“My Judgment ” Over the last six months, there have been many thoughts jumbling in my mind at cause of what I have experienced so far. We are asked to write monthly reports and they are so suppose to express a summary of what is going on and what we are doing. I hope who ever reads this doesn’t think I am crazy or that being an exchange student is a big mistake. I am just telling you people out there in cyberspace of what is going on my mind and how I feel from time to time. There have been many opinions that people have expressed to me. The opinions of others towards me have kept me reevaluating myself and have made me angry at times. I have kept evaluating nonstop for nearly six and I am honestly tried. I can see that I have change for the better but something’s about me don’t change. I still get annoyed when someone younger then me tries to boss me around, I still tell people the truth about anything regardless if they like it, and I still have the mentally of a 17 year old Hispanic kid that was born in a poor ass country in Central American and who knows what I have now can disappear in an instant and that tomorrow my entire family can be back in Honduras living a life with a small chance of success. People think that just because I live in the states that everything is cool, that life is all gravy all the time, and that school in America is so easy because they see me struggling like a fat man trying to squeeze into a pair of jeans that are too small. I am opened minded about the French way of life and society but it really sucks hearing so many people criticize the American society and way of life. I wasn’t born in the US but I am forever grateful because the US has given my entire family an opportunity to do something for the better in their lives. It annoys the crap out of me when people aren’t pleased with my attitude, my outlook on life and the level of my maturity. At times, I feel like am being treated like a little kid because people tell me Jorge you have your vegetable to be a “bonne garcon” which is the French equivalent for a good boy or that your attitude is of a 7 year old just because I took the seat of my host sister on a public bus. Its these brief and stupid moment when I really want to flick someone off or smack someone upside there head for ever thinking of me as a 7 year old. If I were a 7 years old I would flick someone off or smack the person upside the head for saying those smart-alecky comments but the fact is that I am 17 years old and that I can control myself and not let my emotions get the best of me. If there has been anything that has bothered me the most of anything that I have heard or seen while here in France was when some old fart attending a “Governors Dinners” made a smart and stupid comment to me while I was having a conversation with him. He was holding a glass of champagne in his right hand, had the most screwed up English accent that I have ever heard, and was wearing a suit. This old fart said to me “ Rotary here in France is only for the high-class people and the Rotary back in the states was only the” middle and lower class people” .I didn’t break this olds fart mouth for three reason. One I didn’t want to be arrested for assault again a senior citizen, Two I didn’t want to be sent home and Third because if I would of broken this olds fart trap the Rotary clubs here in France many not accept any future exchange student from the US. It surprises me how ignorant and self-centered people can be just because they have more money then anybody else and that they are considered the” higher class’’. I’d rather be an average blue collared middle American who wake up every morning and goes to work and bust there behinds to make there money and drinks a beer or soda when they get home cause they are tried and not some self centered, ignorant, high class old French fart that drinks champagne when they get home from work. I hope who ever reads this doesn’t think I am crazy or that being an exchange student is a big mistake. I am just telling you people out there in cyberspace of what is going on my mind and how I feel from time to time. Jorge Toro Outbound 2003-2004