Audrey Vandegaar

2006-07 Inbound from Belgium

Hometown: Soumagne, Liege, Belgium

Sponsor: Fleron Rotary Club, District 1630, Belgium

Host: Daytona Beach West Rotary Club, District 6970, USA

School: Spruce Creek High School

Bio

Audrey's Bio

I am Audrey Vandegaar, I come from Belgium (the country of the french-fries, chocolate…). I'm seventeen, and I live with my parents and my brother, 21. My dad is a carpenter and my mom is a secretary. My house is situated near Liege but I live in the country.

I graduated in Belgium and I have wanted to do an exchange for 4 years. I met an Australian girl who was an exchange student and I really liked what she had done: the fact of meeting people, discover a new lifestyle, a new country… As soon as possible I signed up as an exchange student. This decision was the biggest of my life! I will leave my friends, my family, and my environment, to live with people I don t know, who live probably differently than me, I won t know anybody… but it was my dream… And I realized the thing I wanted.

When I came in Florida I saw everything is BIG…here glasses are big, cars are big, my school is also big, houses are big… It was very amazing! I met my host family. I could not have dreamed a better welcoming. I live with my host dad, my host mom, and my two host brothers. They are very kind with me and I feel like a member of this family. I met a lot of people and I like it very much. I have already met other exchange student who I shared some feelings with… And of course I speak English all the time… it is very tiring but I learn every day new things!

I hope a lot of things of this year…After 12 months in America I will be able to speak English, I will have met a lot of people from everywhere, and I will have received satisfaction during my exchange… It won’t be easy all the time, I will have some difficult moments… but I will live Wonderful things, I will have a beautiful memory of the year 2006-2007.

October 3 Journal

October 2006… I’ve been here for 2 months… It’s amazing how fast the time is spent…and how fast my life has changed…

2 months ago I left my family, my friends and all I knew, and came here for something that was totally different…. It’s hard to explain how my life change…but it changed… I realize after those weeks that I grew up and I’ve learned a lot of things…

Far away from my family and my friends I was alone and didn’t know anybody… it was hard at the beginning but it’s those kind of stuffs which made be more independent and confident….

Now the language is not as a big problem as it was… you can’t realize how fast we get used to another language…that’s amazing!!! And that’s great… Indeed I still learn new words…

I get really close of my host family…you know when you aren’t with the people you know you get really close to people around you…my family knows me very well, and they are always here for me…I’m really LUCKY… I love them so much…I have 2 dads, 2 moms and now more than 1 brother…that’s really weird…I know…but you have to live it to understand how beautiful it is…

If you have in a part of your mind the idea of doing something like I’m doing…Something as exciting as I’m living… GO…. The bad times are nothing compared to the other days we enjoy…

Another good thing of this exchange is that we meet so many people…a lot of people are interested in you because you are kind of weird…a boy asked me if we had dogs in Belgium LOL…we share a lot of things and make a lot of friends…(yes now I’m not alone anymore)

I’ve been really sad because I’ve been here for 2 months and I couldn’t stop thinking that I have just 10 months here… it’s really difficult to think about my departure because I got really close to people here and it will be very difficult to leave them …but it’s in 10 months you will tell me… I know that’s why I enjoy the best I can….

See you soon…

Bisous
Audrey…from BELGIUM

November 29 Journal and Pictures

Hi everybody… It has been a long time since my last news. A lot of things happen in an exchange student life…it’s amazing how much stuff we do! The exchange students are always busy and unorganized…yes, it’s true…

11-27-06! I’ve been here for 4 months… For those who are waiting for me it has been a long time but for me…it’s so short… In one month it’s Christmas and one month after this I change my host family…

Now I feel kind of worried about all of those events… Christmas is going be so much fun but on the other hand I will be far away from my family and it might be the hardest thing of this experience… The homesickness is part of our experience and those things will let us grow up and being someone else… When you decide to be an exchange student you need to keep in mind that sometimes can be hard but the most important is the stuff we won’t live a second time…. Let’s look at those activities I have done…

Those last weeks have been very full of events…

My friends from all around the world (exchange student) and I went to the Kennedy space center and the Daytona 500. We also went to the Octoberfest and see all the bikers. We were offered biker’s shirts for the 28 exchange students. This is an example of what is like to be an E-S, we are special and we receive so much stuff from people they just want to make us happy and it works…Whenever you go and mention that you come from another country you see this smile in the person’s face and they just admire you and ask you so much questions. This weekend was great…we haven’t seen each other since the first meeting in August. I noticed how people changed and how we all feel more comfortable with the language. It’s amazing. Those times with each other are marvelous because we enjoy as much as possible those people who have the same dream than us but who are so different!

