Viola Balzaretti

2005-06 Inbound from Italy

Date of Birth: September 5, 1988

Hometown: Cremona, Italy

Sponsor: Cremona Po Rotary Club, District 2050, Italy

Host: Gainesville Downtown Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA

School: Buchholz High School

Bio

Viola's Bio

From this kind of exchange programs I expect to grew a little bit more, under different aspects, especially in relationship skills: surely it’s gonna be very interesting and sometimes hard to get new friends and get along well to your family, teachers and Rotarians, but I always say: you must try! We have to be involved in this experience, to spend a great year that we’ll hardly forget in our lives.

Something more about me.... I love dancing, with plenty of people in a disco bar, or alone in an empty space. I like reading (actually I am reading HP and the half blood prince) and I listen to all kind of music, but my favorite group is... I don’t have a favorite group, or either a favorite type of music, J but I really like classic rock. I love cats and I hate bugs, I like cooking and love eating. I think that people can change, but not definitely. I am sure that a real friend can share with you problems and secrets, and can tell you the most amazing jokes. I usually trust in people, that’s what my mother tried to teach me, and I think that if we all could trust each other, we will live in a better world.

August 27 Journal

Today it's a month that I am here, two weeks that I attend school and I finally have the possibility of giving my opinion about Florida. First of all Buchholz HS - it's sooooooo different from my Italian school. Biggest difference: we don't have to go from a class to another, it's the teacher who is walking all day and of course we have the same group of 22/28 students, through the 5 years of high school. The school system. it's pretty different and something I found very funny was that American pupils get extra credits if they do their homework......that's weird!!!! in Italy we are supposed to do homework, and if we don't, we lose points on the final grade.......

American school is mostly a social event: most of students are involved in the school in clubs, sport training or music activities, and I can't say if this is positive or negative, but is certainly very different. Last Friday I went to the Pep Rally. I thought it was simply crazy, I have never seen anything like that and I ENJOYED it! It was very impressive to see so many students singing the school themes and cheering the football team. The football game was not less then that. The marching band performance was simply GREAT!

Concerning my Inbound Orientation, just before starting school, I can just say that it was something I'll never forget; I had such a great time with all the other students. We spent our time having short meetings in the morning, talking with the Rotary members about eventual problems or questions and playing nice games, with the purpose of learning how to be and work as a team; one body, one soul. We swam in Emerald lake and last but not least, we climbed on a rope course. It was so exciting, even though I had bruises on both my arms for one week...;-P

I thought it was exciting to be there, finally, all together. It was something unbelievable... and I finally realized that I AM HERE, and THIS is gonna be one of the most exciting chapters of my life.

Viola

September Photos

October 24 Journal

Wow, three months flew away! But what a great background they left! Just two days ago I met most of the exchange students at DeLeon Springs; another beautiful occasion to get together. I noticed that every time we meet, our friendships grow stronger and deeper...it’s such a good feeling. It was so weird when we were on canoes and Bill Griffin said watch out for moccasins *-(...that was scary.....)we kind of made a race, but we just kept stocking in the plants... it was so much fun and, of course, after that we were completely wet, so why don’t we swim a little!? And later on we had a yummy lunch all together, around a huge table. I was so sorry when I had to go, but I was going to a Drama-club Halloween party, at Addison’s house. That was so much fun. We watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, and we voted for the 3 best costumes. I was so funny (Puss in boots), and I enjoyed it so much.

During this month I had the chance to go to Washington D.C. I definitely fell in love with Georgetown.. I went there with my second host mum because of her nephew’s wedding, so I got to be at the wedding and I enjoyed it. I had fun trying to bring people on the dance floor...and I even caught the bouquet!!

As soon as I got back I met John Gregory at Buchholz during a Rotary presentation. I attended three of my six periods, and talked to the eventually-next -year-outbound-students about my experience. I was glad to see that some of them were very interested. It’s a precious experience that comes once in your life.

Three days after that, I experienced the Octoberfest with the drama people. I was performing in a small ensemble and in a pantomime with three other girls. I loved it, even though the ensemble was a disaster, the pantomime succeeded. I loved that and as soon as I was home I felt like going back and start over...

