Marie-Luise Gotthardt

2003-04 Inbound from Germany

Date of Birth: August 12, 1986
Hometown: Großbrembach, Germany
Sponsor: Weimar Rotary Club, District 1950, Germany

Host: Southpoint Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA
School: Mandarin High School

Luise's Bio

 Hey, I am Luise! I am from Germany, living in a village with 1000 inhabitants. I have a younger brother who is 6 years old and an older sister, 22 years old. Then I have a dog, goat, geese, and sheep. My mother is a nurse and my father is a policeman. My school in Germany is a secondary school and there are maybe 1000 students.

I came to America because I'd like to have fun and of course to learn the American language. But I didn't have a choice to come to Florida. I am interested in playing volleyball, basketball, and piano, and those are my hobbies too. I think I'd like to become a police officer too, but I am not really sure. 

Arrival in Jacksonville

October 1 Journal

Hey,

I am Luise and I am an exchange student from Germany. I have been here for a month and a few weeks and I want to say I like it really well so far. I enjoyed my trip in the airline but I didn’t like the start because I thought that I must throw up and I really didn’t felt good. When I arrived from the airplane I was sure who my family is. My little, sweet host sisters Peyton, Kenedy and Hunter let me feel that I am a part of the family. With their big signs did I know that these must be my family. Then at home I got my own room, which looks very nice and my own bathroom. My family has a dog, which barks the whole day and a cat that lives in the outside.

My first time at school was great and I met very fast new friends. I was surprised how big the school is and how many students there are.

I like my classes at school but my favorite class is Speech because we have always fun and there is a nice harmony. The first time at school wasn’t very easy for me but all students, teachers and of course my host family were ready to help me. Furthermore I play Volleyball at school which is coached by my host mother, Tammie. She knows how she has to train her Volleyball girls and I am glad to be a part of them. Every Friday we have practice in the morning at 5’o clock, which means that I have to get up at 4 am.

My host father Robert or Rob loves to sing Elvis songs and to watch football games like the whole family, too. I think I have to like it, too because you are a real American if you like football. Sometimes, at the weekend there are games at school or other places but I don’t have to go with my family to the games. They let me go out with friends. I spend the most time with the sister from my host mother, Hope. We usually go to movies or to concerts, which is a lot of fun. Hope is a really nice person and I like it to go out with her.

I learned to like the American food because I figured out that the American people like to eat chicken. And I think that this will be my first time that I eat so much chicken. But that’s not bad - I like chicken, too.

My host family and me are going every Sunday to church and I love the church. There is so much fun and so much entertainment and I love to listening and singing the church music.

I am very happy and had so much luck to come in this family and I hope to stay the whole year with the Talley family because I know they will show me “The way of American life”.

December 19 Journal

The time passed very fast over and I improved my language very well. My time at school is very well and I think it is much easier then in my school. I got some good grades but also bad grades. I have nice friends at school who are helping me if I have some problems with understanding.

I went with my host mother to the Homecoming dance, I also had a great time and I was wearing a pretty long black dress, with curly dark brown hair.

We still go to church every Sunday. I am going every Sunday night to a small group and we talk about God and say prayers for people who do we love and want to help. I also have a lot of fun there, because all these girls are really nice and friendly. I like to be together with this group.

Days ago, my host family and me went to the fair and we had lots of fun.  When we went to the fair the kids couldn’t get enough of the rides and me, too. My host mother and me rode a ride called Fire-ball. It looked the first time very scary but it was much fun.

The sister of my host mother had a birthday and she was going to turn 19. We went to dinner and after that we went to bowling. We had a really great time.

On the 4th of December me and the other exchange students went to Disney World Orlando. My friends and me from the other countries had such a great time. We had so much fun with all of riding the rides and visiting in Epcot, which is one of the four parks, my country Germany. When I came there the first thing I did was buying some German candies like Haribo or Milka chocolate. They also had German food like Bratwurst but I didn’t eat this.

At the evening in Epcot was a big fireworks show, which was really pretty and I enjoyed it a lot.

Everyone was sad when we had to leave each other because everyone found new friends and everyone enjoyed the time in Disney World. But in the next time we will be together again by the Keys and we will have a great time again.

Soon we have Christmas and I need to buy some presents for my family. We will have a big Christmas party and we will sing a lot of Christmas songs.

I am excited about my new experience to celebrate Christmas in America and I hope that everyone will have a great Christmas time.

                        Marie- Luise