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Rana Machado
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2003-04 Inbound from Brazil
Date of Birth: August 16, 1986
Hometown: Lauro de Freitas, Brazil
Sponsor: Lauro de Freitas Rotary Club, District 4550, Brazil
Host: Ocala Silver Springs Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA
School: Forest High School
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| Rana's Bio |
| Arrival in Jacksonville |
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September
9 Journal - "I went to
University of Florida to see the Gators, my host family's football team
and mine too. I had a great time." |
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October
8 Journal - "Now I feel like I’m part of a family. I have two
mothers, Lynn and El, and two fathers, John and Gary, and two little
sisters, Abby and Ellie, and a little brother, Josh."
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| November 9 Journal -
"I made my first speech for my host Rotary Club. I was a little
nervous at the beginning, but then I enjoyed sharing a little bit of my
culture and myself." |
| February 1 Journal -
"We spend New Years with some friends in Atlanta. I missed Brazil
because there we really celebrate New Years, but that is ok, it’s not
better or worse, it is just different." |
| April 4 Journal - "In the
beginning sometimes I would ask myself what I’m doing here, but now I really
know what I’m doing here." |
| May 24 Journal - "It is
so interesting because you come here, and in the beginning, there are so
many things that are different. With time, you get used to it, but now that
I am totally used to it, it's time to go home." |
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Rana's
Bio
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 I'm
from Brazil. I'm 17 years old, today is my birthday! I live with my mom,
my dad, my big brother, and my dog... I live near the beach. I love to go
to the beach, hang out with my friends, listen to music, go to the movies
with my boyfriend ...
I always wanted to be an exchange student, because this opportunity
is unique, and I'll learn so much here. My school there is very cool, I
really like it! All my best friends are there, the teachers are so cool -
I really enjoy my school.
This year I hope I can learn English very well, meet a
lot of people, and grow a lot. |
Arrival
in Jacksonville
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| Above: Host dad
John and host sister Abigail welcome Rana to Florida.
Above right: Former outbound Tierney, who
spent last year in Rana's district in Brazil, was on hand to greet
Rana.
Right: District YE Committee member Ken
checks all the paperwork.
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September
9 Journal
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| Well,
every month I’m supposed to make a
journal about all the things that happened to me here…
When I arrived here in the Jacksonville airport, Tierney (an exchange
student who was in my city last year), Al Kalter, Ken Weiss, John Simons
(my host father) and Abby his cute daughter were waiting for me. My
baggage didn’t come - it decided to stay in Atlanta for a couple more
hours…
When I get here in Ocala I met my Host mother Lynn, Joshua (host
brother) and Ellie (my little host sister). I really enjoy them…
On the second day here, July 31, I went to the Rotary meeting of my
host club, Ocala Silver Springs, and get to know some of the Rotarians …
On my second week here I moved to John’s parents’ house, Gary and
Eleanor, they are wonderful people.
My first day at school was ok, very different, just on my lunch time I
didn’t like it because I didn’t know anyone. My second day at school
was very good, I started to meet some people and now I have some friends…
On the weekend (August 16, 17) all the Rotary exchange students get
together at the Montgomery Camp. It was very good, I met all the other
exchange students from all over the world - was a great experience .August
16 was my birthday, I turned seventeen, was very different and good. I had
a lot of fun with my new friends…
On the Saturday 23, I went scalloping with John, Lynn, Chery and Will (Chery
is Gary’s sister). We went to Crystal River, a very beautiful place, was
very fun, and I get the chance to be in sea water….
On Saturday 30, I went to University of Florida in Gainesville to see
The Gators, my host family's football team and mine too. I had a great
time…
This month here was very good. I miss home sometimes, the beach… but
I’m really enjoying here, I’m making friends, my host family is really
good .I really like them…
This year I know that will be a wonderful year and I want to say thanks
to everybody that make it possible, my family, my Rotary in Brazil (Rotary
Club de Lauro de Freitas), my Host Rotary (Ocala Silver Springs), the
district 6970, my host family, Gary, Eleanor, John, Lynn and the kids.
Rana |
October
8 Journal
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| September
was a very busy month. I did a lot of things. I made more friends, and I’m
getting better at school. I just have some difficult in my English class
because we have to read a lot and the teacher asks some difficult
questions. But my grade is ok.
Now I feel like I’m part of a family. I have two mothers, Lynn and El
and two fathers, John and Gary, and two little sisters, Abby and Ellie,
and a little brother, Josh, (John’s and Lynn’s kids). I also have my
real parents and my real big brother. I have a lot of friends at school
and some good friends.
