This summer, CHI invited its USA Work & Travel participants to take part in a contest to help show off their program spirit. Participants were asked to submit an essay, video or photo slideshow that best demonstrated their personal ‘American Experience’. In their own words and images, here is what this year’s CHI USA Work & Travel alumni have experienced during their summer in America.
Essay by Abduboriy Khabibullaev, Uzbekistan, worked in Virginia Beach, VA
I am Abduboriy Khabibullaev. I would like to write one of my interesting experiences in USA.
Its about the relationship which I built with the girl I fall in love. It happened in Virginia beach, Virginia. I am from the republic of Uzbekistan and she is from the republic of Philippines. Her name is Kimberly Hope Haudar.
To begin with, we met with her at my new job place called “Ben & Jerry’s” ice cream store. In the beginning when one of the employee’s started training me, she did not pay attention to me, while I did not as well. But, after the guy who trained me left, she asked me ” Abdu, are you ok? “, I answered ” yes, of course “. After that she kept asking that questions many times. Then we started talking to each other and became good friends in one day. The next day, we again worked at the same store ( there are 3 stores of Ben & Jerry’s). It was fun to work with her, because we were kidding and joking all the time. She is funny girlJ That day I got her phone number and from that day we started texting messages to each other. On the third day of working, we were in different stores. At that day, I finished my work earlier and somehow I felt that I wanted to go the store where she was working and I went there. She was very happy when she saw me there and asked me why I went there. I: ” I came here because I wanted to say hi to you” , she was glad to hear that. After that, I said: ” I am going home, see you” and she answered: ” Hey Abdu, I love my phone “. I thought why did she say like that and realized that she wanted me to text herJ In the night, we texted each other. On the fourth day, after finishing my work, I went to her home and offered her to take a walk together, she said OK. It was nice to walk and talk together. Our conversation was about the subjects which we are interested in. We both said that we like Geography, it was the first common thing of us. And we started playing a game of telling the names of capitals of countries, that was so interesting. We became very close friends only in a couple of days. On July 3, we worked at the same store together and July 4 is my birthday. ( we worked 5pm – 1 am). So, July 4 arrived while we were working. After finishing the work, we decided to go to the beach together. We went to the beach and Kim said ” Abdu, lets do some crazy thing!”, then I answered ” OK, lets swim on the ocean with clothes” and I held her hand and ran to the ocean… We swam there for a while ( it was around 2 am), because the water was cold. After that, we took a sit on the beach. While sitting, we talked to each other, played some games and had fun. At that day I realized that I was falling in love with her… But I didn’t tell her about it. That day, we just told each other that we like each other. Then we went to my home and took a shower by turn. I gave her a shirt because her clothes were wet. After that, I took her to her house. The next day, after finishing the work, me and my friends gathered at our home and had my birthday party. After the party, me and Kim went to the beach. That night we waited for the sunrise, that was the first time I saw sunrise in Virginia beach. Also, we observed the dolphins that day. It was so nice to see the sunrise with her…
The next day, after finishing the work, I texted her, she said she was at a club with friends, I got little angry, because I was jealous of her. I told her to exit from club, then we went to the beach. While sitting together, I said : ” Kim, I have to tell you one serious thing”. Kim: ” What is that?”, I : ” I am sorry but I love you! ” , she: ” oh really? Are you serious? “and she kept being calm for a minute. It was obvious that she was shocked to hear that. That was a silence moment, she said: ” I did not know that you love me” , I : ” I can not hide my feelings, but I love you! “. After a while, that night happened our first kiss. That night was full of emotions…
After some time, she said: ” I liked you so much, but now I am starting to love you “. That was nice for both of us that we love each other.
At the next day, we talked to each other by phone. She said that she is moving to the place which is little far from Virginia beach, because those were one of her last days in America and also the contract with housing was over. I asked her: ” Will you visit me while living there? ” , she answered: ” I guess I will not “, I : ” why not? ” , she: ” Because it hurts me if I see you many times in my last days in America ” , I: ” listen, God gave us the love and chance to hold it. If you are against your feelings, you will loose the chance and may be you won’t be given any chance again. ” , she : ” how come are you positive about that? ” , I: ” because I am sure about that. If I am sure about something, that’s gonna happen! ” , she : ” OK, I will try my best to visit you till I will go”. She visited a couple of times till July 9. In the last day of her visit, we spent the whole night together. That was one of the unforgettable nights of us. The last hours were spent at my home. We had fun. We took many pictures of us, also we took videos for the memory. Then we went to her house by bike. I told her I will be together with her till her friends will come. She said: ” No, go now. Otherwise, I will cry near you and it hurts so much! ” So, we hugged each other so strongly before saying : ” Ko’rishguncha” this is uzbek word which means ” See you “.
While hugging, she started crying. I almost cried near her, but tried to keep my tears near her.
That was so touching moment… I went back home with my bike, while going away from her I looked at her. She was raising her hand to me saying bye with tears in her eyes…..
She texted me that she was crying… I answered her not to cry otherwise it will make me to cry. She said : ” cry Jonim, it will make easier. ”
That was 2 days before her flight day. For these last 2 days we often talked by phone. We most of the time told each other that we love each other. It was obvious that we did not know when we gonna see each other, but we decided to be strong and keep our relationship strongly! And NEVER GIVE UP!
So, at July 11 she went back to Philippines by JFK airport. The next day, when she arrived there, we talked by skype. Since, she arrived to Philippines we are talking online and keeping our relationship strong. Thanks God that we met. Also, thanks to America because it is the place where we met.
In conclusion, I found my this experience one of the most interesting stories because I did not imagine that I would fall in love with somebody in America, but it happened.
