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 "...You
changed my life. This program is going to be in my resume
for my entire life, it will open doors, it will make
me look good out there, it will set me aside from others.
I have no doubt it will make a difference. More than
that, it changed my personal life. Like all the kids
who leave their homes and come to work here I gained
responsibilities and experience on managing my own life
and making my own living, on being my own person. Being
the person I want to be. That is how you change every
single participant’s life." - Marilane
Steffens
 For
one resident of Bulgaria’s capitol city, working
at a water park in Destin, Florida means an opportunity
to make money as well as friends before returning home
to finish her Master’s degree.
Kristina Krumova, 25, is in her second
year as a Work and Travel program participant. Although
there are plenty of water parks at which she could work
in the European Union, Krumova said coming to the United
States for the summer offers work experiences she couldn’t
find at home. “Americans are better managers and
supervisors than Bulgarians,” she said. “This
is really important to me.”
Krumova added that the customer service is better than
in her home country.
“The employees are more friendly and helpful with
the customers,” she said.
A desire to improve her English, coupled with a positive
experience last summer, motivated Krumova to return
this year to the Gulf Coast. She has enjoyed her time
at the park, and said she would recommend a seasonal
job to friends because of the great experiences she
has had dealing with both managers and customers.
When asked what the most fun part of her job is, Krumova
replied, “When I am in the water.”
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