November 19

Hi everybody. I'm LUIS OCTAVIO OCHOA MARQUEZ from Ecuador, I want tell you my "adventures" in this beautiful country. I arrive August 1 to United States, I was unsure of my new parents, my new house, and my new everything in my new life.

In the first week I met my host brother, he studies at FSU, Tallahassee. He is pretty cool, his friends and we went to parties; ride seadoos, fishing (that was really fun).  The parties here are different, because in my country, Ecuador, in the parties all the time we dance and have more kinds of music (Latinos), but I like here too.

Soccer yes, soccer my passion, on August 8 starts my soccer practice that was really good for my shape, because we run a lot and did many exercises.  I was the Goalkeeper, my team was pretty good, but now the season is over, and my soccer team got the 3rd position in the state, yes for the Goalie, ha ha ha.

August 21 start my school, start my new friends. The name of my school is St. Johns Country Day School and is located in Orange Park, yes really long name, but is good school.

With my family I went to all the Jaguars games, that was for me, my first time in my life I watch a live football game, those games are awesome, and right now the Jaguars have a new fan. I went to Tallahassee to help my brother move to a new house, and in that time I knew FSU, that college is huge and beautiful.

I am very happy being here, because I have been many places like Rhode Island, in this place I go to Newport and visit The NAVAL WAR COLLEGE.  I also visited St. Augustine, Alligator Farm, Ocala, Tallahassee, Daytona Beach, etc.

One of the things I never forget is I turn 18 years old in US. That was very interesting. In another time I came back to Tallahassee because I went to the football game FSU vs. Maryland, that was hilarious, that college games are more exciting than Jaguars games.

I came back to Rhode Island because I'm "uncle", my host sister has a really pretty cute baby, she turn one year old and we went there for this reason. Also I went hunting of pheasant and to catch lobsters - that was a really different experience than I never thought do it.

One of the things most incredible I did ... well I saw here, was the Blue Angels, that was really, really amazing, the best pilots in the world for my opinion.

Well ... that's over for now, but I hope have more fun, and more "adventures". Ah, I'm ready for my first Thanksgiving. 

See you soon.

LUIS

April 24

Hey everybody, remember me, I hope so, I’m Luis the Ecuadorian guy, yeah, right now you remember me, that’s good.

Hey folks I’m sorry I didn’t write sooner, but I have too much going on, many trips, incredible places with awesome people. I think this year, so far, it’s one of the best and most important of my life or probably, the best one because I’m learning many things about everywhere.  I had the opportunity to meet great people, yeah I’m talking about the others exchanges students, and of course my family, I’m really lucky in those aspects.

Anyway I think my last writing was about my first Thanksgiving Day, am I right? It was good, but you don’t imagine how much food my family had.  It was a lot. I celebrated that holiday in Rhode Island.

I had been in many places like Disney with the others exchanges students, I think we had a wonderful time with everybody, I had been in Texas for New Years, in the Bahamas, Birmingham, Alabama, because we went to see the friendly soccer game with Ecuador vs. USA, and I need to admit they were better in the field than us, but well it’s the first time they win against Ecuador, that’s pretty good, isn’t it?  I went again to Rhode Island, visit my “niece”, she is growing so fast, that’s pretty cool, I went to Orlando again but with my parents and a friend of the school, we went to Universal Studios, Island of Adventure, Sea World and Medieval Time, we had terrific time, I had been in Tallahassee again visit my “brother”, in FSU and I can tell you the college life it’s the best. 

Alright folks I want share with you the best of the best, my trip to New York City, you can’t imagine the hilarious, awesome time we had. The people on this trip were the best, the girls really pretty and friendly. We know right now the best city, in my opinion, of all the world.  I think everything was a compliment with the people, the places and the real meaning that nobody is really different. I think that was the reason which made this trip the best and of course I met 3 more Ecuadorians, it was complete.

Ok everybody I’m ready to have more fun, and experiment the life in this beautiful country, see you soon, I hope so, ha ha ha.

Bye

LUIS OCHOA

Luis' pictures from the New York City trip (click for full size):

Aboard the bus	"Russia & Ecuador"	At Central Park
Maria & Lea	The  "Brooklyn" shot	Skating at  Rockefeller Center