I’ve been to Georgia (up in the north) with my family and that was a great experience, being in the same country with different landscapes…it’s amazing! (again) We took 4 days of vacation and had time to spend time with each other. I had the opportunity of seeing the leaves which are changing …it doesn’t happen in Florida so it reminded me of my small country. That was a very good trip!

I also enjoyed the time with my friends… now I know who are the persons I can talk to and I make me feel really good. I know who I can call… I’ve spent the night in some friends house and some came over also. It's little details which make me realize that I become to change someone’s life. Because a lot of people change our lives but we also do the same.

I’ve had a good week end at a Rotarian's house with some e-s . We went tubing and had a good time on the boat and in the pool …in November…can you believe that? In my country they need a scarf and a coat right now…I was so excited to enjoy the good weather…

I’ve been to a football party… in a big house with around 200 fans…Yes we are in America!!!! Lol! After this I’ve enjoyed my week off! We all needed it…because school become school and not a new area, it’s my school now and nothing exciting is going on. I get used to everything… During the break I had a good time with all of my host brothers who came over for Thanksgiving… YES…you probably want to know how was my first Thanksgiving???? Because we don’t have Thanksgiving in Belgium …I stopped counting the number of people who asked me if we have this in Europe…But...don’t forget your history guys, Thanksgiving is an American celebration…lol! More than 25 people asked me that, that was funny their face when I reminded them that …”no, it’s American!” ;-) This family meeting has been kind of hard for me, I missed my family but we had the food to get better…(the turkey didn’t work that well but that was good dough)

I’ve had my first waffle… A Belgian waffle in America. I still don’t understand why they put butter on it…;-)

Here are all of my last news… I see you soon...after Disney which is coming this week ;-) Gros bisous Audrey

December 15 Journal and Pictures

Disney…

Yes on December 1 we went to Disney World with all the exchange students…A big activity which made us all so EXCITED… I have waited for this 4 day trip since August when we met each other…and we lived this experience with so much fun!

For a lot of us it was the first time in Disney…We visited MGM, MAGIC KINGDOM, EPCOT, and ANIMAL KINGDOM… I was like a kid all the time…big eyes and mouth open most of the time…it was just …Magic… Everything was Big (again) ..I was impressed!

We also met other exchange students, and made other friends.. As far as I’m concerned I got to know the exchanges from my group better…We knew each other but not very personally and this weekend was the best opportunity to get to know each other…

I had so much fun with you guys and I have laughed as I did at home…it made me so happy to find such an easy and good friendship in such a short time… We understand each other because we are living the same things and we can laugh about the same things because we have basically the same feelings… I had a really good time and 1 week-end before my birthday this trip was a beautiful present!!!!

Thanks to everybody I had so much fun with all you guys…at the Hollywood tower, the water mountain, the Everest, Space Mountain….and the magic shows at the end of the day… with the castle and on the lake…it was magic and amazing…. I love you and I can’t wait to be at the keys… ( Yes it’s pretty soon ;-) )

February 25 Journal

Hi guys…

It has been a while…and I’m sorry but you might have discovered how exchange students are busy so that’s why I’m late BUT I have way more stuffs to tell you…

So are you ready??? Lets go back to December…

After our great time in Disney, the real life started again…yes I’m talking about school…it was a bad period because Christmas was ready to come… I wasn’t at all… It was so hard to find present for 4 BOYS (my host brothers) … and I was also scared of being homesick! Thanksgiving was a little bit hard and I wondered how Christmas would be! Christmas arrived so fast...I still missed some presents and it was so WARM! It was so weird…it didn’t seem like Christmas - I have always been used to have a fire during December. But we woke up and opened the stocking (think that I haven’t done before but have seen in the movie…) We hang out and opened presents, the bottom of the tree was full of presents. I have been so spoiled, I have never had as much presents for Christmas, it was a real American Christmas. I really had a great time and I got to speak a little bit with my family. I can tell you had a wonderful time, a little bit of nostalgia at church when someone asked me “do you miss your family”. Well yes! But was really well surrounded by my host family and it was awesome!

