Things You Would Hate about Work and Travel USA

If you didn't know, I've been writing about my WAT experience. If you want to know more, do click on the links below:

Let's go to U.S.A in 7 Steps! Work and Travel USA for Malaysians
RM15000 enough to get to USA WAT for 4 months?
Can You Breakeven the Cost for Work and Travel USA and Earn Enough to Travel?

Honestly, I would say that this programme is not meant for everyone. Sure, it sounds catchy and travelling sounds fun. But its not all fun if you are do not intend to brave the storm. Well, I wouldn't say storm...maybe just windy.

1. YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PRIVACY

Everything about this programme is about going cheap, lowering your expenses. The only way to do this is by sharing everything. From renting a home, transportation costs, food expenses and travelling accommodation. 

The only alone time I had was when I was working in a guest room and taking a shower. Even I got a bonus as I got privacy working alone in a guest room. Imagine if your job is a guest facing job, then you only get to be alone when you are in the toilet.

Oh wait....there is a time limit to using the toilet too you know because you are going to be sharing the toilet with a few more of your housemates.

Four of us stayed in this room for 3 and a half months, and the Six of us stayed in every hotel room during our stay. Can you believe that? If you thought it was just me and my boyfriend being all romantic and honeymooney staying in this room, you were so wrong

This toilet was shared between the six of us. I wanted to get into a fight with a couple because they were not happy about my boyfriend using the toilet when they came home late at night. HELLO! First come first serve, please wait for your turn or find your own toilet. Jackson also has a second job please, he too gets home late and needs to take a shower. Such an annoying couple. I hated them, I think my other housemates should be awarded for putting up with their attitude until the end. Ugh sorry, I'm ranting.

It gets suffocating sometimes because you meet annoying people like above-mentioned and can't even find space to pluck your armpit hair or pick a fight with your boyfriend unless you want to do it publicly. 

2. WORK BECOMES...MUNDANE

Technically, the job you get doesn't really require any brain scrunching. It is just repetitive work, after a week of training then you will master your job. Then you just do it over and over again for the rest of your 3 months. 

You will be so hyped up and excited with work during your first 2 weeks, then you are going to start slacking and by the last month you are going to be so bored you feel like exploding.

But then, that is cause my work doesn't involve much guest facing. Greet the guests, do my work then go home. Guest facing job like a server would be much interesting. At least you get to talk to different people everyday, but the job scope is still limited to the same repetitive actions.

Luckily my second job as a server was FUNNNNNN. I had a boss that was like a family to me. So it was like going home to a family after a tiring day at my main job. Love u guys Hokky and Niki *hugs*

3. WORK IS EASY...NOT

You would get comments about how your job is not value adding and that you would be flipping burgers or cleaning rooms all day and washing dishes all night. Most people would assume that it's not that hard. Unfortunately,  your job is not as easy as you think.

It's not easy to clean 8-10 guest rooms everyday to luxury standard and the size of the room is a big as an apartment with a kitchen after families had a party last night by 4.00pm to become like this

It's not easy to push 5 in-room-dining carts in front of you while trying to not break and glasses or plates because you need to get all these tables back to the kitchen

It's not easy to clean all dishes in a fully occupied restaurant and be rushed to clean more because the kitchen is running out of plates to serve the customers

It's not easy to try and calm a pissed off customer because her salmon came out overcooked and demand that she gets to pick anything she wants from the menu to be serve immediately and free of charge during a fully occupied time

Work can get mundane, but never easy. If you are lucky, maybe a slow day would be easy.

4. YOU FORGET...ABOUT THE WHOLE POINT

When you start earning in USD, the money is so good that you will forget to have fun. You will even end up sacrificing your weekends and off days to work because the money is so so good....

Then suddenly during you last month you realize that the States is too big and there is too many places to go. Then it hits you more that you didn't even spend much time to explore the place you have been working at for 3 months because you were so busy chasing papers. But then its too late to regret because you can't turn back time, just move on

If you are planning to go, remember that this might just be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so have some fun and don't just end up spending all your time working and forget about having fun and travelling.

5. HOME IS TOO FAR

Time difference just screw things up for you. When you can call home, everyone is asleep. When home tries to call you, you are asleep or working.

You want to wish your friends birthday, but the dates got you confused. Should you wish according to the time zone in USA or follow the Malaysian time zone? By the time you decide to wish your friend following the Malaysian timing, you forgot about it because you were busy working and you don't remember what time is it in Malaysia, cause time can just be confusing like that

What if something happens at home, like an unexpected death. Do you fly home? Do you stay? What do you do? No joke, this happened to me. I know this so well...it kills me when I think of it. 

Was it worth it in the end?

1. YOU WANT TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN

As much as I did not see myself working my job in the long term, but I would still do WAT all over again. I don't know how to explain this, but its just a different experience.

You don't just become tourist, but a traveller. Its not an everyday chance you get to travel across seven states for one month. Heck no, there is not even a way for you to stay in a state for 3 months learning to live and love the people around you unless you have left it all behind.

You learn to live, earn and to spend the money that came from your blood and sweat. 

2. YOU MEET GUARDIAN ANGELS

There was never a day that I was hungry, because I had people to take care of me and provide me with food.

There was never a day that I was deprived of love, because I met people who took me in and cared for me as family.

Even when we had to leave it all to travel, along the way we met kind souls that helped us to get around and gave us a lift. Taught us the best way to get around and gave us free bicycling trips.

You meet people who helps you restore your faith in humanity.

3. THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE

When you have lived on the other side, then you realise home is where the heart is but the grass on the other side has...em...better quality?

When you earn dollar to dollar, you realise that livings costs are so cheap. It is so easy to get the things you want. You can work a day and buy a branded good on the day itself. You can work for 2 weeks and afford yourself to buy an iPhone 7 Plus. You realise how much groceries you can buy with USD30, probably worth 2-3 weeks supply of food. What can you buy with RM30 at Tesco?

Can you believe that when I bought a Coach for my sister is costs less than RM400, but when I got back and checked the prices in Lazada it costs at least RM1000? Not forgetting when I bought it only cost me USD80. What is RM80?

4. YOU SEE THINGS THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD SEE

That feeling is surreal when you visit a place that you though you would only see in the movies.

Watching the Brooklyn Bridge on the movie screen thinking "I've been there!"

Looking at the Windows wallpaper of Antelope Canyon thinking "OMG, it looks just the same as in real life"

And looking at Yosemite on you Mac wallpaper will get you thinking "There is so much more to see  in Yosemite than just a wallpaper background"

If you feel that this is what you want and you can take anything, go for it. There is an open door. Don't wait till it closes.