Two days later, I participated in the Interact activity at Kimball Wiles primary school. We had to help in supervising games and things like that. I loved that!! The kids were great and I was having so much fun playing with them. I was at the cake walk, and I have got to dance for three hours...but it was so nice. I remember this nice family with 5 or 6 kids, all blond with blue ayes, all looking like each other. They were so cute!:-) At the end of the day I got a home made cake as "thank you" from the lady responsible of the event.

It’s already two weeks that I am having all-day-long rehearsal for Aida, and it’s quite tiring, but I know I could never survive without that; those kids are helping me having the best experience ever. I feel so excited for the upcoming performances (from the 9th to the 19 of November), but scared also and a little sad, because I would like this never to end. But I know it’s not possible, so..:-) the best I can do is have the best time I can.

I am looking forward to the big Disney world trip, in December btw, it’s gonna be the blast!!!!

November 16 Journal

Today John came to school to bring me to the Rotary meeting, after telling me yesterday in an e-mail. Everything was ok with the attendance office and we got there. Today it was a special day, because two new people were inducted to the club membership (three in total since I am here in Florida), a pastor and a YMCA guy. They both looked like nice people. Today there was also a presentation by Al Losh. It was on the basis of the first Rotary meetings, by Paul Harris, but a little bit more..."liberal": inside of talking of his job and how his profession is helping others, he just talked to us about his life. Even if I knew most of it, from our first conversation, it was very interesting. I like going to Rotary meetings, and now I have my own tag, like the other Rotarians, and it says "Viola Balzaretti, youth exchange student 2005 from Italy, Active Member". It’s a little “thing”, but it makes me feel part of it. Then, after the meeting, Greg Fleming, our Club President, told me that I am doing very well here: I am achieving excellent results at school, I am involved, and I am great. He said also that he and the club were proud of me. That really meant a lot.

Yesterday night Aida succeeded again. The second judge was quite happy about it, but talked a little about the performance, and more about the way they decide how to pick those schools that are going to states. We are performing so much. Every day from now till Saturday, every night at 7.00 PM, and Saturday at 2.00 PM, it’s fun though. Drama is taking a lot of my time here, but I enjoy staying with my friends all the time, being very loud and doing what a like to do: dancing, singing. Although I was quite upset because I couldn’t meet the exchange students in Jacksonville, at Gulten’s b-day party, and at the fear, I am happy I decided to stay, because it wouldn’t be right to leave the cast and the dance group without advance.

I just changed family, the past Friday afternoon, (Nard I am still sorry I couldn’t come to meet you… forgive meL ) and in one day I had all my staff in a different order and a new closer. But after that I spent a pleasant weekend with my new Host-Mum, Patti. Saturday we visited the art contest in Downtown Gainesville, which I liked a lot, and Sunday we had Lunch in Micanopy, and walked in Paynes Prairies for the afternoon. She is very different from my other Host Mum, Susan (who I love so much), but that’s what I like of her. I always agreed with changing different families, and I still do, but I had no idea how hard it was going to be …

December 20 Journal and Pictures

Hi everybody, I can’t believe how time is running out…It seemed yesterday that I changed my host family and a month passed through. In the past week a lot of stuff happened.. First of all: Disney world trip. Great memory of the first day, at MGM Studios that ended up being my favorite park, not as good at Magic Kingdom, I didn’t like the park too much, and was a little crowded of kids and parents :-P. The third day was very weird, I didn’t really enjoy my day, because I was too much concerned about the people with me, but suddenly, I started thinking more about my wants and I tried to have fun, successfully! That day that seemed started so bad, ended up being magic. I really liked Animal Kingdom also. I took part in my first safari. It was fun, especially because I was walking with a small group. But then we met other people and it was even better, for a short amount of time, because we split up after a couple of hours. I really enjoyed that day also (isn’t it weird!??!). Of course I had a good time, no matter what happened, I was with my friends and my “family”; that’s why I’ve loved it, anyways.

It was hard to go back to school. But I really felt good once back, looking forward to the District Competition, which took place in Jacksonville on Saturday December 10th. I was competing with a pantomime, KaBlam made up with two friends, and with a large music ensemble from the musical “Les Miserables”: we performed “One Day More”. Everything was so great; I got to see a lot of music performances and some pantomimes also. How could it possibly be boring: One day only with Drama kids from the whole district of North Florida. I’ve loved it. I met a lot of new, nice students.