For New Year we went with the Rotary for a parade in Jacksonville and we all represented our countries with our flags. We walked with our heavy flags and wished happy New Year in our own languages for all the people and had such a good time. After that we were invited to go to a host family’s house to spend the New Year eve with all our friends. We sang and danced and a lot of us jumped in the swimming pool, can you believe that? In Belgium at this time you are near the fireplace! That was again a celebration far from home but with wonderful people. We have so many memories together now and I really found best friends who live the same thing as I. Who else can better understand my experience than another exchange student?

When I came home I got ready to go to Miami with my host mom. When you think about Florida in Europe you can not talk about Miami! I have been there and it was great. Not just the famous and crazy part of Miami but also the Everglades and rides with airboat. I have never seen as much alligators that was pretty exciting. We also went out on a boat and caught crabs. It was short but AMAZING!

I also got very close to a friend during the break. We spent a lot of time together and I really have a good relationship with her. Now I don’t have only exchange students I can talk to, but also someone else I can call anytime for anything. I really needed someone like that. Not only someone you hang out at school with but someone that you can consider a best friend! It has been hard to come somewhere unknown and having to deal with cliques, it takes time to find the real person you are going to keep in touch with. I know that I won’t hear from people as soon as I leave the country but now I can say that I have a best American friend.

I have had the chance to meet some of the American kids interested on being an exchange student during the interviews they had to go to in Jacksonville. Some inbound have been able to talk to the parents about being an exchange student. Having their point of view about the subject was very, very interesting. I realized what my parents have been through, and I also realized how difficult it is to let your child go… I knew that was a big deal but having those parents explaining to me their fears was a great experience.

At the end of January the exchange students got the get together to go to Seacamp at the keys. The weather wasn’t that beautiful but we snorkeled and I have learned a lot during this long week-end! And of course we were all the exchange students and we always have a crazy time when we see each other. We met kids from Michigan and had good moments with them too.

We are so lucky to be able to do so many things with the Rotary. That is definitely the best organization to make an exchange with. A lot of volunteers take time with us, take care of us and do a lot of activities with us. They help us make our dream come true and having the BEST experience of our lives in a host country. I will never forget the time here, and my trip in here wouldn’t have been the same if I hadn’t some with Rotary!

You have just read a little bit of what happened in my life during a couple of months but the rest is coming soon!!!!

See you …

Gros bisous a tous!

Audrey

Audrey's District Conference Speech

Summer 2006, 28 students from all around the world arrived in a country in which they didn’t know much! I was one of them. One of those who left their family and friends but who knew that something great would happen! In fact my life has changed since July 26.

Every day has been a new adventure… As an exchange student, I’ve learned a lot! I’ve tried Peanut Butter and Jelly, I’ve had alligator, and I’ve watched football games and almost understood it. I know what it’s like to go to a school of 3000 kids. I’ve shared my culture and learned a new one. I’ve gained weight. Became an ambassador of my country!

I sometimes say "you all" - meaning that I speak English. I used to laugh at jokes when everybody was laughing, but didn’t have a clue what was funny. I can express myself and don’t use the “sorry I don’t understand” as much as I used to. I’ve had to start a new life in an area where I didn’t know anybody and couldn’t converse with anybody, go to a huge school and didn’t know who to sit with at lunch. Had a new bedroom and new rules to follow from strangers I was living with. All of those facts are what is called… Culture Shock!

It hasn’t been easy to get used to your sweet tea. It hasn’t been easy to get up at 6:00 to go to school at 7:30 instead of 8:30, and It hasn’t been easy to be far from my family and friends, but that’s what it takes to have a life changing experience.

