Yukiko "Yuki" Muramatsu

2008-09 Inbound from Japan

Hometown: Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan

Sponsor: Utsunomiya Rotary Club, District 2550, Japan

Host: Deerfield Beach Rotary Club, District 6990, Florida, USA

School: Pompano Beach High School, Pompano Beach, FL

Bio

Yuki's Bio

Hi! Konnichiwa! I’m Yuki from JAPAN J I have 4 members in my family, parents, an older sister and myself. I love my family!!!

Now, I live in Pompano with Cline family. I study with Danny (host father), go shopping with Debbie (host mother) and bake with Shelby (host sister). In here, everything is NEW! So fun! And I love Cline family J I am glad to be a member of the family^^

I go to Pompano Beach High. It is really good school. NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY!!! I made a lot of nice friends. I take American Government, Art Pottery, Marine Science and Web Design. It is hard to understand the classes and doing the homework, but all the classes are very interesting.

Of course, I miss JAPAN… but living here will give me the chance to learn more about this country, AMERICA! I have found a lot of difference of cultures but it is not ENOUGH! This year might be a special year for me (and all of the exchange students!). I will do my best all the time! Thank you.

September 17 Journal

First, I love my first host family! So nice! My host father, Danny, always helps me doing my homework, host mother, Debbie, takes me to go shopping and host sister, Shelby, bakes with me!

At school, everyone helps me!! Everything is good except the homework. But I think the day when I can do my homework perfectly without helping will come soon!

I really like to bake! What I had made are… cherry cake, banana cake, chocolate cake, heavy chocolate cake, peach pie, broccoli pie, scone, cookies, and I am going to make a cheese cake and chocolate cake! But now, I stop baking. I gained my weight!

I went shopping with my host mother on the weekend. I bought 3 pants, 1 skirt, 1 sweater, 3 sandals, 1 bag, 1 hair tie, 7 stuffed animals………..a lot! And I always go grocery shopping with Debbie! We can have a good time at Publix.

My best weekend was…of course August 22-24!!!!!!!! It was wonderful! I made a lot of friends. Foods were terrible but I had a valuable experience which is more important than eating! I was a little shocked about the difference of other cultures, but that is the thing I wanted to know. Anyway, the weekend was great!!

LAST, I want to thank you Rotary for this special opportunity!!

October 21 Journal

Time passed very fast!! It means I am having a good time. Yeah, I am doing good!

I have plans every weekend. Having fun with host family, friends and exchange students! We had a get-together last week in Miami and everybody had a nice weekend!

I like school but it is still hard…American government and Marine science. Terms are difficult for me. But I’m trying to do my best. I made a lot of friends there. They are all nice to me ;p

I’m going to move fromt this first host family after the Disney trip. I don’t want to think about it because it is so sad to leave and I am a little nervous. But I hope I will be fine. I haven’t talked to my family in Japan for a long time. I should tell them about my experiences!