Laura (Lu) Fröhlich

2009-10 Inbound from Switzerland

Hometown: Oberwil, Switzerland

Sponsor: Bottmingen-Birseck Rotary Club, District 1980, Switzerland

Host: New Port Richey Rotary Club, District 6950, Florida, USA

School: J. W. Mitchell High School, New Port Richey, Florida

Bio

Lu's Bio

Hi. My name is Laura Lu Fröhlich and I have lived two weeks in New Port Richey, Florida. And for the whole next year!! I still can’t believe it :D

I’m from Oberwil, near Basel, one of the biggest cities in Switzerland. In December I turn 18 and I have two sisters. Kim is 20 years old and just began her studies at the university in Zürich, Joana is 14 years old and goes still to school.

Kim spent a year in Missouri two years ago and had a really great time there. She returned home with many new impressions and wonderful memories. That is why I decided to do the same. I just couldn’t miss such a great opportunity. Thank you for your encouragement! I also have to thank my sponsor Club Bottmingen-Birseck back in Switzerland and the New Port Richey Club here in Florida who make all this possible!

I’m so happy to be here and if I wouldn’t have such a awesome host family, I’m sure, it wouldn’t be that easy. They help me whenever they can and I just feel homelike. Thank you!

August 29 Journal

Today is August 29th and I survived my first week in school. But let me begin at the day I arrived in Florida. The flight from Zurich to Atlanta took 10 hours, the continuation to Tampa about one hour, but I wasn’t bored at all. There were too many things I could think about. I’ve never had such a feeling before in my life. You are sitting in the plane, leaving everything behind you and you have no idea what to expect. That’s amazing!

So I arrived thrilled, and more than happy at the airport where my host parents, Kristine & Jeff, my host sister Lindsey (11), Laurie Frohlich (I’m not kidding.. that’s the name of my district chair, not mine J ) and her daughter Leesa welcomed me with balloons and self- painted posters. That was a lovely greeting! Unlike their expectations I wasn’t tired at all and I even didn’t feel the jetlag. Perhaps because I slept too much in the plane.

But anyway, it was Saturday evening and we went to bed... to be well- rested for going to church the following morning. That was already a little change. I’m not used to getting up early Sunday morning! J But it was worth it. The people are so nice, they come up to you as soon as they realize you are the first time here. I already got to know many friends of my host family and Lindsey. After church I had my first "American breakfast", that was tasty! The rest of the day we spent at the beach 10 minutes away from our house. I felt like in holidays, just that it’s too hot to lie in the sun. I love it!

In the second week we had a welcome-party for the exchange students from this area (Cansu from Turkey, Filippo from Italy, Diogo from Brazil, and me) who brought all their host families... and of course the Rotex have been there too. We got to know each other, could asked the homecomers about their experiences and had a lot of fun with typical American food. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Last weekend I met them again, but not just them... we had an orientation weekend from Friday to Sunday where I met all 78 inbounds from Florida. That was awesome. We had a lot of fun and are looking forward to getting again together for our next trip to Disney World!

Classes started last Monday. I’m attending the senior year in Mitchell High School, 10 minutes from where I live. I ride every day the school bus, what takes a little bit longer, but in return it makes me feel "American". J That I can graduate next summer I had to take some special classes to get enough credit, but I like almost all of them. I have Marine Science, American History, Math, English, Volleyball and American Government, which is so much less than I’m used to. In my school in Switzerland we have 11 different classes and school sometimes until 6 o’clock in the evening; here the classes finish every day at 3 o’clock, that’s great! Afterwards the sport teams have training. I’m not yet in a team, but I would like to join the basketball team. The try-outs are next month, so I have to be a little bit patient. J

I want to thank the Rotary Club for putting so much effort in this program and making this experience possible. You are great!

December 6 Journal

It's December and I still can't believe it. This means my 5th month here in Florida starts now.

I wish I would have written some journals the last two months. It's really hard to remember everything after a while because there is just so much going on. :)

I remember that before I came here everybody told me to enjoy every single day because the time passes so quickly. I didn't take that serious first, but the time really runs!! I settled pretty well in my new life here and I also found a lot of good friends. I‘m always busy. I also do a lot with my host family and like to go to Rotary events. Everybody is so cordial. I really appreciate that. Also school is going well for me and I have better grades than I expected to receive. I have almost all A's and I'm proud of myself :) (the grades go from A, the best, to F). We have a lot of homework, but nothing is really difficult. I don‘t know how I could pass my school back in Switzerland last year; it‘s so hard. I hope I won‘t forget how to study! =D

The first month I was here I got the opportunity to go to a Rays game. I got four tickets from a member from my Rotary club, and last Saturday another Rotarian couple invited me to a Football Game in Gainesville (the Gators vs. the Seminoles) - one of the biggest games this year! It was awesome. I thought football would be boring, but it's so much fun. You just have to know the rules; that helps.

