My name is Maialen, and I am 14 years old. I live in the heart of the Basque  Country,  Spain.  I  live  with  both  my  parents.

  I  have  always looked  up  to  my  father–I  have  definitely  always  been  his  little  princess! My dad and I share a major hobby:  we are both fanatics when it comes to collecting cards. Whether it’s Pokémon, L.O.L. dolls, or  football  cards,  we  love  it.  Right  now,  we  only  collect  Pokémon cards. When I was little, every Sunday, we had a ritual: we would go to a place in our city, which is the main spot where kids meet up just to trade cards. My father has always been right there with me. Recently, we took our hobby to the next level and went to a huge card show in Cheltenham, England. We were so excited; we even managed to pull a card worth about 200 pounds!

 I spend a lot of time with my mother because she works from home most days. We always eat lunch together, and she is there to help me with my schoolwork or support me whenever I need it. I love telling her about everything I did at school that day or simply enjoying the meals and snacks she prepares for me. She always knows exactly what I like. My mother is always there for me, and I value that so much because it gives me confidence in myself. She is also a huge fan of reading, TV series and Harry Potter, hobbies that we both share.

Family is super important to me. Half of my family lives in England, and the other half in Spain.

 I adore hanging out with my family, especially my younger cousins. They really look up to me and follow me everywhere. They copy everything I do!

My Spanish grandparents  are  another  incredibly  special  person;  I  love  my grandma  more  than  words  can  say.  My  grandfather  might seem cold sometimes, but he really isn’t. When I was very little, he used to take me everywhere in the baby stroller. There is a roundabout near my house that leads straight to the local playground. Whenever we passed it, I would stop the stroller with my feet and point–since I couldn’t speak yet–to show him exactly where I wanted to go: the playground.

My Spanish grandparents have a house in a small village, and all the family (my uncle and aunt and their families and my parents and I)spend every summer there together. Summers are some of my happiest memories. One of my best friends is also there.

We always spend half of the summer, all of Easter, and Christmas Day with my English family. I always have so much fun with my English grandmother; she is super funny, and we share a love for vanilla ice cream.

Spending time with my family in both Spain and England has taught me to see things from two different perspectives. I believe that this will help me in the future to better understand people and their differences in how they behave and live, simply because I have grown up experiencing two different cultures.

I am very lucky to have some amazing friends who I have known since we were just one year old. We have grown up together, sharing so many memories. We help each other and I really value how we can talk about anything, laugh together, and support each other. Having friends who know me so well makes me feel understood and appreciated. I can’t imagine my life without them!

I  absolutely  love  playing  the  piano.  Even though  I  only  started playing seriously two years  ago,  I  am already playing a piece by Mozart! I feel really close to my piano teacher.  She is more like a friend to me because I can talk to her about anything, even my problems, and she always helps me figure things out. Marta always says that even with only two years of piano  lessons,  I  play  very  well. Every Thursday, I go to painting classes for two hours.

I love  going  because it’s not just about painting; it’s also a place to talk, laugh and share special moments.   I  only  started  painting  classes  again  because  the  class  I  used  to attend closed  down because of COVID. This year, I decided I really wanted to restart my old hobbies since I’ve always loved painting.  Another  thing  I  really  enjoy  is  reading.  I  mostly  read  books  that  involve  romance  or  “romantasy.” My absolute favorite series right now is the Boys of Tommen (BOT) series. As you can see, I have a lot of different hobbies!  Ever since I was little, my father and I have loved playing video games together. When I was younger, we  played  Minecraft.  Now,  we’ve  upgraded  our  hobby  and  play  games  like  The  Last of Us, Resident Evil, and Uncharted.

I want to study in the United States as an exchange student because it is a dream I have  had since I was a child. Growing up watching American movies sparked my curiosity about the culture, the people, and the everyday life behind what I saw on screen. The idea of attending an American high school has always fascinated me, and now I am excited for the opportunity to experience it and turn that childhood dream into reality.

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