Janka Nováková

2006-07 Inbound from Slovakia

Hometown: Košice, Slovakia

Sponsor: Košice Rotary Club, District 2240, Slovakia

Host: West Jacksonville Rotary Club, District 6970, USA

School: Paxon School for Advanced Studies

Bio

Janka's Bio

I decided to be an exchange student because I really like traveling and meeting new people. This is a great chance to make new friends and get to know a different culture. Last year we had 4 exchange students in Kosice and all 4 were at my school. Two of them were in my class, so I spoke with them all the time. That's why I know that they had a great time, they met amazing people and they never forget that year. I want to experience the same.

I’ve already been here (in Jacksonville) for almost 4 weeks, and I can say that I’ve had a great time and I’ve met amazing people, especially at school. My first host family is nice. I feel as a full-fledged member of their family. Now I have two more sisters.

I always wanted to come to USA and see on my own eyes how people live here. In general their lifestyle is different, but basic stuff are pretty the same, only bigger. On my first time in movies I bought just a medium popcorn and it was HUGE=) But I love their big cars.

November 6 Journal and Pictures

Hello everybody=))…I’ve already been in USA for 3 months and I’ve had a great time. The only bad thing about it is that time goes soooo fast. I can’t believe that it’s already been three months!! I haven’t even felt really homesick, except one moment….

I came to Jacksonville on July 24th and all three of my families were at the airport. I knew them through the emails, but when they were together and everybody hugged me, I was confused who was who. Then my first host family took me home. They are great and I love them. Now I have two more sisters. All the way home they kept asking me questions and I was amazed what all they want to know about me and my country.

During the very first week here Brianna (who is in France now as an exchange student) took me to the swing dance class. It was so much fun. I’ve never tried swing dance before, because we just don’t have it in Slovakia. I have to say I wasn’t so bad on the first time and I met some nice people.

Next I went to the Florida Keys with my family. We spent there 5 days and it was awesome. It is a beautiful place and I am really looking forward to go there again with other Rotary and all other exchange students=)) I was snorkeling for the first time. It was fun, but I didn’t see any sharks or turtles. And we were in the pool with dolphins, it was amazing. By the way I got my first dolphin’s kiss=).

Day after we came back it was the first day of school. Even though my host sister is in the same school as me, so we went together, I was scared. The school is huge and has three times more student than my school in Slovakia. First week I had to use a map to get to my classes. Soon I met a couple of nice people and made some friends. Americans are very nice and very curious. They wanted to know so much about my country, sometimes I was surprised about the questions they asked me.

After three weeks at school we had the opening football game. Then I didn’t know anything about American football, but I was dancing and screaming with others. And I had a great time.

At the beginning of August I went with youth group and with Frederik (guy from Denmark ) to Universal Studios in Orlando for Rock the Universe. It was ‘freaky awesome’. We saw a couple of 3D movies and I tried roller coasters for the first time. I am not very big fan of it, but it was so much fun!!!!

Later we had a homecoming week=)) People who know what’s going on, have a smile on their faces, because it one of the biggest events at high school during the school year. It started with a dance, that was on Saturday and then every day next week we should have come to school dress according to the topic….Pajama day, Senior citizens, Pirates, Decade day and school spirit day. Most of the people participated in Pajama day and school spirit day, so did I. Who would miss a unique chance to come to school in pajamas with a blanket and Teddy bear=))) And on the last day we had a Pep-rally. We were supposed to wear the class colors, but it was also school spirit day, so the dominant colors were blue and gold. During Pep-rally we had a parade with homecoming courts, after that they annunciated the king and queen. And in the evening we played the homecoming game and we won!!!

Two weeks ago I saw all exchange students again. I looked forward to see them all again so much, because they are great guys and I really miss them! We were in Daytona. Second day we went to Kennedy Space Center, interesting place and then to motorbike fest, interesting people=) Next day we went to NASCAR, where the best attraction was the simulation of NASCAR.

