Chi-Wei (Dave) Chuang

2009-10 Inbound from Taiwan

Hometown: Yonghe, Taiwan

Sponsor: Yung-Ho Rotary Club, District 3480, Taiwan

Host: Winter Garden Rotary Club, District 6980, Florida, USA

School: West Orange High School, Winter Garden, Florida

Bio

Dave's Bio

My name is Chu Wei Chuang, and you can just call me Dave. I come from Taiwan. Taiwan is my country that is the most important thing I want to emphasize. I have been here since Aug 12th. This is my first month in America. There are many interesting things I have never tried. I will enjoy my life in America.

I live in Florida with my host family. My host family’s last name is Campbell. I am happy to live with them. They bring me lots of fun. And there are four people in their family. They are all kind to me. And sometimes I will teach them Chinese.

I have been to the beach, Disney World and Miami. My host parents work in Disney World. So I am free when I go there with them. There are a lot of high technology things . That is really cool. There are too many great things in Disney but unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to see all of them. I love their beach in Florida. The ocean was so pretty that made me excited. White sand, seagulls, dolphins and beautiful waves. This scene brought me lots of affection. If I have enough money, I will take my family here in the future.

At last, I want to make a promise for myself. I want to let my English be better and I want to be stronger (including my body and my mind ).

October 20 Journal

This was my second month in America. I changed a lot this month. I won’t be nervous anymore, but I lost some of my enthusiasm. That is terrible, so I have to perk up soon.

Our family received a female dog from a homeless animal shelter and we named her Dok. She is crazy and always makes us happy. Whenever she is around our family is filled with laughter.

My host parents Jim and Jenna, they are really good. Mr. Jim always takes us to any Disney World activity. He has a strong body and big muscle. However, I can see lots of man power on him. Mrs. Jenna is a perfect mom. She makes delicious dinner every night.

I usually watch the football game because of my host brother Jake. Jake plays drum in the school band and usually cheer up the team when the game starts. This is his first year in high school, so Jake and I are both freshman (In fact, I am junior). He is shy but he is really nice. He likes to play video games and we both like to watch same kind of movies and cartoons. So we have many similarities.

My host sister Julia, she makes lots of friends and keeps good relations with many people. I think that she is out-going which makes her different from her brother. She is benevolent and always helps me a lot. Although we don’t have many same place but we are still good friend.

Finally, I love my host family very much. And I love my real family, too. I miss everyone. When I come back, I will be more independent.

December 21 Journal

My name is Dave Chuang. I am an exchange student who comes from Taiwan. This is my fourth month here. I don’t know how to explain how much I change, but I know that I am growing up. I already promised myself that I am not going to hate anything when I came here. I won’t complete any perplexities. Those things can let me mature. I enjoy everything, love everyone and I will change myself forever. Any mistake I can learn and any advantage I can learn from everyone. I always have defects but I will fix them every time.

On December 10 to 13, Rotary Club had a special program for all of the exchange students in Florida. We went to Disney world for four days. That made everyone excited. Although I have been there twice, it was still novel for me. Florida Disney is the biggest one of the world. There were almost 90 exchange students there. Everyone is very friendly. I meet many people who come from different countries. It’s easy to make friend with each other. Firecracker was so beautiful then, and it was big enough to make my lung feel hurt. That is so crazy and romantic. They showed me most beautiful scene that I have never seen before. I believe that those experiences will stay in my heart for the rest of my life.

Orlando is the famous city in the world. I support to treasure more on this city. I thought I am the most lucky exchange student in the world. I have a happiness host family and I can be free when I go to Disney world. Everyone is nice in school. Teachers usually help me when I have question. And there are a lot of holidays in America. Example of Thanksgiving, they gave me one week to eat turkey. I was so stupid that I wasted my time and didn’t do anything useful. Now, I am going to plan a schedule for Christmas on these days and use them efficient. I don’t want to waste my time anymore.

Football season is already over for one month. Football is a very important part of American culture. My host father likes to watch football games. My classmates are all crazy about it. My host brother is in the drum line. We cheered for our school team every game. They usually made us disappointed. But we still went to the game and cheered for them. Not only for my host brother. Because we believe that they all do their best.

January 25 Journal

Almost half of my exchange student life is over and I can’t believe how fast time has been going by! I try to make my time as an exchange student shine. This experience has been very special to me and I know I will never forget all the good times I have been having here. When I am here in Florida, I will push to try new things, and never have a dull moment.

