Creative Video wins Hayley a Student Exchange program to Spain

For Hayley an exchange program to Spain, can only be described as AMAZING.  

The first week in Spain for Hayley was spent at an orientation camp with other students starting on their exchange program.   Read more here to find about Hayley's trip....

"The first week I was here in Spain I went on an orientation camp to a really cool farm.  It was awesome, not only did I have a fantastic time, but I met some amazing friends from all over the world!  It's crazy because I was only with them for a week and now I am so close to them.  It was amazing, I creally can't express how much I enjoyed the camp.

Now I am with my host family, I've settled in at home and at school and I have made some really good friends already!

I remember when I first met my host family, I was so nervous!  But they were so kind to me and were so understanding about the fact that I couldn't really speak to them or understand them.  It was my host aunt's birthday too, so there was no gradual immersion into the family, I met them ALL on the first day!

My first day of school was also really nerve racking, only a tiny bit more so, than meeting my family.  I have been so lucky because I have a neighbour that is the same age, at the same school and in the same class!  She is really nice and helpful and introduced me to all her friends.  I walk to and from school with her every day and she has taught me so much, and I think of her as one of my closest friends.

School is really good, well as good as it can be considering, I am only now starting to understand what the teachers are talking about.  I'm not going to lie and say it's easy because it's not, it's really, really hard.  But it is so rewarding when you concentrate and understand!  I can't describe the feeling you get when this happens because it's indescribable, you just feel so awesome when it happens, and when you can hold a conversation with someone in a different language!  

During the second week of my stay, I visited the Pyrenees Mountains (between France and Spain) and went canyoning.  What an amzaing adrenaline rush, combined with amazing views and the feeling of accomplishment when you make it to the ground.  On the way we stayed a village called Huesca.  A typical European mountain village, with cobblestone streets, the clock tower, sheep in the field and grey brick mountains.  It was literally one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life.  

Madrid is absolutely beautiful, it is incredible.  I could literally just stand in the city centre for hours on end just looking around!  My host family kept laughing at me because every time we turned a corner, I would give a little squeal and take a billion photos.

I do get homesick sometimes, but then I just think and make myself realise that this experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Home will always be there.  I have to make the most of my time here, because this is what I have been waiting for, for the majority of my life.

So summing it all up:  It's hard but so rewarding, the people are amazing, I'm in an amazing place, I've had an amazing time and the fact that I'm picking up the language so fast, is amazing!"