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My American Experience: Rail Latypov, Russia

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 Rail Latypov, Russia, worked in Grand Canyon, AZ

Viva Las Vegas!

We (I, Ukrainian, Kazakh and Russian guy with a neighboring city) began to prepare for three weeks before the trip to Las Vegas – all together we took time off from work, bought the tickets, booked a hotel room and just survived the last few days to Vegas in anticipation of an adventure!

It took us 5 hours to get to Vegas. On the way we passed the Hoover Dam, where the transformers movie was made!

Upon arrival in Vegas we immediately fell under the impression of the Fremont mall – it is a street along which there are some casinos, souvenir shops and Buffet. Along the way, we met Michael Jackson, Elvis, Spider-Man, Darth Vader).

We went to our hotel – called the Gold Spike. By the way nice hotel – a swimming pool where I swam every morning, a mini dining room, bar and of course casino.

Little information about Vegas to have a further idea of ​​what I’m going to tell you) Major Vegas casinos such as Bellagio, Venetion, Encore, Luxor, Ceasers Palace, Mandalay Bay, and others are on the streets of Las Vegas Boulevard – the common known as “Strip.” Each hotel as a separate town, was built with a specific idea, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, New York with the statue of liberty, and the bridge, Egypt Pyramids and the Sphinx, Venice canals with water directly into the hotel entrance, Monte Carlo, etc. The rest of Vegas is one-story houses, areas similar to the ghettos and second-rate motels. The hotel where we stayed, too, was on Las Vegas Boulevard, but in the next part – the beginning of the Down Town. All the casinos are located in such a way that as long as you walk from the hotel entrance to our reception – you’re sure to get through a huge number of gambling machines. If you are under 21, you can not gamble, you won’t be sold alcohol and you will not be allowed into the club. Well, I think that especially on this, I did not lose))

So we rushed to the strip. The first hotel on our way was the Stratosphere. As the Ostankino TV tower in Moscow was built as a hotel, with amazing views at the top, with three attraction’s on the roof and the usual with a large casino in the main hall. For $ 28 we bought a ticket to the roof, with the ability to ride a two attractions.

Lift flew very fast, so we were on top of the building in seconds. View of the city opened just insane. And it was kind of Vegas on the night – and we’re just amazed that the city is so big, because lights are literally stretched to the horizon! Amazingly the Americans have built up such an impressive city is literally in the middle of the desert! We were walking on the top for 40 minutes and enjoying this amazing view. But then we had to act even more interesting. After getting to the highest point of the tower, we saw the rides. One of the three was closed due to high winds, but here are two others approved our expectations)

The first ride was just insane – because You’re sitting on a bench, and 8 seats in the rush to the crackdown on the platform and drastically slow down, and at some moment there is nothing under you – you just hang above Vegas! The most extreme moment is when I unfastened my seatbelt by accident))) That’s when I began to strongly hold on to my jacket) Even when you exit the attraction, I asked an employee – is it ok that I unfastened my belt, while in limbo – he replied that the seatbelt is just to make sure you are safe, and the main lock is blocked with the computer) before taking our seats – we let the people go before us so as we could take the very front seats to feel the best extreme.

The second amusement – like Big Ben in the Gorky Park in Moscow – where you just speed up, then down, then up – and each time it’s just adorably) The most stunning thing is that the ride is located on the very top of the Tower and you feel as if you fly above the city! It is such a great feeling to realize that right this moment you are higher than anyone else in Vegas!))

Perhaps the most memorable on the next day was the show of dancing fountains near the Bellagio. Video of the fountains I have often watched in the network, but before coming to US I didn’t even hope to be sitting in a couple of steps from the fountain and watching it in real! There is a feeling that if I had more time in Vegas – I would sit and watch the fountains all day) Then impressed with Hotel New York New York – where there is statue of liberty which is half of its real size in NYC. There is also a roller coaster built around the hotel. And the hotel itself is made in style of skyscrapers of New York. Near Bellagio – there are such hotels as Caesar Palace – where Hangover movie was made, by the way Ocean’s eleven movie was made just in the Bellagio) Immediately next to the Monte Carlo hotel there is Paris hotel, with Eiffel tower which is half of its original size in Paris city. MGM – a huge Hotel, where David Copperfield himself performs his magnificent show!

Next on the Excalibur hotel (in the style of the castle of King Arthur), you can find Luxor – hotel in the form of a pyramid, with a straight ray of light bursting out from the top of the building, in front of the hotel is a huge statue of a sphinx. Well, the Mandalay Bay Hotel stand in the end of the Strip.

Then we reached the famous sign Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas! There are traditionally about 15 people are in line to take a picture – and we were waiting for a free moment to take a picture of ours)

On the third day – it was also the last one in Vegas – we decided to go to any show whatever it takes and visit the World market center and once again walk on the strip)

On the way to get tickets, me and Ukrainian guy visited the Buffet (this is not the usual Buffet in our understanding – they are like a buffet – you pay a fixed amount and eat as much as you want) in a hotel in Fremont, and were satisfied with the price and quality. For $ 9 I just ate a lot of food))) On separate tables they were salads, various desserts – cakes , cakes, ice cream, even on the same table were fruits – watermelons, melons, berries, peaches, etc. In general, I do not know how much food I ate) It was just full to death)

When we reached ticket booth, I bought tickets for the show – at once for Cirque du Soleil mained by Chris Angel and the David Copperfield show!

Time passed, and it’s time to go on the Copperfield show! There were many interesting tricks – most memorable was the appearance of the car over the two men who just stood there holding an empty two pillars)

Well, the final trick was the disappearance of people. David threw huge balls in the audience, asked them to kick them around the theater until music stops, and I just caught one of these when music stopped – and that meant I had to take part in his trick! Coming out on stage, I sat down beside the bench with 8 empty seats, my job was to watch this – and to confirm that it all really – during preparations for the trick Copperfield stood beside me and explained that now everybody will see – and this happened – 8 people have disappeared from the bench in my eyes, and appeared at the other end of the theatre! It was really very cool. For me, before Copperfield was something far away – a couple of days ago, I sat beside him and took part in one of the tricks! There really understand that there are no limits – all you want will definitely happen – it depends only on how much you want it)

In an hour the show with Chris Angel Cirque du Soleil started. Of course, after watching Copperfield’s show Chris Angel was not so impressive, but there were also a couple of crazy stunts – when we are witnessing a saw cut a woman who was his assistant in the show, then she lies on the table and being cut) And she appeared safe and alive only in the end of the show!

Las Vegas is a special city where you want to come back again and again. I hope this was not the last time. I wish you all enjoy the night lights of Vegas. Ahead was the Grand Canyon – and behind the whole adventure!

My American Experience: Rail Latypov, Russia 1

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