Chapter 5: Wales

WYSC was a very important event in our lives. It brought us together and for the first time, we weren't just classmates, but friends.

At the beginning it was quite confusing. We got in touch with our exchanges quite fast,but for some of us things didn't work out well. I was lucky, and I got my host family soon. My exchange was a lovely Welsh girl. Not everyone was that lucky. Some people didn't know who they were staying with. The organization of such an event was really difficult, because it wasn't just Spain, but lots of more countries which needed host families in a tiny quirky town: Llangollen.

Somehow, the school year went quite fast, and suddenly we were there, in Liverpool's airport, with its yellow submarine at the door. I remember getting to the school, meeting Charlotte (My Welsh exchange) and arriving at the house. Everything was lovely, pretty and just green. All was extremely cozy. I loved - and love - every single detail from her house. Samara's room was in front of mine, so if we needed each other's help we were steps away from the other. But we didn't have much time to enjoy our rooms, because we were busy either with trips or contests.

We won the drama contest with our Bernarda Alba's performance.  I was Adela, and I still remember my part. We did it in English and somehow it ended well. Perhaps, what I liked the most, was the very moment before going to stage. We were surrounded by girls from different countries, rehearsing in their language. It was special.

Saying goodbye was the hardest part of our trip. I fell in love with that country and its people. I had a bond with the family and I liked them a lot. I didn't want to leave. I had met awesome people and it was painful to let go. We had a party in a huge field. We had dinner and live music, but somehow everyone knew that it was the end. We cried a lot. I think our tears brought us together. We realized that we had more in common than we thought.

Wales was special for me because it was the first time that I traveled on “my own”. I talked in English with English people and I had to defend myself. Of course, and most important, I met one of my, literally, best friends. I met Charlotte 4 years ago, and since then, we have kept in touch. We have gone on holiday together, she has come to Seville and I've gone back to Wales, and this is just the beginning of our friendship. We have sort of grown up together and now I have two families: My Spanish and my Welsh one.

Chapter 4: The Art Of Cheating

Cheating can turn out to be a dangerous adventure. It does not just happen in the the test. It has a preparation, a process. Almost tenderly, the cheater prepares his cheat-sheet, because his future luck depends on it. The cheater feels different emotions during the process, and as an adventure, those emotions change.

Before cheating, you are worried, scared and most of all, anxious, because you know you'll be asked something you haven't studied. Your hands have own life, and write as fast as they can in a tiny illegible hand writing. Fear gets somehow forgotten when all your focus is on the information you need to copy somewhere.

While you are cheating, you are paranoid. You have chills down your spine and cold sweat covers your forehead. You feel observe. You are under pressure. If you are lucky, you'll have in your cheat-sheet all the answers needed, but on the contrary, if you aren't... you'll have to suffer and struggle to answer something. If you are on the second case, you better pray.

After cheating, your whole body is relaxed. Everything looks brighter. Even the sun shines if it's cloudy! You can feel remorse, but eventually, it fades. The end of cheating itself is when you give your test to your teacher, and a big smirk appears on your face. If you have cheated well, you won't be caught.

See? Cheating is like falling in love. You feel tons of different emotions at the same time. It is difficult and obviously risky, but with good luck and a bit of wit, you can get a good mark in your test.

Chapter 3: Classmates and Friends: Ana and Andrea

It's funny to think how 6 years ago I hadn't met my best friends. My former “friends” weren't like them. I didn't spend hours talking on the phone with them. I trusted them in a different way. They weren't true friends. And sometimes it's just luck. Friendship just comes along.

I met Andrea just before high school. It was in 2006's summer. I went to her swimming pool with another girl. We were talking about high school and suddenly we realized that both of us were in the bilingual group. She was really nice and I liked her from the very beginning.

For the last couple of years we've grown a lot together. I know I can phone her and talk nonsense, because I'm sure that she'll listen to me. She's always been there for me. I know I can rely on her, and can cry on her shoulder. She also knows that she can cry in mine. Sometimes I feel that she's too vulnerable and that I should protect her. And when I'm almost decided to help her, she surprises me into one of the bravest girls I know . She's loyal, funny, witty, intelligent, lovely, strong and a treasure that everyone should have in his/her life.

Ana is... Ana. I adore that girl. She's one of the greatest girls I know. I can't remember how we met. We didn't become friends immediately. I was kind of jealous of her. She was pretty and funny.- She is still pretty and funny, don't get me wrong.- I used to cry a lot those days, and I guess I wasn't the type of girl you'd like to have as a friend. But see,m at the end we did become friends.

You cannot realize how special Ana is until you really know her. I'm always amazed by her. She is so different from the rest of people I know... She doesn't follow people, but people follow her. She's made me realize that old films are the best, that being yourself is very important and that you never have to lose your smile. She's very loyal, funny, intelligent, witty, stubborn and just lovely. I'm lucky to have her in my life.

I think everyone has something that makes them special. I guess I'm special because I have these two wonderful friends. They are everything a girl would like to have. I'm honored to be their friend. And this is a thank you to them, because my life wouldn't be the same without you.

Thank you, girls.