Courtney Hutchison

2003-04 Outbound to Brazil

Date of Birth: May 17, 1988

Hometown: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

School: Nease High School

Sponsor: Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida USA

Host: Curvelo Norte Rotary Club, District 4760, Brazil

Courtney's Bio

My name is Courtney Hutchison. I am 15 years old and I just finished my freshman year at Nease High School where I'm involved in some different extra curricular activities such as, swimming on the Nease swim team and softball for the varsity softball team. I have been playing softball for 7 years and I have been pitching for about 4 years. 

I now live in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida but, I am originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I lived in Tulsa for about 10 and a half years then my dad’s job transferred us to Florida. My Dad (Terry) owns two businesses he has a car washing business and a petroleum business, which is called Greenlight. My mother (Sherri) is currently not working in her field of profession but she is helping run our businesses. My mom has a PHD in Psychology she worked in a mental institution for 3 years until we moved to Florida. I also have a younger brother named Cody. He is 11 years old and is the sweetest and coolest kid anyone could ever have for a brother.

August 27 Journal

Well, I’m finally in Brazil.  After months of waiting and preparing I’m here.  I have to say nothing is as I expected.  Rotary tried to prepare all of the students for their year abroad and I thought I was ready and had everything under control.  Well that’s until I experienced for my first time “Culture Shock.”  Culture shock really bites the big one.  Culture shock is arriving somewhere foreign like Brazil and not knowing what the heck is going on and everything is so very different.  Like here there is no air conditioning, no unlimited internet access, and there are maids.  On top of all the differences though, the most difficult part is the language.  Not knowing a word of what people are saying, and half the time not knowing if the person in front of you is talking to you or someone else.

I would have to say this is by far the most mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging experience of my life thus far.  You know I thought I would get here and everything would be great for the first few weeks and I would feel like I was on vacation.  Well if that first week was supposed to be vacation it would have been the vacation from hell, and I mean hell.

I was absolutely convinced I wanted to go home back to normality.  I missed my family, my house, air conditioning, my unlimited internet access, and my bed, and oh did I miss my boyfriend.  I started crying the second I left the ground in Jacksonville and didn’t finish until the end of the next week.  But the worst homesickness hit when I was alone in the Sao Paulo airport.  I was hysterical - I cried and cried and was completely oblivious to everyone watching.  So once I dried it up some, I went to the bathroom to find I no longer had my makeup on my face.  It was on my nice, clean shirt.  So, on top of all the sadness, stress and confusion I had to find a way to clean up.  It was an absolute nightmare.  The whole first week was one big cry fest too.  I thought a lot over the first week---but not good things.  I was thinking, “Wow I’m a complete idiot.  What kind of 15 year old wacko would do this.”  But by the end of the week I sort of came to my senses because my dad in the US said to stop calling all the time and suck it up—you’re the one that wanted to do this.  So, out of fury, I sucked it up and stopped calling all the time.

Things started to get a lot better once a lot of friends started coming over everyday and we started going out every night and weekend.  Everyone is so nice here.  They are so warm and inviting.  I am so lucky to be put into a culture that is SO GREAT.  I swear these people would give their right arm for you.  Anything they can do to help they do—but meanwhile they are trying to make you eat something.  They eat so much here.  All of the exchange students were right—you eat a lot.  Well instead of gaining weight though I’ve lost weight.  I think about 6 pounds.  It’s really cool.  So something good did come out of this.

My first week of school was something else.  I have never experienced anything like this.  Now I know why celebrities are reluctant about going in public without protection. Ha-ha.  Well my first day I walked into class and everyone stood up, clapped and yelled for me.  Rotary introduced me into every other class in the school and each class copied my first class in the cheering.  I was so shocked at that.  But through the whole week I was treated like nothing less than a celebrity.  People would stop in the hallways to let me walk through, clap as I walked by, and had me sign autographs.  Yeah autographs.  I think people in the US so under appreciate me!!!

Being an exchange student you get asked many questions all the time.  But the question I seem to get asked most is “do you like the food here?”  Oh do I like the food.  It is great.  I’m already a food fan but the food here is awesome.  Especially Pão de Qeijo.  Oh my God—I thought I died and went to heaven when I first tried it.  It is this warm ball of bread with warm, moist cheese inside of it.  If you have had Red Lobster’s cheese bread you will have an IDEA of how good it is.  Brazilians really know how to cook.

