never get used to it !!) it is finally coming!
I am so eager to go to the US for a year, learn about their culture and the way they build and design their cities, make new friends, learn to be autonomous. I cannot hide my fear of the unknown and the bitter feeling of letting those I know and hold dear behind for so long. It is normal and I think all of us thought about it. Nonetheless, the experience ahead will make it worth it! And I’ll have so much to tell them along the way!!
