2017 IS ALMOST OVER !!

Hi world 🌎!!

I can't believe 2017 is almost over! 4 months ago I left my home, my family and friends and everything I belonged to, to go to an unknown place, with unknown people, unknown traditions and unknown language. Today, December 30th 2017, I can proudly say that all these unknown fears have become my other home, family, friends and my own traditions.

The person who left 4 months ago will never be back. Because now I'm a new person. Canada has taught me how to be happy and I don't mean that I wasn't happy before coming here but, in this time I've learned what really matters in life and what do I have to fight for.

2017 has been the best year of my life yet, but I'll make sure 2018 is even better. From the very first day, I'll choose who I want by my side and who I don't, and I'll love them better, because more is impossible. I'll follow my dreams, because Canada has taught me that they can be not just dreams. And despite everything, I'll be happy. HAPINESS is my word for 2017.

I wanna say thanks to everyone who has been part of my life this year and especially to the few people that have been by my side the 365 days (or the last 120, because this experience has got me to know incredible people that I'm sure I'll never forget).

I feel like this post it's kinna sad, because the things I've lived and that 2017 is leaving behind will never come back so, now I'm gonna make a funny apportation (dedicated to all my Canadian translators/dictionaries/FRIENDS):

"Can you believe that since I started writting this post I haven't checked even once google translate or any kind of  translator? And can you believe I'm not cold right now (let's forget I'm inside, at home, with a blanket)?"



HAPPINESS has been the word for 2017..... which one will be for 2018?


Carla

Hi world 🌎 !!


I really do not have words to describe these first weeks in Canada. I think that the most similar would be INCREDIBLE.

It seems that it was yesterday when I was taking a look throw the selection list, and it's been almost a month since I left home to go to my other home.

I love my hostfamily and the high school couldn't be better. High school musical was (and is still) one of my favorite movies, I had always dreamed of being in an "East High", and now this is not just a dream. Everything is like the movies, the lockers (with their funny locks), the cafeteria, the "Oh Canada" every morning, the sports ... I did the try outs for the basketball team and ... I'm in! This has helped me a lot to make friends.

Being the only international in a high school is not easy, but at the same time it makes everything easier. Everyone looks at you as if you were an alien, but at the same time everyone is interested in you. Whether you like it or not, you are the center of attention. Me, the typical girl who turned red when someone looked at her, I'm learning how to look as if I wasn't nervous at all.

Since I arrived here, I've had a thousand anecdotes to explain; Starting from that I couldn't find milk in the fridge because it was in a plastic bag inside a jar, to finishing when I was confused with a 13 year old girl and they sent me to take the "school bus" from the "elementary school ". Yes, they thought I was 13 years old. And no. I am not 13 years old.

I have no doubt that I will have more anecdotes to explain.

And I have no doubt that this will be the best year of my life.



You can also follow me on my YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNiTU9cEqvc&t=13s


See you soon!

C A R L A

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hola món 🌎!!


Realment no tinc paraules per descriure aquestes primeres setmanes a Canadà. Jo crec que el que s'assembla més és INCREÏBLE.

Sembla que va ser ahir quan estava consultant les llistes de seleccionats, i ja fa gairebé un mes que vaig marxar de casa per anar a la meva altra casa.

La meva hostfamily m'encanta i l'institut no podia ser millor. High school musical era (i continua sent) una de les meves pel·lícules preferides, sempre havia somiat amb estar en un "East High", i ara això no és només un somni. Tot és com a les pel·lícules, les taquilles (amb els seus "locks"), la cafeteria, el "Oh Canada" cada matí, els esports ... Vaig fer les proves per a l'equip de bàsquet i ... estic dins! Això m'ha ajudat moltíssim a fer amics.

Ser l'única internacional en un institut no és fàcil, però alhora ho fa tot més senzill. Tothom et mira com si fossis un alien, però alhora tothom s'interessa per tu. Tant per les coses bones com per les dolentes, ets el centre d'atenció. Jo, la típica noia que es posava vermella quan algú la mirava, estic aconseguint aguantar els colors.

Des que vaig arribar aquí, he tingut mil anècdotes per explicar; des que no trobava la llet a la nevera perquè resultava que estava en una bossa de plàstic dins d'una gerra, fins que em confonguin amb una nena de 13 anys i m'enviïn a agafar el "school bus" de la "elementary school". Sí, van pensar que tenia 13 anys. I no. No tinc 13 anys.

