USA EXCHANGE. OUR EXPERIENCE. Cristina P. (1r batx A)

MORE THAN AMERICA

Getting back to my routine, it is so hard to explain and describe such a huge experience like the America exchange program.

Since the first moment at the plane, where we couldn’t believe our eyes, because the moment that we were waiting for was getting realised, to the final time to say goodbye, all of it was memorable and incredible.

We were in a different country, so it all changes. The biggest differences were those big houses, the green landscape, customs, that enormous school with that strange but cool schedule... Everything was special and interesting for us! It was fantastic for me to have one floor of the house for myself. But the really amazing thing was shearing 13 days with my mate and friend Oumou. Even thought we couldn’t do all what we planned, she was an incredible guide and person! As she said, she is my “crazy American amiga”. 

We went to so many places while we were there. With the school, we visited The Great Falls in Virginia, where we had a terrible lunch accompanied by bees. We also went to The Pentagon and to The Union Station, where we were shopping and having lunch. Other places that we visited were Washington DC, where we had a wonderful time, and the aquarium in Baltimore.

But a thing to emphasize in was squirrels!

We all got amazed with them, because we’d never imagined they were going to get so close to us!

But big trips were with our exchange mates. I used to go with Anna Pérez and her person, Maggie. We went to Georgetown in DC, it was really beautiful! There we bought cupcakes and we went to eat them near the river before we went to the barbeque at Julia’s house. 

We went to an American football match and to Field of Screams too. 

We also went Trick or Treating and we got lots of candies!                                          

But the most important trip was the one to New York City, where we could see some famous places like Ground 0 and Time’s Square; we also could see the Statue of liberty and more important buildings. But we had to leave one hour earlier, because of that famous hurricane we were so afraid of.

Sandy was an experience for us. We were very lucky, because one day after we left NYC, it was flooded. The hurricane Sandy was not so hard in Maryland, just a big storm, wind and low temperatures. So we were safe and we were at home only one entire day, the next one was dedicated to the mall to buy presents to my family and my classroom.

The last day was so sad. When we were at the airport and we began hugging each other was one of the worst times ever. Oumou and I were crying all the time; I really didn’t want to let her go. I miss her more and more everyday and I can’t wait to see her here, in Barcelona, where I’m sure she will live a great experience with us, like the one I lived in Maryland by her side.