José Cruz

2005-06 Inbound from Ecuador

Date of Birth: December 6, 1987

Hometown: Quito, Ecuador

Sponsor: Quito-Valle Interoceanico Rotary Club, District 4400, Ecuador

Host: Fernandina Beach Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA
School: Fernandina Beach High School

Bio

José's Bio

"So far so good" about my exchange program. My first host family is very good. And in my school, I already have friends, so that's very cool. This year I am going to graduate here at Fernandina Beach High School, so I have to study a lot ... and at the end to know how to listen, speak, and write perfect English.

I like any kind of sports, but my number one is soccer.

August 30 Journal

When I first came here -in the airport- was a pretty neat experience because there were more than 15 people waiting for me, they have these huge posters saying Jose and its background was a soccer ball so I like it a lot!!! They all were very helpful. And the Interact Club had many presents, such as a frisbee, a "soccer" clock, a soccer lamp....and lots of candies, actually I still have some them, so yes a lot of candy. In less words: "INCREDIBLE FIRST DAY!!"

My first host parents are Jim and Lorraine Corbett and they are fantastic, I couldn't ask for more. They had for me a pretty nice room, they bought me a soccer ball, and also they prepared this welcome party with people that I was going to be with in school. I mean they are the best of the best, always trying to make me feel comfortable. I also met Erik, their son, his wife Marie, and their son called James, and when I need something they are always there to help me (they are very very good persons). I feel like if Erik was my older brother.

And my counselor is Tom Basore, he, his wife (Irene) and his granddaughter (Nicole) , they all make me feel as I were part of their family. I like them very much.

I have learned to live in a totally different culture. Why is totally different? Well, except for the fast food, here the people don't care of the fashion thing, you can wear what ever you want. They just live their lives and don't care , which is really cool, because in my society you should always look good to be part of a group. Here we have dinner, I mean the most important meal is at 6 or 6:30 pm; back in Ecuador you ate the principal meal at 1:30. The people are very open-minded, but if you don't say hello first they just don't care about you, but after that and after you say that you are an Exchange Student then they will try to help in what they can.

In Fernandina High School, I'm having a wonderful time, because I have been making many friends and because I have very good grades. Well, I have to give credit to my teachers because they always help me with things that I don't know.

It's really hard to understand the language when they speak fast and when they use "teenager terms". But I've realized and my host parents too that my English has improved a lot since my arrival.

It has only passed a month without even feeling like it (time flies), and right now I feel that I'm changing pretty much as a mature person - you know, me against the world, no more people telling you what your decision should be.

This experience is incredible!!!! I have to thank every single person that worked and is working for my exchange program.

IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE AN EXCHANGE STUDENT!!!!!!!

October 4 Journal and Pictures

--- Time flies when you are having a great time---

It has been 2 months and I haven't felt it!!!!!

It's incredible and unpredictable how much I have changed just in two months, now the way I see life is totally different (more open) and because of that my attitude has changed too (obviously in a good way).

It's necessary to keep saying that my host family is the best, without both my host family and my counselor and his wife having a neat experience..... "No WAY JOSE!" jajajajajjajajajajjajaj that's what all the people tell me. They fill the empty part of my heart that stayed in Ecuador, they are my support, my strength.

This month I met all the members of my family (I mean almost everyone, in total like 35 people) in a big house in St. Augustine: a lot of fun such as jet ski , games.....

I went to see the GATORS in Gainesville, and WOW it's a huge stadium, more than 90000 people can go there. And I was in The Bull Gator Zone, so this zone is at level 7 of the stadium where I could eat and drink everything I wanted for free!!!!!!!!!! There I went with Erick (Host brother), who is one of the important fans of the Gators and Jim (host dad) ......So we had an awesome day

The next weekend I invited some friends: Nicole (outbound) , Dana, Amelie and Carole. I showed them were I live. We ride bikes to downtown, eat something and then go to the beach, we all had a great time.

Now I Know what is Homecoming...... that week was crazy, I have never seen something like that in my entire life, different clothes every day, lip sync or what ever, homecoming dance......IT WAS REALLY REALLY FUN!

About the school, it's getting better, I have many many friends, and almost everyday I meet new people. I have a hard time remembering the names because too many. And I'm already an Interact member from my school. I have the diploma, the teacher, the pin......

So yes, time has flown for me.

JOSE

Above: three pictures with Dana, Amelie, Carole, and Nicole; me on the jet ski
Below: at the Gator game; homecoming queens

November 14 Journal and Pictures

Three months in USA: the way I think has changed a lot. I don’t how different my family and friends back in Ecuador are going to see me after the exchange student program.

If I have to describe USA citizens I would say very "Nationalists", Which I think is pretty good and one of the reasons of the progress of this country.

