Sunday, March 31, 2013

FROM SPAIN WITH LOVE

Hello to everybody!

I hope you all are great! I am in Spain! I arrived yesterday after almost thirty hours of travelling!

During the week I made my luggage and did a lot of homework. On Thursday it was the last day of school! I had so much fun talking with my friends. We had a Liturgy that was so pretty, really.

My family and I
On Friday it was the first day of holidays and I got up at five thirty to go to the airport in Louisville. From there I flew to Cleveland, Ohio, and Newark, New Jersey. I stayed in Newark during seven hours and then we flew to Madrid, Spain. From there I went to Coruña, the city where I live in Spain. My parents and siblings were there, it was so moving!

All this was already yesterday, on Saturday. We had lunch at my grandmother's (it was a big surprise because she did not know that I was going, and my grandad did not either). I really enjoyed spending time with my family, since I hadn't seen them for so many months.

Today we went to my grandfather's house during the afternoon, and it was a surprise for them too. I have also been practicing during the whole weekend and while I was flying to do my interviews and exams for the United World Colleges. I am excited, really. My finals are on Saturday and, if I pass, on Sunday. Wish me good luck!

My dear Readers, I am glad of being in Spain. I love, absolutely love, America and its people, and I would not change this year there at all. I missed my family, but being in America with my friends is fantastic. I learnt so much about its culture and had so many new and wonderful experiences that it is great.

See you next Sunday!
Bye Bye!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

SHOPPING, PICTURES, AND SPAIN

Hello to everybody!

I hope you all are doing fantastically! This week has been so busy! I am very happy with Eileen, Brian and Tula, really. They are great, and we are getting along very well.

On Thursday I did not go to school because I was sick, but now I feel better. On Friday I had a History test, so I had to go. I enjoy learning History, I think it is very interesting. As Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, said: "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." I agree with him, I think that knowing our past is the best way to deal with our future, to avoid repeating mistakes and to make of the world a better place.




I want to share with you some pictures I took in my Photography class. I enjoy it so much, I think it is very useful and interesting. I learned so many things!





During this week Eileen, Brian, and I watched three movies together: Life of Pi (I really liked it, I think it had amazing special effects), Red Dawn (I believe it was a very interesting movie) and The Master (I liked the main character, he was a good actor, in my opinion). I enjoy so much being with them, we always have fun together.

Eileen and I went shopping all Saturday and part of Sunday to get things to me to go to Spain. I am really excited about it, but also a bit nervous. I get to see my family again, and that is so nice. We are going to give a surprise to my grandmother, I told everyone to keep it a secret so she can be surprised.


My dear friends, next Sunday, when I update, I will be already in Spain. Wish me a good flight and good luck this week with my tests and projects!

See you next Sunday!
Bye Bye!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

AT JENNA'S AND RETREAT

Hello to everybody!

I hope you are doing great! Okay, at first let's tell you about my week. Then... RETREAT!

On Tuesday it was the last Math Team exam. They are going to post the results soon, when they post them I will put the link. Until now, knowing the results of the last three exams, I am third in the Cumulative! I am so excited!

On Monday and Wednesday I spent pretty much all the days after school doing homework and projects. I am happy they are done, but now I have new ones.

On Thursday and Friday... Retreat! I absolutely loved it. We went to CrossRoads Ministry, a place where retreats take place, and we met Randy and Sam, our two Retreat Leaders. They were fantastic!

My friend Wilda and I
At first, we went to a place where poor elderly people where to spend there the day. I met Wilda, Beverly, Peggy... All of them were fantastic, I enjoyed so much talking to them, sharing our experiences... I was sad when we had to leave. We had lunch there, and then we went to a day care to help with the kids. They were so cute! I met Kaleigh, Kaden, Terry, Madeline... It was fun playing with them like if I was four again.

To have dinner we went to Casa Latina, a place where Latino people can stay and get together to do workshops and know other people. The dinner was awesome, and I finally got to speak Spanish again! We were taking care of the kids while the women were in a workshop to know how to avoid physical and sexual abuse in their children. I am thinking about volunteering there, I already gave them my mail so they can send me the schedules and everything else. I am sure it will be a great opportunity to help others, know what they need and what their problems are. I felt so happy being with Gladis, Isis, María, Fernanda... All of them were really nice, and I am sure we are going to get along even better when I start volunteering there.

Emily, Momo, I, Kenny, and Emily
We spent the night at CrossRoads (I had so much fun with all my friends!) and on Friday morning we went to a place where mentally disabled people are. I was dancing with them, listening to them, knowing what was going on, if they needed anything... I feel happy they were in that fantastic place, where they were being cared so much. Kenny, Carmen... all of them were people like you and me, with feelings and needs that also need to be fulfilled.

The last place we went to is the Soup Kitchen next to the Cathedral of Louisville, where people that do not have money to eat can have lunch and dinner. I was so sad there. I mean, I met two wonderful people: Saphera and Chester, who are from Wisconsin but came to Kentucky looking for somewhere to live after the farm they were living in was foreclosed by the bank. I was sad of hearing their stories, but also glad that they had someone to tell them to.

Just after that, we said bye bye and returned to school. After finishing telling you all what I did this week, I want to continue talking about the Retreat with you, at the end of this post.

On Friday we went to a Fish Fry, since it was Lent and we could not eat meat. It was nice, I love fish. On Saturday I did absolutely nothing. Well, that is not true. I did my homework, but I was so tired because of the Retreat, that I did not hang out with my friends or anything like that. Well, next weekend I will, don't worry.

