A Day in the life of Luisa

My name is Luisa and I'm 20 years old and I would like to share my thoughts about my experience studying aboard. I started thinking about doing it since I was 16 years old, in High School, when all of my friends started coming back from their visits overseas.
In 2008, I went to Montreal, Quebec, to study English for three weeks. However, I had to leave my boyfriend in Brazil, which made me sad enough to enjoy next to nothing during my time there. In time, I had to face the music and realize that it was only my fault that I didn't put any effort into liking it.
In my time as a college student, I met a lot of friends who did a study aboard and years after they came back, they still missed it. So, the idea came to me again. At first, I was dragging my feet because my time in Canada wasn't very pleasent for me. But, it also made me realize that I needed new experiences.
My best friend, Giovanna, always told me to keep my chin up when I began to be afraid of coming to New York City. I'm so thankful to her. She never let me forget that with everything else in my life, I always let my hair down with no worries or fears. "Why should this experience be different?", she said.
And she was right. Everything here is amazing. I made a lot of friends that I will keep in my heart for life. I even met my boyfriend here. I'm learning a lot in my International Affairs class, also my General English class. I got my first internship in a company called Be&D. Everything has exceeded my expectations. And American food is 'finger lickin' good'!


Dictionary:
1. A bad-mouth somebody:
to say unpleasant things about someone or something, especially in order to spoil other people's opinions of them.

2. 'Break a leg!':
good luck in a theatrical way.

3. To drag one's feet:
to deal with something slowly because you do not really want to do it.

4. To get out of hand:
it cannot be controlled any more.

5. To face the music:
to accept responsibility for something you have done.

6. 'Finger lickin' good':
excellent food.

7. To keep your chin up:

remain cheerful in a difficult situation.

8. To let your hair down:
behave in a free or uninhibited manner.

9. To learn STG by heart:
to learn something so well that it can be written or recited without thinking; to memorize something.

10. To get off on the wrong foot:

make a bad start.