Hey fellow Rotarians and friends!
How is everyone doing?
I'm doing extremely great!
I took such a long time again to write my 3rd report.
So now I'm going to write since the beginning of December.
I don't know if I remembered everything but I tried to.
I was supposed to be out of school for Xmas brake in December 12th,
but we had the Disney trip so I talked to each teacher to let me do
all the final exams before than everybody. I did everything and I got
straight to go to Orlando. And I did very well in my report card,
everybody was amazed and saying congratulations you did better than
many students who are from here. I'm so glad I got a GPA 3.50 this is
an A! Anyway...
My Xmas brake was almost one month this is pretty long, they say that
is normally two weeks. Well many things happened! But the best trip
ever was DISNEY WORLD TRIP! I had a wonderful time oh my God we had so
much fun. I want to go back man! All those rides we went to, laughing
all the time, we took plenty pictures I even had to go to a Kodak
store to get my memory stick card empty, then after I got lost and I
went back to the hotel it was funny lol. The hotel we stayed was
perfect! All the new friends we made from all over the world now I
have friends in plenty countries I can go for a big tour soon lol.
Specially John Aquino with us! He makes me laugh so bad and would not
be the same without him, because he knows the good rides and best
places to go, so he helped a lot and we did not waste time. Thank you
again John for hosting me just for 2 days, it was a short time but it
was cool. Is a place where every single person enjoy it does not
matter the age!
As soon as I came back from US, I went to Nassau, capital of The
Bahamas, with my school. We went by boat, which was so rocky, moving
and shaking all night I could not even sleep. We went for the Junior
Junkanoo parade, is a typical Bahamian dance. Many groups or schools
compete with each other, they perform in a big avenue dancing, jumping
up and down, screaming, going crazy, having fun, listening to the song
that is played by the members during the parade, wearing big and
pretty costumes. It reminded me the Carnival in Brazil some things are
very similar. Actually I did not know that I was supposed to rush in
Junkanoo, and then they told me when we were there already at the
night before. I was like oh my Goodness I don't even know what to do,
I'm a free dancer I'm going to stay right in the front, anyhow I
practiced just one time, bought the costume, fixed it and went to the
place. I was so nervous, concentrated, looking at all that people on
the bleachers, the TV, many photographers, etc... After a while I
started moving, dancing and whistling very loud, I lost the shame very
quick though. I guess I did a good job for the first time, and like
Bahamians say I carried on bad! My school came in second, but we were
supposed to win, they cheated us!
A reporter from the local TV interviewed me in Nassau. I was happy
that I could understand everything she said and I spoke good as well.
Cj, his daddy and I went ride around the city, we went for a fast tour
they showed me a little bit of Nassau and we went to the best and most
beautiful hotel in The Bahamas, Atlantis, to visit the big aquarium
and take pictures. I saw all kind of fishes; such as dolphins, sharks,
the most big stingray I've ever seen, starfishes, conch shell, sea
horses, etc... Finally I ate fried conch and conch salad for the first
time. Those taste good oh yea!
Back to Freeport... Cj, Max and I went to an 18 years old party of two
friends, Jenna and Laura in a Yacht Hotel. This party was off the
chains! We danced, ate, and talked a lot all night. Some guys pushed
Max to the pool I was killing myself laughing lol!
Merry Christmas!!! My Xmas over here was good right but kind of weird
and quiet. At this time I really missed friends and my family, but I
was OK! In Xmas Eve we did not do anything, we stayed at home. And in
Brazil we normally go to church and throw a big party in Xmas Eve, all
family and some friends get together and wait until midnight and then
give the gifts and eat. One thing in common is that we also get
together in Xmas day at lunch time and ate a lot over here too, oh my
God I thought I'd burst. The entire family went to my aunt's house and
we had white rice, peas n' rice, macaroni, potato salad, fish, turkey,
chicken, ham, conch fritters, cheese cake, guava cake, ice cream,
etc... I gave some presents but not all of them because some was
coming from Brazil by mail and The Bahamas' post office suck ohhh it's
so slow. But I got it though after one month.
