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.