Hélène Clauson

2006-07 Inbound from France

Hometown: Yzeure, France

Sponsor: Yzeure Rotary Club, District 1740, France

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

School: Seabreeze High School

Hélène's Bio

Here in Florida I have a host sister and wonderful host parents. I live in Ormond Beach and I go to Seabreeze high school in Daytona Beach. My home Rotary Club is Moulins-Yzeure and my host club is Ormond Beach West. I'm very happy to stay in Florida for 1 year, I would like to discover a new country, a new culture and new people.

Hélène's Arrival in Florida

October 25 Journal

I’m here already more than 3 months but the time passes so quickly… I don’t really miss my country because I have a wonderful family here and all the people I meet are so nice!!! I even forget my French now!!

I’m always busy; at school I have begun basketball practicing in the varsity team and I belong to the French club and the Interact club. On October 6th, I had my homecoming dance so I went to the hair salon for a hairstyle and I had my first pedicure!!! I really had a good time.

I often see my Rotary club, I attend their meeting at least once a month and I sometimes spend a day with one of the members. In January I will need to make a presentation of myself and my country.

My host family is wonderful; they consider me as their daughter and not only my parents but the whole family. I really have the impression it’s my family! For my 18th birthday I’ve received a lot of cards and gifts from them. The best moments I spend here are with them…

Last weekend (21st and 22nd) we had the second meeting with the other exchange students. On Saturday we visited the Kennedy Space Center and we went to Biketoberfest. On Sunday we went to the Daytona race track. I had a good time, I like to be with them. I’m waiting for the Disneyworld trip, I think it will be wonderful!!!!

Helene… J

December 21 Journal

I’m now on vacation for 2 weeks and I’m rather busy with my Christmas shoppingJ.

Few weeks ago we went to Walt Disney World with the other exchange students, it was wonderful!! We have had so good time together! And there were some other exchange students from Florida and Pennsylvania; it was very nice to meet them. I even met a girl from my French district, it was crazy!

Also, I went to the Jaguars football game in Jacksonville two weeks ago with the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach West. I was so happy to see a real American football game, and to see some other exchange students… I had a really good time and plus the Jaguars won so it was perfect!

I’m already at the middle of my exchange year, time passes so quickly! I will change family in January but I know that I will continue to see my current host family often.

Last weekend I went to the Christmas parade in Ormond Beach, it was very good, every school was represented and after I went to Port Orange in a neighborhood popular for the Christmas decorations. Some people have very beautiful houses! Here Christmas is a very important event and people are more involved than in my country I think.

In my school I belong to the Interact club and we are very active, we may organize a show for January or February. I also met some students who are interested in doing an exchange program, for the summer or the whole year.

It’s Christmas in few days but I don’t really realize because of the weather, it’s so hot!!! I miss my family a little bit, but I’m sure I will have a wonderful holiday with my host family!

Merry Christmas to everybody, have a good time!!!

Helene

February 5 Journal

It’s been a long time since I wrote the last time! I had a wonderful Christmas here; my host family made me has a very good time. Then, I went to Jacksonville with the exchange students for New Year’s Eve, we were in the parade and after we had a party in a beautiful house. It was so much fun!!

At the beginning of January I went to SeaWorld before changing my family on the 12th. It was less difficult than I thought and fortunately I still see my old host family often. My new host family brought me to a NBA Magic game, I was so glad ‘cause I love basketball!!! I really enjoyed it.

One week and a half ago we went to the Florida Keys with the other exchange students, Seacamp was very good and then we went to Key West on Sunday. And I ate in a French Creperie!! It was delicious and I was very excited!!!

I still enjoy a lot my American life, I do so much fun stuff, and my host family will bring me to New York in less than 1 month!!! It will be a wonderful trip!

See U

Helene

April 19 Journal

A lot of stuff happened since the last time I wrote. In February, I’ve been pretty busy: I went to few parties, I did volunteering at the flea market (I sold brats) and I went to a NBA game. I also did my presentation in my Rotary Club; I introduced my country, my Rotary Club in France and myself. I made a poster and I brought some French cookies (no, I didn’t make them myselfJ). For Valentine’s Day I had dinner with my host family and their friends. I got a card, few roses and a polo. I had a very good time, even without a date…lol.

The first three days of March I went to New York City with my host family!!! It was wonderful and the weather was not too cold at all. I went up to Empire State Building, I saw the musical Jersey Boys, I did a boat tour to see the Statue of Liberty, I went to the Museum of Natural History… and, of course, I did shopping. First I thought it looked like Paris a little bit, but there are a lot of differences too. Anyway, it was very different from Florida and looked more like Europe, so I was a little bit homesick sometimes… I will never forget this trip, I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to do that!

After the trip it was bike week in Daytona, there were motorcycles everywhere! I don’t need to tell you how much noise it was  !!! That week I went to the Iron Horse to sell charity tickets with my Rotary club.

For Spring Break I relaxed. I went to Hammock Beach in Flagler two times. My host brother came from Clemson, it was the second time I saw him so I had the occasion to know him a little bit more.

At the beginning of this month I went to Universal Studios with my host family in Orlando, it was awesome because I LOVE roller coasters. I also went to another NBA game and I came back to Hammock. For Easter we went to some friend’s house to eat lunch-dinner. I got a looooooooooot of chocolates (so I gained a loooooooooot of pounds again); I also got a certificate for a massage at the YMCA.

Now I have only two more months in America, I’ll leave at the end of June. I really want to see my family and my friends again but I know that I will miss Florida and all the people I met here. I can’t believe time goes so fast! My sister is coming for 2 weeks in June, I’m looking forward to see her, we’ll have so much fun together!

See you… LN