In The Bahamas there is the Boxing Day, is the day after Xmas day. We
still had more parties to go, I went to one in Chassarie's friend
house, where I met Lorine, the German girl who came to The Bahamas two
years ago for exchange program, she came over to visit her friends and
host families.
One day before New Year's Eve. I went to the theatre in Out Lucaya to
watch a famous Bahamian comedy play. Mrs. Daisy a drunk woman who does
much foolishness and is completely funny she is so good man! Somebody
told her about a person who is from Brazil and was there then she
mentioned myself during the play, I felt so important! Of course I got
a picture with her and with all the cast in the end. And my friends
and I had dinner right there in Port Lucaya.
Happy New Year! 2008! In New Year's Eve we went to the church about
11pm and we got out about 1am. The turned from old year to the New
Year was inside the church, this was a very different experience for
me. In Brazil we've never done it. It was pretty quiet comparing to my
country. After church we went to a party in a lady's house whose
birthday is in 31st so she always throws this party after the mass.
And then in New Year's Day we went to another party in Chas' friend
house. I can say that in the month of December WE REALLY ATE A BUNCH
OF FOOD!!!
The Big Junkanoo Parade and Junior Junkanoo happened again but this
time in Freeport, Max and I rushed representing Rotary Club of Lucaya
and our schools. They showed us on TV again and everybody saw me. We
became important in this city, it's a small city everyone knows
everyone. Rotary came in 5th and my school THE WILDCATS came in 1st we
won!!! Our principal gave us pizza and drinks for free to commemorate.
I started the New Year in a new family, new house, new everything! I
changed family in the January 2nd to David Long; he is a Rotarian who
is in Rotary for the most period of time, 30 years. He's got a big
house, with pool, diving board, lives by the canal, 2 boats, a
wonderful garden that he did by himself, a pit bull called Maya, 2
cats, etc... He has a girlfriend, Terry she comes over everyday, she
is an artist and she is very, very cool! Before Xmas he adopted a 3
years old girl from Peru, she just speaks Spanish, is being very funny
our communication inside this house. I've got a nice room I'm really
enjoying a lot live here, thank you for everything you've been doing!
David loves to go for a boat ride, to dive, to snorkel, to lobster, to
fish, to travel to others island, I'm sure I'm going to have plenty
good experiences living here, he also cooks very well, ohhh I'm eating
a lot I better go back to the gym if not...lol Last Sunday was his
birthday, was very hot we swam at the afternoon and at night he cooked
lamb and potatoes and his sons came for dinner! He is very nice,
outgoing, happy, intelligent, and hard-working and knows a bit of
everything. Now he is off of work because he got a crack in his ankle.
Time is flying we are in the middle of January already. School
re-opened last week, I was not ready yet lol! But anyways I have to
start moving, and study harder than I was because now is the final
term. I joined in SAT classes because exams coming up soon, I want to
do very well in those exams to apply for scholarships in USA and get
one! I noticed that my English is better and always improving each
day. I picked up the Bahamian dialect already; people say I sound like
Bahamian when I'm talking hahaha!
Last Tuesday I did a presentation in our club over here, a speech
about my country. I tried to show every single detail about my
country, I'm sure I represented it very well, the members of rotary
enjoyed it and I was encouraged to do it over in another Rotary Club.
And the next day I was right in the front page of the newspapers.
Pictured; Liz, the President, Steven, my councilor and I, also in the
second page a big picture of me during my speech and an interview
sharing my thrilled experience in the exchange program. I'm becoming a
STAR here hahaha just joking! In addition, all the places I went to
the people were saying ''I saw you on TV and in the papers''! LOL
This weekend coming Max is going to come over in my house to stay four
days because his host parents are going away. Is going to be fun and
then we are going to Ft. Lauderdale together on Sunday to the Sea
camp! We are very excited I can't wait! So see all you soon...
I WILL BE ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR ROTARY! THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS
TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY!!
Peace and take care all!!!
Cheers,
Enrico. |
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