https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5 en-us 2023-10-17 16:28:21 UTC 2023-10-18 15:46:56 UTC hello@padlet.com zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751159653 I was born in Riohacha, a city in the department of La Guajira. I lived there with my family until I was 5 years old. We lived close to the beach so every weekend we spent some time as a family on the beach. ]]> 2023-10-17 16:39:14 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751159653 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751167637 After those 5 years, my dad retired from his job so my parents decided to move to Piedecuesta, a town in the department of Santander. It is located close to Bucaramanga. I didn't feel comfortable at the beginning because I got used to living close to the beach. ]]> 2023-10-17 16:43:24 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751167637 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751210701 With the past of the time I started to like the town. My parents enrolled me in a new school close to my house, where I could meet some good friends who helped me to adapt better to my new life. However, I didn't like it so much that my parents were busy with a grocery store that they decided to have, because we couldn't spend time together as we did in the past. ]]> 2023-10-17 17:08:26 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751210701 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751222116 After I finished school I knew about a program called Au Pair, where I could study English, work, and live with an American family. It was really interesting for me and because I always wanted to travel to the USA I thought It was a great idea so I took that opportunity and moved there.  ]]> 2023-10-17 17:14:46 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751222116 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751228979 Taking that opportunity was one of the best decisions that I've made in my life. I lived in Denver, CO. Because the state has all seasons I could experience all of them. I loved wintertime because of the snow, even though It is really cold and I was not used to It, I could enjoy It.  Also, I could take some good pictures of the city. ]]> 2023-10-17 17:18:48 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2751228979 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752799507 While I lived in the USA I could travel a lot in that country. I always wanted to go to Seattle and California, so because my weekends were off I decided to travel to different cities using that time. First, I traveled to CA, where I could visit amazing places like LACMA in  LA, and Griffith Observatory also in LA. Then I decided to go to San Diego and San Francisco. ]]> 2023-10-18 14:19:24 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752799507 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752813096 I also went to Hawaii. It was an amazing experience. I can say that Hawaii is as you see It in the movies. However, because the weather was pretty similar to the weather that we have in Colombia, I felt homesick. But I'm glad the internet exists, by that time I could video call my parents and speak with them, and that made me feel much better.  ]]> 2023-10-18 14:26:47 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752813096 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752822954 Besides traveling and saving money I could also improve my English a lot. I studied English there and I made some friends from different countries where their native language was not Spanish. Speaking with them helped me to improve my English as well, and also made me want to travel to their countries and learn more about other cultures and languages. But for now, what I want is to be really fluent in English and work teaching that language.  ]]> 2023-10-18 14:32:18 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752822954 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752862600 After the program ended, I decided to come back to my home country. I was looking for an opportunity to stay in the USA as a student, however, It required me to have a specific amount of money that I didn't have. So, I just decided to come back and stay with my parents because I also missed them a lot. ]]> 2023-10-18 14:54:04 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752862600 zulaymendezm https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752879152 I feel grateful to God because thanks to him I could live the experience of living abroad and come back and still have the opportunity to share time with my family. I'm so grateful that they are healthy. Now, what I want is to live in my hometown and create a life that makes me feel fulfilled, teaching the language that I learned, sharing time with people that I love the most, and of course, traveling to different countries every time I get the chance. ]]> 2023-10-18 15:03:09 UTC https://padlet.com/zulaymendezm/604659nopf81jxd5/wish/2752879152