No tinc cap dubte que viuré moltes més anècdotes per explicar.

I tampoc tinc cap dubte que aquest serà el millor any de la meva vida.



A més, aprofito aquesta entrada per dir-vos que em podeu seguir al meu canal de YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNiTU9cEqvc&t=13s


Ens veiem aviat!

C A R L A

"BUT I'VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE"

When I applied for the scholarship I've never thought I'll be chosen.  I only said, "But I've got nothing to lose". I knew it would be very difficult and I've never could imagine that I would be one of those 500 guys.

When in March, casually on my birthday, I went to Madrid to the preparations, I wasn't conscious of everything that was just beginning. That weekend was INCREDIBLE and I met INCREDIBLE people that today are my friends.

When on July 5th we went to Madrid, to the surprise event, I knew everything was getting closer and that in less than I thought, I'd be in my new home.

When there was only a week, an odissea started: the suitcase. Making a suitcase for 10 months of 23kg is not easy at all. Make a list, do another because you have lost the first, throw the list in the bin because you realize there isn't space enough for all you've  noted down, ask your mother for help to give you a realistic view of what you can take, etc. There are many hours spent, eventhough you don't think so.
The truth is that I wasn't  nervous to leave; I knew that I was leaving, but I've never imagined what this meant.

And finally the day arrived. The day to say see you soon, not bye, to everyone and everything. The last day in 10 months in Catalonia.

After spending the night in Madrid, staying 6 hours in Toronto waiting for the last connection and boarding a light aircraft, I finally arrived to my destination. There, was waiting what would be my family for 10 months.

"My Canadian adventure" had just begun.



You don't really know what it's to live far from home until you're there. I mean, I had imagined how my life would be here, of course, but I didn't know what I would find. I didn't  know what I'd had to adapt to, I didn't know what would surprise me, I didn't know anything. And it's at this moment when "But I've nothing to lose" must reappear. I've got nothing to lose trying this new food, I've got nothing to lose by presenting myself to this person ...; "But I've got nothing to lose". After all, in 10 months I won't be here anymore. In these five days that I've been here, I've learned that you musn't be afraid of doing something wrong, or trying new things. I've learned that I've to do these 10 months, the 10 best of my life. And this will be achieved by being myself and following my common sense.


But you've got nothing to lose.

Carla



---------------------------------------------------



Quan em vaig presentar a la beca en cap moment vaig pensar en la possibilitat de que m'agafessin. Jo només deia, "total, no hi tinc res a perdre". Tenia molt clar que era una agulla en un paller i mai em vaig arribar a imaginar que jo seria una d'aquests 500 becats.

Quan al març, justament el dia del meu aniversari, vaig anar a Madrid a les orientacions, no era conscient  de tot el que just començava. El cap de setmana allà va ser INCREÏBLE i vaig conèixer a persones INCREÏBLES que avui en dia són els meus amics.

Quan el 5 de juliol vam anar a Madrid, a l'event sorpresa, sabia que la cosa s'anava acostant i que en menys del que jo pensava, seria a la meva nova casa.

Quan quedava una setmana per marxar vaig començar a visualitzar el que m'esperava: la maleta. Fer una maleta per 10 mesos de 23kg no és gens fàcil. Fer una llista, fer-ne una altra perquè has perdut la primera, llençar la llista a la brossa perquè t'adones que tot el que has apuntat no hi cap a la maleta, demanar ajuda a la teva mare perquè et doni una visió realista del que et pots endur, etc. Són moltes hores invertides, encara que no ho sembli.
La veritat és que no estava nerviosa per marxar; tenia molt assumit que me n'anava, però en cap moment em vaig imaginar el que això significava.

I finalment va arribar el dia. El dia de dir fins aviat, no adéu, a tothom i a tot. L'ultim dia en 10 mesos a Catalunya.

Després de passar la nit la Madrid, estar 6 hores a Toronto esperant l'última connexió i pujar a una avioneta, vaig arribar al meu destí. Allà m'esperava la que seria la meva família durant 10 mesos.

"La meva aventura canadenca" acabava de començar.


