Chatprapa "Twang" Siriprakob

2008-09 Inbound from Thailand

Hometown: Muang Korat, Nakron Ratchasima, Thailand

Sponsor: Korat Rotary Club, District 3340, Thailand

Host: St. Johns Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida, USA

School: Bartram Trail High School, St. Johns, FL

Bio

Twang's Bio

Hello everybody!

My name is Twang (Chatprapa Siriprakob). I’m going to be 17 years old September 21. I’m an exchange student from Thailand district 3340, southeast Asia. I live with my father, mother, elder brother, and younger brother. My elder brother is 20 years old. He was an exchange student from Thailand too; he went to Texas, USA. My younger brother is 12 years old. My father is a Rotarian in my sponsor club. I like to play golf, running, swimming, and volleyball. Listening to music, talk to my friend, hang out with friend,s they are very happy for me when I have been here.

Now I have been here about 1 month, I am living in Jacksonville. My host mom name is Karen and host sister name is Jamie. They are very nice for me, I would like to say thank you for everything. While on exchange in Florida, I am attending Bartram Trail High School (I’m a junior). My interests include sport, photography, math, travel. I’m a golfer in Bartram Trail High School. Now start schooled 2 weeks ago. I have lots of friends and school is very different from my hometown, where we have a uniform and have move all the time. I have to keep trying about language and learn in class. I like Florida, I really like to go everywhere I’ve never seen before.

So I’m really excited and very happy to be here. Thank you for everything:]

Bangkok

Thai Buddha temple

My school in Thailand

November 21 Journal

Hello Everybody :) This is my new life

My new life started on August 5, by United Airlines. I had my friend from district on the fight we came here together but my friend lives in Orlando. Before I will go to the airplane my family and my friend take me in Suwanaphum International Airport. So my family and friend came to see me off. Then my friend and I it was my first time to go out of my country. When we were in Narita, Tokyo, Japan, I was so excited and a little scared. It took about 6 hours from Thailand to Tokyo. And then we waited 1.30 hr. for the next fight, Tokyo-Chicago, while we waited for our next flight. We walked and saw the Narita, Tokyo, Japan airport - it was so very big, there had lots people, and many stores. When it was to board the next flight we went to get our bags and got on the plane. We did not get to sit together. The flight was 12 hours long. When we arrived we got to customs and their were a lot of people; 15 minutes before our next flight we talked to a police officer who let us go ahead because we were exchange students. After we got our bags we only had 5 minutes not enough time. We knew we would miss the flight. United Airlines had us stay the night at the airport. We slept in the chairs a little and walked around the airport. My flight was at 6 o’clock and my friend's was at 10. I was so excited and a little scared because I flew alone. When we landed I walked in and my district counselor and host family met me. We went and got my bags and went to my host house, I was very tried, I took a shower and went to sleep at 6 and woke up next morning at 10 when I woke up, I took a shower, ate breakfast, and talked to my host family.

My first host family was: I had host mother, host sister, host brother and me, but my host brother he name is Brad. He went to Germany, but now he not stay with us here because he studying in Gainesville university. And my host sister she studying in Bartram Trail high school. She very nice for me, she took me somewhere for shopping everything I want and helping me do homework. So they are very nice for me, they was very easy to do everything. I like it, sometime I help my host mom cook and do something. I really love my first host family because they helping me a lot with everything. They had a dog he very smart. I like animals, so my hosts they like animals too.

Last month we went to a Thai restaurant. We went there because my birthday and we went to Thai restaurant 2 times. I’m very happy, Thank You so much. And then I went to meet Kendra Curcio and Michelle Gershon in their university, They went to Thailand last year, we went to Japanese restaurant - we like Japanese food so much and then I came back to her university and we was watched a Thai movie. I'm very happy with them, we was talked about Thailand and everything there. I hope I will come back to meet you again Kendra and Michelle. Miss U

My school is very cool; I’m junior at Bartram Trail high school in Jacksonville. I really like my school here so much but my school here is very different than in my country. I had to take class is English3, computer graphics, Physical science, Dance, Intensive reading, algebra, It was very hard to me because my English is not good yet so I will try about it, My school here very different than in my country in that we had little bit time between the change class, about 5 minutes from one class to another class, My school in Thailand we had to change class about 10-15 minutes so we had the time to meet friends or teachers before start.

Well I play golf for Bartram Trail high school so I had plan district tournament and state tournament. I went to golf final state in Orlando, I’m very excited and it’s new good experience. I would like to say thank you for golf tournament and everything. Now I just came back to state golf tournament so I play not very well because it’s very cold and windy but it’s very good for me.

Well 11/1/08 I went to Homecoming with my friend we had a lots of fun. So I love my school so much, Thank you teachers and my friends because they are always helping me.

My Rotary club is St. Johns, FL. My Rotary club they are so very nice to me, everybody nice and I like them. My Counselor, his name is Jim Borngesser, He is very nice. I went to my Rotary club 4 times. They had someone give an International card for me to call back to Thailand (about $90). I’m so excited and to be very glad about that. And then I have to go state tournament because I play golf district tournament I got number 2 so I can go there, so they gave me some money to pay for some food or whatever. Well I would like to say “Thank you for everything!”

