This year’s first Summer Work and Travel students received their visas from US ambassador James Warlick on February 10 2010, the US embassy in Sofia said. 
 
The students, eager to travel this summer, were participants in the programme in 2009 and are all returning again this year, the embassy said. 
 
This first group of students all came from cities and towns outside of Sofia. The embassy said that it anticipates that thousands of students from all over Bulgaria, including Sofia, will receive their visas this year. 
 
Warlick hosted several students at his residence on February 10 to learn about their motivations for joining the programme, as well as to learn more about their backgrounds, hometowns, and desires for their future in Bulgaria, according to the embassy. 
 
In addition to the Bulgarian students, three students from Macedonia currently studying in Bulgaria also joined the reception at the ambassador’s residence.
 
More than 10 000 Bulgarian students will sign up for the work and travel programmes in the US this summer, according to the US embassy in Sofia.
 
Almost 5000 Bulgarians travelled to the US in 2009 to do temporary jobs. As the economy is healing, more Bulgarians are likely to head for the US, consul Eric Alexander said, Dnevnik reported.
 
More than 60 000 Bulgarians have enrolled in the programme since it came to Bulgaria nine years ago.
 
Alexander said that there were numerous signs the US recovery was recovering, prompting employers to hire new workers.
 
The entertainment industry and tourism will be most in need of fresh workforce, he said.