Darryl Rattyis studying quality management in Dundalk IT. He has been on the J1 programme three times.

Three years ago I was just sitting in the college canteen with no intentions of going anywhere for the summer. One of the lads was telling us about how he was going away and he suggested that I come too. I said: 'Why not?'

Booking the ticket was easy. The only annoying thing was filling out all the forms. My head was wrecked with them. The embassy interview, on the other hand, is nothing to worry about. You just wait and they call you in. They ask you where you're going, what you'll be doing over there and whether you have a job sorted out - about three questions, that's it.

I didn't have anything organised the first time I went over, but I had applied to a few places so I told them that and it was fine.

The first time, I went over to Ocean City in Maryland. One of the lads in the group had been there before so we didn't need to do the meet and greet that Sayit and Usit offer. He knew where we were staying and how to get there so that was handy.

There were 19 of us staying in a house. Eleven of us were upstairs and the eight other guys were downstairs. That was brilliant because it meant that if you wanted to go out any night there was normally someone to go with you. I loved Ocean City. Everyone was so laid back and we were living 100 yards from the beach.

I ended up working in a water park. You walk into a job no hassle on the east coast. I remember we went to a pool bar and one of the lads had gone for an interview, he came back from that basically saying: 'Who wants a job, lads?'

I loved it. I loved the lifestyle, the food and the people, so the following year we decided to go to Hawaii.

DCU communications student Caroline Torrie spent last summer working in Boston. She's hoping to go back to the US this year.

I had started looking for work this time last year. I was sending out my CV to sailing clubs and I eventually got a job as a sailing instructor in Boston.

I went out with two friends of mine and none of us had been to the US before. We decided to avail of the meet and greet on the first night.

I'd absolutely recommend the meet and greet for people who haven't been over before. It's just nice to be picked up at the airport and to be brought to accommodation for the first night.

We had sorted out accommodation in a fraternity house in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It was quite messy when we arrived, but they cleaned it up soon after. There were about 50 people living the house and about 25 or 30 of those were Irish.

It was good craic but my job was tough in that I worked from nine to five whereas most people were working from 10am or midday. They'd be up partying but I'd have to take it easy.

I was able to make a good bit of money though, so I was self-sufficient. A lot of people who were working in places like clothes shops had to get financial help from home.

I'm planning on going to the west coast this year. I'm interested in touring around a bit. I'll see if I get a job and then I'll apply for a visa. I'd definitely recommend the J1. It was the best summer I ever had. You meet loads of people and it really opens your eyes to the possibilities out there. Once you've done it, gone off on your own for three months and you've managed it, it makes you realise what you could possibly do a little bit later on.

• In conversation with Grainne Faller