Discurso de graduación

La semana pasada recibí una carta formal de Francesca, la jefa de estudios pidiéndome que hiciera un speech el día de la graduación. Yo me sentí muy halagada porque sólo hemos sido 3 personas las elegidas, de casi 40 que nos hemos graduado: una japonesa, un koreano y yo.
Farah me ha ayudado con algunos de los párrafos. Os lo reproduzco tal cual para que os hagais una idea de cómo ha sido:

"I can’t make a resume of my last 9 month here in 5 minutes. I have so much to explain and so much to share with all of you, that I wouldn’t have enough time.
Now, when is time to go, I look back and remember how I felt 9 months ago when I first arrived, being confused and alone in this strange place. I came here like everybody else wanting to improve my English, to enjoy and to have a new experience in my life, but I learned much more than this.
I learned to be overcome the challenges that I have experienced living here, I learned so much from the different cultures of my classmates and roommates, and the importance to embrace of all this.
I never realized that I would now leave having the greatest experience of traveling and meeting friends who I have learned so much from.
No matter where one is, or what one is doing, just looking back at this experience will leave us smiling of the memories that have marked our lives forever.
Just like the lyrics in Madonna’s song “time goes by so slowly for those who wait”, the truth is sometimes we wait too long, for things to happen. I’ve always dreamt with coming here and doing all the things that I’ve been doing in all this months.
I didn’t wait for things to happen, I wanted to make things happen, and that’s one thing about EF that we have all learned. One has to become independent, be able to overcome the challenges of living with other cultures and adapting to this strange American environment all at the same time while still having the urge to want to learn and improve our English.

I would have never imagined that I would have meet the friends, teachers that learned so much from, I feel that EF has built my character stronger, and I have more than just better English to take back home with me. I have more stories of my adventures to tell, more friends to visit around the world, and more things to discover.
I would like to thank to every student who has helped me to be a little bit happier here, to my teachers, specially Josh, who has had a lot of patience with me regarding my behavior in class of not doing homeworks the most of the time, arriving late or for his help with my wish to enter in an American University.
I have a lot of thanks to give, to great people who has made me smile during every day: all the staff in EF, my internship partners, who have been the most friendly and funny people whom I learn so much. The people in cafeteria like señor Antonio and other members who have dedicated part of their time to make my stay here, a little bit easier.
A special mention to those who have support me in the good moments, when we enjoy every second that we spend here, but in the bad moments too, when I felt very lonely and I missed my place and specially my family. One of this persons has been Farah, who has became my best best friend here and has given me all the support that I’ve needed. She has been like my other half.
And last but not least, I want to thank to the most important people in my life: my parents. Because without them, I surely wouldn’t be here today speaking with all of you and explaining how has been the probably most exciting and the most important experience of my life.
Thank you."