Gonzalez-Palou checks in

Malta has been host to many foreign exchange students over the years, but 2020 has presented the world with a complex issue that ended the school year early.

This week, the PCN caught up with Alba Gonzalez-Palou, Selva, Islas Baleares, Spain, to see things from her point of view. Gonzalez-Palou, who had participated in M-ette Basketball, was excited to participate in track and field but due to the COVID-19 virus, schools across the country shut down causing an end to both track and the foreign exchange program. Gonzalez-Palou was sent home.

She said that her favorite part of the experience was living in Malta because it reminded her of her hometown. She also said that she loved the people here in Malta as well as Malta High School.

The foreign-exchange program is something that Gonzalez-Palou highly recommends to students that are interested.

"Being an exchange student is the best thing I have ever done in my entire life," she said. "I recommend doing it to whoever that can because you experience a lot of things."

She said that the program changes your life because you make new friends, learn another language, and live with a different family. During her time in Malta, Alba lived with Shayne and Carly Bishop of Malta; They left quite the impression.

"They are the best host family I could have," Gonzalez-Palou said. "They cared about me so much and they made me feel like home. I love them so much and I miss them."

Alba found out that she had to return home on Saturday, March 21. She said that it was the worst feeling ever because she didn't have time to do anything with the friends that she had made in Malta and she didn't even have the chance to say goodbye because she was given less than one week.

Spain has the highest number of COVID-19 related deaths per million people in the world, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control website. The number was approximately 438 per one-million people on Monday, April 20.

"On the way back home we (Alba and Mario Sanchez-Pando) had to wear face masks, gloves, and whatever we touched we had to clean our hands with sanitizer," Gonzalez-Palou said.

When she arrived home, her parents had been in lockdown for 15 days. Gonzalez-Palou had been in lockdown for a month before she was contacted by the PCN, and she hopes that the lockdown in Spain will end on Saturday, May 9.

As far as finishing her academics, Gonzalez-Palou said that Malta High School gave her a transcript that said she was done for the year but fears of being behind for next year, so she reached out to her high school in Spain.

"Here, my friends, are still working in an online class because they have three more months to finish school," Gonzalez-Palou but I'm working on what they did during the time I wasn't here, for example, Math and Chemistry because they are the more difficult subjects."

Gonzalez-Palou has adjusted back to life in Spain, but things were different at first. She said that she couldn't believe that she was back. She told her friends that it felt weird talking in her own language again. Gonzalez-Palou was asked if she wanted to share some thoughts and memories.

"Well, the best memory for me was the basketball tournaments," she said. "It was so awesome and amazing, I really miss that. The last week it was awesome too, I shot a gun for my first time. I spent a lot of time with my friends and I had so much fun!

She said that she really misses Stretch's Pizza, and the people of Malta, and added she is so glad that she got to know citizens of the town.

"Ultimately, I'm for sure I'm coming back next summer when it gets warm," she said excitedly.