Joseph "Joe" Hirabayashi

2008-09 Outbound to Czech Republic

Hometown: Orange Park, Florida

School: Fleming Island High School, Orange Park, Florida

Sponsor: Orange Park Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida

Host: Pisek Rotary Club, District 2240, Czech Republic

Bio

Joe's Bio

Hello, my name is Joe Hirabayashi. I am a 16-year-old sophomore attending Fleming Island High School. I live with my mom and two younger brothers, Jack and Michael. I was born in Santa Rosa, California and moved to Orange Park, Florida about 12 years ago.

A few of my hobbies are soccer, lacrosse, and cars. I play varsity soccer and lacrosse for my school. I've been playing soccer for 10 years and its my favorite sport. Lacrosse is a fairly new sport to me and my area. Last year my high school became the first in our area to get a team. I have only been playing lacrosse for 3 years.

I am very excited and fortunate to have the opportunity to go overseas. I cannot wait to experience a new culture and way of life. I would like to thank Rotary for making this experience possible.

August 28 Journal

The days leading up to my departure were rather ordinary. I did not feel waves of emotion or fear. I was, for lack of a better term, cocky. I never thought leaving everyone I know and love would be so difficult. It was not until the morning of my departure that the emotions began to hit me. I drove my friend Kristen to school so that I could say goodbye to her and all my friends. As I said goodbye to all my friends I was silently fighting tears. Never in a million years did I think I would cry. As I said my final goodbye to Kristen, that is when it really hit me. The tears poured out of my eyes like an invisible floodgate had opened. Was I really leaving Orange Park? The next thing I know I was rushing to the airport. It was the last time I would be driving for a year so naturally I was driving incredibly fast.

When we finally arrived at the airport it was a sad moment. My parents and I had a final meal together and then it was time for me to board my plane. The goodbye was swift but painful. As painful as it was to say goodbye, I was overwhelmed with joy! Finally the adventure I had prepared for was beginning. The flight to Detroit was quick and easy. Next came the long flight to Amsterdam. Although the flight was long it was rather painless. There were many movies to choose from, so I was occupied. As I arrived in Amsterdam, my first challenge arose. I did not have a ticket for my next flight. As I frantically looked for a place to get my ticket I learned something terrible. The flight I was booked on did not exist. Thus I had to get a new flight and wait six hours in the airport. After six very tedious hours I boarded the plane and flew to Prague. I cannot describe how I felt when I was greeted by my host family. It was a mixture of fear and excitement. As we simultaneously said ahoj it occurred to me that English would not be spoken.

My first night in Písek was rather funny. I went to bed almost immediately and did not wake up until the next day. I think I slept fifteen hours. When I did awaken it was time to go exploring. My host brother Andřej took me around the town of Písek. Písek is so completely different from Orange Park. Everything is within walking distance. The buildings are so old it is hard to imagine the time when they were built. Less than two hundred meters from our flat is a bridge that was constructed in the 13th century. The history of this town is amazing.

I will soon start school and surprisingly I am looking forward to it. I am ready for yet another adventure.