BACK IN THE U.S.

Hello to everybody!

Icía, I, Elena, and Sergio

I hope you all are doing great! At first, I have to apologize I have not updated last week: I was in Madrid and I was too tired by then, and during the week it has been a crazy one.

Icía, I, Elena, and Raquel

Last week, while I was in Spain, I hanged out with my friends and went to the school and several other places (like my English Academy) that I wanted to go. Here I am posting a picture with my friends. I was so happy of seeing them again, really. I missed them. I also went to dinner with my parents, siblings and godfather, and I was extremely happy of seeing him again.

With my family at a restaurant

On Friday I went to Madrid with my father to do the interviews and exams of the United World Colleges. I did not get the scholarship, but I am glad of having experienced it. I have made a lot of friends and we are going to stay in touch. That is good. I am going to study the International Baccalaureate in Spain during the next two years, so that is nice. And I am going to stay at home, and that is very nice too. I still follow and respect the values of United World Colleges, and I will try to live following them. I already do, in fact.

On Saturday they were the interviews and on Sunday I was in Madrid with my dad. I really had fun with him, it was a great time. On Monday I returned to the U.S. and, after a six-hour delay in Chicago, I arrived to Louisville. By the way, the University of Louisville won the National Collegiate Athletic Association. I am really happy for them, I think (and I know pretty much nothing about basketball) that they played great.

I was very glad of seeing Brian, Eileen and Tula again. I missed them, I really feel like home when I am with them, they make me feel loved. They are fantastic, and I am sure that these two months with them are going to be great.

On Tuesday and Wednesday I did not go to school, since I was not feeling well: jet lag, no sleeping, headaches... On Thursday I went to school. I was really glad of seeing my friends and teachers again, I was excited about that.

Do you see our Paellas?

On Friday Brian, Eileen, Pat, and I went to the Spanish restaurant De La Torre, where we ate cured meats (embutidos), Spanish cheeses, and Paella (Spanish rice, one of the most typical dishes of Spain). All of them were really delicious, and Bri, Ei and Pat liked them a lot. Here I am leaving a picture of us at the restaurant.


On Saturday morning I went to a volunteer service project with Pres' Interact Club at the Kentucky Refugee Ministries. We were tidying donations and purchases and putting them in order, so the refugees (people that come from other countries mostly because of political, religious or war reasons) have something to start their new lives in the U.S. with. I met great people there and I had fun helping them.

On Saturday afternoon I went with my friend Ke to the mall, because we had to buy dresses for the Ring Ceremony (when the Juniors receive their Senior Rings) and just have fun. Ke is a Chinese exchange student that is also studying at Pres, she is so nice! I really like her, she is a very good friend.

Peyton and I

Today morning I did mostly homework and things that needed to be done and during the afternoon we went to dinner at... the University of Louisville! I met the athletes that play in the University team, and it was fantastic. Here I am leaving a picture with Peyton Siva, one of the greatest basketball players in the United States at the moment, and another with Brea Smith and Courtney, two great athletes too. I also have pictures with Luke Hancock and Sarah Hammond. They all were

Brea, Courtney, and I

really nice, showing that they are not only wonderful athletes
(basketball, football, soccer, tennis...) but also great people. We went to dinner there because of the fund raiser of the Fellowship Christian Athletes, and I am really glad that I went, I had a great time and met so many athletes. Some of them (Peyton, Luke) are pretty much the equivalent of Iker Casillas or Pau Gasol in Spain, perhaps a little less, but people here adore them. I am so happy I got to meet them!


I have other new: I already have the results of the last Math Team exam, and the final cumulative. I was fourth but just for a tiny little bit. Here I am leaving the link, it is this one. There you can see the cumulative (I am in grade 11th), if you go to the different dates you will see how I did in each one of the different exams. I am happy I was fourth, though. I did as well as I could, I know that.

Finally, I have to say that I really enjoyed being with my family in Spain, but I am glad of being back. I have been here already eight months, and it seems like if I had arrived yesterday. I have learned to love America and its people, and I know that I am going to miss it so much. I am ready to enjoy my last two months here.

See you next Sunday!

Bye Bye!