Javier Horta Ballesteros

2004-05 Inbound from Mexico

Date of Birth: March 8, 1987
Hometown: Cozumel, Mexico
Sponsor: Cozumel Rotary Club, District 4200, Mexico

Host: Gainesville Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA
School: Gainesville High School

Javier's Bio

Hi! my name is Javier Horta Ballesteros, I'm from Cozumel, Mexico. I'm seventeen years old, my birthday is March 8,1987.

My father is Javier, my mother is Esperanza. I have one brother named Horacio. He is fifteen years old, and I have one sister, her name is Jimena, she is twelve years old. I have a dog, his name is "Froy".

I'm an exchange student because I hope to learn a new language and a new culture, and make a lot of friends!!

I like to play volleyball, it's my favorite hobby, and I like all other sports!..

September 7 Journal

Hi! this is my first month in United States!!...

I live in Gainesville, FL. It's a great city. The people are very crazy with American football (Gators). My first family is wonderful! My host father is Bruce Weiss, he is a doctor and is pilot, he is very nice. My host mother is Melinda Steffey, she is a financial analyst, and she is very nice too! I have one host sister, her name is Stefanie, she is 9 years old, she likes swimming and music. I have one host brother, his name is William, he is 6 years old, he likes swimming, playing to cars and he is a high energy boy ... This is my first family, I'm very happy with them, because they treat me very well. My first host father (Bruce) has an airplane. I flew in the airplane one time and it is great!!

I'm going to Gainesville high school, I take a special class (ESOL). This class is special because it is only for students from different parts of the world! I have few friends now, but I have a lot girl friends!!.. I am on the volleyball team!

In the inbound orientation, I liked the activities, and I liked meeting all the students from different countries. (Photo: Tom from Austria and me , in the inbound orientaton.)

I went on Bob Rella's boat in Cedar Key, with Cristobal (Ecuador), Bruno (Brazil), Rafi (Brazil), Asya (Russia). We have a good time!!..

OK, see you everybody!!

Javier Horta Ballesteros (panda).. MEXICO!

October 3 Journal

December 12 Journal

Hi!!..I have been her for 4 months!! I'm really enjoying my stay here, I like my city (Gainesville), school is doing very well, I have a lot of friends, I moved to my second family, I think my English is getting better. I'M SO HAPPY!! =) .

I have a new family, the Edwards family, they are a very very nice family, I'm really glad to be with them. My host father (Larry) is a doctor and also is a big Gator fan, I went to a couple of Gator games with him, he's so nice. My host mother (Cathy) is a doctor, she's a very sweet and very nice mom! I feel like I'm at home, my host brother (Matthew) is 14 years old, he's a nice guy, and he helps me with my English. Well my host parents help me with my English too! And they have two more siblings, Katie (exchange student in France) and Daniel (he's in college in California). Ohh wait!! I have another sister!! Aya Nabeshima, sounds weird but we live in the same house, that's so cool!! I love my family!!!

I was a manager of the girls volleyball team of my high school. That was awesome, we went to play at Lakeland for the state championship tournament, and we WON!!!!!!!!! That was very nice, I really had a lot of fun with them, they helped me too much with my English!!.

I started to play soccer with my high school team. I enjoy it a lot, I played 8 games and we won all of them, we are a very good team!!

I had my first Thanksgiving of my life, it was very nice dinner with my host family and with my host father's parents and sister. I ate too much!

Walt Disney was awesome!!!! I mean I love it!! I had a really great time there, I enjoyed it too much, I don't have words to say what I felt there, I miss it!! Aerosmith rock'n roller coaster was one of my favorite things, because it was my first time on a roller coaster, before it scared me too much, but I tried and after my first time, I went like 4 more times over there!.

My Rotary Club invited me to "seafood spectacular". I had a good time with other exchanges students of my city (Chris, Rafi, Asya, Aya). We had a dinner together with country music and stuff, it was very nice!

And today I went to Jacksonville, to the Jaguars football game with Christopher, and we met Carlo, Ruth, Nick and Al. I had a good time!

That's it for today. I hope everyone is going to have a merry Christmas and happy new year!!!

see you later..

Javier Horta Ballesteros.. (panda).. MEXICO!

April 17 Journal

Hey! What’s up!

I just realized that I have just 2 months left here. I feel very happy because I can’t wait to see my family, friends, to come back to my real life. But at the same time I feel very sad because I’m going to leave all the people I’ve met here! And probably I’ll never see them again. That makes me sad.

Seacamp trip - I had so much fun in that trip with all the exchange students from Florida, we also met other students from Michigan at Seacamp. We spent a weekend down there. Friday and Saturday we snorkeled, we had a party dance, we worked in groups about sea subjects and we presented to everybody. The last day of the trip we went to Key West, we spent 2 hours over there. I want to say thank you very much to D6970 YE committee, and all the people who made this opportunity for us. Thanks a lot!

Fernandina Beach - Nicole LaRochelle (who is going to Russia) invited me to spend 3 days at her grandparents house in Fernandina Beach. It was very good! I had an awesome time there! Of course we went to the beach.

This last weekend I went to “Camp Crystal” with the international club of my high school. It was another trip I’ll never forget.

I’m helping a girl’s club volleyball team from Gainesville. They are a very good team and I’m enjoying helping them.

I’m having a very good time here. I’m trying to enjoy as much as possible the rest of the time. I’ll miss you all! See you later!

THANKS!

Javier Horta Ballesteros (panda)...MEXICO!

Above: With Aya and Yurika from Japan on spring break vacation. Right: At home making Mexican food