I've been another time surprised by how the people were friendly and nice to me. Jeff my host father was there for the gala of challenge air an organization in which he is one of the most active participants. We got to try the Tex-Mex restaurants and to visit a little bit of the city. That was a very interesting trip, I really like Texans, they are one of my favorite people now, besides I really loved their accent t: ).

For thanksgiving my host family and I, went to NYC and Boston.

Usually in France when you speak about the USA you always think about New York City and the Skyscrapers, Manhattan the Brooklyn Bridge. You can imagine that I was completely psyched about this trip. The first day I could walk around Chinatown, while Jeff and Susan had a meeting at the Hotel. That was awesome !!!! Half of the people didn't speak English, all signs were in Chinese, the streets were full of people all day long and most of stores were like an open market. This night we ate at a Chinese restaurant that wasn't so good, which is kind of weird when you think about it!! The Day after we went into a bus tour to visit all monuments and sites: Statue of liberty, WTC memorial, Empire State Building¦

This day was special; it was the beginning of the reconstruction of the WTC buildings, I was happy to hear that, after 5 years finally they do something!

We ate at a Peruvian restaurant in Brooklyn with Jeff daughter that was very nice but kind of tiring at the end with all this walking around the city.

The day after we rented a car to go over Boston for Thanksgiving, in the morning I quickly bought some souvenirs and presents in Chinatown: that was so cool you can discuss all prices, it remembered me Morocco and the South of France in the open market where everybody discuss everything. Thanks to my grandmother (she's from the south and taught me how to make good deal...) I could get a whole bench of perfumes for $20 I love NYC souvenirs for some really good prices ; )

At the end of this trip I became very famous in the Chinatown streets, because half of the sellers were from the Maghreb countries, so they were very happy to speak French that’s also maybe why I could get such good deals! lol.

So this same day we took the car to go over Boston: 4 hours of driving plus one to get out of NYC!! Boston is a very nice city with prestigious university like Harvard, and with a lot of history, (not like in Europe but still a little bit haha!!). We spent the two thanksgiving days over Susan's brother's house outside of Boston. I really appreciated to spend this traditional day with her family everybody were very nice and the dinner was so goooooood ! The weather was kinda rainy and very very cold but we didn't care since we just stayed in the house, watching the football game lol. The day after we just looked around Boston at the sunset time from the top of the prudential building, that was very pretty.

And then it was already time to come back to Fort Lauderdale!! What a shame. These days were the coolest week in my life!!

I hope you could feel what I experienced during these different trips, and give you another reason to do this exchange program. I thank everybody especially my host parents and the rotary for letting me enjoyed this trips.

2*Disney trip

November was the month of fun trips over the US. After going to the keys, NYC, Boston with the Rotary we went to Disney World in Orlando.

Yeahhhhh so cool, meet again all exchange students have fun and enjoy!! First I thought it would be a little too much Disney too much childish but after everybody said that was awesome I started to really look forward this event. We took the car, I was with john my counselor and the two Bahamas kid (lol) and drove to Orlando. The same day we went in the first park MGM, that was cool and this same night we got to see all the other exchange students from others districts that was awesome to see all these people, everybody got along well with everybody. Also finally see other French was tight !!

We got to see the magical kingdom, epcot and the animal kingdom during these days. I think everybody enjoyed it and had a lot of fun!!! But like usual that was too short and we had to get back to south Florida and school, all good things must have an end !!

3*Christmas time is the more difficult time for the exchange students they said, well for me that was a total blast, looool I didn't see the time pass so much it was fun.

The 24^th I went to John's Sister's house for the Christmas Eve, a lot of food presents and fun. I really enjoyed speaking with every body and felt the Christmas family spirit, like if I would be in my family.

The day after: direction Jeff's brother's house for a Christmas breakfast. Kind of new for me, with a lot of traditional food! Then in the evening we got back again for the big dinner, there again I really felt a lot of joy and fun when being around this united and sweet family.

To sum up this Christmas time wasn't too bad for me but very fun and happy. To give presents and receive some was as usual very cool but also to have a package from France from my whole family was very nice. Merry Xmas to all of you!!

4*This last week of the year 2006, we organized a fun week with all the exchange students of the district. That was a lot of preparation to get the Bahamas students, Pelin and Carlos, to come over seas!! Thanks to my host parents they could stay in my house during this week, we had to take them at the port at 10 30 pm finally we arrived in my house at 2 am lol a little bit late.

Next day we organized a big BBQ at the condo of my host parents, that was a total success everybody had fun. The end of the week was half the time in a mall and other half in party lol. But it was too fast; at the end of the year they have to come back to the Bahamas for the junkanoo, while we all got together at Ari's place to celebrate together this New Year.

Even if that was a lot of work I think that was worthwhile, we have a lot of fun during this week.