My story began on a field trip to the rainforest when I accidentally found a huge egg-like object. It was about 50cm long, weighed almost 7 kg and had a unbreakable shiny smooth shell. No one in my group had never seen nor heard about such an egg before so we took it back with us.

When we returned to school, the research began. There were so many questions to be answered and some crazy ideas popped out: What is this? Is it simply an egg of a giant mysterious animal or is it a man made object? If so – what is its purpose and – who made it? Maybe it is something the aliens left or forgot on Earth when they had to leave in a hurry – just as they left E.T. and then they returned to get him back? Then, we took some pictures of the egg and sent them to experts in different fields of science to help us solve the riddle. We even posted the pictures on the internet – but no one came with the solution. When the media heard about my unusual finding, they came to, but soon lost their interest and after a few visits decided that daily politics was more interesting for the public than something a kid had found in the jungle.

For the next seven months, I checked the egg every day to see if anything strange would happen. Day after day, and nothing happened. The egg was still there, exactly as I had found it: 50cm long, 7 kg with an unbreakable shiny smooth shell. And then, on October 7th, I was shocked to see the egg shell broken into pieces. In the middle of them, there was this not so tiny creature, nothing I had ever seen before. Its mouth was wide open so I assumed it was hungry. I gave it my sandwich and it finished it in no time. Then I did something stupid. I took it home with me and hid it in my closet. I didn't want people to perform experiments on my Eggie – the name I gave him because he came out of an egg.

I feed him every day and his favourite food is raw broccoli. At night, I take him to the garden and play with him for a while. It's getting hard to keep him a secret from my parents. My mum wonders what has happened to me because I suddenly started eating enormous amounts of vegetables.

Eggie is my top secret for about a month now. During this time he grew from about 30cm to almost 1,5m. If he continues growing with this speed, he'll soon be too big to stay in my closet. Now I'm really getting worried.

People have always wondered if there is life on other planets. I am one of those who believed that we are not alone in space and was overjoyed when astronomers got a signal from outer space, from a galaxy named WE56X, which beyond any doubt proved there is life there. More, the aliens what have sent the signal are similar to people, very friendly, and about to land here in a couple of weeks.

To my delight, I was chosen to be the head of the welcome committee and therefore responsible to present people and Earth to the aliens. For the last couple of months I have been very busy making plans and taking decisions about how to welcome the visitors and what to tell them about us. Believe me, this is not an easy job. There are many things to think about: How will we communicate, for example. I think their civilisation is far more advanced than ours, since they travelled across the universe so they will probably be able to understand us. But will we be able to understand them?

What shall I tell them about us? Is it a good idea to start with the development of the human race or shall I start with the beginning of space, as we know it?

Shall I talk about the geography and describe the different continents and the weather or is this something they already know about the Earth?

Should I mention the political situation and our religions – if so, which ones since I can't mention them all.

Is it a good idea to talk openly about the numerous problems, such as pollution, crime, overpopulation? No, probably not. It's better not to point out the bad things on our first meeting.

Last, but not least: will the aliens bring their own food with them or will they try ours? Will they drink our water or something else?

I think I am ready. All the TV channels will transmit the first meeting, so you're welcome to watch it. I hope everything will go as planned.

This is the day I've been dreaming about for ages: we're off to Mars in exactly 3 hours and 7 minutes. The day started badly – after the final examination the doctors found out that my 1st officer has pneumonia and had to be replaced by another officer. Only people in perfect health and shape may take part in such long space flights.

As the leader of the 1st expedition I have a responsible job. I have to make sure that everything goes on well not only during our long flight but also on the planet. There are 5 spaceships altogether heading to Mars: two of them will carry people and three of them will carry cargo – computers, robots, building material, a lot of water and some special bacteria that will be planted on Mars to make oxygen so that the atmosphere on Mars will enable people to breath outside.

I am in charge of two hundred people - the crew, scientists, builders, doctors, cooks, technicians, computer experts, gardeners, hairdressers to name only some of them. We need people of different professions because most of us are going to stay on Mars for a long time and we want our lives there to be as comfortable as possible. Hopefully we will be able to walk on the Mars' surface without the spacesuits and to grow the food we need in the gardens outside in about 12 years' time. After that, more people will come to live and work here permanently. I can't wait for the first baby to be born on Mars – who knows, perhaps it will be mine, since my wife is also travelling to Mars. Let the adventure begin!