Anyways during a two-hours-long ceremony the “Excellent” and “Superior” awards for the different categories has been assigned. When my pantomime hasn’t been called for “Excellent” I was so anxious: was it gonna be a “Good” or “Superior”? The different is remarkable: if you get a “Superior”, it means you go to State’s competition during Spring Break. Few seconds later they were reading the upper level, S, and guess what? They called our pantomime. I was so happy, excited, I couldn’t believe that. When I reached my friend, who grabbed the Certificate, we hugged in the middle of the wing and I cried a little, just a tear. I was so happy. Then the large ensemble passed Superior also. That was very cool, since it was my first time in Drama Competition; I really ended up in a great position! Later on we got the Critique papers we got the last shot. Their words were: “Great performance, amazing facial expression and attention for details… We have no negative comment.” And on the Second paper: “This performance was great and the girl with the curly hair [that would be me] we loved your work…we loved every moment of this scene.”. I was so impressed. I would have never expected such a great critique. My teacher said we have huge chances to be called for State’s for that pantomime. I really like the drama, and drama people.

Sunday 11th: I went to Jacksonville, again, to the Jaguar’s game. I was quite disappointed, because I had been told that there was gonna be one big Rotary event, and all the exchange students were gonna come. Well, when I got there the tail gate party was done; I only saw Camilla, and the only reason why we met inside was because we called each other and walked across the stadium to stay together. Even if we tried to call other guys on the phone we were not able to reach them. I didn’t like that.. I was happy to go to the game after an extremely tiring day just because I really wanted to see again my friends and get the chance to talk with them about the past few days. We were all told we were gonna meet, and when it didn’t happen it was rather sad. Anyways.. life goes on; we know we will meet on Sea Camp, and maybe even at New Year’s eve. I am surely going there. I hope other people are going too. It will be a shame to lose the opportunity to celebrate all together. UNDERSTOOD GUYS? I WANNA SEE YOU ALL THERE!!:-p

December 20th Semester Exams were ok, I did everything pretty well. Last Wednesday I went to The Rotary Club for the Xmas party, and I loved it. The District Governor, Shann Purinton, was there. We had a new Induction and five people got the stone-recognition (John Brunner was one of them). We sang a few carols together and had a lot of good food. That Friday I had my first white elephant gift exchange with the Drama club, and I got a cd case, with tons of candies. On Saturday night I had been invited to a Polish Xmas party by a friend, and I joined them. It was a lot of fun. We sang a lot and laughed. I thought it was a very original party, and I liked it. Then Sunday I had a looong day. I went to a church service with a Rotarian from my club. I personally didn’t like it, but the experience itself was very thoughtful and interesting.. Then I had breakfast with him and his family, I ran home and went to see the Nutcracker with my host mum at the UF Performing Art Center. I liked it. After that we had Chinese dinner at home and we went to watch King Kong. I was very tired, but so happy. I spent the whole day with my host mom, and since she always works a lot I really enjoyed spending time with her.

For the next week I planned a dinner on the 24th with Mr. Lawry, from my club; a Christmas function in gospel church and lunch with my host mum and her best friends on the 25th; a movie and dinner with my first host family on the 26th. Busy girl!!!!

I ma sorry I bored you all enough. I wish you Happy Holydays and thanks for being there, always.

___Viola*

Pictures from New Year's Eve and Viola's January Performance

January Journal

Heeeelloooo!!! Oh MY GOOOD! I am about to change family again, and I am freaking out!! I don’t believe we still have three months and a half, and then, bye bye birdie... It seems impossible... but life goes on, and I am ready to enjoy my last months here.

Last thing I did at school was the musical one act “Disco Knights”, in which I played the role of Jan, who is a caricature of the Brady Bunch. It was a lot of fun, especially because it took place in the ‘70s…Pictures are above.

I really had fun at Seacamp, where we got to learn about the ocean and the environment, with our friends from the other district, 6990, and a few Americans from Garden City, Michigan. What I liked of the camp was: the property, the weather, the fact that I was in a crew with people from the three different groups, and I really enjoyed all the activities, from the Dolphins center (on the way there), to the first night outside fire, to the snorkeling experience in the Ocean.

