Roy "Rolly" Weaver IV

2008-09 Outbound to Ecuador

Hometown: DeLeon Springs, Florida

School: Seabreeze High School, Ormond Beach, Florida

Sponsor: Ormond Beach West Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida

Host: Ibarra Rotary Club, District 4400, Ecuador

Bio

Rolly's Bio

Hello there! My name is Rolly Weaver. I'm 17 years old and attend Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Florida. In my spare time, I enjoy doing almost any sports and I like anything that forces me push myself. At school, I play basketball, football, and run cross country and track. When I'm not in school I like riding my four wheelers and climbing (in Colorado and NC).

I live with my mom and step dad and have two sisters, one parrot, 3 cats, 1 1/2 dogs (chihuahua) and 3 horses. I am excited about my senior year abroad, not nervous, although I will probably be when I'm boarding the plane.

August 29 Journal

Wow. I really don't know what to write. So I'll start from the beginning. Finished packing the night before, or rather started packing the night before. Then left in the morning, car ride, Awkward. We couldn't find much things meaningful to say. Then goodbyes to Sister, Joonas (a foreign exchange student staying with my family), and mom who despite her strength during the whole day began to cry. This sounds weird but I wasn't sad. I was like “let's do this.” (yes that exact quote lol ) I kinda felt bad that I wasn't crying or anything. But I was just ready.

In Security they thoroughly searched my belongings to insure that I wasn't a terrorist. After that delay I was off. From Jacksonville I headed to Miami for a very lengthy wait. I think that people thought I worked for the airport because of my blazer of something. Because I would randomly receive questions from people about what terminal is where, or what time flights were leaving. Out of sheer boredom I wandered the Miami airport for what seemed like hours.

Before I left I met up with Zhoe, leaving from Florida to Argentina, and later I met four other exchange students who were also heading for Ecuador, and two others departing for countries.

Plane ride uneventful. I talked with a very funny kid who is going to stay in Quito named Remy, and we attempted to decipher the customs papers that we had to fill out, in Spanish. It was very humorous.

Plane lands, we all go through customs together. Only to be broken apart by the hugs of our host families. My host family is vacationing at the beach so their grandfather and aunt pick me up. To my surprise they were both fluent in English. So I didn't have the opportunity to practice my minimal Spanish. Because of my plane's late arrival, I stayed Quito with my host aunt.

In the morning we left for Ibarra. They had morning Mass, so I decided to join them in the service. Bad idea. Started Mass, everything was perfect, then I began to feel dizzy. I shook it off and ignored it. Later in the service we all stood up to recite some sort of prayer, which I mumbled and acted like I knew the words. At that point I was hit with another spell of dizziness, but this time it was worse, I couldn't hear the priest talking or the people singing, everything began to turn black until I couldn't see. I attempted to murmur some sort of "help me," but the words never came out……… BAM!!!! I hit the floor. Blacked out. A result from the altitude. A couple of minutes later I came to. In the middle of Mass, while the priest was singing there was like twenty people around me spitting words and phrases in Spanish which I couldn't understand, asking me questions, brushing my wet hair from my sweaty face, and elevating my legs to produce blood flow. It was embarrassing. Very very embarrassing.

After my pride was taken I  was introduced to my host family. I was met at the door with a big smile by Paul my host dad. He has tan skin, and is full of energy, we play chess, or the game I introduced to them, dominoes, almost every night. I have two host sisters and one host brother. Family is very important in Ecuador.

Since my arrival I have busied myself with varying activities. Four days ago we went to 12,000 ft. and went fishing. The lake is in the middle of nowhere. Hidden by the peaks of the northern Andes. To the left I see snow covered peak of Cayambe, to the right limitless jungle filled with mountains. We pulled the boat into shore, cooked the fish, and loaded them with pounds of salt and ate them. After lunch me and my host cousin had the brilliant idea to go swimming. It turned out to be a very stupid idea. As other people were wrapped in winter jackets and long johns, me and my host cousin were frolicking in the water. At twelve thousand feet the air is cold. At twelve thousand feet the water is colder. After we regained feeling in our extremities, we decided to explore the jungle. After much hiking we stumbled into a very marshy section where with every step we would sink up to our knees in muck. We got lost. My white Nike shox are now black Nike shox.

Besides that I've been keeping myself busy playing basketball, tennis, and swimming. Or doing other various tasks that need to be completed like obtaining my visa, buying books and registering for school, etc. etc.

I start school this Monday. So that should be an adventure. Wish me luck.

Also wanted to thank Jody for giving me a chance.

Until next time.

-Rolly W.

