No regrets.

I was in 6^th grade when I and my friends decided to do a dance for our dance show at school.  at that time the popular song that everyone was singing was “Hips don’t lie” of Shakira. So we decided to perform with that song. We were only three Anna, Samantha and me but since we were best friends we knew that the dance was going to be great. We planned it all carefully because we wanted it to be perfect. We even design our costumes so it will go with the song. We decided to make a wrap for our waist pretending it will be something similar of a belling dancing costume.  We told our moms about it and were all excited too, so they helped is to get the fabric so we could start working on them.  Some days we went to Mundo de las Manualidades a store were they sell you a lot of fabrics, and they help us in there to decorate our wrap. We work hard for like a week to finally finish them, they were really cute. They had a strip of baby blue in the corners and a lot of sequins all over it.  We also work hard on making the dance, since it was a big deal to us and we had a lot of fun thinking of steps to put and laughing a lot. We spend our in only one part because we got distract about something or someone didn’t understand the move. Every single move we made, we make sure it went perfect and until there we could move on. Our moms were staring to get little inpatients because they had to drive us every way, but we didn’t care it was something that was very important for us. We wanted to impress everyone at school, showed that we could do very good dances.

We were getting really close to the final day; we were like a weeklong for the day to come. So we had the dance all finish but we kept practice so we could be perfectly coordinated. A day after Samantha told us that she was going on a family trip for vacations and that she wasn’t going to be in the country the day of the dance, Anna and me were in shock because we had been waiting for that activity so long and all of the sudden it was no possible anymore. She asked us not to present the dance without her, which in my opinion sounded it kind of unfair, but we steel agreed in that. We were so disappointed and Samantha was already gone, Anna and I were really sad. A day before of the show everyone asked if we were ready to dance and we really disappointed told them that we couldn’t dance because Samantha was gone and that we told her that we weren’t dancing, everyone told us that we should do it that she was on vacations and that it was unfair for us not to be able to do it. At first the both of us just said no, but then we both thought that it was not a good idea and that we work really hard to get it as greats as we had it. So we finally decided to do it. It was an experience that I will never forget all crowds looking at us, and we owned the stage. I remember looking at Anna, she had a big smile in her face and that made me ever happier than I was already. At the end everyone was cheering for us and was so proud of our work. When Samantha came back obviously she find out that we dance and she got really mad with us but we apologize and told her that we really wanted to present it. She went mad for a couple of days but then it came to her senses that we were right and she forgave us. I will never regret doing what I did because turned out to be one of those experience that I will never forget and I know Anna feels the same way.

Nick

I was in my exchange program in Minnesota with my sister Sarah. On a Friday night she asked me if I would like to go with her to Grace´s house (one of her friends). So I did; everything in that house was really big and fancy, I couldn’t believe all the art that had in it. There were these portraits in every corner with a special light that made them fancier and the hearth was all modern with family photos on top. I loved everything about this house but I couldn’t imagine myself living in something like that I guess my style is simpler. Sarah could tell that I was amaze about everything that was around me, so she just laughed and I did too.

We were heading to the basement and I start hearing a lot of voices. I thought it was only the three of us but it seemed like a big group down there, I got really nervous so I just tried to fix my hair a little and went down stairs. When we finally got to the basement all eyes were on us so that made me even more nervous. I tried to look for a familiar face but all were completely strangers and it was because most of them were seniors. There were like five guys and six girls, some of the guys were very good looking but I got so nervous that I didn’t know what to do until Sarah introduce me to break the silence. I felt a little more relive since everyone was being so nice and welcoming, most of them asked me to talk in Spanish or made me a lot of questions of how I like MN. I was starting to feel comfortable when a group of all good looking guys arrived, all of them senior. They all say hi and stayed together in a corner. It kind of felt like a party but it was different because everyone was speaking in groups while other were eating or playing a game. I went to grab something to it and that’s when I first saw him. His name was Nick; he was very tall, blonde hair with blue eyes. A typical American boy but he had something different that really got my attention. I couldn’t stop looking at him until I realize how creepy a looked staring at him so I just grabbed my food and walk away. I sat were Sarah was and we start talking when the group where nick was sat in front of us. I was eating this delicious pizza and I was starving but as soon as I saw him with all my strength I put the pizza away. A guys sitting next to Nick start talking to Sarah so I just sat there waiting for her to introduce me, and when she finally did and told them that I was from Guatemala all guys turn up on me and I’m pretty sure I blushed a little but I just said hi and Nick was the first one that talked to me.  I could tell that he was looking me a lot but I just thought it was me wishing so hard he did. After I while I could tell for sure that we both were looking at each other for little moments, it was awkward but very nice. After I while he came close from where I was sitting and he start asking me of my life back in my country and what did I like etc... I tried too hard to stayed focus but he was so handsome that it distracted me very easily. That night we spoke a lot and it was one of my best nights in MN. I steel remember it very well.  I was hoping we could see each other again. When Sarah told me that we were living we both got kind of sad I didn’t want to said goodbye. Sarah could tell that there was a connection between and that made me happy because maybe she would want to hang with him for me.

I saw him a couple of times more and every time I was happier but also I knew that I couldn’t get too excited because I was going back to Guatemala soon. So I just tried to enjoy every second, now sometime we still talk on Facebook but I know that he is a person that will remember forever even though a never get the chance to see him again.

What a surprise.

This memory is always in my head and I like it because it always brings me a smile! It makes me realize how bless I am of having people who cares about me and tries to make me happy. It was three years ago and I was 14 year old. My parents were going in a trip to Los Angeles to visit my uncle and cousin that live there, it had been along time since I saw them so I was a little sad that I didn’t have the chance to visit them. I had three cousins living there all girls and the older one had like nine years old, so I wanted to see them.  I was a little sad because I wasn’t going but also kind of happy because I was going to be alone with my sisters. They had been gone in trips a few times before but I was old enough to remember it very well.