Exchange students of District 6970, Florida - My friend exchange students, everybody before I came here, we were meeting first time in orientation. I’m so very excited to meet you.

Now we just came back to St. Augustine where we had a lot of fun together so there I stay with my host mom in St. Augustine was great woman, and I have to say “Thank you for everything” to her for thousands of time. I was hosted with Chihiro, who is from Japan. She was really nice and kind for me. She has two dogs which were amazingly pretty. We took them for a walk every morning, and host mom I were talking about everything, I loved here so much. Her work is helping homeless people, also is a police officer, and she told me she is proud for her jobs mean so much. I met her in St. Augustine, and I was hosted by her for two nights. I eat chicken and fish so much and I told it to my St. Augustine mom, she took us to the restaurant which we could eat some fresh fishes. That was delicious. I ate almost all of my food. So we were talking about Japanese restaurants next day, so next day, we had a chicken or something right there with Rotary people in the St. Augustine beach, when we done after the beach, we were went to Japanese restaurant, and Chihiro and me try to eat chicken little a bit. When we were done after the beach, my host mom picked us up and we go to a Japanese restaurant, I ate chicken again, but different from the beach. That was so good!

When we were to last day in St. Augustine it was really herd for me to say “goodbye” to my host mom in St. Augustine but I want to try with Chihiro if we had the time to go there, so thank you for giving me a chance to meet her in St. Augustine. I love you so much mom and Chihiro. Take care of yourself, I hope I will see you soon in there.

This is where I went in 3 months:

- Jacksonville airport international
- Jacksonville downtown or the boat with my rotary club
- Jacksonville beach
- Football game in downtown Jacksonville
- Orientation weekend with all exchange student
- St. Augustine beach, Alligator Farm, best sightseeing tour.
- St. Augustine ( Halloween night)
- Orlando downtown
- Jacksonville (The mall, park, Thailand restaurant, movies.)
- North Florida university
- Air show in Jacksonville navy.

Now I just changed host family, I would like to say “Thank you first host family so much for everything.” New host family is Heather Lear. She went to Italy last year, I stay with them right now, they are very nice for me. They have 4 persons, host Dad, mom, brother, and sister is Heather. Now Heather she is studying in Georgia University and host brother he study in Bartram Trail high school too.

Halloween weekend I was very happy with this host family - they had very big family about 20 persons. At night Halloween we had to put dress for Halloween is Angel then we walk around house with Heather and her friend from Georgia and I went to St. Augustine with Heather and her friend. We walked around St. Augustine because they had a tour about history of St. Augustine and about Halloween, I had a lots of fun.

After Halloween next day I had Homecoming in my school. About 8 o'clock before homecoming I went to my first host family because my friend and I we had to go meet there and go to homecoming together. I had a lots of fun there we were dance together, it's very tiring but very fun. When we were done I came back home about 11 o'clock. So I meet my host parent before go to bed and we take pictures and watch TV together.

Well every dinner or about homework I help my host mom. I think it's so fun because my home in Thailand I have to do homework for help my mom. Well they were very nice, they helping everything, they take care of me. And host brother he is in grade 9, he is very nice and funny. We had math class together, so we come back home after school together everyday. We had to take school a bus and we had a lot of friends here. So I’m very happy everything and I miss my dad, mom, older brother, young brother, and my friend there. :)

So I would like to say thank you to my first host family and this second host family they are taking care of me. I love you, I will try to learn for my life and my parent. And thank you for my Rotary club - you give me everything. Thank you Al Kalter, Jody Davis, Bill Learn, Cynde and Barry Covington, and my friends all the exchange students ... “We love each other” :)

ฉัตรประภา ศิริประกอบ (ตวง) Chatprapa Siriprakob (Twang)

December 29 Journal

Hello, Everybody. This is my life in America. I can't believe it; I had a great time with Rotary people and with my host family. I can live in Florida about 5 months by myself.

In November we had interviews for a bunch of students who want to be an exchange students next year. We had lot of fun together, we talked about our experiences in the United States, how difference in your country and our own country, school, foods, and what's going on. After we finished working, we were all exhausted. Everybody looked very tired, and some people were almost sleeping. We looked tired because we had lots work, but we like to help Rotary. So I had a great time with my friend and Rotary people, I love my friends and I missed them. So when I'm done in Rotary interviews. My host family we had Thanksgiving to meet family and ate food together. I had a great time with this host family, they had a lot people (about 40 people) so it's lots. We cooked food a lot - we had three turkeys and other food, I help them cook I like to cook so much, I came there before Thanksgiving one day because we had to cook food. So when we were done cooking and everything was ready we sit and ate food with each other and talked about family. Food it was so good I like eating, I'm very happy, They are very nice for me. I love them so much. I had a great time with this host family. 

