Hiroyoshi (Hiro) Tsuchida

2009-10 Inbound from Japan

Hometown: Toyama, Japan

Sponsor: Toyama Minami Rotary Club, District 2610, Japan

Host: Daytona Beach West Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida, USA

School: Mainland High School, Daytona Beach, Florida

Bio

Hiro's Bio

Konnichiwa (Hello)! My name is Hiroyoshi Tsuchida. Please call me HIRO. I'm 17 years old, and I'll be 18 on December 4th.

I live in Toyama which is located in the central part of Japan. My hometown "Kureha" in the city of Toyama is well known as a Japanese pear-producing district. My family is not a farming family, but the Japanese pear field stretches in my neighborhood. I live with my father, mother, and 16-year-old sister. We all like music and Toyama.

In Florida, I am living in Port Orange, close to Daytona Beach, and I am attending Mainland High School. I participate in the cross country team in this high school because I love running. In Japan, I was a member of the track and field club in my high school and served as president of this club. I was a long distance runner. I want to make a lot of friends in the school!

Through this great exchange program, I hope to learn good English, of course. In addition, I would like to experience foreign culture and values, and bring these back to Japan. I'll try to overcome various difficulties during my stay.

I thank my parents, my host family, host club, and RYE Florida for giving me this special opportunity. I'm so looking forward to having a wonderful year in Florida.

I'll do my best!!

October 28 Journal

Hi, everybody! So far I have had a GREAT time in Florida. When I arrived, on August 9, I was afraid of a long exchange life in a foreign country. However I'm surrounded by a lot of kind Rotarians, teachers and friends, so I am enjoying this too busy, wonderful life now.

My host parents are from India. I can (or I have to) often eat Indian food. They are so spicy, and a little bit hot. They have also peculiar (FOR ME) smell, but I got used to it. That's not bad! On the beginning of September, they took me to New Jersey for a wedding. The ceremony was a combination of Hinduism (bride side) and Christianity (groom side). It was so interesting and beautiful. In this trip, they took me to New York City also. We had a good time.

School

In my awesome school, Mainland High School, I take Biology, Reading, Calculus, Chemistry, American History, and English 3. Since I have no Arts, no activity courses, sometimes I feel bored and envy some friends who have fun classes. But I love the friends in these classes and teachers, so I have no intention of changing these classes. Everyone is kind and helps me every time. Of course, I have too much homework, especially biology is toooooooo much because we are required to remember a lot of technical terms. But I'm trying to do most of the works to improve my English and learn many things for my future. I'm doing good, maybe My host dad is a professor of microbiology, so he also helps me.

After school, I go to our cross-country practice everyday (until the middle of November). In this team I am second runner. Of course, I am on the varsity and I have taken part in several races so far. My teammates are all kind and too funny guys. They help each other and we are like a family. By the way, I met Pieter from the Netherlands a few times in the meet places. Thanks to some meets, I could get to know some students in other schools such as Seabreeze or Spruce Creek. But anyway, I love Buccaneers!! BUC PRIDE NEVER DIES!!! On October 3, I went to HOMECOMING! That was really nice. In Japan, I have never had a dance party like that. I was so excited.

Rotary

I must appreciate everyone for everything in this Rotary Exchange program. It has been only two and half months since I arrived here, but I've already spent so great exchange life thanks to Rotarians, especially in Daytona Beach West RC. I have no words to express my gratitude.

On August 14, we had a wonderful home party at a Rotarian's house. They prepared a big welcome (Youkoso) cake for me. I have been to other great home parties several times so far. In Japan we don't have a home party frequently like here, so I'm very happy!!

On August 21-23, I had the first RYE-Florida orientation. At first, I couldn't talk with anyone. But because of some activities, I could make lots of friends. Most of my anxiety about this year vanished immediately at the orientation.

In September and October, some Rotarians took me to some great places and served me good dinner on most of Wednesdays (because Wednesday is usually early release day). They showed me a beautiful beach, a national park, or a bike salon. I experienced fishing or riding a certain motorcycle for the first time thanks to them. They took me to Jaguars game on Oct 18. I was so excited. In addition I knew what a tailgate party means. It's very good.