October 16 Journal

Hmmm. Wow. There is so much to say……I´m writing this during Physics class. I lost total interest after we found the velocity of an object flying from China to France. I'm trying to figure out what to put in here without making it one of those weird 1.000 page Sci-Fi adventure books always read during class by that weird kid that never talks.

Ok now I know…

This is going to be the "I have a test tomorrow and haven’t read the book," Spark Note version of Rolly's trip.

In October we had a bunch of parties here, called the festivals of Ibarra. There was one party with 1,500 people (goodbye personal space bubble). I have also come to the startling discovery that my dancing abilities are lacking….but I make up for it in denial.

-SPANISH-

I'm learning tons and tons of Spanish every day. I've upgraded from retarded to minor stupidity.

-Quito-

Went to Quito and met up with one of my student exchange friends (Remy). We went to the mall and hung out with another foreign exchange student from Ecuador that went to Germany last year. It was fun, however, Quito is much larger and dangerous then Ibarra.

-Imbabura-

On September 17, I was invited by my host cousin to climb a local mountain. Imbabura. I climbed with a local English teacher, from the United States. We had good conversation for the four hour sludge up the giant hill. We finally reached the summit and rested, chasing the fleeting air of 15,000 ft. After two minutes on the summit it began to snow. How serene! No!! After another five minutes the snow turned into hail/ rain / sleet. Upon that I left my jacket and backpack at a lower section of the trail to scale a difficult vertical section of rock. (I was cold…..this is becoming a habit.)

After half an hour a thunderstorm rolled in. In another 10 minutes lightning was striking all around us. When the bolts struck the ground we would hear the echo screaming from the rocks repeating several times before dying. One struck very very close to the three of us, instantly sending a shock through our bodies. We all had major headaches after the experience.

The descent was supposed to take two hours…..LOL…….The trail was a natural slip'n slide from the rain. Water + Dirt= Mud……….. trail filled with mud and water + Foreign Exchange student = Muddy foreign Exchange Student.

We were greeted by four hours of falling………Hard……....Face plants, head over heals, 180 degree spins, failed attempts to retain our balance and pride.

We finally returned, clothes stained, soaking wet from head to toe , cold and prideless having had the most fun weeks.

Random fact…..the garbage trucks have speakers and play music identical to that of the ice-cream trucks in the U.S.……it causes much confusion.

This section doesn’t need much explaining. I ate Cuy= Guinea pig / evil rat looking thing. …… That's all moving on.

OK time for the serious stuff. Chuck Norris and your "momma" jokes aren’t funny here, Don't try…….seriously don’t. In the morning (4:30….ohh dear Lord) I'm heading to Manabí, for my first Rotary trip. It's going to be really cool…..			Rotary meeting
Before	After	Llama in front of Imbabura	Imbabura

November 18 Journal

Hello.. While reading my journal, think about this…it helps:

¨Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because Chuck Norris only recognizes the element of surprise¨

The day after I wrote my last journal all the Rotary kids went to the beach in Ecuador. It was cool to see all the different countries and personalities mixing.

Recently laety (From France) and I went on a train to a small village north of Ibarra. We were able to ride on the roof of the train. It was fun. It seems that in every one of these journals something happens to me, I somehow figure out a way to injure myself……I didn't disappoint. We were walking to our seats on top of the train and while began to move. I was saying something to laety with my back to the numerous power lines, strategically positioned to take out unsuspecting foreign exchange students. I turned around just in time to be clothes-lined by something like the largest power line you've ever seen in your life. The line caught my neck, and I was flung on my back, slammed on the metal floor, and rose thoroughly embarrassed. But wait there's more. I stood up (with my back to the lines….again) and was greeted by another monstrous reunion with the metal roof. This stuff needs to stop lol.

Also here, two people have attempted to rob me. Lol But they were really crappy robbers. No lie. Truly subpar. I don't think they expected their "victim" to be a foot taller them. Mauhahahaa…I Won

I went to Quito, mainly to eat a BigMac. I did. I wanted to cry. It was amazing. Also there was a birthday for some girl in Quito. All the student exchange kids went. It was so much fun.

I trying to stay busy here…and not miss an opportunity to do anything. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I go to Boxing……………. and the others day I do my homework…. Haha just kidding, or play basketball. I'm experiencing like recession problems without my bike or riding with my team…hopefully my mom is going to bring it in December…… (Hint Mother)

My English is getting a little bad. I think learning this much Spanish causes memory loss, or something even worse than memory loss.

I won the Chess Championship at my school….yea I know I'm cool lol. Next weekend I'm going to climb Cotocatchi. It's over 16,000 ft. So So excited.