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Hello
Rotarians and friends!
Finally I managed to write my first report! I’m gonna write since my
arrival in Miami, August 31st. My temporary host family was there waiting
for me; Bjorn, Billie and Peter, also Roy. I met Bjorn in Brazil when he
did exchange program, anyway. I spent just 10 days in Fort Lauderdale, but
it was enough to explore the area, have so much fun and know different
people, places, culture and food. In these 10 days I learnt everything
about tennis, I watched all the matches. That family love tennis hahaha!
We went to Elodie’s party, where all the inbounds met each other for the
first time, I went bowling, to the beach, shopping… Then we had the
inbound orientation, plenty rules, oh my God! I cooked for them, my
Brazilian food was delicious. I really had so much fun over there, I
enjoyed a lot! Because the family was amazing with me, they treated me
very well, I’ll never forget them and I’m extremely grateful. As well, I
had the opportunity to know two cultures, American and Bahamian, which are
so so so different!
The most waited day, come to the Bahamas, where actually, my exchange
program will start. Just because I was very anxious my flight was
canceled, I didn’t believe the time the woman said: Flight number whatever
to Freeport was canceled! Oh God, but ok. Freeport is a small city about
70 thousand inhabitants and very, very hot weather, I have a small towel I
keep drying my self all the time. We arrived in here about 5pm; my first
host family was there with friends and some members from the Rotary. I
felt very shy hahaha! Then we went to Mary’s house, my aunt, where the
whole family was there, I met everybody in that day, they were eating,
dancing, singing, parting, I could notice that my new family are very nice
in 1 day. They asked me many questions, the first time I didn’t understand
anything because here they speak so much faster than Americans, but I got
it!
I live with my host mom, Chassarie and host brother, CJ, sometimes the
other brother, BJ, comes and Brian my host father. Chas works really hard
to give us the best she can, she takes care of me like a real mom! I live
in a medium house, I have my own room and I help in everything in the
house. I really liked them, they were and they are being very cool with
me, they treated me well, helped me, took me in many places, told me
Bahamian culture. Because for me the most important thing in the exchange
program is the FAMILY, if the family is really good, make you feel
comfortable, is enough for my program be wonderful! And my family is the
best! I can say this. It doesn’t matter if they are rich or poor, or ugly
or pretty…NO, what matters is their heart! I’ll be grateful and never
forget them. They are a real family for me already!
I attend classes in Jack Hayward School, is a public school, very close to
my home. My host mom drops me and CJ and we come back on foot. My first
day was very funny and different. Everybody was looking at me and making
weird faces, everybody touching my hair and saying SOFT SOFT hahaha. What
I liked so much was the people, nobody made jokes with me and
laughed…everybody treated me very well, talked to me and introduced me…
This is very nice, so I feel comfortable. I’m a senior and I chose
Academic Science course, and Spanish as an elective class, which is very
similar to Portuguese. The school is big, but what goes on the school is
very different of my school in Brazil, over here we change classes all the
periods, it starts 9am and ends 3pm, it means we have lunch in school, the
uniform is funny, I’ve never used this kind of uniform before, there are
many fights, like every week I see fights hahaha, but the rules are
strict! I’m doing well in school, I got many A’s in tests and I joined
many types of clubs and also in a Volleyball team, I’m practicing a lot
and if everything goes right we are going to Nassau for a weekend to
practice with a famous coach over there.
The first week I felt shy and I was very quiet, but now I’m OK, I made
friends I’m having so much fun I’m glad!! I went to the beach, is the most
wonderful ocean I’ve ever seen in my life man! It’s pure like a crystal;
we can see fishes and stuffs under water very clear. I got a sun tan
already that’s good because I’m very white hahaha! I went fishing 2 times
with CJ’s daddy, Charles who is very nice he showed me many places, took
me to have the best ice cream in the city and sometimes take food for us
in school! It was very cool, but I didn’t catch any fish; however I saw a
little shark, an eel and a big stingray. I got plenty bites on my body, I
was like I was with chickenpox hahaha. I went to a resort to swim in a big
pool with a waterfall, it was amazing. I went to the Bowling Alley with a
group called GGYA that I joined; I went to the cinema, to watch a comedy
movie very funny eating nachos and popcorn! I went to Port Lucaya 4 times
with family and friends, is a port where people meet, there are pubs,
shows, good restaurants, dances, games area, etc…
I went to Max another exchange student’s house last Sunday we swam in the
pool and in the canal and went diving with a mask and snorkels, we jumped
from the boat; we did a boat ride very cool with his host father, we saw
many dolphins and he had a very good dinner cooked by Greg, Max’s house
father!
Over here I go to the church every Sunday, like in Brazil, is very
beautiful and here people go to the church very well-dressed, like wearing
clothes that I wear to go to a wedding in Brazil hahaha!
Something that I really appreciated, was the food, oh God! The food is
wonderful! Is spicy, we have rice, beans, chicken, pork, potatoes, hot
dogs, corn, fish, lobster and the famous Bahamian macaroni and conch. All
these foods taste so good I’m eating a lot haha!
Here is not so good to go shopping because everything is so so expensive!
People here wear really large clothes is so funny, everybody say my
clothes are tight, but it is what I wear in Brazil haha! And they don’t
use knives often to eat which is a very different habit, when I’m using a
knife they say it looks strange hahaha!
In The Bahamas almost all the population is black! This race is so lovely,
they are very happy they party a lot! I think in my school I’m the only
white haha!
I went to Rotary Club of Lucaya once with my councilor, Steve who is being
very nice with me and giving our money hahaha that’s cool, to introduce
myself and speak a little bit about what is going on, we had lunch there
it was good! I’m going this week again I intend to go every month there is
a new experience for me.
In a few days we are gonna have mid-term brake, we are going to another
island and camping in the beach with friends and family, it sounds
terrific I’m excited!
Everything has been the best experience I’ve ever had in my life; I’m
having the opportunity to know all new habits, culture, different way to
live, etc. Time has been passed very fast! I’m trying to improve my
English everyday, in all ways, I’m such better in it, I don’t have to
think so much to say and that’s good. I’m very happy and I just want to
say that I wanna have more and more fun, join in the trips that Rotary is
planning (I hope my parents can afford it!) and represent my country as
much as I can.
And of course THANKS THANKS A LOT ROTARY! GOD AND MY PARENTS!
I guess I wrote everything very detailed and I’ll send pictures soon…
Take care everybody and see yall on December in Disney World!!!
Cheers!
Enrico. =)
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