Mona's Bio

I've been 3.5 weeks in the USA for now and I have enjoyed the time I have spent in sunny Florida. Every day I face something new and different and I think it's cool.

I like very much my host family. I don't have host siblings but instead three lovely cats. I like all kinds of sports and I'm eager to try something new for me, like surfing.

I have already met lots of nice people and I'll meet much more during the year. I believe I'll spend a wonderful year as an exchange student.

October 10 Journal

Leaving part is always the hardest one. At the airport saying goodbye to my family was hard but when I walked inside to the airplane I knew immediately I was starting a new wonderful experience in other side of the world. When I landed in Jacksonville everything I saw was so big and new. When I met my host parents at the airport at the first time, I knew I was coming to a new home and that is what was amazing.

My exchange year has started great. First days I was a bit tired because of all that English I heard but now I’m doing excellent. I’ve had so many nice things to do in past two months and I haven’t felt homesick at all. I’m very happy that I decided to be an exchange student.

North Carolina and Ichetucknee River

I like very much my host parents. In these two months they have taken me all kinds of different places and showed me different things. In my second week I had my family vacation. We drove to North Carolina and stayed there for a week. The week was very nice and the area we went to was very beautiful. It helped me to get to know better my host family and I had time just to relax.

In September 1. we went tubing to the Ichetucknee River. My friend Miranda from Switzerland came with us too and it was fun. It was amazing to see under the water so clearly and see some turtles and fishes swimming under you. The nature there was very beautiful.

School

School here is very different than my school in Finland. There are so many people in the school and the school building is very big. In my first day at school I came late to every period because it was so confusing to find the right classroom in the big circle in only six minutes. But I learned quickly and now I’m not late anymore! At school I have English, math, study hall, psychology, marine science and drama and every class I have friends to talk with. In school it’s easy to make friends because so many people are interested to hear what it's like to be an Exchange Student.

School activities

I’m excited because in Finland we don’t have any after school clubs like here. I have two clubs where I go to, the Interact club and drama club. Drama club is very new for me and I haven’t been in the meeting yet. It’s fun to do something after school. It’s so fun to notice and learn how different the school life and school systems are here. Other thing what is amazing is to go to the football games. I have always a good time even though I don’t understand the rules of the game. I have seen that games for some people are just places to meet friends and have fun and not to look the game at all!

Cold Stone

I love Cold Stone!! I like a lot of ice cream and I don’t know any place where ice cream can be better than in Cold Stone!! When I went there my first time I couldn’t speak a word, I just stared all the flavors and smiled. I took more then 20 minutes to choose what I want to take. When I finally decided what I wanted and the ice cream was in my hands, Cynde, my host mom, started to laugh that she hasn’t ever seen that someone eats so much ice cream as I did. I was very full after that but I didn’t care because it was so good!

Orientation weekend

It was pretty awesome. I met so many wonderful people in our inbound weekend at Camp Montgomery. There were 31 exchange students from 19 different countries all over the world. It’s very nice to have friends from everywhere and now I can’t wait until next weekend when I’ll see other Exchange Students again at the fall weekend.

December 5 Journal

Hi!! Since my last journal is happened a lot. I’ve had plenty of new, fun, and exciting experiences. For instance the Rotary Daytona Beach weekend was great with all other wonderful exchange students.

Last day of November I changed my host family. I felt weird. I was very excited to move to the new family but the same time I felt sad to leave the family because I was so used to it. I can’t believe how I could feel myself part of the host family like I did. It’s very surprising. Well anyway, we didn’t say good-bye yet because we will still see each other frequently, and that’s really a good thing! In my new host family I have sister Anna and she goes the same school than I do, Bartram Trail. I’m so glad because she takes me to school and now I don’t have to take the noisy school bus in the morning!

Homecoming

Almost all day getting ready for night was fun, even though searching the nicest dress was actually a little bit stressful! We went to homecoming as a big group of friends, we took some pictures, ate all together, and danced of course. The music wasn’t that good though but we still had very fun, everybody was so excited.

Happy Halloween

I had my first Halloween! I went trick or treating, and we got so much candy that I still have some and I’m still eating it. It was so much fun to make my own pumpkin and go to Halloween parties with my friends. I also went to Halloween Horror Nights to Universal Studios and it was very cool and scary. During Halloween I heard so many scary stories and I really had a good time.

Thanksgiving

I can’t believe how much I ate during Thanksgiving break. I don’t wonder why they say as an exchange student you’ll gain weight! There was sooo much food and it was all sooo good!! We had two different kinds of turkeys, sweet potatoes, pumpkin cheesecake, pecan pie, apple pie, and plenty of other food to eat. It was good Thanksgiving.

My first host parents took me to the Jaguars game. It was my first big game I have ever been gone. I totally enjoyed it. The feeling at the game was incredible with all those thousands and thousands of people.

Now outside I can see so many houses with huge Christmas lights and other big and nice decorations. But where is the snow?!?! It’s so much fun to see people wearing flip flops and shorts and it’s already December! In Finland this couldn’t happen and I like this because it’s so different!

I can’t be more thankful for this wonderful opportunity that I’m experiencing now. I wouldn’t be here without my family back in Finland and my host families here in Florida. All the amazing support from Rotary has been unbelievable.