Camilla Christensen

2005-06 Inbound from Denmark

Date of Birth: April 16, 1989

Hometown: Svinninge, Denmark

Sponsor: Svinninge Rotary Club, District 1480, Denmark

Host: Orange Park Sunrise Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA
School: Fleming Island High School

Bio

Camilla's Bio

Hello.. My name is Camilla and I’m 16 years old. I’m from The Kingdom of Denmark.

My family includes my mom, dad and my sister, Marlene. She is 14 years old and is a great sister. The family pet is Mini, she is a cat. My father he is active in local politics and he also runs the City Sports Center. My mother also works there. Because of that, I’m very sports minded. In Denmark I use lot of time on team handball, but since they don’t play this here, I am training with the Cross Country Team and hope also to try several other sports. Tennis may also interest me.

I’m an exchange student because I want to experience the world. I love to travel and see how other people live in different parts of the country. I think that this is the best time of my life to this. I feel that this year will teach me to be more independent. I’m looking forward to meeting many new friends and having many new experiences this year.

September 1 Journal

Hii… how is everybody doing??? I am doing great here in Florida. I have been here for about a month, and it has been the best month of my life, with lots of good experiences.

The first big challenge came when I left little Denmark, 23 July with Karen. How to find big, big America. But it was not as difficult, as I had expected, and 12 hours later we were at Jacksonville Airport ready to meet our new families. Both Karen and I were very excited. But it was great to meet them and they are very nice. I do really have a great time with them.

My new mom and dad are so nice to me, and I have a lot of fun with them. They are doing many things for me to make me feel like I’m home, and I really do.

The next two weeks were kind of a holiday for me. I went rock-climbing - that is lot of fun. And of course I went to the beaches (they are just awesome).

The first weekend I was here my Club Counselor, Goran, and his very nice family, Catrine, Erik and Gustav had a pool party for me. They invited my next host families, Rotarians, students from my high school and other people. It was very nice of them, and I appreciate it a lot because it gave me a good chance to meet new people. Later I went to a birthday party for a two year old boy. It was fun to see the difference between a Danish and an American birthday party.

Next weekend I went to Gainesville to visit Karen, another exchange student from Denmark. (It was really nice to speak Danish again.) There came also three other exchange students; Paula from Finland, Laura from France, and Viola from Italy. We had a wonderful “girls-time”.

After two weeks here my “holiday” was over, and I started at the BIG BIG BIG Fleming Island High School, with almost 2000 students. The first week was hard for me, with lots of homework and getting up early in the morning. It was difficult at the beginning to find all the classes, but now it’s much easier.

I have made lot of good friends at the school, and I do really have a great time. After school I’m running Cross Country every day. It’s very hot, especially right after school, when it’s 100 degrees outside. But it feels good when I’m done! J

I went to the Rotary orientation for inbound exchange students. It was really fun, as you can see from the pictures on the website. It was fun to meet all the other exchange students, and hear about their experiences with Florida so far.

Another weekend I went to the Avenues Mall, with some friends from the school. It was “freaky awesome”. Sunday I went to the beach with them, where we grilled and did have a fun time. This weekend I went to my first football game and my first baseball game. It was a good experience. And next weekend I’m going to North Carolina for 4 days, with my family and Isabell from Germany. I’m really looking forward to this “mini vacation”.

It was short about my first month in Florida. I really enjoyed every day.

Then I would like to say thanks to everybody who is doing a great job for us Rotary Exchange students. Without you guys, we would never have gotten these big wonderful experiences.

Me at the airport

Me at the beach

My Mom, Dad, Isabell, and me

October 8 Journal and Pictures

Hi… Hope you are all doing great...

Now it must be the time for a new journal, after more than two months in Florida...

I will start to tell about the thing I’m using most of my time on: RUNNING! I’m running every single day on the cross country team, and then we have meets every Saturday. It’s really fun, especially when you start to get in shape... I have made the Varsity team at my school, and I have already won my first meet. So I’m running a lot, but that is only good, so I don’t gain for all the fast food. Because there is really lot a fast food here in America.

I do really have my best time here in Florida, and the time has just passed so fast. Thanks again to my family, for taking such good care of me. They are just awesome, and I have so much fun with them.