Well you are probably wondering about my town, or maybe not but I will tell you anyway.  I live in a town called Curvelo.  Curvelo has about 70,000 people living in it and everything is so close.  You can get anywhere in town with no more than a 10 minute walk.  It’s pretty cool except when you don’t want to walk.  But everyone here walks everywhere.  Curvelo is really good because everyone knows everyone.  When you go out you are never alone and you never have to worry about not being invited to any party because around here they are non-stop and everyone goes.

Even though Curvelo may be small, man when you go out you have to be dressed the right way.  Your shirt has to go with your jeans.  Your jeans have to match some color in your shoes.  Your shoes have to match your purse and everything has to go with your earrings.  I have definitely had to do some major shopping.  But, I’m not complaining.  But, the one thing I have not bought yet is a Brazilian bikini.  I was looking at one the other day and I couldn’t tell the front from the back on the bottoms.  There is no way.  I mean, it might fly for these dark, petite Brazilians but I am anything but that.  I am white, very much so NOT petite and I’m not willing to show everyone my butt.

Well, I think I’m just about out of things to say about my month here except that, I know other exchange students had said their first month in their country is the worst month of their lives due to homesickness and other adjustments.  Well, yeah homesickness sucks.  But I would not have traded this month for anything.  This month was hard but it was the best developmental month.  If I didn’t have this month I would be friendless and homesick.  But I have so many friends and I am so happy.  My feelings now totally contradict my feelings I had my first week.  I am thoroughly convinced, absolutely without a doubt, that I am doing the best thing for me and my future and I am so excited about this year.  You know I could think of a million other worse things I could be doing but I think that the worst thing I could have done was wimped out and not come to Brazil.  This has made me stronger and challenged every aspect of my being and I am absolutely thankful for everyone that encouraged me to do this and was behind me.  You know my friend Tierney said, “Your year is what you make it!” and she is right.  I am going to have the best year of my life.  I’m going to live every day to its fullest.

Well that’s all I have to say this month but I will write more next month.

Tchau,

Courtney

October 6 Journal

Two months have come and gone and I can’t believe it!  Time has just flown by, and again this month has been great.  I’m speaking the language, I have so many new friends and I’m staying busy. 

This month I have done so many unforgettable things.  My family took me to Minerão, the second largest soccer stadium in the world, to see Belo Horizonte’s home soccer team Cruziero play against Santos.  I was absolutely amazing.  There were so many excited people, happy and full of life.  When I entered the stadium it was like seeing a sea of blue and while jerseys with heads attached to them.  I have never seen this many people in the Alltel Stadium at a Jags game.  People sitting butt-to-butt and elbow-to-elbow.  People sitting in the aisles and standing on railing but no one cared how crowded it was.  They just made sure they weren’t sitting by anyone rooting for the other team.  Imagine an entire stadium with people waving banners in the air, playing drums, chanting, singing and doing the wave.  It was awesome!!

Also this month I went to another town near here with my friends and their families for the birthday party of the mayor of Augusto de Lima.  At the party there were something like 600 people there.  It was so much fun.  We danced Forro, ate barbeque and didn’t go home until like eight in the morning.  I did not sleep a wink.

Although this month has been really great and everything, you gotta take the good with the bad.  Yeah that sucked big time.  The car door cut through my fingernail and left a trail of blood throughout the car.  Oh my God, it hurt so bad but being the “tough” person I am I didn’t say a word until my friend looked at my pants and saw all the blood on them so she looked for the source and found my finger.  It looked like a knife had just sliced through my nail and it bled like it too.  About 30 minutes later I was going to get out of the car and I about fainted because I was losing so much blood.  My friend put my finger in salt water (which will never ever happen again) and then wrapped it in a rag.  Within 15 minutes the rag was soaked.  It was soooo disgusting.

As I said, I have made so many new friends and the weird thing is they are mostly girls.  In the US all my friends are guys and here I only have a few guy friends.  I love all my friends here.  They help me so much and they are really great.

Finally, my schedule has picked up.  I’m staying really busy now.  I am doing swimming, hydro gym, and walking 3 days a week.  Two days a week I have physical education with my school and Saturday and Sunday I do nothing.  Those are the days I do stuff with my friends, sleep and talk to Jonathan (my boyfriend).

Oh, Al, my mom told me you said I would buy a Brazilian bikini.  Well----you were right.  It didn’t take much time but I bought one.  I haven't exactly built up the confidence to wear it yet and plus I haven’t convinced my boyfriend it isn’t that small yet—Haha.

Ya know I just got here and I already don’t want to go back to the US.  I want to stay here in this great country with these awesome people.  Now this is where I call home.  I am so lucky to have two families, two homes and two wonderful countries and cultures I am a part of.  This is the best experience anyone could ever have and everyone should.

