Every person has a dream, as for me I have never spoken with people from English-speaking countries and I am glad that my dream has come true! Thanks to the Club of International Friendship ”Meridian” which was opened last year in our school 82,Ulyanovsk. In our club, with our teacher Tatiana Aleksandrovna Biryukova, we organize exhibitions, send postcards and letters to our new friends all around the world, communicate with teens using e-mail, discuss world’s events. It’s so interesting for me to be a participant of an international project "Postcrossing”. I exchange postcards with people from different countries. Now I have friends from Great Britain, the USA, China, Japan, Finland and others.

    As a member of our International Club of Friendship I would like to tell about an interesting event, a meeting with an American person! It was a real Christmas Present for me. Our teachers invited Susan, a 22 year old woman, to our school. Frankly speaking, we were very excited and prepared for the meeting in advance. Pupils made collages and posters about  friendship between Russia and America, found pictures of American cities, monuments, celebrities and, of course, the map of the USA . Susan was impressed by such preparations and decorations and she liked a video card about the USA, which our pupils presented to her.

   In the beginning of the meeting Susan told us about herself.  She is an American college teacher who lives and works in New York. Susan has always been interested in Russia  that’s why she came to our town to study the  Russian history. She is  teaching students in Ulyanovsk Polytechnical University. We have learnt  much about Susan’s family, relatives and friends. She showed us her personal pictures and pictures of American attractions. She told us how American people celebrate Thanksgiving Day and what traditional dishes they prepare for this holiday. They have a tradition to collect all the family on this day.

   After her story we had an opportunity to ask her questions we were interested in. Pupils asked Susan about education in the USA, school uniform, exams, holidays, teens’ problems and many others. We were full of emotions and excitement but nevertheless we were not afraid to make mistakes using English. Susan tried to get more information about Ulyanovsk history and Russian cities we have visited, our hobbies and traditions. She was very friendly and looked happy. She is a very positive and kind person and no wonder  we had no problems with communication. We understood her easily and were so proud of ourselves. Susan promised she’ll visit our school and Club of International Friendship in Spring.

   At the end of the meeting we presented Susan with a Christmas postcard and a candle in the form of a dragon, the symbol of  2012.  It was so unexpected for her. She smiled and thanked us. She in turn presented us with several pictures of American cities and wrote Christmas wishes for us. Susan sent a Christmas postcard for our Club of international Friendship from America when she went to visit her family for Christmas holidays.

    In conclusion I should say that such informal meetings are the best way to communicate and to practise English. I’ll never forget this meeting and I think it was the best Christmas present for me in my life!