Maria Alejandra "Maji" Espinoza S.

2008-09 Inbound from Peru

Hometown: Cayma, Arequipa, Peru

Sponsor: Arequipa Sur Rotary Club, District 4300, Peru

Host: Ponte Vedra Beach Sunset Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida, USA

School: Ponte Vedra High School, Ponte Vedra, FL

Bio

Maji's Bio

Hola! My name is Maria Alejandra Espinoza Salazar and my friends and family call me Maji. I'm 17 years old, I'm from Arequipa, Peru, which is known for Machu Picchu and llamas but is so much more than that. I live with my two parents, one of my sisters, my brother in law, and one of my nieces. Both of my sisters are married and each one has a daughter. I lovemy nieces, one is 1 year old and the other one 3 months old.

I love my family, and in case you don't know, in Peru families are the most important thing in our society, so imagine how much I love them and miss them as well.

I used to go to a Catholic school in Peru just for girls, but I've already graduated in December 2007. In Peru we only have 11 years of school, so I'm ready to come back and study international business management, if I don't change my mind in this awesome year that will help me to rediscover myself.

I like sports, especially basketball(L), soccer, volleyball, mmm everything!! I like to read too, surf the web, watch TV and...talk.

I still cant' believe that I'm here as an exchange student. I remember that a year ago I decided to do this, but it seemed so unreal back then. But now I'm in Ponte Vedra Beach, and I can't do anything but thank my parents and Rotary, and of course enjoy this terrific experience! Thank you for all!

August 30 Journal

Hello. I've been here for almost a month, and I remember when I came I felt sad and thrilled at the same time. In the airport in Lima I cried when I said goodbye to my family but I knew that this year was going to be the best year of my life.

I arrived at JAX Airport and I saw a banner with my name on it and I was embarrassed because there were a lot of people I didn't know yet.

But well I arrived to my NEW home, and the first week was hectic. I had a lot of things to do, I went out to the movies, shopping with Ida (an exchange student of Denmark 2 years ago), and I met new people that invited me over to their houses. I was busy every day, which was good because I didn't have time to get homesick.

The second week I traveled with my host parents to North Carolina and South Carolina, and I had the chance to know a lot of places like the Biltmore Estate (amazing!) but even better I had the chance to know my host parents a little bit more.

I came back to Ponte Vedra and two days later we had our inbound orientation and even though we had a tornado behind us we made it! And the inbound orientation was awesome! I now know amazing people that have a lot of things in common with me. But even more exciting is that I know people from all around the world, and I know as well some things about their cultures.

The inbound orientation finished on Sunday and next day was my first day of school and I have to admit it, I hated it!! Because people here are different in certain ways than the people back home - that's why it was hard the first day. I even had homesickness and I cried a lot that night, but the next 4 days were better. I met new people and one of the girls took me to my first football game, Nease vs. Fletcher, and that was pretty much it...so far....

My family

At the airport

North Carolina

Inbound orientation

October 23 Journal

Hola!:

It is almost three months since I arrived to the JAX airport and it seems like it was only a month ago. Time goes really fast so I'm trying to live intensively every single day of this whole experience. It is amazing how the fact that I am away from home can make me learn so many things and grow up so much. I can't wait to see the different person that will arrive to the International airport of Lima-Peru next year.

But putting that on a side I wanna talk about the things I've done in the past few weeks.

A month ago I went with Paula Roderick and her family to a wild animal reserve, it was amazing! I had the chance to see lions, tigers, wolves, all sort of wild animals - it was sooo cool! In the past 3 weeks I made a few presentations about the exchange program with Raffaela and Amelie from Germany - we were so happy to see that a lot of people were interested in this program and that they understood that is an opportunity that no one should let go.

I also had the chance to be an interpreter with Al Kalter's friends from Ecuador, it was amazing to be able to do this because is something I always wonder if I could do or not, I also went with them to St. Augustine and we did a GPS ghost tour that was so cool! I had a really nice weekend and I got the chance to know Al and his wife, both of them are amazing!

I'm a tutor too!, I'm helping two kids with Spanish and I think I'm doing a good job, I hope.... haha

But in this time the most amazing thing I've done so far is going to St. Augustine with the exchange students from district 6970! I had a lot of fun with them and is so good to see them once in a while because we are all going through the same things, feelings, maybe experiences, and we can support and understand each other.

We arrived on Friday, I went with some girls to see Laura's play in her high school, then I slept in Sara's house and Ezgi did too, we talk a lot about what is going on. On Saturday we went to the Fountain of Youth, we made a little tour in a big trolley, we ate lunch and then! we went to the beach! it was amazing we played soccer, volleyball, etc.

Later that day we ate supper and we ate something that look like chicken and tasted like chicken as well, but when we were all done they told us that was alligator! so.. mm... something new! On Sunday we went to the Alligator Farm - it was so interesting and fun, after that to finish our weekend we sailed in a really nice boat... we all had fun, we were relaxed listening to music, spending a nice sunny day. But 2:00 arrived and it was time to say bye, it was sad, sometimes we all wish we could live in the same city and we could go to the same school, but well at least we are going to see each other in Disney!! it will be so fun, I cant wait to see everyone!

Oh by the way, in my last journal I said that school wasn't going so good because it was different but now is soo much better! I have friends, I see people in the hallways, and I have people to say hi to - everything is going really well and I guess it was just matter of time until I will adapt to the whole process.

I won't ever get tired of saying thank you to all the people that makes this possible.. I mean ROTARY.. ......Rotary is amazing! I can't tell you how much I enjoy going to my meetings every Tuesday! Bye..! Thanks again