The exchange students we are all experiencing something not easy to describe, just in word which is going to change our lives for ever, not only being in a new country but by being friends of other people and having kind of the same feelings towards being away from your family, people that are really my friends and friends that hopefully will never break up. And finally recognize how people from various places of the world can have the same feelings, sometimes same ideologies and by sharing both growing up as a person, an opportunity that not everyone has.

Now talking a little bit of me, I’m having an extraordinary time!! My relation with my host parents is excellent and with their support and my counselor’s support I have put away any kind of difficulties .

Excellent month because I have the opportunity to see my friends called exchange students in DeLion Springs Park where we all had a lot of fun, preparing the breakfast , going canoeing , swimming and the most important thing being together.

Also I went with my counselor to see an Air show, were a lot of fancy planes of every kind, old war planes to modern jets, that was an unforgettable experience.

Jose

December 8 Journal and Pictures

This month was awesome.

I have been really active in the school, in the Interact club plus the soccer varsity team (where I’m part of). In soccer we have won almost all the games, but we are practicing pretty hard, so in a few weeks were are going to be an outstanding team.

It's a neat experience to have the first Thanksgiving !! You eat a lot and have a good time near your family. Where I have the opportunity to meet more members of my host family’s family. And I had really happy good time, and also I met part of the family of my counselor, it was a pretty good deal.

I was also in the Baptism of my hot nephew which I like him like my nephew back in Ecuador. I always play with him, and save him when there is too much noise in the house, we together always have a good time.

At the end of this month I received excellent news, and it was THAT I PASSED the FCAT, so I was really really happy because I took that test just the second month I was here!! That’s all everybody, that's how it goes the fourth month of this Incredible Unforgettable Year of my Life.

January 7 Journal and Pictures

The very first days of this past month I was in an incredible, fabulous trip with my exchange student friends plus others from other districts. We all get along pretty good and passed awesome in Disney.

This month also I had the opportunity to go to Virginia and visit the famous Williamsburg, it was very interesting because it was in the place where my American History talk at the beginning of the year.

I had the great opportunity to do an aero-tour, going from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine. It was incredible, I controlled the plane for about 10min - it was FANTASTIC!!

December a month, in which I have discovered things about me that I thought it wouldn’t happen:

All started with my birthday, 6 of December, then Christmas and New Year’s eve where typically I would be with my family (and friends). I thought it was going to be really difficult but It wasn’t at all. Obviously you do think about your country but then you are so close to your family-friends, better known for me as the host family and the exchange students, with their support, you can do everything. So yes, I realize that I can expend those holidays many miles away from home.

February 5 Journal and Pictures

This month I’ve been running, what I mean about running is:

School, soccer practice + interact club, come home at 6:15 pm, take a shower, eat, homework and sleep (this in a regular day). But when we (varsity soccer team) have a game, my schedule changes just a little bit:

School; right after school, eat something while we are heading to the soccer field in the bus, play the game and come back home… At that time I arrive home probably between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, after that take a shower, do homework but just if I don’t fall asleep first.

This has been a big challenge for me, by fighting not to sleep in the class and keep up my good grades.

But now at the end of the soccer season, now I know that all the effort and sacrifice put into it is very significant and valuable for me because we made not just to the district final and for first time in my school to the quarterfinal of the regionals. It has been a time to make a mature decision, put aside what I really want and being selfish and choose to help, support and give hope to the city by the school. There will be many other and harder decisions to make in life but so far it has been the hardest one in my 18 years.

I did a poem (see below) for all the exchange students that went to Seacamp… I’m very happy that they had a great time there. They are very important for me; if they are happy I’m happy!!

About my new host family, it is going to be almost two months that I’m with them and I’m having an awesome time. They helped me to carry out this January very busy, hard and challenging month.

Yeap!!! I cant believe and I don’t want to believe! that this incredible, fantastic, terrific, awesome, pretty cool…. experience of being an exchange student is going to a close end.

Thanks a million times and more for all the people that gave me this opportunity and the ones that are working to make this experience the best one of My Life (which it already is)

This time left I will take advantage of every single second so in the end everyone will remember me not only because of who I am but because how many things I have accomplished too.

EXCHANGE STUDENTS RELATION
You cannot hide love Let it go while you feel All pain will be remove Just let it heal
It’s all in your heart But don’t be scare I never want to part I’ll always be there
I love the way you touch me Always sending life to my spine I love that you are with me And glad that you are mine
Like heart to love it holds us fast Bonds like this are meant to last.

March 5 Journal and Pictures

Very good stuff in this month, ajjajaj there is always something new and awesome in my exchange student life every month so you all should know that already.