I’ve learned so much through this year abroad by building relationships and growing up. I’ve met so many people and made a lot of friends. I’ve also had the chance to meet 27 wonderful kids from all around the world, those ones who have been through the same things as me. Being around those students taught me so much about the world around us. Don’t you think it’s amazing that I met people from Brazil, Poland, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Slovakia …We shared our customs and got friends as soon as we met each other, even if we didn’t speak the same language! You should have seen us in August when we met each other, we didn’t speak English very well but were trying to say something from someone else's language…

Those relationships happened quickly but will last forever, those people who are living so differently than me in their country have had the same feelings as me. They understand the bad and the good moments compared to some who have never had the chance of experiencing what we are living!

I’ve been able to make other friends as well. I can say that I have an American best friend, which wasn’t expected at all at the beginning of the school year when the lunch time took forever! I can call her anytime and talk about anything.

And remember the strangers I was talking about? Well I still live with them but they are my parents now. I’m proud to say that I have a home in Belgium and a second one in Florida. I also have a second mom and dad! People put in my way have given me so much. I’ve so many memories in this country. Finally I’ve learned about myself. I grew up during these 9 months. I don’t have my mom to make my sandwich and now. I also get up by myself even if it’s at 6:00. I became independent and more open minded.

Being an exchange student literally changed my life! It means a year to fix your ideas, realizing the importance of your surrounding back home, learning a new culture and realizing the fact that wonderful people can be found everywhere. This part of my life will never been forgotten.

It took time to find my place in this country but now a part of me belongs to here! I’m unfortunately counting the weeks left before going back home…my dream is almost over. But I’ll NEVER forget this experience! I think I can say that every student who has had the opportunity to go abroad for a year has probably had the hardest but also the BEST time of their life and are so thankful.

It has been amazing and I want to thank all of you who make this program work and allow students to have a life changing experience.

May 7 Journal

It has been a while, but it also has been a while since I have been as busy as I am right now!

Great things have happened since February. I don’t know what to start with!

I went with my church to a camp during spring break, that’s not what most kids would do during their break but I had a blast, I have learned a lot and had a great time …

I traveled a little bit more as well! Now that I start going places I don’t want to stop and people in my case might know what I’m talking about! That’s probably one of the worst things by being an exchange student is that, Now I want to go everywhere, coming back here too and visiting my friends’ countries… Now I need to work harder, make more money and GO!

Anyways a lot of things happen during those last 6 months and it’s probably because it’s of course the Last ones! Things have been really different those past weeks and months! I have had to plan on going back! And this is the WORST thing you have to do during your exchange! Adaptation is almost nothing compare to the fact of getting ready to move on!

It took me a while to accept that I would have to work on my flight ticket. It was better to say that I would leave around July without knowing the exact date! But once you have the Date …you really have to adapt your mind and realize that your dream is almost over!

These 9 months have run SO fast, I remember coming at the airport trying to understand what’s going on! Now I know what’s happening and I wish I could stop the time and run backward for a little bit!

It’s hard to realize that one year is almost gone…something that I have dreamt for 4 years became true but is done… I put so much effort for this exchange and counting my days left makes me sick!

The subject of going back home is coming every day… people ask me “are you excited to go back home?” Well that’s a tough question to ask… Of course I’m excited to see my family and friends and rediscover what I have left for a year but the other part of me IS not at all! Why is it over? I don’t want to go back. I have built another life in here, something that works pretty well and if you are not an exchange student you don’t know what it’s like! I have had a good time talking to my exchange students friends because they have the EXACT same feelings… we know how is our country but it feels like we don’t have enough time to discover our new one.

So many things happen this year, way more than I expected and I’m having a hard time realizing that in 2 months I’ll leave my school, which was so big at first but that I know pretty well now. I’ll empty the room, which has been mine for almost a year. I won’t wake up in the same place anymore, not go out in the same area, not eat the same but for the most important: Not being surrounded by those people that are mine now! In fact they were strangers but they are my family now, my friends and it’s hard thinking that I will have to leave those people who have changed my life and made my experience what it was been! A WONDERFUL TIME…

I’m so thankful for what has happened. I have changed so much this year and it’s hard to believe that…going abroad for a year can bring you so much… I will be a different person for my friends and family who are expecting to find the AUDREY they have seen leaving a year ago. So of course I’m scared of going back home because I don’t know if people will open their hearts and arms as quickly as the people have done here. But this is also a part of the experience…and It will be interesting to see how things will work out!

