REGARDS FROM PENNSYLVANIA

Some of you know that Laura Luque decided to spend a year in the United States. She's now a sophomore student in Pennsylvania and wants to share her experience with us...

"Yes!!! Well, im in Pennsylvania, in a small town called Somerset, which is like 2 hours from Pittsburgh. 

I love my family so much, they are so nice. They have two children, Lauren, she is one year older than me, and we are like best friends, and then Chase, he's one year younger than me, and we are playing around all the time, so the family is perfect for me. 

 My school's name is: Somerset Area School District. It's pretty cool. I'm a sophomore here and it's like if i was in a movie, it's extremely big and with all the dances, sports, the newspaper.... Like the movies, and everybody is so nice. 

Here, every weekend or after school, most of the peple don't usually hang out, they work, so when I first got here and I didn't have many friends, my weekends were sooo boring, but now that I have more friends we try to plan things together. 

Sports in here are so important, they are divided in like seasons, in winter, there are some sports, and then in spring different ones. So I did swimming, and oh my god, it was soooo hard, we had to practice everyday for 2 hours, sometimes I cried and I thought I was gonna die, it was so hard, and the people in my team were so good, so I felt like I was the worst, and I used to hate it. But then it got better and I did well too haha, the swim meets were fun, even though I didn't get any good places but it was alright, and now, swim season is over, and I decided to start track and field, but I had to quit because my knees were hurting and I couldn't do it. 

So now, I'm just like after school going home and doing some work outs because I don't wanna get fat after all haha. And well, they sent me my flight days when I'll go back to Spain, I'm flying from Jonhstown to Washington on 12th of June, and then from Washington to Brusels and from there to Madrid, so I will get home the 13th, I'll be soooo tired. And I'm so sad, 'cause I don't wanna go back:( 

My advice for the people spending a year in the States  is that they have to do sports because, if you don't get to have a host brother or sister, it's the only way to make friends. They don't have to worry at first, because when I first got here, I didnt understand anything at all, it was horrible haha, but then you get used to it, so it's okay.

Ruth, she is in Canada, in Ottawa, and we usually talk all the time, and she's fine, she is having a lot of fun too, and when one of us feels bad, or sad, we are always available for each other haha, because you know, we are in the same situtation.

I went to New York with my family, and it was awesomeeee. I loved it, it was so neat, we went shopping, we went to the statue of Liberty and all those monuments, so I really enjoyed it. And I haven't traveled much more; this summer I think my host family is going to take me to the beach, and they want to take me to Niagara Falls, in Canada. I hope they'll take me, because I would love to!!!"