Realment no saps el que és viure fora de casa fins que t'hi trobes. És a dir, jo m'havia imaginat com seria la teva vida aquí, és clar, però no sabia el que m'hi trobaria. No sabia a què hauria d'adaptar-me, no sabia què em sorprendria, no sabia RES. I és en aquest moment quan "no tinc res a perdre" ha de reaparèixer. No tinc res a perdre provant aquest nou menjar, no tinc res a perdre presentant-me a aquesta persona...; "No tinc res a perdre". Al cap i a la fi, d'aquí 10 mesos ja no seré aquí. En aquests cinc dies que porto aquí he après que no s'ha de tenir por de fer alguna cosa malament, o de provar coses noves. He après que he de fer d'aquests 10 mesos, els 10 millors de la meva vida. I això ho aconseguiré sent jo mateixa i seguint el meu sentit comú.


Mai es té res a perdre.

Carla

SELECTION OF CANDIDATES

Hi world 🌎!!

The FAO (Amancio Ortega Foundation) scholarship's program distributes 500 scholarships every year to study 1st of High School Diploma in the USA or Canada (250 to each destination).

Before sending your application you have to meet these requirements:

1. Be a 4th of ESO student
2. Have an average grade of 7 in 3rd of ESO
3. Have an average grade of 8 in 3rd of ESO
4. Have never studied abroad

If you meet them, you must submit the application within the corresponding dates, which are approximately in October and if all the documents sent are correct, they give you a date and place to do a written exam. This is an English level test that consists of readings, writings and listenings.

All candidates with a minimum score of 235 points out of 300 will be assessed to move on to the next phase, taking into account that the exam score is 40% and the level of per capita income is 60%. 1500 students will be selected to move on to the next phase.

This is done via Skype. Each student must make an oral presentation in English about some personal interest's aspects of about 3 minutes and then the examiners ask questions in English or Spanish.

Finally, the 500 scholarship holders who will enjoy this experience are chosen. In case of having the same mark in the oral exam, the student with a lower per capita income will be chosen.

If you have any questions, you can look up https://becas.faortega.org/ or you can contact me!

See you!!

Carla

----------------------------------------------------

Hola món🌎!!

El programa de beques de la FAO (Fundació Amancio Ortega) reparteix cada any 500 beques per anar anar a estudiar l'equivalent a 1r de batxillerat a EEUU o Canada (250 per cada destí).

Per presentar-t'hi has de complir aquests punts:

1. Estar estudiant 4t d'ESO
2. Tenir una nota mitjana igual o superior a 7 a 3r d'ESO
3. Tenir una nota mitjana igual o superior a 8 a anglès a 3r d'ESO
4. No haver estudiat cap any a l'estranger.

Si els compleixes, has d'enviar la sol·licitud dins de les dates corresponents, que són aproximadament a l'octubre i si tots els documents enviats estan correctes, et donen una data i un lloc per fer un examen escrit. Aquest és una prova de nivell d'anglès que consta de readings, writings i listenings.

Tots els candidats amb una nota superior a 235 punts sobre 300 seran valorats per passar a la següent fase, tenint en compte que la nota de l'examen compta un 40% i el nivell de renda per càpita un 60%. Es seleccionaran 1500 alumnes per passar a la següent fase.

Aquesta es realitza a través d'Skype. Cada alumne ha de fer una exposició oral en anglès sobre algun aspecte d'interès personal d'uns 3 minuts i després els examinadors fan algunes preguntes en anglès o castellà. 

Finalment, es trien els 500 becats que gaudiran d'aquesta experiència. A igual puntuació en la prova oral, es triaran els alumnes amb una renda per càpita inferior.

Si teniu algun dubte,  podeu consultar  https://becas.faortega.org/  o podeu contactar amb mi!

Fins una altra!!

Carla

PRESENTATION

Hi world 🌎 !!

My name is Carla, I'm 16 and I'm from Viladecavalls, a little town near Barcelona.

I've received a scholarship by FAO (Amancio Ortega Fundation) and next year I'll be studying Grade 11 (the same as 1st of High School Diploma) in Canada. So, I'm a Spanadian 5.0, as it's the 5th edition. 

In this blog I'll explain you about my experience that has just begun!!

See you!!

Carla

----------------------------------------------------

Hola món 🌎!!

Em dic Carla, tinc 16 anys i sóc de Viladecavalls, un poble a prop de Barcelona.

Sóc una becada de la FAO (Fundació Amancio Ortega) i l'any que ve estudiaré Grade 11 (l'equivalent a 1r de batxillerat) a Canadà. Sóc per tant, una Spanadian 5.0, ja que aquest any és la cinquena edició. 

En aquest blog explicaré la meva experiència que només acaba de començar!!

Fins una altra!!

Carla