But before that I still have time to enjoy in here..

YES the Belgian girl is not going to give up her 2 months left…I’m ready to take everything I can and have a good time! I’m going to the Keys and California before going back and I’ll also have time to spend with my surroundings here. I’ll let you know everything!!

See you!

June 27 Journal

Last month…

This is getting crazy…My last month is full of things to do…I just came back from my bus trip on the west coast with the exchange students from all around the world living now in USA…it was been just wonderful, those 14 days have been intense… I arrived knowing 2 persons out of 90 …we went to Las Vegas and the relationships started already… Not very hard because we all have had pretty much the same life during this past year… it wasn’t too difficult to find equal characteristics …

We traveled by bus in 3 different states and drove more than 2.000 miles. We visited Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, San Diego, Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Francisco… It was just so much fun…we lived all together for more than 2 weeks and we got so close to each other… the time, once again, went by way too fast. We finally knew each other that we had our last night… after seeing the big landscapes of Vegas, the bridge and houses of San Francisco, the beaches of California…we spent our last time signing flags, having a talent show, crying and making promises…

This trip has just been one of the highlights of my year… and it made me realize how hard it’s going to be to leave my people here… It was very difficult saying good bye to people I met for 2 weeks so I can’t imagine how it will be in less than a month when I will have to leave Florida…

Everyday people ask me when I leave and it brings fears every time… how is it going to be… what I’m going to do to fill the empty space… not to miss my host country too much… how I’m going to fit in again? I’m half Belgian, half American now… I can order a sweet tea, have a refill, I can go to the store with pajamas… I can go to the store at night… All of those things will be different… how is it going to be with my family? It worked so well with my host family but how will my parents react when I come back -they haven’t seen me growing for a year…but I sure did…

I’m very scared and excited. How can you explain that to someone who has never been in the situation… I’m trying to get exited for things that I miss… I can’t wait to eat French bread and salads and real BELGIAN fries ;-) …I can’t wait to see everybody, party and spend more time with my family… This year made me realize how important things are…When you miss something you realize what importance it has in your eyes…

I have about 3 weeks left …and I will try to enjoy it…doing the last things I want to do… eating cheesecake (oh my gosh I’ll miss that so bad) and sweet tea, seeing all of my friends and doing fun stuffs…

The end is almost here but my dad has always told me that dreams always end sometimes… mine took 1 year. I guess it has been enough for everybody but me….

Love you guys…

PS: It might sound depressing but don’t be afraid of being exchange student - it’s the BEST!!!!

July 6 Journal

It’s 12.20 on a Friday night (6-July) and you would say I don’t have anything better to do than sitting on the computer … doing nothing for my last 11 days… In fact the last days are not just fun … you have to pack, get things organized and thinking of everything you need before the last trip. HOME

So here I’m thinking about stuffs … and wanting to write to you guys, ‘cauz if you are reading this note right now you might be a little interested to my life situation … So I’m just going to tell you about my last days…

I just can’t believe that I have to go… I just did my scrap book (always good to do along with the diary) and … man the time goes by way too fast … almost a year I arrived here … knowing nobody and now I feel like home and I have to leave my people again … This horrible there is nothing to say. I’m really trying to find answers to all of my fears and questions but the problem is I just have to go and see by myself … almost all of my exchange student friends are gone and the summary of their feelings is …”WEIRD”

I just don’t know what to expect … I think it will be fun for about 2 weeks at the most and then everything will be normal again … Not being special anymore, not having the opportunity to do 100 things, not having this door open by people, not being interesting … just Not …

It’s just so scary to face the real world again … going to college and seeing friends again … I’ll also have to face the fact that some of my “friends” won’t be there for me … that some relationships are not the same anymore ... I guess it’s a good thing: knowing who you true friends are ... but it might hurt … It will hurt to leave here and it probably will hurt there … I don’t know how it will work out with my parents, having to follow their rules after being away for a year, it probably won’t be as easy as it seems … I’m really thankful for the opportunity they gave me to come here but I don’t think they realize how much I have changed and grown up those past 12 months … the adjustment will be interesting …