I know that I am not a good speaker or expresser. I am too shy to talk with someone. It is the defect that I have to improve and fix it. I don’t know how to show my passion. When I see the people, I have no idea how to chat with them. I am too shy to express myself. But I won’t complain anything. I get wise that I have no time to regret the past. Be optimistic and look on the bright side of life is the way to let me smile. Plight can make people hardy. I won’t feel alienated. Be positive to my life. I have no best friend. But I still need partner who can hear my mind who can realize what I express about. I will love everyone and be friendly to everyone. I will go on my way. No one is the best because everyone is the greatest and special. That makes everyone thought I am a stranger. I need to learn more. I will like everyone knows Taiwan. She is my mother, my country and my love. I will thank everyone who has ever helped me. I don’t care whatever people said anything about me.

Faces to future, and always never forgets smile. Epoch is always changing. No one knows what is going to happen in the future. I believe in everyone who is the special and unique one who is the greatest.

December 25th is Christmas. It is a very important holiday in a lot of countries, including America. Its significance is same as Chinese New Year. In my country, Christmas is not a formal holiday. Although people usually decorate and celebrate it, I still hope we can have holiday on that day just like America. When I get back to Taiwan, I hope to celebrate Christmas just like we did here in America. Christmas morning, I woke up and was surprised at how many presents were under the Christmas tree! That was my first time that got so many presents on Christmas. I got a USB, jackets, plants, hat, and mountain backpack. Back in Taiwan, we celebrated Christmas but it wasn’t considered as a holiday. Here in America I learned that Christmas is a very important holiday and is celebrated by almost every family. My host grandparents came down to Orlando and celebrated Christmas with us. I had so much fun on Christmas and I will never forget all the good times I had on this day. It was so warm that I wear the scarf that made by my little sister for full.

On December 31st, it was the time to greet New Year’s arrival. That day was a beautiful night. I got to set off sparklers and I enjoyed watching all the fireworks around the neighborhood. The neighbors came over and joined our party. We all sat by the television and watched the countdown to a new year. I’m glad I get to start a new year off in America and I know that this will be an amazing year! I have a really wonderful Christmas weeks with my American family.

I am going to change my host family soon. It will be hard for me to say goodbye to them. But I know this is not the ending, it is a beginning. I hope that I can be in harmony with new family. For me, this is section of unprecedented experience.

March 12 Journal

Time is really fast. It seems like I was just here yesterday. But when I woke up, six months were already passing away. I can’t forget first time when I came here. I still can remember how exciting when I stepped on this freedom land. Fill with expectation and disquiet. Everything is just like happening last night. It was a long dream and long trip. If the morning is coming soon, I hope I wouldn’t wake up or that dream is always continuing. And I can always let dream come true and face to the brightness way in the future. I realize why we have to treasure the time. In fact, time usually passes it away from me. I know I am not only not a 100 percents man, but also not a 60 percents guy. I won’t regret anything or complain. Now is time for me to make progress, improve myself and always face to future. I will watch myself being a successful man. Finding a real love, having my family and being a little bit rich are my goals and ways to become success for me. And this year, my exchange student life is a critical key of my English and augmenting my social contact.

On January 28, it was a trip for all of our inbound exchange students in Florida called Seacamp. That was an amazing trip for me and everyone. I wish this was not the last trip for us. When we went on the little ship, it just felt like Pirates of the Caribbean. Like big pirates Blackbeard Edward Teach navigated on Atlantic Ocean. The water was so freezing. But there were still an old man and Danes diving in water for long time. Everyone can swim well. And I could also see muscle man and sexy beauty on this azure ocean. Those things were all visual enjoyment for an Asian child. Key West is the place like shopping town. Clothes are cheap and nice. But I didn’t buy anything there. Even that, I already saw something that wouldn’t ever be destroyed or disappeared and it will keep those things forever. In the dusk, a flower was bloomed on the Florida Ocean. Never fall down and never be on the wane.

During an exchange student life in Florida, Hawaii, New York, New York + Washington and West coast are four travels for us to choose. I wish I can go for full if they are free. And Hawaii is already over. West coast will be the only one that I pick. I expect a new experience in west of America on June with exciting mood.

I got a title of speech and it’s called “What would you dream home have in it” few days ago. I hope I can build the highest place above my home. Look all around the world. Dig the lowest base under the floor. Lie down and look up and see the world that I can’t see on the top. Shiny can make people happy. But darkness will teach me what the real happiness is.

I am really glad and thank that I can be a part of district 6980 foreign exchange students. They will always cheer for me. Not because I am popular or have many good friendships. I comprehend that I don’t and I am not. But everyone still give me lots of clapping. I really enjoy this kind of friendship. They always take care of me a lot. But now, it is time for me to do something.

I changed my host family few days ago. I live with a man in Rotary Club whose name is Dallas. His job used to be a professor. And now he is an author. We used to be loner before, but now we are not. We have a lot of same interests and good conversations. Now watching a new movie on projector at night is our habit. Sometimes we will try to cook food for each other. It is really fantastic for a man and teenager. There are some places that I have to go and he said he will take me before I leave Florida. Finally, I hope I wouldn’t leave anything to regret.