What I did not like was the fact that people from the camp decided both the group and the roommates, and since we had almost no free time (except for 40 min in which 6 or 8 people per room were supposed to shower..) there was no time nor occasion for us to chit-chat with the people we wanted to stay with… Ok, ok, it was not the purpose of the trip to hang out together… we were there to learn, but I was so upset when I had to say bye to all the exchange students, both the guys from the other district, because I know that was our last chance to meet each other, and the guys from our district, because we have one more chance to meet, at the District Conference. It was pretty sad, but at least we all signed T-shirts (almost everyone did), and we will never forget each other, I know. Also, we had a quick chance to hang around together, for around three hours in Key West, where dozens of small groups of foreign students were running around, shopping mercilessly:-P It was fun. I personally enjoyed the time in Key West, because we were really free to go around and spend some time together, before it was time to part, and I happened to meet a bunch of friends for lunch, so.

It was hard to go back to school after such a weekend... but we had to... Ok, oK… we skipped Monday, but we –people from Gainesville- were back at 3.30 in the morning!! I actually had a lot of good intentions to attend school and Track, but I finally collapsed on my bed at 3.45 and decided not to set the alarm clock before 10.00 …

Oh, yes! I almost forgot to underline that I STARTED TRACK AND FIELD at Buchholz. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong day to start: Monday, when we have the 800 pyramid (I leave you the fun to discover what it means). So I attended practice for the past two weeks, and now here I am, with a bad cough! I have to get used to it.

My Rotary blazer is getting heavier and heavier.. THAT’S POSITIVE! It means meeting new people and making new friends!!! Yey!!

I heard yesterday from a good friend of mine, from Italy, Susanna, and for the second time in the whole year I realized how much I miss my friends. Alas! But it’s time to be happy, to get prom dress, and in my case: to get ready for the FCAT […] how fun, uh!?!

Love ya’ll Viola

February Journal and Pictures

Hey ya’ll!

February has been a really cool month..

After my cruise to Bahamas with Rotarian Bob Robar, and a wonderful weekend at Seacamp with almost all my dear fellow Exchange Students, going back to school was a little hard, but I have track and field to keep me up.

I had a wonderful chance to career shadow a reporter of the Gainesville Sun, Marina Blomberg, and to get around with her both in the newspaper building and around Gainesville. I even got to accompany her in an interview! It was really interesting, and since I’ve always liked journalism, I found this experience really educative. It really made feel like I want to be a reporter!!!

I went to the Gainesville Medieval Faire in which my Drama teacher was doing the king this year.. I watched the Super Bowl with my host family and a Rotary club member invited me to a basketball game.

I went on a trip to Savannah Georgia with Larissa and a couple of really nice ladies who decided to spoil us really well for a weekend. It was very nice. Larissa and I really had a good time and it was hard to part, but I had to go home and switch family… My last Host Family. I moved to the Tylers in the late afternoon of the 11^th and I had a traumatic awakening the day following… At 5:45 in the morning, my sister Mary started practicing with her trombone, and she woke me up with a nice melody. Anyway the first day we went to Nautica in the afternoon, to get me some blankets. They are really nice and they do everything for me to make sure I am fine.

In the first two weeks Mary and I got really close, and we support each other in the different events we take part in (I went to her concert at Buchholz and she came to see me in the Showcase).

For St. Valentine’s Day I went to a gift exchange with the Interact club, which is probably my favorite club, talking about people and activities. Then I went to a Gainesville Star Center’s Grease audition on the 18^th and I thought I did pretty ok, especially in the dancing part. My cold reading was good, not excellent, but I got in character, especially for Rizzo, since is the part I was trying out for. That night I went to a drama club St. V. party with my sister Mary, and since it was supposed to be a date party, we were each other’s date. It was really funny!! At the party I got a call from the producer of Grease and she told me I got the part of Cha-Cha. I was so Happy!!! I accepted and joined my friends in the celebration for all of the presents who were new cast members. It was so funny when the Gainesville Sun came out the following week with a front-page picture taken during the auditions and I was literally jumping out of the picture!

The following night we had a party at club Maude where Paula joined my sister and me, and she came over to our house for the night. The following day, we went to St. Augustine and visited the fort. We had a wonderful day together with my host family and a couple of my sister’s friends. We really had fun, and I was so tired when we got back. I had to go directly to the first rehearsal.