I’m talking about home but before that I’ll have to say goodbye and I guess everybody has to go through that but it’s horrible … I’ve had such a good family that I consider like my second one and have made good friends in here … a relationship that grows in less than a year is either ok or strong and I can be proud to say that mine have been Strong … I still have this friend that I call anytime about anything and I can’t even imagine not talking to her everyday … I have a good relationship with my host parents as well and I love talking to them about anything … what I’m gonna do when I can only see them on the computer and talking about the weather over there …

I’ll miss so many things but I can’t even say what … I still have those relationships and things around me that I won’t have soon and it’s at that point that I’ll realize how bad I miss it…

I’m a little bit excited to start a new life back home … it’s like being an exchange student again. Rediscover my own culture and my own surrounding under another eyes … but still I have to leave…

I guess it’s the way it goes … it’s a part of the experience. Probably the worth and it’s probably one of the biggest thing that make us grow up … being responsible and going back home because, trust me, if I wasn’t I would just stay … I would find a closet to hide and stay a little bit longer … ;-)

Can you tell that I’ve had the best experience of my life????

I’m so thankful to all the people who have been part of my experience … in a small or a big way, but a lot of people have had a big impact on me…

This year has changed my life and I want to thank the Rotary for putting all of that together … changing lives just like that…

Thank you for giving me the chance to discover your country that is now a little bit mine too!!!

Love you ALL,

Gros bisous

Audrey

July 18 Journal

At a couple hours before leaving here are my last feelings…

It’s really weird, I’ve been crying so much. I was supposed to leave yesterday but due to a flight problem I stayed one more day, which wasn’t expected at all … Yesterday was just so weird, looking around and not knowing what I would miss the most … and looking at my host parents thinking I wouldn’t see them everyday anymore … it’s just horrible … it’s really hard for me, plus I’m very sensitive which doesn’t help at all! Anyways, now my parents are waiting on me back home and it’s my job to go back …. but I’ll be back … I think I’ll have to come back in less than a year … I really am going to miss Florida A LOT…

So it’s not a goodbye , but a see you later… and I just read something that describe the fact of leaving really well:

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”

I want to thanks everybody that has been part of my life in here … it has been a life changing experience … I love you VERY MUCH and never forget this year!!

LOVE always,

Audrey

Epliogue - August 29

It's raining,

WELCOME to Belgium…

Yes, one month and a half that I'm back…under the rain… One month since I left my new life, this new lifestyle in which I had a family, friends and a love for the country I was hosted by… Now I'm back to my own country that seemed so different once I saw it for the first time… First my house seemed SO small, it really is very small - I realized that in my kitchen you could at the most place 5 people LOL… People are different…fashion is different, I was discovering another country and realizing things I had never seen about my country… But old habits came back very very quickly, in a certain way it seems like I've never left…for example with my parents…they are still over protecting me and not realizing what I've experienced without them…my mom doesn't realize that I knew I need to take a jacket in case of rain…here she keeps telling me those stupid stuffs that are, I guess, MOM worries…

SO yes it's the same for people but not for me.. Even some people think I haven t changed, I know I did…and coming back is hard… Realizing that my dream is over…all I have done this year has been perfect and this perfect life is gone…now reality is back…and I can say it…I'm having a hard time realizing it's over…this part of my life will NEVER happen again…of course I will come back and visit but It won't be the same…It's so hard to believe…

I'm working a LOT to keep myself busy and not staying home, otherwise I would just get depressed but hiding the fact that I'm here is not the solution either… I do have hard times here and it's hard to keep it because I don't have many exchange students around me…but I m gonna be part of Rotex to be part of people's lives and try to change theirs as much as people changed mine.. I'm gonna make sure they have as a beautiful experience as mine…. And it will bring memories for me as well…

For those who are reading this note… remember how much I love you and I miss you…it's hard to explain, sometimes I feel so lonely but others I feel like I'm just at a phone call from you..

I love you very very much and good luck for the next ones…ENJOY because it goes way too fast….