NAVARRE — When Lidia Sanchez Cortes went back to Spain this month, she took a lot more than memories of high school.
In less than a year, she traveled to Alabama, San Francisco, Disney World, Disneyland and Universal Studios. She swam with manatees, played on a giant water slide, toured the Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta, visited New Orleans and rode on a personal watercraft.
“We decided this could possibly be the only time we do this and wanted this year to be about her,” said Jane Richard, Lidia’s foreign exchange program mother. “We wanted to show her as much of the country as we could.”
Jane and her husband, London, had wanted to participate in a foreign exchange program for some time.
In addition to traveling extensively with Lidia, who turned 17 while she was here, they got her into high school and club soccer and went to her games.
“We figured there would be some transition time, but it was just very easy,” Jane said. “We were lucky.”
Lidia left June 14, but the Richards hope to stay in touch and perhaps visit her in Spain someday.
Jane said they have tentatively made plans to visit her in Spain.
“Miss her?” she said. “Yes, yes, we are going to miss her.”
Contact Daily News Assignment Editor Wendy Victora at 850-315-4478 or wvictora@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @WendyVnwfdn.