I have been to two football games. The first one was a college game with The Gators. It was really fun and they are just sooo LOOUUUD!!! My next game was a really professional football game with The Jaguars. I went with my parents and Laura (a friend from my school). We went on a boat before and then sailed to the game. Again one more wonderful experience.

I have been a member of the Interact club in the school. The first thing we were doing was to wash cars and collect money for the Hurricane Katrina victims. I’m really glad to help people in that way.

A weekend I invited 3 of the other exchanges students to stay in my house. Saturday evening we went to the mall for shopping, as I think we all really enjoyed. And Sunday we went to the pool. This weekend was really fun and I realized a really big thing: even though we are girls from all over the world, we still have so many things in common.

The school is getting much better. I feel like I make new friend every day. Everybody is so nice to me, especially when they hear my heavy Danish accent. Almost all American are very ‘open-minded’ and love to talk to new people, and that is a thing I really love about America.

So far, I only have had good experiences and no homesickness yet. Everything is just wonderful and I’m really grateful for this big opportunity you guys are giving us. THANK YOU!

Me and Laura at the Jaguars' game	Me and Laura on the boat	My cross-country team
My host Dad, host Mom, Viola, Dana, me, and Paula	Dana and me at Larissa's birthday party

November 20 Journal and Pictures

Can you believe it? Almost 4 months in the most wonderful country (right after Denmark of course J). And I do still have absolutely the best time of my life. I have new experiences every weekend. I have been in North Carolina again, it’s so gorgeous. I have also been to one more Jaguar game. I just love to go to football games, especially now when I start to get the rules. Another really good experience was Homecoming. It was so much fun. Saturday morning I went to the Mall to get my make-up done (well, she TRIED to make my make-up, but unfortunately she messed up, and I ended up going home and doing it myself). Afterwards my mum did my hair. And you can look at the picture and see how it ends.

Now the cross country season is over and I ended up with 20.40 min for 3 miles. I’m very satisfied with that. For my last race I had my own fan club, with their own t-shirts on, as you can see in the picture. Last week I went to an award banquet and I got the award for “OUTSTANDING FEMALE RUNNER”, so overall it was a great season, I’m just sorry that we do not have cross country in Denmark. Now when the cross country season is over, I’m starting up with tennis. I have never played before I came here, but now I just love it.

Then I experienced my first Halloween. My friend Laura and I dressed up and then we went “trick or treat” and got lots of candy. As you can see in the pictures, we had lots of fun with that.

I went to the ”Ride for Rotary”. Where my Rotary Club was collecting money, for each motorcycle rider, for a family in need. I went on the motorcycle for a ride.

I will tell about how wonderful it is to get friends all over the world. It’s so amazing. I mean it’s nice to have lots of American friends, but there is just something special when all of the exchanges students meet. I’m sure that some of them will be my friends for a lifetime. We do have so many things in common, so many things to share, so many things to talk about and so many questions for each other. I’m sure I talk for all of us, when I say that some of the best experiences are when we all get together. I can’t wait for our Disney World trip!!!!

My last experience I will tell about was last Thursday when I went to a Broadway play in Jacksonville. I went with my parents and their friends and we saw “Annie”. Now it’s almost Thanksgiving, and I’m looking forward for the holiday.

In the end I’d like to say thank you for all the people, who are helping me with this big opportunity.

THANK YOU GUYS!!!!

Ready for Homecoming	Laura and I for Homecoming	Laura, Gustav, and I at Halloween
My fan club	Dave and I at the Ride for Rotary	Cross-country Banquet Award

December 30 Journal and Pictures

Hey…. What’s up…..?

Now I just passed my 5th month and everything is starting to get so much easier. I must confess that in the beginning was a pretty rough time, with all the new impressions. Like speaking another language, starting in a new school with 5 times more students than my old school, finding some new friends, being part of a new family, experiencing a new culture with other rules, other manners, and just the fact that you are all by yourself in a totally different country. But that’s part of being an exchange student and growing up. The important point is then to turn it in to a positive thing. Try to see the world from another view and not the regular Danish eyes. And when you start to know how to do that, everything will be so much easier. Then you can start to relax and just enjoy your stay, and I would say that’s what was starting to happen to me during the last couple of months. Not to say that I didn’t have fun in the beginning, things are just more relaxed now.

