Have you dreamed about something for years? Have you ever thought things were impossible and sunddely them happen? Well, I have to admit my 1st trip to the United States was just liked that. I was 16 years old when I first thought about going to the States and finally, in 2010, I flew to Florida for the first time.
This post is the story behind my 1st trip to the US and how much I worked to make that dream came true. Keep dreaming, even when everyone tells you not to… Because, sometimes, dreams come true. 😀
This story happened 10 years ago, when I went to the United States for the first time. I firmly believe that trip changed me completely. Things that had in my head for years, that month (in 30 days) began to make sense.
To those, who think I am spoiled/ daughter of wealthy parents: let me give you my testimony of my first trip to the land where all dreams come true.
I was 16 when a cousin came to my place and left several flyers on my bed. She told me: “Daniela, you have to ask this to your parents. I’ve been to England several times in these conditions.”
Flyers were from English schools around the world; Schools that were focus on helping young foreigners to improve their level of English.
The problem was that an English course for a month was about €1000. 🙁
I hated my cousin that night!
- I hated her for thinking that I could ask such a thing to my parents;
- I hated her for not being aware of what 1000€ were for my family;
- I hated her for having so much. My cousin, daughter of a doctor and a university professor, would not know how much my parents had to work to make 1000€.
That night, I remember I went to bed crying!
Eventually, that went away BUT the idea of attending an English school abroad did not disappear from my mind.
Back in time, the Internet in the village where I grew up, was really bad. With difficulties, I started doing some research about the schools featured on the flyer.
Weeks later, I gave my details to EF (Education First) and with that I start receiving newsletters every 3 months by mail. Every time there were letter for me in the mailbox, my mom already knew it was from EF! Even today, I still have a large collection of EF magazines at my mother’s house. By quarter, the EF magazines would feature the cities where the schools were located, the prices, the activities involved, and the advantages of studying abroad. That would make me dream for minutes but never thinking that dream would become true!
A year later, I joined university in Lisbon and decided to visit the EF‘s offices.
Those who know me, also know how much I love the United States.
I am passionate about their basic principle: Who sows, reaps … no matter where you are from.
I moved to Lisbon in 2009 and everything became easier and more accessible. I asked EF for an appointment to find out about schools in the United States. I really wanted to go to New York.
I went to EF‘s offices, where they received me very well and where I had the chance to ask all my questions. Studying English abroad was simply TOO EXPENSIVE and, honestly, I walked away with no great expectations.
Months later, in November, I turned 18 and went home to celebrate it. That weekend I talked to my father …
- I told him that I wanted to improve my English!
- I told him that I wanted to do it in the United States and that I already had a plan…
- I showed him: the flyers of the schools I wanted to go, the prices, the certificate I was going to bring (which would “save me” 1 year of classes at the Cambridge English school), and the advantages of that experience to my career.
I also told my dad I would use all the savings to help paying the school (at the time, at age 18, I had €1600 in the bank… That amount was all my life savings, ahaha).
With so much positive information, with such a structured plan, and with all the detailed information on the subject: my dad (my dear dad) said YES. He told me he would help me. And that’s when my dream finally began to be more than just a dream and start becoming a plan.
In life, if you do not ask for something, you will never get it… As I usually say: THE NO is ALWAYS guaranteed.
I returned to the EF’s office and I booked my place at the school in Miami because I realized the school in New York was located outside of the city. From then on, my days were divided between college and all the paperwork for the trip: passport, transfer, insurance, and so on. I only believed that was really happening the moment I sat on the plane to Madrid – Miami!
It was my first time leaving Europe; it was my first time flying many hours; and it was my first time traveling alone. 😀
And so, that idea/ that little dream, which I had in my head for more than 2 years finally became true.
Consistency, perseverance, and hard work go far.
PS: YES, I improved my English in a month; YES, I was able to get to an higher level at the Cambridge school when I returned to Portugal; YES, I partied a lot and I also did a lot of shopping (things are quite cheap, believe me). 😀
P.S: Most of the pictures in this article were taken by Romain, Elise and Maria (as I lost my pc in 2012).
Hope you liked. 😀
Beijinho,
Daniela