My name is Evelyn Garrido, and I'm from the Philippines. Next month I'm going to go abroad. I've never been to another country before. I'm going to go to the U.S. as an exchange student. I'm going to live with a host family in a small town in Minnesota, in the north of the U.S.
I started planning and preparing for my trip last year. There was a lot to do! I did 1 student exchange programs, and then I applied. I also applied for a passport and got a student visa. After that, I attended courses at the weekends about rules, how to survive, etc. My older sister Lucia studied abroad two years ago, so she helped me plan my trip and showed me how to 2 my flight online.
I feel excited, and a little scared. Sometimes I say, "Lucia, I'll probably be 3." She says, "You're not alone. We'll have video chats with you every day. And you'll definitely meet new friends soon."
My host family — the Jenses — sent me an email with information about the 4 in Minnesota. Winters are cold! I emailed them and said, "I don't have any warm clothes!" They told me, "We'll give you some of our warm clothes!"
I bought a good guidebook online. The information about cultural differences is really helpful. People will probably be very 5 me because I'm from a different country. They'll probably ask me, "Do you eat hamburgers in the Philippines?" ("Yes.") "Is it cold in the Philippines?" ("Never.") I'll try to answer cheerfully!
As an exchange student, I'll learn a lot about Americans and their culture. Lucia says I'll also learn about myself. And since I will be away from home for a long time, I'll definitely learn to be more 6. I hope so and I'm really looking forward to my trip!