It started pretty good; in the first week I received a “Silver Card” which means that in my school grades I have mostly A’s and a few B’s and a perfect discipline. When my homeroom teacher called my name to give me one of those, I got really excited because it is a very good award, not all people in the school receive it, and with that little card I CAN GO TO EVERY HOME GAME FOR FREE!!!!

Most of the students got very surprised because many of those have never had one of these cards and many people congratulated me.

In the same week Rob Overly came to my house with a surprise for me. This was a t-shirt of Key West and in it messages from my friends that I did not see because I wasn't there (Seacamp). It was really touching.

I went surfing with some of my school friends, YES SURFING!!, which was one of my dreams.. I’m still not so good at it but I will be. We can't surf everyday (depends of the waves) so instead of that, we do skim board which is pretty neat too. And if I’m doing either both, then we all play soccer at the beach!!

With my host parents I had my first bocce ball game, it was fantastic and entertaining for a not so complicated game. I ended undefeated after the third game until the end of the day. I love that game

Some of my inbound friends, we saw each other, and helped in the process of all the 2006-07 outbounds.. They were all interesting people and we all passed a good time. We played games, helped them in the language of the country were they are going...I enjoyed it a lot!

Then I went with my host parents to my first hockey game! It was incredible, I ended loving the game because of two reasons: 1) Is kind of the same soccer rules so I picked it up very quickly. 2) And if you have been to one of these games, you know my number two: THE FIGHTS!! Is so tremendous how they hit each other so hard and keep playing…

After the game I had a couple of pictures with the “ice girls”, interesting…

With my host dad we did the backyard, it took us two days of hard, really hard work, but at the end it feels so good to see what we had accomplished.

And at the end of this month, Dana (Argentina) and Gulten (Turkey) came to spend a weekend at my house. We went to the beach to do some skim board, play darts and many other games. At night we danced some salsa, meringue… We had a terrific time together.

It is like an excellent dream, what a exchange student is going through; for me it has been a dream and is so so good I don’t want to wake up, I wish it could be forever… Thanks ones again for all the people that make my experience the best one of my life.

April 5 Journal

Fernandina Beach: there is not a better place to be: small city, yes, but I live across the street from the beach. I LOVE THIS!! After school I always try to go there, not necessarily to surf or hang out with my friends but to relax. Sit down at the beach and hear the waves, the birds….

The surf part is going pretty good, is hard to learn and falling down has been my best teacher. At the end all the sore muscles go away with a good “ride” (surf one). I can’t believe that I can do it: I like it so much!!!

In my city at the Ritz Carleton every year, classic and modern cars are exposed to the people. The cheapest car is about a million dollars. It was crazy!! (Enjoy the pictures).

I went to the TPC with Gulten and Dana, we love it… we saw all the players, but the one we got more excited with was the well known “Tiger Woods”. Always when exchange students get together you want to talk about everything but that place wasn’t the best one for that so we talked and play afterwards.

Before the month ended, I went as the date of Pond to her prom. It was my first one.

But before the big night we (Pond and I) went to the TPC saw all the professional players and also we saw two girls from Belgium: Carole and Amélie, we all had a great time. I put my tuxedo…. And needless to say we danced all night long. We had a lot of fun.

I can’t write no more, there is not so much time left; I have to go and live this incredible experience at 110%.

p.s.: I'll send you the pictures as soon as possible.

Thanks for all,

Warmly,

Jose

May 5 Journal and Pictures

I have no idea how to start explaining what had happened these days. Oooo right, these days have been a blast !!!jajajaj good way to start ha? Okay, I know:

I didn’t only have one prom, I had two!! This second one I went with Gulten. She prepared the dinner; jajajaj the only thing she forgot was to crush the potatoes, it end up pretty good though. But I must admit it wasn’t that bad, just kidding it was “yummy “ like she said. After dinner we went to her prom… it was hilarious.

Next, my dad and sister passed through for about 4 days. It was so funny how they were telling me how much I have changed. I did know that I changed, but not as much as they told me.

We went to Universal and Islands of Adventure - it was Crazy!!!!!! We all had a terrific time.

Afterwards I invited to my friends to come to my beach house to spend the Easter weekend. Not everyone came but still it was pretty sweet. We painted eggs and also we had a game of searching for the Easter eggs (they had money in them) but I couldn’t play b/c I hid those eggs!! Jejejej but whatever, it was a lot of fun watching all of them enjoying the game. But not only do that, we also went to the beach, play volleyball, boogie boards stuff, soccer…… It was incredible.

Then in school, I was invited for the honor roll society to be part of them. We had dinner and then I received a diploma and a medallion. It felt awesome to be part, I mean all the effort was finally compensated. There are only a few weeks until the end of school; I’m so excited I don’t know what is going to come next! That’s all ya’ll!!