 Hi everybody,
I know I haven’t been writing my journal very frequently
and I have no excuses for that but that I’m lazy. But I also had a whole lot
of things going on in my Floridian life. So let me share these with you…
So from where I was in my last journal until the New Year
2008 my life has been pretty busy, so let’s start by the beginning.
So let’s go back to October, already seems so far away…
First the Homecoming dance and game. That was my first
homecoming experience because we don’t have those kinds of things in
Belgium. Everything starts with the football game. The spirit of the high
school is simply incredible. How everybody cheers the same team and colors.
And then the dance, my only reference to it was the American movies and it
was just like it. I was living my own little TV show, boys and girls
preparing each other their outfit and stuff separately, our suits and their
dresses. Then we meet and go to lunch. We finally hit the dance. The dance…
all an experience… interesting experience… I can tell that I’m already
looking forward for prom!
October also means Halloween. It was my first time trick
or treating Halloween party. I also carved my own pumpkin and I think I did
a pretty good job for a first time. I definitely think we should export this
last one to Europe.
All the exchange students also got together for a weekend.
We went and visited the Kennedy Space Center which was pretty neat. We also
went to an art show that wasn’t that good from my personal point of view so
we ended up playing football in a park. And we always have a good time just
hanging out all together.
Biketoberfest! I also had the chance to go to the Iron
Horse Saloon where I saw some of the biggest motorcycles ever. It also gave
me the opportunity to meet people with totally different mentalities and
that was pretty cool.
There here comes November!
November started pretty good by an extended weekend to
Miami. Me, Jonas, Niky and Tom went for 4 days to Miami. This is just one of
the most amazing places I’ve ever seen. South beach, ocean drive, the
Hooters… everything was great.
But November also means my birthday! I turned 18 this
November and got 2 parties for this occasion. First, Rotary organized a
dinner in Rotary Park, really neat place where a few friends came to eat to.
And the second party was a combined birthday with Jonas and we all spend the
afternoon at Tom’s. I had a really good time there.
I also have to talk about scuba diving. Me and 5 other
exchange students took benefit of the occasion of being here to learn scuba
diving. This was one of the best things I’ve experienced so far. First we
had to be certified so we had to study from a book and a DVD the basics
skills required to keep this experience safe and be able to enjoy the
maximum of it. Our first dive was in a pool were we learned how to
communicate under water, signs, equalizing, clear our masks and a lot more.
After this we went in Ponce DeLeon springs for our “real” first dive. We
went down to 30 feet and experience the pressure of water and being deeper
than usual in the water. We made another dive in Blue springs were I was
able to approach a whole bunch of unordinary fish and even touch a
manatee!!! This time we went down to 60 feet in a cave, which was really
exciting.
Football is something else I’ve learned to like. I went to
two College football games since I’m here and I loved it both time. (Go
Gators!)
All this is new for me but every new experience I’ve done
here has been really good and interesting. Like Thanksgiving. Never heard
about it or maybe once in a “Simpsons” episode. But here I actually had the
real spirit. I got to meet more of the family and friends sharing this huge
turkey. I don’t know if I ever ate so much but it was really good.
December… See when I say that time go by so fast, all
these things I’ve done just seem like they just happened but 3 months
already passed by.
December was more about family and gathering all together.
It was my first Christmas that I could actually pass in a
T-shirt. The Christmas spirit is definitely part of the American culture.
I’ve never saw so much decorations, lights and other Christmas stuff. Even
if blowup snowmen under 80 degrees looks kind of awkward.
So I experienced Christmas Eve, shopping, Christmas movies
and all this. And Santa Claus came during the night and we got to open our
presents in the morning. I even had my own stocking.
After Christmas, New Year! I went to Jacksonville for 2
days for the New Year. On the 31st we went to Jacksonville to walk with the
Rotary float in the Gator Bowl Parade. And finally we went to the house of
David and Melody Shacter for a party to enter the year 2008. I had a really
good time but we didn’t sleep a whole lot.
Now, last but not least, I had to talk about my host
families.
I just changed family and arrived in my new one on the
29th of December. I only spend a few days here but I can already tell that I
am going to enjoy my time here to.
I wanted to thank Mary Margaret Peterson who has been a
wonderful host mom. I really had an unforgettable time with her and even if
my new family looks great too, I already miss her and my sisters.
I’ll make a real effort to keep these journals updated
because I even enjoy doing them and reading them afterwards because like I
said, time goes by really fast and unfortunately there are details I forget.
So more news next month…
|
Nathan Moustié