So what have I been doing during the last month? First of all there was my first Thanksgiving that I ever have tried before. I just loved it. For me it’s very similar to Christmas, where the family gets together and eats lots of good food. A good part of the Thanksgiving is the “Black Friday”. Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, when the malls have huge sales. So to get something before they are running out, you have to get up early. So I woke up at five in the morning, and ready to leave for Christmas shopping. Fortunately, as you can see in the photo, I got most of the Christmas shopping done that day.

Then December month started up with a wonderful trip to Disney. Disney itself was very amazing, pretty, fun, or whatever, but as I wrote in my last journal, the time when all of us are together, is just the best. I do always really enjoy being a part of these wonderful kids from around the world.

Then I went to an 80’s party for a friend from the school. We did all have to dress up like the fashion was in the 80’s. It was lots of fun, even though it was hard to find clothes from the 80’s.

Christmas was a very good time for me. I have been a little worried about this time of the year, because it’s a big family time, and I was afraid I would get homesick. Of course I missed my family very much, but then again, I feel like I’m a part of a family over here too. And then it’s a good deal to have two families at Christmas, so you get double the presents J. I’m very amazed by the Christmas tree they have here and all the decorations most people have outside of their houses.

That were some of the things that I have being doing last month. Then I have some good news and very bad news. I’m about to move to my next host family. The good part is that I already know them very well, and it’s a very nice family, which have been doing lot of things with me and I have a great time with them. So I’m really looking forward to be a part of that family. But the bad news is that I have to move from my present family. I don’t want to move from them, and I’m going to miss them so much. I have had so many good times with them, and we do always have so much fun together. They are just the best host parents that I could have asked for. So thanks to them, for let me be a part of their family.

It was so sad yesterday when I was packing all my stuff in my suitcases. That was reminding me for when I have to really pack, for going home to Denmark, how sad that’s going to end up being??????

I’m looking very much forward to this New Year party, where we all are getting together again. My goals for the next year….? Not gain any more weight… NOOO, I’m in America, so that’s like impossible. J I guess my goal just going to be to continue this exchange year, as good as it started up.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!

80's Party	Black Friday Shopping	Christmas at the Mall
Christmas Tree	At Disney	Rotary Presentation
Rotary Presentation	Roxie and I

February 20 Journal and Pictures

Hi everybody… How are you doing? I’m doing pretty well here in Florida, where the sun already is starting to shine. It’s awesome.

The last two month have been really busy and passed so fast. There have been many good experiences.

First of all there was Sea Camp. It was lots of fun, and we learned many good things, that were important to think about. It was nice to see everybody again, plus we also got to see our friends from the Miami district and make new friends here from America.

I also went to Tampa, with one of my really good friends and her host mom. We went there for couple of days and stayed in a Hotel. We were snorkeling and swimming with manatees. We also went to Busch Gardens. It was so much fun, and Vlora & I had a really good time.

Last weekend I went to Ocala, to visit Paula, see her country school, meet her friends, her host family and just see how she lives. She has a really nice family, and some awesome friends we hung out with.

Next weekend I’m going to New York, which I’m so excited about. I’m going with June, one of the Rotary members from my club. I think it’s going to be so much fun, and a really good opportunity to see more of America.

I’m now with another new family. I only stayed for 5 weeks in my second host family. But I had a really good time, and it was the first time in my life that I got to have two brothers. I really enjoyed that. My host family is from Sweden, which felt really good, because their culture is very similar, to the Danish. So last weekend I moved to my last host parents. I have only been here for a week, and I already feel like home, and very comfortable. I hope that you guys enjoy your stay here in Florida as much as I do.

For one more time (I can’t say too many times; THANK YOU ROTARY!!!)