And in three weeks I will see them again. I can’t wait. Disneeeeeeeey!!! Big hug for everybody! Majte sa kranse! Janka

February 18 Journal and Pictures

Hi guys!!!...how are you doing? I am awesome!!! I know I didn’t write for a while and I am really sorry, but there were so many things going on in my life, that I didn’t have time.

I think I haven’t written since Thanksgiving, so… We spent Thanksgiving in my host dad brother’s house on the river. I have never seen so much food for family dinner in my life. It’s true that there were around 20 people, but sooooo much food=))) I hoped we would go for a boat ride after dinner, but it was so cold outside (even in Florida) that we just stayed inside and watched football games. Next day was “Black Friday”, on that day Americans go crazy about shopping, because of the sales. I wanted to experienced it, so we went to the mall at 6am. And we had a big problem to find a parking place, because the mall was open from 5am and there were soooooooo many people.

Two days later I moved to my second host family. Honestly I was scared. I didn’t know what to expect. I knew them before, but still… I didn’t know how do they live. First week was little bit weird, because I already knew what I can do and what I can't do in my first host family, but this was new. Then I get used to it. Now I don’t have any host brother or sister, and even though they have kids, they are adults, so they don’t live with them any more. I am the only kid in the house, I am getting spoiled=)))

Just one week after my moving all exchange students went to Disney World. It was an awesome trip. Of course we were in Disney=)))…it wasn’t the main reason. The best thing about that trip was that we were together again. We can have a great time anywhere and anytime when we are together. The kids from my district are amazing. I love them so much. But anyway… first I was scared about the rollercoasters, so I wasn’t very excited about trying them, but later I got into it so bad, that I was the first one, who said “let's do it again!” We also had a pizza party at the pool. Best time with my friends ever!!!

Last two weeks before the winter break were kind of busy. I had a lot of work for school and finals. But then so expected Christmas break. My host mom was in charge with Christmas International House (CIH). Foreign college students who study in USA for a year on scholarship couldn’t stay at dormitory during the Christmas, so they came to Florida and stayed at our church for two weeks. They slept at the church in the meeting room and on Christmas eve and Christmas day they were hosted by family from the church. There were 30 students and only 4 Europeans. And they stayed in my neighborhood. I also slept at the church couple of times. It was so much fun. I went to St. Augustine with them and to Disney again. I thought I would be homesick during Christmas, but because I had my friends around I wasn’t. Of course I missed my mom, dad and especially my sister, but I had a great time and I was busy, so I didn’t have time to think much about it. And I talk to them on the phone and to some friends in Slovakia too. This was the first time when I was in a skirt and flip-flops in December=)))

On the New Year eve we (all exchange students) participated in Jacksonville parade. It was awesome. We were walking down town with our flags, screaming “happy new year” in our languages and having a great time. Later we went to someone’s house for new year’s party. At midnight after hugging and kissing everybody some of us jumped to the pool in clothes. It was awesome. And then we danced and sang at the pool for hours. It was so much fun.

The beginning of January ran kind of fast and then Seacamp was here. We went to the Florida Keys. We spent there only two days, but even the time on the bus was wonderful. We hadn’t seen each other for a month, we had so much to say. And we watched Euro Trip=)))….recommended!!!....NOT true but hilarious=))) The weather wasn’t as good as we hoped, but we still did snorkeling in the wetsuits. We also had a dance. Well… best they’ve ever had at the camp, they said=))) We know how to do it=)))

And on February 9th I turned 19. I got a chocolate cake for my friends at school and later I had a party with my friends. On Saturday I had a family dinner in Italian restaurant, my favorite. I didn’t know that also my first and third host families are coming. It was a great surprise. And I also had three other friends over there. I had a great birthday=))

Just last Saturday I went to outbound orientation meeting and met the kids who are going to do next year what we are doing now. I am little bit jealous, because my exchange is half way gone, and theirs is just going to happen. I’ve also met Haley who is going to Slovakia. I just hope she will go to my town.

I’ve already been here for seven months and I have had a great time. I’ve been to and seen places, that I would not have a chance to see in my life, all because of Rotary. I’ve met incredible people and made friends forever. And I am really thankful for that. I love my exchange students so much!!!

Love you guys!!! Majte sa krasne!