Disney World at Orlando

In December we went to go to Disney World with all exchange students with Rotary. I'm very excited for this trip. That week I very happy but the day before Disney, I told my mom I will go to Disney World tomorrow. My mom said "Have Fun with your friends and Take care of yourself.'' I miss my mom and dad but that fine for me, because I want my family in Thailand to visit me, I think it would be fun together. And then my host family, they tell me it's "Disney World!" These four days is amazing. You will have a great time I think so too. When I been there that is first time for me, I think it's really amazing. I went there 4 days! I really like "Disney magic kingdom!" it's so cool, and look so pretty. So I had a great time over there with my friend and Rotary people, I would like to say "Thank you Rotary"

Christmas break

Before Christmas day I went to shopping with my host mom and host sister almost everyday. I'm really excited and I really like shopping, but it was hard to spend the money here. It was very expensive for me, but I had my host mom to help me all the time. I would like to say "Thank you so much." I went to the mall for presents my host mom, dad, sister, brother and other people in this host family. When Christmas Eve about 10:30 PM, we open presents together, so we go to sleep but that night we wait for Santa come give the presents but that was story about Santa and Christmas, Santa that is my host mom Ha-Ha. Next day is Christmas day - about 6.30 my host mom and brother came wake me up and we were opening the presents together. I'm very excited about that because it was first Christmas here and it was different in my country. That Christmas I got lots of presents that I'm so happy, Thank you so much Santa (My Host mom). And then Host mom friend came home visit us, she is very nice, I got presents from her about the book, she make that for me I really like that, it was so very pretty. So we go to grandmother house. We meet all family - I really love this family they are so kind for me, and then grandmother she make food for us so much, I like that food it was so yummy. So we had to open the presents with each other. So I had a great time with this family and Thank you for my first Christmas here for me, I want to say everything about your family great! Thank you  And I will keep doing my best experience here if I can do that.

So, almost New Year. I want to say "Happy New Year!" Everyone, I hope you happy with your family and take care of yourself. And important thing: Thank you so much Al Kalter you doing so much thing for exchange students, Love you guys, happy holiday. 

Chatprapa Siriprakob, Twang (ฉัตรประภา ศิริประกอบ, ตวง)

March 4 Journal

Hello everyone สวัสดีค่ะ

This is my Life in America - 7 months. It is Amazing, I Love Florida. I think about my life here. I was doing everything better and my English it so much better then it was when I first arrived here, I had a lot of Good Host Families, Friends and school. So I’m very proud of myself because I could be here by myself.

New year 2009

I really enjoyed with Rotary people and my exchange student friends here. On December 31 I went to Downtown Jacksonville with Exchange student District 6970 because they had a parade over there. The parade was about New Year eve so we were give candy for the kids and walked around downtown. I think we had a lot of fun together so we had a party for exchange student District 6970 at river in downtown and then the weather it was very cold so they make a fire and then when Midnight we said “HAPPY NEW YEAR” then I saw the fireworks. Well we all danced and played games, so we went to sleep and wake up about 8:30 am and then we had breakfast with each other, so everybody had host parent came pick us up. I had a great time on this New year, Thank you so much

My school at Bartram Trail High School

It’s very awesome. I have a lot of friends. I love my school here, I love my friends. Now I take History class it is very hard and my grade last semester it was okay not so bad. So I would be keep going to learn it best thing at school! And then I’m so excited for my grade this semester I think it’s really not good but I had teachers helping me all the time but I’m lazy girl HaHa, I’m kidding. Well January I took a exam it was very hard, so I did not do good but I am happy with my grade. Anyway I have a great time at school with my friends.

Sea camp and Key West

1/22-25/09 12 hours in a bus, we left from Jacksonville very early in the morning and we are sleeping in a bus wait for pick my friends up because we are going to another city.

We had a great time over there with my exchange student friends and we are going to remember that weekend for forever…everything was going to change from there and maybe we are not going to see each other again. First day to last day we had a fire and singsong of other country. I had a lot of fun because we had new friends from Key West! Next day we had swimming test before we went to the Seacamp. And then we had a dance together it was so fun everybody “awesome.” I can’t believe it because I can dance too and then the next day everybody said “oh my leg it was hurt.” The next day we learned about coral and another animal so we made presentations for everybody in group. And then next day we were sad because everybody going to leave and we was saying “Good bye to my friend” I’m very sad this final time to meet together. I would like to say Thank you so much for every exchange student friend - you are my friend forever. So exchange students from District 6970 then went to Key West, we shopped and had lunch and then we got on the 12 hours back home. Pass the time we played games and talked watched movie and do Thai massage for exchange student friends. So on the way we dropped of my friends in their city.

Valentines Day

On Valentines Day my school had something special for students, we had a group of students learn songs and we had some student pay $1 for the group to sing to someone they like or girlfriend, boyfriend. That day was very happy and I made something for my friends. It was my pin and little bit candy in a love box. On Valentine Day I’m very happy for that thing I made. Love u guys, My host family, My mom and dad at Thailand. J

This is last thing I would like to say “Thank you for Rotary club, Host family, Teacher, Friend and anyone for helping me every time, and I’m sorry because I’m turning in my journal late." Sincerely, Twang Chatprapa Siriprakob