ADIOS ANA

SOPHOMORE ANA MORENO'S FINAL GOOD-BYE TO ST. LOUIS

by Mariana Copeland FEATURES STAFF

Following the steps of her sister, sophomore Ana Moreno embarks on a journey 4,410 miles away from home in Madrid to St. Louis for what will total up to one full academic year, nearly ten months and 300 days. Despite the thrill she feels about arriving, the drastic culture change did not help the situation. Little did she know that her journey would quickly turn around and would end with thousands of wonderful memories and new experiences that she will never forget.

“The rst day you get in the school, you don't know anyone, everyone knows everyone and everyone has friends and you're alone…I overcame it by joining cross country, and there I met many people like a lot of girls, and that made me make friends,” Moreno said.

In search to start adapting better to St. Louis, Moreno took a chance and joined the cross-country team, a sport that she had never done before since it wasn't a common activity in Spain. By joining the cross-country team she was able to become a member of a team and build lasting connections with people, which was the rst major step in her adjustment to St. Louis.

“I love being around her…I'm gonna miss her humor and her being able to cheer everybody up and make the best out of a situation, like at practice when some people do not want to be there she makes us want to be there,” sophomore Annie Martin said.

As the months went by, Moreno started to get more comfortable and opened herself up to more people and created joyful memories. From bigger things like going to parties and aquariums to little things like Costco trips to get hot dogs and car rides.

“We're driving down Ladue road... and Ana puts on this re song…Ana was just singing her whole heart out, I think that's the moment that I saw Ana and her true happiness, just completely shining,” sophomore Alexandra Tsyzankov said.

Moreno did not only come to St. Louis and was able to learn more about herself and the kind of person she wants to be but she also helped others do the same. Coming to St. Louis offered Moreno a di erent perspective of the world and herself while at the same time allowing others, like her friends, to learn valuable lessons.

“I learned from Ana and also my experience…that time is way too short to be worried about what other people think and you should enjoy as much time as you can in a new place that you have opportunities in,” Tsyzankov said.

Time ew by and now with only a couple weeks left before departure what started o as a hard and challenging journey ended up being one full of laughter, happiness, and unforgettable memories made with amazing friends that were made along the way. Moreno's time in St. Louis is something that she feels helped her grow as a person and see a di erent part of herself and the world and helped others do the same.

“[Overall] it's a great experience, you learn a lot from yourself, the country, and from the world, it's a thing that you're gonna remember all your life and it's totally worth it,” Moreno said.