Arthur Fermaut

2008-09 Inbound from France

Hometown: Croix, France

Sponsor: Croix-Wasquehal Rotary Club, District 1670, France

Host: Flagler Palm Coast Sunrise Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida, USA

School: Flagler Palm Coast High School, Palm Coast, FL

Bio

Arthur's Bio

Hi everybody,

I am Arthur from France, I am 16 and I am really lucky because I will turn 17 in Florida!! I have to tell you a little about myself, let me do that and begin with my life in France: I am the oldest of a family of three children. My two brothers are younger than me: Cesar, the second, is fourteen and Ulysse, the younger is eight. I live with them and my parents in Croix, near the big city of Lille in the North of France. I really like my family, we always have great times when we are all together. We are used to travel a lot, a least once a year to a foreign country. But... I never had the chance to come in the USA. That has always been a dream for me... and now, the dream comes true!!

In my professional life, I would like to be an airplane pilot. To achieve this aim, you need to speak English fluently. That is the first reason of my trip. After that, I love to discover new countries, new cultures, new ways of life. As I told you, I have been in a lot of different parts of the world with my parents, but I have also been some trips on my own. For example, last summer I have been in a one-month-trip to Mexico. And that was one of the best months of my life! It is not very usual in France to leave your family for one year at my age, but, it was impossible for me to wait! So the Rotary gave me a beautiful present! I am now in Florida for the whole year!

In France I used to practice fencing, I think I am not so bad and I really enjoy playing this sport. However, I had to stop this hobby because I had too much work at school... So I hope that I will be able to find a new sport here in Florida. I tried to surf just before coming and I really liked it. I would like to be able to tell you how the waves are in Florida as soon as possible! In another hand, Soccer is THE sport in France, and I absolutely hate it! But I am really interested in the great sport that is Football. First of all I have to learn the main rules and maybe I will play after.

In France I like to hang out with my friends, go to the movies, have some parties, or just spend all the evening in a park speaking with them. I hope that I will be able to make some friends easily but also quickly! I can not live alone!! But I am not shy so I think that i won't have any problem.

I think that I told you the main things about myself. I am sure that this year in Palm Coast will be at least... the best year of my life!

December 30 Journal

Dear Readers,

It's now time for me to give you some more details about my experience here in Florida. First of all, every single exchange student will tell you that being part of such a program is pretty hard sometimes. I am not complaining about anything but, I had another idea about how my life will be here in the United States. I think I have been waiting for that for such a long time that I expected too much!

Anyway, I am not here to speak about the bad times I had, I am having and I hope I won't have anymore. Let's talk about... Fun stuff!!! I had a lot of fun with my host family, they are really nice with me, and they try to keep me as busy as possible. I shared a lot with them and it's about time for me to move on and change families. It will be tough for me and I will miss them.

Finally, I am glad to be a Rotary Exchange Student, because I know one kid in my school who doesn't do a lot with his organization. And I am not lying by saying that the times I had the more fun was with the other exchange students. Just for example, I enclose a picture of us in Disney World and 2 others that we took at Tom's. It is just great to meet those students and speak with them about our differences and our similarities. It was actually kind of hard at the beginning because some of us had some trouble speaking English, but I think now, all of us are pretty comfortable with that language. That's a good thing : It's one of the goals of the program!

I now have to leave you guys, I need to prepare my stuff for tomorrow: Our district will take part in the Gator Bowl Parade in Jacksonville and then we will have our New Year Party !! Ain't that cool ?? I'll give you some news later!!