It was the morning that my parents were living, so my sisters and I woke up early with them because we were going to the airport. I run downstairs because it was a little late and I saw a lot of suitcases, I asked them why they had too many and my parents told me it was for stuff my uncle needed. So we just got in the car very quick and went to that airport. A friend of the family was the one who took us there and she was going to take us home later. We were finally there and we were about to say goodbye, kind of sad, so we just hug my dad and wished him luck then my mom and I waited for them to go, but there was something weird because it had never took so long to say goodbye. So we were starting to walk to the car while waving at them when suddenly my dad said “unless you want to come with us” I thought he was joking but he kept repeating it and we just turn to my mom and my mom said that we were going with them and that all the luggage was our close. We couldn’t believe it for a while we were all quiet in shock!! Finally my dad said “ok! Take your luggage we are already late.” My sisters and I were so exited that it took us a while to completely believe it.  We got to Los Angeles at night and I was very excited to see my cousins, they were so big and really excited to see us, so it was very emotional to see them again. At night before I fell asleep I picture in my head my day since the begging when I didn’t even thought I was going in a trip and know I was laying in bed in another country. It was one of our best trips and I know we enjoyed it a lot… I know I will never forget this because it was a memory that made me feel loved and lucky to have such a good parents that puts time on me and my sisters to make us happy. And is not only that they took me in a trip but also that they made time to planned all the surprise and my mom made three extra suitcases for us, and being so carefully so that we didn’t notice it. I liked the idea so much that I want to do it for my kids when I grow up. Love all family trips but this had this extra surprise that made it one of the best ones ever. I will never forget this.

 What a surprise!

Not what I expected!

Have you ever lived in another country by yourself? Well I have and it completely changed my life in so many ways. I was 15 years old when I went to an exchange program as my birthday present; I was looking forward and very exited that I was going to live completely by myself for three months in Minnesota. I spend my whole year thinking of how it would be and wondering how much difference could be in MN from here, Guatemala. A lot came through my mind, when finally I got an email that was from my exchange program telling me that I had five siblings and that they were very excited to have me. I couldn’t wait more; I was so relieved that they were as much exited as I was.

When the day finally came it was a little hard saying good bye to my friends and family because it was the fist time that I ever traveled alone and for a long time, I just remember entering into the airport and seeing my family waving at me with a big smile in their face trying so hard no to cried. At the airplane there was so much going through my mind, I was sad because I was already missing my family, happy because my trip just started but also a little scared because there was no turning back. We arrived to MN and the whole group of the exchange program and I were very nervous, we went to pick up our luggage and then the supervisor told us that every family had a paper with our names on it, so we have to look for our names. I looked at the families with all the names in their hands and I just wanted to go home, I got really scared so I just star looking through my name. I saw a lot of my group meeting their new family and some how that calm me a little, when I finally saw my name at the end of the hall I just run to them very excited.  When I finally got to them, I saw a very tall family all with red hair; there was the mother and three girls, their hug was not as welcoming as I was expecting and that made me even more nervous. We hurried to the car because their house was not that close from the airport. Got to admit I imagine them a lot different but I was ready to tried make things work, on our way home I was dying to know more about them but they didn’t speak at all so I just set there awkwardly quiet.  The girl, that was my age, was Genevieve and she was very quiet, I wanted to talk to her but she didn’t even look at me, that was when I realize that something was wrong. We finally got to the house and it seemed very nice, but my family was not very exiting, they were kind of uncomfortable. They show me Genevieve’s room because I was going to stay there and the only thing that went through my mind was that she didn’t even like me. I really tried to look for the positive side of everything but I was so disappointing because I imagined them so different in my head. Next day, I went to school trying to get distracted and kind of excited because maybe there I was going to fit well. I went to Providence School, it was a really fancy and beautiful school I had started to make knew friends and everyone was helping me and being very friendly. I realize that Genevieve had no friends at all; she always sat alone reading something but never talked to anyone. I tried to approach to her but she just said a few words and kept reading, so I just left trying not to bother her. Even though in school I was doing great at home I felt really lonely and that depress me a lot because Genevieve was the older one and I had no one to talk. I got to bed really early because I had nothing else to do, sometimes crying wishing being home. I started to think that I didn’t want to spend this trip like this. It had been two weeks since I was there and I couldn’t stand it anymore. So in school the next morning I asked to go to the bathroom and called my mom, when I heard her voice I couldn’t stop crying I just told her the truth that I wasn’t happy and that I wanted to change families my mom tried to make me fell better and told me that she was going to talk to the administrator of the program to asked for a change. I know it was kind of selfish but I couldn’t stand it, they were just so much different from me that we couldn’t even have a long conversation; the ironic part was that they knew it too. At least a knew I tried my best to fit, but  their lifestyle was very different than mine that we didn´t conncet.

Lucky me, my older sister Cristi went to an exchange program when she was 15 too and her family had a girl that was my age so I went to stay with them. Sarah Dettinger was the girl my age and when I saw her when I got to my new home I knew we were going to be really good friends and made so happy and relieved that I finally got what I was waiting for. We were so a like that we had a very good time together, and I met her friends and got really well in my new school.  I spend my three months having a lot of fun with a family that was very happy to have me there, they took me to a lot of places and I knew I can count on them in everything. I still keep in touch with my family, Sarah and I tried to keep as closed as we can.

First impression always gives you not all the definition of a person but for sure it tells you something about them. I don’t regret anything of my trip because it showed me a lot, like being more independent, trusting myself more, my English and most important it taught me that everyone has their ways of living and that you can´t judge someone for the fist impression they gave you. You have to get to know them to be sure how people are.