In the next week I had rehearsals while we were looking for a new Danny Zuko, since our original one dropped out because of bad grades and I didn’t do much at school since 10^th and 11^th graders were taking the FCAT (which means that we had a late start for three days). I was supposed to do the same, but Alachua County didn’t send the senior forms in time, so it was postponed to “we don’t know when”.. That week I went out with Susan, my first host mum to buy cloth for my prom dress, since she promised she would make it for me, from the time I was staying with her. So we found it, a beautiful forest green!! We got it for a really good price too.

Well that’s all the news I have for this month, so catch up with ya’ll later!

March Journal

Hello y’all! I moved to my new host family just at the end of February, and I am experiencing the first family with a Sister, Mary!!! She is totally awesome, and from the first week we got really close. We talk about everything, just like sisters. As I went to the Rotary meeting on March 1st I was really surprised to find three special guests from Sicily. My Rotary club president asked me to be the interpreter and so I did. They were all thankful and satisfied of my attempt. The following day I went to the Rotary Wild Game Festival with John and Ruth. It was fun even though there weren‘t any other fellow exchange students: I ate my first frog legs [bleah!] and gator tail [mmmh]. It was fun when, afterwards, we got stuck in the parking lot…

School is going all right, I am taking it easy, and I still achieve good grades: I was on the honor roll. And I had the terrific FCAT!!! It was easier than I expected, so a lot of worry for nothing!

For what concerns Grease rehearsal, we are pulling out an awesome show. I am doing pretty good at learning my few lines as Cha-Cha, and my cues and the songs we all sing.

In the middle of March I went to a fund-raising breakfast for Drama club.. it was just 7 people and not many customers, cuz we didn’t pre-sell enough tickets. It was a lot of fun though! After that my parents dropped me at Ally Kats for bowling with the Interact kids. We had a Blast :-D. After that I went to Grease rehearsal with the producer only, without the director, but we achieved way beyond my expectations, and we were all satisfied. On that rehearsal I choreographed my Dance with Danny Zuko, without the choreographer since she wasn’t there. She really liked it then, so we kept it! That Sunday I had a nice brunch at the Country club with my family, and we spent a lovely morning together, before I went to a jazz concert where I met Bobby Shew [and I discovered he has Italian origins] and I joined a Rotarian from my club to see a play. I enjoyed the day.

On Friday, March 17th we opened the show, and we had a really cool sleep over at the theatre afterwards. The show kept getting better and better and I really enjoyed the experience of my last musical performance. I was so glad when Kyoko and Larissa came to see the show. I really appreciated, and we also spent a nice time together between one show and the other.

March had been a really positive month. I had a lot of happiness and a lot of nice single moments. Yuppeee!! I liked March!

Peace and Love to each and every one of you

Viola

April Journal and Pictures

Aaah... Another month is going by, and I want to share some significant moments I experienced. I started April with a night out with my friend Cherie, we went swing dancing in a gym, downtown Gainesville. It was so much fun!! Than the day following I went to a Rotary Convention in Palatka, where I met few other Exch. Stud fellows. We helped out pointing buildings to people, and I tried to teach Taka the little I learned the previous day. Geraldine took a video of it and she promised to send it to me, and she did.. it’s just it doesn’t open!!!=P

The day following I went to the Spring art festival with my host mum and we found a picture of MY TOWN, on sale at a stand.

On April 5 I left at 10:00 in the morning from school, going to Tampa for the Drama State Competition. It was awesome!!!! I had so much fun!! I was attending a pantomime workshop and I got to meet a lot, and I mean a lot of Drama kids…almost 6,000! I had a wonderful experience and I got to see some really good performances. My favorite one was the show “The Miser”, and the Opening Ceremony was one of the coolest things ever. It was so sad when we left, but I will NEVER, ever forget those 5 days in Tampa. GO Drama!!!

After that my Country had elections, and I figured the out the day it was happening… Luckily the party I was sympathizing for won, it was quite of a surprise, but it cheered me up for the next few days.

