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​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

​Sofía had always dreamed of leaving Chile to explore new places, but she had never actually left her country before. When her cousin Ben invited her to visit him in New York, she felt both thrilled and nervous. "I’m going to see so many new things!" she thought. But she also wondered, "What if I don’t understand anything? My English isn’t perfect!"

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

​The night before her flight, Sofía couldn’t sleep because she was too excited. She kept imagining all the things she would see when she arrived. Finally, morning came, and her mom took her to the airport. As Sofía said goodbye, her mom smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Sofía. You’re going to have a fantastic time!”

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

When she got on the plane, she tried to relax, but her thoughts kept racing. Sofía was reading a travel guide when the flight attendant suddenly spoke to her. “Would you like something to drink?” the attendant asked. Sofía froze for a moment, but then she remembered the phrase she had practiced. “Yes! I would like a water, please.” The flight attendant smiled and handed her a bottle. As soon as she took a sip, Sofía started to feel a little more confident.

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

After the long flight, Sofía finally arrived in New York. As she was walking through the airport, she noticed how everything seemed louder and bigger than in Chile. People were rushing everywhere, and she could only understand a few words when they spoke. While she was looking around, a kind stranger noticed her confusion and asked, “Are you okay?”

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

Sofía replied, “Yes... but I... I need to find my cousin.” The stranger pointed to the exit and said, “Maybe he’s waiting for you outside.” Sofía thanked him and made her way to the exit, hoping she would find Ben soon.

When she stepped outside, she saw Ben waving at her with a big smile. Sofía felt so relieved! She ran to him and said, “Ben! I made it!” Ben laughed and hugged her. “Welcome to New York, Sofía! Are you ready for an adventure?” Sofía laughed and said, “Yes! I want to see everything!”

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

Their first stop was a famous diner nearby. When they arrived, Sofía looked at the menu, and everything looked new and strange. “What is a pancake? And what are hash browns?” she asked, confused. Ben explained, and finally, Sofía said, “Okay, I’m going to try pancakes and hash browns!” As soon as her food arrived, Sofía’s eyes went wide. “These pancakes are huge!” she said. She took a bite and exclaimed, “Wow, this is delicious!”

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

After breakfast, they decided to go to Times Square. While they were walking through the busy streets, Sofía couldn’t believe her eyes. There were enormous screens above the buildings, bright lights everywhere, and people from all over the world. “This is incredible!” she said. She quickly took out her phone to take a selfie with Ben. "Smile!" she told him, and they took silly photos together.

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

Later, Sofía noticed a hot dog stand across the street. “I would like a hot dog!” she said excitedly. As they walked across the street, she practiced what she was going to say. When they got to the stand, Sofía tried her best English: “I would like... one hot dog, please.” The vendor handed it to her, and she took a bite. “It’s good, but... different!” she said, laughing.

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

By the time they returned to Ben’s apartment that evening, Sofía was exhausted but happy. She sat on the couch, smiling at her cousin. “Ben, today was so much fun, but it was also crazy! Thank you for helping me. My English isn’t very good, but you’re so patient.”

​Sofía’s Wild Adventure in the USA

Ben laughed and said, “Your English is getting better every minute! And tomorrow, I’m going to take you to the Statue of Liberty!” Sofía’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can’t wait! This trip is amazing,” she said, feeling proud of herself.

As she closed her eyes that night, Sofía thought, “This was only the first day, and already, I feel like I’m in a whole new world.”