We are done writing blogs for English class. That is because we are on vacations now (summer vacations). We used to write a blog per week, every week. I won’t be that consistent now, but I will still continue writing. Summer vacations! Wow! It is a term I’ve been waiting to hear all year. Finally, we can do pretty much what we want to. We don’t have to worry about projects, homework or tests!

SInce I am not saying good-bye to Edublogs, then you may be wondering why this post is called good-bye. Well, that is because I’m moving at the end of the summer. Moving from Costa Rica to Mexico. This is a really big step… And I have to be mentally prepared for it. The fact that I’m moving finally hit me. I was told in January, about six months ago! But it seemed so far that I never really gave it much thought. It all hit me at the end of school. Those last days… Just thinking that I wouldn’t be back at that school made my eyes water. Then, the next day was our Moving-Up Ceremony and that didn’t help my watery eyes. What really touched me was the speeches three of my friends have. Sorry to the other two, but the speech that really touched me (got to me) was Hyun Chan’s. I dont know if it was because it was the closing speech, but I know one thing for sure. He is a great writer and he used that to put together a great speech that thanked, said good-bye and even used similes. At the end of the speech, I ended with both a wide smile spread across my face, and tears dripping from my eyes. I tried to hide the tears. Not because I was ashamed of crying but because I felt that if I cried I would ruin my happiness, and maybe other people’s too. I wiped the tears, and we had to leave the stage. Then, a video played. It was a video of students in the eighth grade. It showed each and every one of us, doing something different. It was very entertaining to watch, because it reminded me of different times in the 8th grade and also because some people were doing really funny things. This video also made me cry. They were happy tears because I thought of the amazing time I had these year, and the amazing people that were in it. On the other hand, they were also sad tears because I knew that all those wonderful times were the last ones I would have in Costa Rica, with that awesome group of eighth graders.

Talking about the awesome group of eighth graders, I don’t know if I ever got to thank each and everyone of you for everything you did for me. I got here five years ago, and since the very first day of school, people greeted me and welcomed me to the community. There were others that I got to know on the next years either because they weren’t in the school when I came or because I hadn’t gotten to know them. Everyone was always so nice to me, always there to help me. I am not really going to say names but you know who you are. To my friends:

I have no words for everything you have done for me. It’s just…Wow! That is the closest word I can think of. You gave me security and the strenght to move on, which ever the situation was. You were always there for me both the good times and the bad ones. I know that sounds like a cliché but its true! And of course not to mention all the FUN TIMES we had. From classes and field trips to parties and movies. (and much more..!) Everything was so much fun. Not only this year, but every year. This generation is the best! And the people in it rock! I really have no idea how I am going to leave without all of you.  THANK YOU! You made the best five years of my life. And I know that whatever there is to come in the journey of life, I’ll look back and remember that you are there for me. Supporting me and encouraging me, as you have always done. True friends last forever. And I really mean forever. We need to stay in contact so that 20 years from now we’ll still know what is going on in each others lives. I wish you all the best of luck through your years. You will always be in my heart. Forever. Friends like you are not found everywhere, and they have a very speacial place in my heart. You know who you are, who I’m talking about. Thank you again! Never forget me.

• “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” 
• “Friendship is one mind in two bodies. 
• “Best friends are like diamonds, precious and rare”                                                          
• “If your friends jumped off a bridge would you jump too? No, I would be at the bottom to catch them” 
• “Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don’t say.”
• “A true friend is someone who knows there’s something wrong even when you have the biggest smile on your face.”
• “The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit with all day, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.”
• “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”
• “A good friend remembers what we were and sees what we can be.”
• “A friend is someone who reaches out for your hand…and touches your heart.”
• “A best friend is a sister that destiny forgot to give you.”
• “Friends are the bacon bits in the salad bowl of life.”

Those are some friendship quotes that I believe to be very true. Friendship is the last piece on the puzzle of life. Think about it. It is. Friends play an important role in our lives, or at least in mine. Friendship is a way to share experiences with someone else, both good and bad. When there is a bad experience, you get through it and move on, making it stronger. There are times when the only people you want to see are your friends, and other times when you don’t even want to see them. On times were you don’t want to see them, or you feel like being alone, what will a friend do? Well, they may just take it personal and think you don’t like them. On the other hand, a good friend will understand your situation and let you know that they are there for you if you need anything. When you don’t understand your homework, what will a friend do? They may try to explain it, and then if you don’t get it they’ll tell you to ask the teacher. That’s not what all friends will do, though. A good friend will stay up late until you understand every bit of it and can do it on your own. When you need advice on anything, from what to tell your mom to what to do with a love relationship, who will give that advice to you? A good friend, a real friend.

These are the type of people that should be in your life. They are the diamonds in life. Actually, not even diamonds, precious rare gems. They are hard to find, but impossible to live without! Friends are people you can count on, and that you know will always be there for you. The best part is that these true friends will always listen to you. You can tell them anything and trust them, and they’ll listen. They’ve got your back, and they have a million ways to make you happy. Other than be there for you, they are the people that make you have fun. Friends make life enjoyable and joyful. They joke around with you, laugh at your jokes and make you look on the bright side of things.

Sometimes, when there is a conflict, friends stop talking to each other. It has happened to me, and maybe it is because I am mad at them and for the moment I won’t talk to them. I just realized how big of a mistake that is! Any small conflict should not stop the friendship from growing like fruits in an orchard. Many times, the conflicts make the relationship stronger. Other times, they just ruin it and it is not worth it. One time I invited two friends to my house, but didn’t tell another one. When she asked me what I was doing that night, I told her I couldn’t do anything. This made me feel bad not only because I had lied to her, but because I had left her out. I don’t know why I didn’t invite her, I guess I wanted to spend time with the other two. Later she found out, and of course didn’t know why I didn’t invite her. She thought I just lied to her because I didn’t want her there. We didn’t talk for some time, until one day she came up to me and asked me about that day. I told her the truth, and I think she understood. She told me that instead of lying I could have said the truth, and she was right. I guess I didn’t want to tell her about the plans. I think this broke the boundary that had been keeping us from taking. This is good because I really needed her in my life.

This is what friendship means to me, and it may not mean the same to you. I got the meaning from the wonderful friends I have. Without saying a word, they told me what friendship is about. Maybe these things are not true for every friendship, but they are true for what I have experienced. All I can say is I am lucky I have found such good friends that made my life better. These people walked into my life, and they just won’t leave! Haha, I’m kidding. They walked into my life and stayed in my heart. I know that no matter what happens, and no matter where we are in the world, we are always going to be best friends forever. Or like some people call it- BFF. “It’s not just the initials that matter, it’s the promise behind it,” as my amazing friend said it. She is absolutely right. I won’t just sign at the bottom of a letter: BFF, Andrea. I only write it when it is true, and I want to write it in all of my friends’ papers! I want to be best friends forever with them. That is because they made such an impact on my life, (a good one) that I know I will never be able to forget them, even if I want to. Just to make it clear, I would not want to forget them! “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”

P.D Thank you to those people that walked into my life and left their footprints. I will always remember you!!