On Easter weekend I joined Jose and other fellows for a beach party, all weekend long. We had a blast, played soccer on the beach (Nard scored a wonderful goal right under everyone’s nose!) and we watched the sunrise on the second day. It was a little sad that Amélie twisted her ankle just the first day, but we brought her along and “spoiled” her =).. We also had a funny egg hunt on Easter morning, after we decorated boiled eggs. It was really sweet of our hosts to organize everything. I really had a good time and, no need to say that, I had a second Easter Bunny basket from my host family! (I am still eating chocolate after weeks..)

Then, last week I went out with my sister, who had to raise money for Community service hours, and we walked around our small neighborhood to raise money for the Cystic fibrosis research. We collected some $140. We were really happy, and we both appreciated what a neighbor told us about young kids affected by this sickness: since they can’t really say it right, they say they have “sixty-five roses”. We were so touched that, after we wrote personal “thank you letters” for the contributors, we went out and bought a rose for Mr. White. We left it on the door mat. He called at the house a few minutes later and just left said that he was touched, and he thought we were doing a really kind and helpful job. Mary, my sister, told me that she just “felt so happy”, “so accomplished” I added.. So, I started being more involved and that’s how I decided to walk the March on the following Saturday. It was fun.

To wrap it up in few lines other things that happened this month: 1) I went to the “Friends of the Library” book sale in Gv, and got a lot of nice stuff for less than 6 bucks!! 2) asked a guy I like for prom, but unfortunately he is going with somebody else..3) I got 101% on my last Chemistry Honors test! 4) I saw Cyrano De Bergerac, a performance from my school in which a lot of my friends are starring 5) I shared an intense, deep, interesting discussion with a friend 6) Grad Nite tomorrow!!!

June 7 Journal

Hey ya’ll,

Grad Nite was a blast! (We went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom). I spent most time with my friend Amara and we hung around with a large group at first, but we split after dinner, for everyone’s sake. The funniest part was on the water ride, when we all got stuck for about 5 minutes in the “last tunnel” before the exit. We really had a nice time, and once out of the park, at 4:00 am, we all fell asleep in the bus.

The next day I went to the final concert of ACYO (Alachua County Youth Orchestra) in which my sister was playing trombone. She is a really talented young woman and I love the way we support each other: she always makes it to my performances and I make it to her concerts. I love my sister Mary.

I went to see Cyrano again and this second time it was really touching and passionate, especially the last monologue. I’ve loved it. During that week I went over to some friends house with Mary and it was just hilarious to see how they were trying to get it started and it took so long, because they kept switching cables and so forth…

I don’t know why, but that week I started the Shakespeare week and I watched all recent movies of Shakespearian plays we had. I saw “Much ado about nothing” and “a Midsummer night’s dream”. I’ve loved them both, and I decided that I might even start reading the original plays.

On Saturday May 13 I went to a Rotary Auction organized yearly by my host Rotary club, Downtown Gainesville, and surprise surprise... all my host families were there; I thought John only decided to invite them to give me a chance to meet them all together again, before I leave to go home. But the real reason was that I was gonna receive an award and he wanted all of them to be there. Without me knowing anything about it, John called me on stage and he gave me a huge frame with a medal and a certificate, then he appointed the pin on my blazer and… zap, he made me a Paul Harris Fellow. I was stunned and dazed and confused, but clearly honored. I also had to have a speech, which came out more spontaneously then I ever expected. I then walked back to my seat and I started crying. I was feeling so overwhelmed and sad too, because my grandmother died less than a week before that and I thought she didn’t even know I was getting this recognition. I went to the bathroom with my lovely sister, I calmed down and we came back to participate to a frenetic auction. A lot of money was raised and it all went to the polio project.

The day following I went to Busch Gardens with my sister Mary and we had a crazy day, up and down the roller coasters until we both started feeling sick. Then the day following I went fishing with my host dad Ty, my sister and a couple of friends. We had fun, especially cuz it was us, the girls who got all the fish!!! After two days of swinging and rolling I decided I wanted some rest, so I happily woke up the next morning, and I realized that the room stopped spinning.