April 2 Journal and Pictures

Hi guys……. Are you enjoying the last part of your stay? We will actually soon be done with this year L. It’s so sad, I’m gonna miss you all… But hopefully we will keep in touch…

Anyway... Let me tell you briefly about what I have been doing the past month. First of all I went to New York. I went with one of the Rotary members from my club. It was a very interesting trip, and I got to see and learn many things about New York. We went to the Empire State Building, United Nations, Little Italy, China Town, we saw a show call The Blue Men Group, and then we saw the incredible Broadway show “Phantom of the Opera”. We stayed in a nice hotel in the middle of New York, and we just had a good time.

I have been to an Ice Hockey Game. Another member from my club invited me to go there. We went out and ate before, and then we saw the game. It was lots of fun J.

Then my host dad invited me to go to the “The Players Championship” golf tournament. It was very interesting and fun. I got another view of golf. We were trying to see Tiger Woods, and the Danish golfer Thomas Bjorn, but unfortunately we didn’t get to see them.

In school everything is really good. I just got my report card, and had all A’s and B’s. So I’m pretty satisfied with that. After school I started to run with the track and field team. I only run a little bit, because my event is Pole Vaulting J. I have never tried before and it took me a while to actually get over the bar. It’s a very difficult sport, but I have so much fun at practice.

This week is my Spring Break. It’s so nice to get out of school and just enjoy The Sunshine State. My friend from school Laura invited me to go to Orlando with her and her family. It was so much fun, and I really enjoyed the time at the pool tanning and relaxing.

Next week my parents and my sister are gonna come here and visit me for two weeks. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to see them again, and be the “tour guide” for them. We are gonna go to North Carolina and then we are going to Miami on my birthday.

That was all for this time… Rotary, Thank you soooooo much……… I really appreciate this wonderful opportunity you give us. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cold in New York	Empire State Building	At the United Nations
With Laura in Orlando	Orlando	Enjoying the sun

May 15 Journal and Pictures

Hi everybody…. April has passed by so fast, and now I’m starting my last month. It’s so sad, and also kind of scary. Of course, I’m looking forward to going back to Denmark, but at the same time I’m afraid of being disappointed. I know I’m going to miss everything over here soooo much. I’m experiencing mixed emotions for this month. It’s very hard to describe, you’d have to feel it yourself. But I’m sure that most everybody feels the same.

April was the month my parents and my sister were here. It was good to see them again. I had weird feelings in the airport, when I was waiting for them. All of sudden I was afraid to see them, but then the 20 min before they got here was the longest in my life. I was all nervous and shaken when I saw them. My sister was the first one who saw me, and she ran up to me and gave me the best hug I ever got in my life. My parents came running afterwards, and I just can’t describe how good it was to see them again. I was almost crying. The 2 weeks they were here went by so fast. We did so many different things. My first host parents had a big party for them, so my parents got to meet everybody. Then we went to North Carolina for 4 days. I just love it up there, and so did they. It’s beautiful up there, and we just had a great time. Then we went to Miami for a week, and celebrated my birthday. My 17th birthday at South Beach, could it be any better? Miami is my favorite place here in Florida. Beach, tanning, shopping, relaxing, restaurants, bathing, sun, the pool and just enjoying my family, was just the best vacation. We also went to Gainesville, to see some of my parents’ friends. When you are having fun, time runs by fast, and it was time to say goodbye again. It was really hard for me to say goodbye, harder than I thought it will be. I was crying pretty much the rest of the day, but fortunately my host parents understood me, and they were really supportive, and it did really helped a lot.

Then it was back to school again and the everyday routine. After not having seen my friends for 3 weeks, it was actually nice coming back to school again.

Then there was Grad Bash. All seniors from around Florida went to the Universal Theme park. When we got there, there was a street open where we all could go in and get free food and soft drinks, and there were small clubs you could go into and dance. After that we walked around and tried different rides, and just had fun.

Last weekend was Carole's Birthday Party. It was good to see many of the exchange students again. She had a karaoke, so we all were singing. Lots of funJ Now I’m just spending most of my time hanging out with friends and family, at the beach, laying at my pool, shopping, school, (?homework?) and just enjoying myself here in the sunshine stateJ. Thanks a lot Rotary JJ			Eating gator tail
Jocelyn and me	Me and Greg on the boat	Miami Beach	My American birthday cake
My BIG Family	Senior Pool Party	Senior Spirit Day	The Boat