Last week was Thanksgiving. That was a great experience. We had dinner with the whole family, everybody prepared something at home and brought it. It was a typical Thanksgiving dinner like you see it in American movies, with a big turkey and a lot of food. I was so full afterwards, but it was just delicious!

I was supposed to switch family during Thanksgiving week or the first December week, but I still don‘t know when exactly I‘m going to move. Due to the fact that my third host mom has health problems she probably won't be able to take me, so I will only have two families. Anyway, I still don't know who I will be with over the holidays and when I have to move... Both families really want to celebrate Christmas with me. We‘ll see! I'm glad though it's not the other way around, they really make me feel welcome.

Next week we are going to Disney World for four days, with all the other exchange students here in Florida. I'm so looking forward! We are going to visit every day a different park. On Thursday we are going to visit the Disney Hollywood Studios, on Friday the Magic Kingdom, on Saturday the Epcot Center, and on Sunday the Animal Kingdom. Friday evening is a pool party planned and Saturday evening we are going to go out for dinner to see a big laser and fireworks show. I can‘t wait!! Disney World, we are coooming :D

Last week I wrote the first time to my host club back in Switzerland. I felt bad because I know I should report more often and in particular earlier. It's almost Christmas! I'm so busy here that I didn't have time. I hope that's an excuse. And I hope it's enough for them to know that I‘m doing very well. I really enjoy my stay here and I'm just happy. :D

What reminds me often of home are my friends, my parents and my sister's birthdays. The only thing I can do is to write a nice email. That feels weird! By the way, I will turn 18 next week, on December 10. I‘m so excited!

There are only two weeks left until Christmas break. I‘m sure that will be the best Christmas ever. I love the decorations here. All the houses are wrapped in thousands of lights. It‘s so beautiful when it‘s dark outside. I‘m also looking forward to going to ski vacation with my host family and their friends. We are going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I can‘t wait to snowboard again and I‘m curious how skiing in American is.

Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

May 25 Journal

I’m supposed to write a journal at least once a month. I haven’t done it in a while and I apologize for that .. but I have to say I have a real good excuse. As an exchange student we simply don’t have time. I have never been that busy in my life before. Haha.

I spent the last week in California with my host family, we went to visit my host mom's aunt, uncle and cousin who live 2 hours from San Francisco. They showed us their little town, called Auburn, Lake Tahoe, and San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen. It is so different than New York or other major cities – it has all these pretty hills and I officially fell in love with the cable cars. :) I can’t wait to go on the west coast trip in June and go there again.

I’m back in school since last Friday and we have only 6 days left in school. My summer break starts next week on Wednesday, I still can’t believe it! I will be graduating in the beginning of June. I’m really thankful I was able to do that. Although school here is not half as hard as my school back in Switzerland, school work was sometimes very time-consuming and I did a Senior Project which is a big project I had to work throughout my Senior year, I had a good time in school. I’m really proud having accomplished that and my Diploma will always remind me of my time here in High School.

Another adventure is going to start next week. I’m going on a cruise to Mexico with my host family, my first host mom and many other Rotarians. I’m so looking forward to that. I have never been either to Mexico or on a cruise before.

I’m having my final presentation at both of my sponsor clubs in two weeks and it makes me realize that my year will be over soon .. I’m not ready to leave yet. I know I will miss the nice weather really bad. I hope I won’t get depressive next fall and winter when it starts to be rainy, gray and snowy^^ Go figure! It’s May 17th, and it’s over 86 degrees already!

Attached are some pictures I would like to share.. I took them in the Yellowstone National Park in Idaho/Wyoming, in New York City, San Francisco and Cocoa Beach (on the other coast in FL).. a picture we took at Prom, one with some other friends and one with my host family and their relatives.

My life is just wonderful right now and I couldn’t be happier. I’m looking forward to all the travelling I’m going to do over the summer.

Love, Lu	Yellowstone Park	Yellowstone Park	Statue of Liberty, NY
Golden Gate Bridge	Fisherman's Wharf	Pier 39	San Francisco
Cocoa Beach	Prom	Friends	Host Family