Next thing I know it’s weekend time again, and a really special one, too. I went to St. Augustine with Megan Forbes, and I met all my fellow exchange students at the District Conference. We took part in the parade of flags and I found 5 minutes to show them the slideshow I prepared the two previous days (and nights), to say goodbye in my way. I also prepared the box for the Exchange Committee, so I went to bed at about 3:30 in the morning and woke up really early; no need to say I looked just like a zombie. After the Conference, at the end of which Amélie was awarded as best exchange student of the year, and received, too the PH fellowship, we all went to the YMCA, and had fun in the pool, next we played golf and had a great time together. I was really sad, because the following morning, after the Habitat for Humanity project I was going to leave, and I knew I was not gonna see my buddies ever again. So after three hours of hammering I started crying, no I WAS BAWLING and not because I hit my finger five times, but because I love my friends! It was just so darned sad, I had to leave, I knew, but I just couldn’t get away from my babies, Kyoko, Paula and Camilla…I was sooo sososo sad. It was like ripping my heart in pieces, and there was nothing I could do about it. I cried all my way to G'ville and then I had to get ready for…PROM. I thought I was gonna ruin my night thinking of my friends and stuff, but I totally had a blast!!! Limousine, wonderful dress, a date, and a bunch of cool friends plus loud music and a lot of dancing: could it be any better???

Once I got home, after a Steak n’ Shake stop I saw all my sister’s friends, about ten people who were sleeping over, and they populated all rooms in the house. The following morning we went blueberry picking and we still have a lot of blueberries, even after cooking two blueberry crumbles and making jam.

Starting with that Tuesday I had four days of exams, and three banquets: 1) Drama, where I got inducted to the Thespian Honor Society and I got my honor chord and medal for graduation. 2) Interact, where twenty people signed my yearbook.. 3) Italian club where other 30 people signed my yearbook.

I really had a lot of fun on May weekends, just to mention some stuff: 1) I went tubing and water skiing; 2) I went to a party where I met a lot of pilots' friends with my host dad Ty (who was in the navy, though), and I had a two-and-a-half-hour long conversation with a guy about contemporary chronic, and I had the privilege to convince him of what I thought… that was interesting.. 3) I went shopping at the mall with my mum and sister, and I got my real brother his B-day present.

Then June came and I had a week just for myself, cuz my sister was still at school. I used that time to sew new patches and stuff in my blazer, which is getting really busy. I also got my school letter, B, because I had straight A's all year. I went to my club that week and I was the main speaker. They gave me 20 minutes to talk about this experience. Again not to say I was crying at the end. [Gosh this year is making me more and more sensitive.. I cry all the time!]

Then Graduation came around. I spent the entire day with my host mum and I had lunch with Amara and her mum, since both mums took a day off.. That day I went to a jeweler to pick up a mysterious present for me from John… I freaked out thinking “oh my God, how much did he spend for me!!?!??!” I was worried he spent a lot for some weird piece of jewelry but when I saw it I thought it was adorable and appropriate.. He and his wife Ruth got a little golden gator necklace. What a sweetie!!

Graduation was exciting: my class, the crowd. I didn’t take too many pictures, but I will always remember it anyways. It was cool. That night I went to a movie with my best buddy Amara, and other two friends, we had a nice time.

The following day I had a simply wonderful day, which I spent with my family, really nicely, and in the afternoon, they gave a present from all my families: it was a silver bracelet, just like my sister has, with my initials on it. (my host mum Marge asked me what my initials were one day and, to honor my real mum’s maiden name I said V R B. And that’s what the bracelet said on it. Plus they gave me 5 little charms to put on it: the world, a gator, my school symbol, a grad hat, and the drama masks. It’s just so special..

Then we celebrated our friend’s birthday and I started packing, a process which is taking way less time then I expected… and it’s working really well. I filled a basket with things I’ll leave behind and filled a box with books only(=really cheap to send). This way I don’t need to send a more expensive box containing clothes and stuff, but I can fit it in my luggage…Yeah!

So these days I am having fun with my sister, today for example we are spending the entire day together doing all sort of stuff, and two night ago we had a sleep-over at her friend’s house, in order to get her a parking space for next year at school. We had to be there in line at 4: am !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am getting ready to leave and I keep messing up with English and Italian, I really can’t speak that well any more either one language….

I just want to say thanks to Rotary, because this special, wonderful year would have never been possible for me, without you! Al, Lawrene, I (heart) you =P

Guys, exchange students: you’ll always be in my heart and on my myspace list ;P. I (heart) you too, remember.. EXCHANGE STUDENTS FOREVER!

Love ya’ll

Viola