This month I went to Daytona Beach. I went with Kate and Misa, two
other exchange students, and their host parents. They are in other
exchange program and in the same house. In Daytona Beach I was walking on
the beach and met some of the Rotary exchange students: Pauline, Natasha,
Lars, and Sara making their sand castle. It was good to met them again. We
should get together soon.
So this month was really fun!!! |
November
9 Journal
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| In
the beginning of October I made my first speech for my host Rotary Club,
Ocala Silver Springs. I was a little nervous on the beginning but, then I
enjoyed sharing a little bit of my culture and myself.
October was very exciting, because I started to practice
for the soccer tryouts. To get into the varsity team, I should run 1 mile
and a half in 12 and a half minutes, and I’m a terrible runner. But one
of my host dads, John, practiced running with me, and helped me a lot, not
only him but the whole family were excited and supported me. When the
tryouts came they all wanted to know if I was on the team. I did 1mile and
half in 13 min, but that was the best time that I ever had so, I’m
really glad. Now I’m on the junior varsity (A) team, and I’m loving
it. My first game will be this Tuesday November 11th, and I hope that we
play well. |
February
1 Journal
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| I
can't believe that we are already in February. The time went by so fast
that I didn’t have time do my journals.
Well let me tell you what happened with me in those
months.
On thanksgiving morning, me and John Simons, my
counselor, and kind of one of my host dads, we ran a 5k race. Was very
good, I was a little tired on the end but I really liked it. It was the
first time that I was in a race, I didn’t win or anything but I did it
in a good time.
In the afternoon we went to Grandpa Simons lake house,
we paddle the canoe, and we had Thanksgiving dinner, lots of food, and
football. I had a wonderful time, with the whole family celebrating
together.
In the beginning of December, all the exchanges students
and the Rotary chaperones went to Disney. That was one of the best trips
ever, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! There I met other exchange students from
other districts and from all over the world. I had lots of fun!!!
Also in December, I went to mountain bike with John.
That was so cool, I was a little bit afraid of some hills, but I did some
of them. I also went to a couple of Gators basketball games, with Gary,
and that was very cool too!!!
Christmas was very good. I didn’t feel that was really
Christmas, but was close to it. And I really enjoy it.
A few days after Christmas, I went with John, Lynn and
the kids to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I really enjoy it, I saw snow for the
first time, I didn’t see falling but I saw it on the ground, and I ski.
On the other day we went to the Aquarium, it was so cool, lots of sharks,
and neat fishes. We spend New Years with some of the Simons friends in
Atlanta. I missed Brazil because there we really celebrate new years, but
that is ok, it’s not better or worse, it is just different. |
April 4 Journal
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Well, there is a few months that I don’t write my journal, so
let me tell you what it is happening with me.
In January I changed host families, since then I’m with
Cliff and Cheri Wilson, two wonderful people that I really like.
Now that it has been 8 months that I am here, I can see
some things that I have learned. Now my English is really good, I think I’m
much more confident and independent, I know how to deal better with some
situations. In the beginning sometimes I would ask myself what I’m doing
here, but now I really know what I’m doing here. I came here to learn a
different language, to know different people and a different culture, I’m
learning that and I really enjoy it!!!
I really feel that this here has been a great year, so
different and great, it is so cool to be an exchange student to be able to
tell a little bit of yourself, your country and it is so cool to learn more
about my host country and about the other exchange students countries too!!! |
May 24Journal
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Wow!!!
I can’t believe that is already May, and almost time to go home, that was
the fastest year ever!!!
Now, all my friends, and my family in Brazil are making plans for when I get
there, and ask me what time I’ll arrive and what I want to do when I get
there, all those kinds of stuff. But It’s so funny - I’m really happy that
I’ll see my friends and family again, but sad that I’ll leave all the people
that I’ve met here, and some of them I don’t really know if I’ll ever see
them again, and there is others that I make plans to come back to visit or
they are going to come to Brazil to visit me.
It is a different sensation, because I really got used to here, and
sometimes, you even think that “your life” is here, but deep inside you know
that it is not. It is so interesting because you come here, and in the
beginning, there are so many things that are different, but with time, you
get used to it, but now that I am totally used to it, it's time to go home.
And when I get home I sure it will be different for a
while, then I’ll get used to it. And maybe it will be the time for another
year as an exchange student!!! (No, mom and dad, I’m just kidding.)
Being an exchange student was one of my goals in life, and now that it is
almost at the end I can say that I made it, with the help of Ocala Silver
Springs Rotary Club, especially the Simons’ family and the Wilson’s family,
District 6970, and my district in Brazil 4550, thank you so much, for
everything that you did for me during this year.
Love
Rana Machado |
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