On Sunday we went to Church (Happy St. Patrick's Day!) and then I returned to Eileen and Brian' house, my home. They came from New York. While they did not arrive (their flight was delayed) I was talking to Pat, their oldest son. I am really happy that I got to meet him during that time, he is really fantastic. We talked about a lot of things: he showed me on his computer the project he is working on for his thesis in Biochemistry, we talked about economy, languages, travelling, his college, my school... I am glad that we talked so much and met each other.

When Eileen and Brian arrived, it was so nice. They were really exhausted because of their trip, so we had dinner (that Pat cooked) and then went to bed. They got me two very pretty presents from New York: a key chain and several bracelets. They are so beautiful! I am really glad they are home.

I, Donna, Jenna, Dayna, and Jeff
Being with Jeff, Donna, Jenna, Dayna, and Fluffy was awesome, we got to know each other and be friends. I really enjoy making friends, know people I can talk to and have fun with. I am very thankful with them because of giving me the opportunity to know them and allow me to be part of their family, even if they were just ten days. Now, when we go to the lake (they have with Eileen and Brian a house in the South of Kentucky, next to a lake) we are going to already know each other. Thank you so much for everything.


Our Retreat group: my friends
The last thing I want to say in this really long post is that the Retreat was fantastic. Yes, I know I already said that so many times, but I am not going to get tired of repeating it. All the people we met were awesome, and I will remember them as my friends. My friend Wilda, my friend Kenny, my friend Isis... sharing our stories and meeting each other was great, and I am so glad I was part of this Retreat.


I believe that we can achieve a world in peace through knowing the problems that other people have, so we can understand and befriend them. Educating ourselves in a multicultural culture, as well as knowing the problems that some parts of society have, is essential, in my opinion, to make real the dream of having a peaceful, understanding, respectful society.

Now, I have to say bye. See you next Sunday!

Bye Bye!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

CHANGES AND BBALL

Hello to everybody!

I hope you all are doing great! I have to say that this week with Eileen, Brian and Tula has been fantastic, I really like them. We got along very well, I think.

On Friday Eileen and Brian were leaving to go to New York for a week, so I am staying with my friend Jenna, whose parents are family friends with Eileen and Brian. Jenna goes to Pres with me, and she is a very good friend. They are Donna (the mother), Jeff (the father), Jenna (my friend, the oldest daughter), Dayna (the youngest daughter, she is so cute!) and Fluffy (the cat, she is soft!) That day we went to a Fish Fry, since it is Lent and we are supposed to not eat meat. It was nice, I like eating fish. I believe that Galicia has the best fish in the world!

On Saturday I went to a basketball game with Donna. It was my first American (well, and Spanish too) basketball game that I saw being played, and it was awesome! It was University of Louisville against Notre Dame, in Indiana. We (UofL) won! It was played at the Yum! Center, sponsored by KFC. It is very nice! I really felt like in one of those movies that are about sports, and winning is so important! I took in only two hours six hundred pictures! What do you think of that?


On Sunday I went to a concert of St. Mary's College and the Prezettes of Pres. It was so nice! I love hear singing choirs, I believe that their voices are very powerful, and it is fantastic. I also studied and did homework pretty much the whole weekend, because it is the end of the Quarter and we have so many things to do!



On Thursday I will be going on the Junior Retreat with my Theology class at Pres. It is focused on volunteering services, and I am really excited about it. I love helping other people, it makes me feel happy. The Retreat is a surprise, so I do not know what kind of service we are going to do, but I am sure it will be good and helpful for our Community.

See you next Sunday!

Bye Bye!

Monday, March 4, 2013

UWC

Hello to everybody!

I know it is weird that I am updating on Monday, but... I have a fantastic new I absolutely have to tell you!

I got pre-chosen to go to an United World College for the next two years! During the Spring Break I am going to Spain, to do the exams and interviews. I am really excited! I believe that we have to accept each other's differences and respect everyone as human beings. Understanding the issues and difficulties that each community deals with will help us to know the best way of helping them, making of the world a better, more peaceful and fair place.

The UWC, dear Readers, is an organization that believes that we can achieve a society of peace through diversity and a multicultural education. I am really glad I am given the opportunity to try to go to a UWC.

Thank you for reading me! See you next Sunday!
Bye Bye!

Sunday, March 3, 2013

CHANGING

Hello to everybody!

Yesterday I changed my host family! During the week I was packing everything to move over here, and (although it was a little bit hard at some points) I made it. On Friday I went out to dinner with Lynne, Don, Mere, and Paul, and on Saturday morning I had a volunteering activity of the National Honor Society. Right after that, I finished packing and I came to my new house.

Of course, I cried. Saying goodbye is always hard. Saying goodbye to your family, is even harder. Meresie, Lynne and Don are part of my family, and I am going to miss them. We are going to do things together, though. I am extremely thankful for sharing all those fantastic moments with them. I love them.

At dinner on Saturday: Brian, Pat, Eileen, and I

I have been living with Eileen, Brian and Tula for a day and a half, and it has been wonderful. They made me feel very welcomed, and I am sure that these three and a half months are going to be amazing. I was nervous at first, but now I feel I know them. They have been fantastic with me, and (even if today I had to unpack everything) I had fun.



On Saturday we went out to dinner in Louisville, in a very pretty restaurant. Pat (Eileen and Brian's oldest son) came with us, and he also spent the whole day today here at home. He is a really nice guy, he is extremely intelligent. Today I was talking to him and I enjoyed it a lot.

Summarizing, I believe that the months that are coming are going to be very exciting, as much as the six last months were. I am really thankful with Eileen and Brian (and Tula!) for hosting me, and allowing me to be a part of their family. This is an opportunity to make new lifelong family and friends, and I am going to enjoy it as much as I can. Eileen, Brian, Tula... Thank you.

I will see you next Sunday!
Bye Bye!