Well that’s all I gotta say this month folks, but I’ll keep ya updated---until next month.  Tchau.

Beijos e abracos,

Courtney

December 12 Journal

It's been about five months since I arrived in Brazil. These past months seem like one. Everything here is good. It's getting harder and harder to think of things to write because now not a lot happens. I'm just living life. One good thing is I don't have anymore school. Thank God we are out for summer. School isn't bad it just really sucks getting up early and going to school and listening to teachers you only half way understand because they are talking so fast. But now I don't have to do anything but hang out.

So, yeah, I realize that I am late sending in my journal, so I guess I'll write about everything now. Last month was good. I didn't do a lot but I did get to travel. I took a 10 hour bus ride to Rio de Janeiro. It was so cool. I went to see my friend Ale. If you don't know her she was an exchange student in Mandarin. She called me and invited me to come see her, so I did.

It was so awesome. Pictures do not justify the beauty of Rio. It is breathtaking. You have city living on the beach. When you go to the beach there are about 100 vendors going around yelling what they are selling and taking advantage of the tourists--ha ha. Well, I spent five days in Rio and they were absolutely great. I didn't want to leave. The first day I was there I went to the beach and got so sunburned I was so red. Ale kept calling me her pink American. We had so much fun. We went everywhere and saw everything... flea markets, shopping malls, the Christ, Sugar Loaf and course all the beaches. The last day I was there I did not want to go home but then I got on the bus for the 10 hour ride and all I wanted was to be home.

So that's all that really happened last month and it sure is more than this month. This month I only really hung out with my family and went to a bunch of fashion shows, bar-b-q's and birthday parties. That's one thing that hasn't changed is the amount of parties. Party after party after party. But hey, I'm not complaining. Last week I went to a huge party for 15 girls for their 15th birthdays. I had to buy an evening gown and dress up and everything. It was really fun. I love to play dress up.

Well, Christmas is coming up. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it is both. I mean I get to experience Christmas in a different culture with my family, but it is bringing the end of the year so close. In the beginning I wanted it to be the end of the year or the end of my exchange, but now when I leave I'm leaving another family and I will have to go through all the crappy, emotional stuff again--Yuk!! I hope this Christmas goes good. It's my first without my family in the U.S... Well, my family just decided they are coming to visit Brazil in March. I'm so excited they get to meet my family and see where I live and I get to see them but the really cool part is they are bringing my boyfriend with them. I miss all of them so much. Well, while I'm talking about my family and boyfriend and everything I wanted to say hey to Jonathan and my family and that I love you.

Well, I hope that this upcoming month brings all sorts of new and adventurous things. Until next month--Bye.

Courtney

April 19 Journal

Hey, sorry it’s taken me so long to write this journal but it’s been absolutely hectic around here. In January I went on a month long trip to the Northeast of Brazil and got back to Curvelo in February and right after I got back my parents arrived and were here until the end of February and when they left, CARNAVAL started, so, as you can see it’s been really hectic.

Well, my year is coming to an end but I’ve had an absolutely awesome year. As I said, I went on a month long trip to the Northeast, it was absolutely amazing we went so many places - we went from Brasilia (Brazil’s capital) to Angra dos Reis (outside of Rio). In between we went to about to other cities. All the places we went were really great. Around 45 exchange students went. We were all on the same double decker bus, (you can only imagine the confusion)!!

But we all had the time of our lives! About 3 days after I got back from the trip my parents arrived and stayed for a while, I was so happy to see them we went to Diamantina, Ouro Preto (had lunch) dinner in the house of about everyone here in Curvelo; They got to know my Rotary club, my family, my friends, school etc…

Everything went really nice but it made me miss them more. But soon after they left my sadness was put aside for a while because of CARNAVAL!! My GOD, it was the most amazing Party I’ve ever been to in my entire life, I went to Diamantina, which is a historic city near Curvelo. I’ve never seen that many people in one small town. But imagine 5 days going out at 5:00 in the afternoon and getting home at 11:00 the next day, eat lunch and go to sleep until 5:00 and go out again! It’s great but it’s absolutely the most tiring thing I’ve ever done.

Well, that’s about all of the excitement since then it’s been normal. Just going out, with my friends and stuff like that. So, now I don't have anything else to write about. But I’ll be home soon. I’m leaving here May. Thank GOD ! I’m ready to come home! Well, that’s all for this month and this year. Bye yawl.

COURTNEY