This term Alexandra has come to our high school and she is staying with Alba Fernández. Alba’s family is her host family in Spain.

Alexandra is from Miami although she comes from a very “international family”: her mum is from Cuba and her dad is from Russia!!! Alexandra is 22 years old. She has got  a sister who is14 years older than her. Alex has also a two-year-old nephew whose name is Lucas.

Alex loves animals and has got a dog called “Char – lee”, because of her mum’s love for Bruce Lee’s films.

Let’s interview Alexandra to get to know her better.

• Which places have you visited?

I’ve been to Italy, the central part of Italy and the south for a month and a half; I have been to Vietnam for 10 days;  I’ve been to Puerto Rico because my grandfather lives there; I’ve also been around the USA in different states like Tennessee, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Winsconsin, Georgia and Alabama.

• What places do you want to visit?

I want to go to Russia to visit my grandmother and aunt. I also want to go to Japan. In Spain, I want to visit Granada, Madrid and Valencia.

• What have you studied?

When I was at high school I studied “pharmacy”, at university “writing and rhetoric” and now I’m doing an online Masters of International Higher Education.

• Why are you doing an online Master?

Because the programme I really liked was online and I liked the classes they had and the teachers, so I decided that was OK and also they gave me the chance to get work experience at the same time by doing things like this (voluntary teaching practice in Spain) or by getting a job.

• What are you going to do when you finish studying?

I want to work with international projects for developing countries, working on different projects around the world, creating them and managing them to improve education in other countries.

• Can you tell us an anecdote from when you were at university?

At my university we have an annual tradition. We have a fountain and we aren’t allowed to get into except for one day during the year that is called “Spirit Splash”. On that day, we all get round the fountain and when an alarm is set off, the people run to the fountain and plastic ducks are thrown in for the students to catch. These plastic ducks, which are called “rubber duckies” are specially designed for our university every year. They are collectable and cost a lot of money, so people try very hard to catch them.

• What is your favourite type of music music?

My favourite genres are slow pop and rock, and some of my favorite singers are Halsey and The Beatles.

• Which concerts have been the most important for you? Have you attended any concerts recently?

I went to see Paul McCartney as a graduation gift from my dad in July and I went to see Halsey in October in Orlando. I also saw Betty Who before coming here.

• What are your hobbies?

In my free time,  I like going to concerts, hiking, traveling to find out new things, listening to people and writing.

• If we went to Miami (your hometown), what could we visit there?What do you recommend?

You can visit “Vizcaya” which is a mansion of hispanic culture that is on the water and that’s where all the “quinceañeras” (typical celebration when girls reach 15) take pictures, and then we have “Calle Ocho” in Little Havana where there is a Cuban-origin population and there’s a festival once a year, called Calle Ocho. It’s like Carnival and I like it because my mum is from Cuba. There’s also a place to hang out called Wynwood where there are lots of painted walls(graffitti) and every month we have an art festival called Art Basel.

• How has your experience in Spain been up to now?

I’ve been here just for two and a half weeks, but so far it is going good, I love the food and I’ve never lived in a small town and so I think it’s interesting and nice to be in a place that is slower than home, I like that we go for coffee in the middle of the day (the break coffee).

12. Tell us about your host family in Spain.

My family in Spain is wonderful and very hospitable. I get amazing meals every day and I have Alba to talk to, which I really appreciate. I like our discussions a lot. I really enjoy to have a relationship with Alba and it’s interesting to feel like the big sister.

• Differences between Spain and the USA.

Things are slower here in the village, but I know in the city is different. I feel that here there are more coffee breaks, and I walk more. The architecture and the way we dry clothes is different. In the USA, we use dryers.

 

Autor/a: Alba Fernández y Paula Yela

Editor/a: Marina Vega Llorente