Last but not least, I had a special time in St. Augustine with Rotary Exchange friends of District 6970 last weekend thanks to Rotarians and Rotary clubs in St. Augustine. We went to some historical places, a nice beach, the Alligator Farm(!), old town street......and so on. We could cruise on a beautiful schooner also. Host family was so kind and wonderful. I wanted to stay there still longer. I was so happy...and every friends' English skill was much better than when I met them at the first orientation. Their success stimulated me to also improve my English!

I have too many things to write... Now, I'm homesick a little bit, and I cannot still use English very well, but everyone around me helps me and make me happy every time. Anyway, I'm looking forward to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and seeing all RYE-FL inbounds at the Disney Weekend. THANK YOU!		Arriving in Florida	Youkoso!
At Inbound Orientation with same cabin's friends	Wedding (I presented "Origami" to them)	HOMECOMING party	XC at Seabreeze  with Pieter
My varsity teammates	I was just taking picture, of courseJ	At Castillo de San Marco	My Fall Weekend's host family in St. Augustine with Krestian

March 29 Journal

Hello, everyone. Time flies so fast. I've already experienced Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year and even my birthday party in the United States since I wrote last one. That's so amazing, isn't it? I could feel the greatness of the American cultures from these and the other wonderful events. Sometimes I miss having a usual time in Japanese culture a little, but I think it's important to come into contact with a foreign culture more and more, and that we should appreciate the culture each other. Anyway, I'm very pleased with this American life now, of course.

During my Christmas vacation, I spent whole two weeks in Missouri with my host parents and their son's family that lives there. We celebrated Christmas and New Year with special dinner. The midnight mass of Christmas Eve moved me deeply. Since my home town has lots of snow every year and I didn't think I could see snow this winter, I was glad to have a white Christmas! (I helped them to even shovel the snow.) We went to shopping, a movie, and a Japanese restaurant...etc. We had a wonderful vacation. We didn't want to go back to our ordinary life.

Thanks to Rotary and lots of help, I could have a great time in Seacamp in the end of January. Snorkeling was an entirely new experience for me. We studied many problems about ocean and enjoyed dance party. On the last day, we went to Key West and strolled along the street. I’d like to go there again.

I moved to second host family after the Seacamp trip. It was very hard to leave first one and I miss them a lot. Now I’m really enjoying my life with my new host family. I went to Ponce Inlet light house with my host dad. Sometimes he takes me for a drive with his motorcycle. I love talking about history, politics, and the future of the United States, Japan and this world with him. In February, we enjoyed watching the winter Olympics. In addition, they like holding home party. We have lots of fun. I’m so glad to live with them.

In school, I got the Outstanding Buc Award for achiever in the first semester (1st and 2nd 9weeks). I became able to follow the classes. I can feel at least my listening and reading skills improving. Now, I’m participating in our track team. Although I’m a long-distance runner, I could make new friends who are doing a short distance or field stuff, besides my cross-country friends. The practice is sometimes very hard, but it’s fun. One day, my chemistry teacher took me kayaking to a local river. The scenery from the kayak was so nice. I really loved it. Last week, I went to Tampa as a science field trip. We went to an aquarium, a zoo and a museum. I enjoyed this trip, especially I took to the zoo so much. Already three quarters of the school year was over. At first I couldn’t get used to my new school life, but I can’t believe that I have to leave my classes, teachers and friends. I want to enjoy coming final 9weeks more than ever.

So is this great exchange year. Last Saturday I attend a language workshop for outbound students of NEXT year. I was so impressed how great my friends’ English was, and also I remembered how I struggled with a foreign language just one year ago.

I owe this great experience and much of my success to my friends, teachers, host families, my real family, and Rotary of course. Thanks a lot. Anyway, I have to finish my huge project of biology now....		Cookies and milk for Santa!	At Seacamp
Lighthouse	Let's go kayaking	Team CHEMISTRY!	He is a better English reader than me