September 16 & 17, 2023 - Family weekend

 Days 7 & 8: Family days & Welcome party

by Gorka Iturregi

Saturday 16

In the morning I really didn't do anything special. I just stayed at home until we left to Claire's house in the afternoon. There, we made a lot of cookies and played a bunch of board games. When there were pretty many people, we decided to watch a movie. After it, we cooked a Spanish omelet, and, obviously, we ate it. After that, we just stayed a little longer talking to each other until I went home.

Other students went to Jane's house because it was her birthday and she had a party.

Sunday 17

Today it was time for the welcome party. All exchange students and our host families were invited to  Sabana's house. In the morning we were with our families - having different activities, and in the afternoon we all went to the party. We had plenty of food, music... We enjoyed traditional Basque dances and the Americans also danced! Then we went to the beach as the house is in front of it, and some people went into the water. 

It has been an amazing day!

September 15, 2023 - Plimoth Patuxet Museums

 Day 6: Plimoth Plantation  & Mayflower

by Nora Garrido, Naia Aguirre & Ane Díaz

Today we started the day by going to school with our host siblings. After the firs class session, we had a picture taken with the yellow school bus.

Then, we took a bus to the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. There, we were told us the story of the Pilgrims and the native people of Plymouth and how their stories were integral to the founding of the United States of America. 

Afterwards, we returned to the high school and escorted our exchange students to their last class of the day. We all started to get ready for the American football match. The theme of the game was gold, so most of us bought some gold accessories. 

We had a lot of fun and the Sailors (Scituate High School team) won the game!

September 14,2023 - HARVARD

 Day 5: Cambridge - Harvard University

by Leire Frosini & Unai Jourdain

Today we started our day at 8.15 am by accompanying our host students to their first period class. After that we took a bus to Cambridge and went to Harvard University, where we met our tour guide. His name is Victor and he is a recent Scituate High School graduate and a student at Harvard. He showed us around campus, we saw the university’s buildings and the big gardens. He also took us to the Harvard merchandise store that had a lot of books, postcards and Harvard sweaters & stuff, but then he had to go to class so he left. 

Then, we visited Harvard Natural History Museum and we saw the expos there: the mineral one where we could see minerals and jewels, and the Glass flowers one where we saw ultra-realistic models of plants made from glass. After that we had free time to buy things and to have lunch at Harvard Square, the square right outside the uni that’s full of shops. 

At 2..15 pm we went back to the school bus and we returned to SHS to meet our host families, and many of the students stayed after to watch their host sudents’ sport practices. 

September 13, 2023 - BOSTON STATE HOUSE & FREEDOM TRAIL

 Day 4 -  : State House & Freedom Trail

by Arane Malatsetxebarria &Maialen Bárcena

Today, Wednesday 13th, we had a trip to Boston. We went with our partners at first hour to high school, but on Wednesdays students have a late start, so most of us were shown the building. At 9.15 we took the yellow school bus to the city and after an hour and a half trip, we arrived in Boston. We had an interesting tour through the State House,  we had fun and the building was beautiful and smart. 

After that, we had some snacks in a park and we started with the second and last tour of the day. The tour guide was dressed up as a 18th century woman and she pretended to be Phillis Weatley, the first American slave, the first person of African descent, and only the third colonial American woman to have her work published. This woman explained us some history from Boston, but sadly she didn’t make it really interesting and catchy, so most of us got a little bored. 

Just before the tour ended, it started to rain, so we didn’t have the chance to have a walk by the freedom trail, but we had a lovely lunch inside a building and we didn’t get wet. 

Then, we got the not-that-confortable bus back to the high school and our host families came to take us back to our houses.

Later in the evening all of us met to have a tasty ice cream at  Marshfilled Hills and we ended the day having so much fun.

September 12, 2023 - From NY to Scituate

 Day 3: September 12

by Ushuaia Alba, Olatz Beotegi and Ainhoa ​​Dieguez

At 8 am Eric (the best driver in the world) was waiting for us to put all the suitcases in the bus as were not  returning to the hotel. 

We left the hotel and we went to the boat to see the Statue of Liberty. We spent a while looking at the statue and taking a lot of photos, and some students made some shopping to take home. 

Afterwards, we went to Chinatown and Little Italy and we continued shopping. 

To end the day, we took the bus from New York to Massachusetts and despite being 2 hours late, we finally arrived at our destination. The American students were waiting for us with posters and balloons, and then, each one left with their family. 

September 11, 2023 - New York, New York

 Day 2: September 11

by Ane Garaizar & Leonora Alonso

As soon as we have breakfast, we have taken our bus to go to the Radio City Music Hall to attend a tour with  guide whose name was Ryan. He told us the history of the theater. It was really interesting.

After that we went to Whole Foods, a kind of supermarket, to buy our lunch and we went to Central Park to have it while we were listening to some musicians that were playing some of the Beatles songs. Then we went for a walk and we took some photos there. An hour later we went to the American Museum of Natural History, and it was super interesting. 

To end the day we had dinner at Hard Rock Cafe. Later, we went to see an off-Broadway show that was really amusing. The show was about some blue guys that were experimenting about human things. before going to the hotel, as it was September 11, we visited the World Trade Centre, where the Twin Towers were and the S11 Memorial. 

By the end of the day we were so tired that we went directly to bed.

September 10, 2023 - USA: Here we go!

 
Day 1- Travelling

By Uxue Alonso & Malen Llona

On September 10, we met at Bilbao airport at 4:50 a.m.to fly to Amsterdam and the to NY, where  landed at about 1:30 p.m. After taking our luggage and getting on the bus we went straight to the heart of the city: to Times Square. 

There we were given some free time, so most of us went to M&Ms and Reeses stores. After meeting our teachers and tour guide, we walked along different streets in the area. We enjoyed at a video game room before having dinner at DallasBBQ, Our dinner (chicken and chip) was delicious!

To end this long day, we enjoyed the marvellous views from the Top of the Rock. At 21:30 we arrived at our hotel in New Jersey, and as we were exhausted, we went directly to bed..