11 years ago (I think I was sitting in my highschool OAC Geography class), as the morning announcements sounded over the PA system, I heard mention of 'Rotary club' and ' International student exchange'..."please go to guidance for more information and an application form". As soon as class ended, I basically sprinted to guidance, got an application form for a Rotary International Student Exchange and starting filling it out.

I don't remember if I asked my parents or told my parents, but they weren't against it, so we went ahead.

'Please write the top three countries you wish to be considered for'

1. Spain
2. Italy
3. Costa Rica

I was first accepted into the program and then around December I was told..."You'll be going to Costa Rica!".

I think I should have been happy...tropical paradise, eco-tourism central, CENTRO AMERICA! But I wasn't. My dream for Spain was crushed. Italy, crushed.
Somehow, tropical paradise didn't seem right.

Enter Cristina. Spanish exchange student to RIDGETOWN (pop. 3000, maybe)...poor girl. The compensation for her was that she could bus into Chatham and attend the Pines, my much larger highschool.

We became friends and through a twist of fate, her Mother spoke with Silvia who is the niece of the man who would become my host-father, Fernando.
Fernando's daughter, Patricia, wanted to do an exchange and her family needed to take-in an exchange student...many strings pulled and pushed on later...
Adios Costa Rica, HOLA ESPANA. Majadahonda. Madrid. Espana.

One of the best years of my life. The only thing missing was that I didn't get to spend it with Patricia (who was in New Mexico), one of the coolest people I've ever met.

Meet the exchange family:

Fernando - host father
Belinda - host mother
Patricia - host sister abroad in New Mexico, USA
Iris - host sister
Fernando - host brother
Naiara - host sister

...not to mention Uncles, Aunts, cousins, extended cousins, extra-extended cousins....

So this year, after 4 years of not having visited this family in Spain, Enrico gave me as a birthday present a ticket for me to Spain and a ticket for him...we would spend Christmas break in Majadahonda! And.........after some planning, we added our good friend Giorgio in the mix and away we went.

Not only did I have a beautiful first Christmas in Italy with Enrico's family, but I got to share all the wildness of the Romero Navarro / Gomez Sanchez home with Enrico and Giorgio.

NON-STOP FANTASTIC TIME.

Thank you Mum and Dad for trusting me, tolerating me and supporting me to go to Spain. I gained a language and a family that also keeps putting up with me everytime I go back and that keeps waiting for you both. I'm the luckiest.

Mum...the beach...southern Spain is calling you...and so is Belinda, oh wait a minute, she is screaming happily :-)