Hi!
My name is Devante Gonzalez; I'm 16 years old, and a junior at University
High School. I’m so excited, because next year I'm going to be spending my
senior year in Taiwan! This is a once in a lifetime chance to immerse myself
in a different culture and surround myself in a totally different
environment than what I’m used to. I think this will be so much more of a
rewarding and fulfilling experience rather than a traditional boring senior
year. Right now since I am a junior, I’m taking the classes I need online so
even though I will be studying abroad I will still be able to graduate next
year.I live in Orange City, Florida with my mom, two sisters, Janay and
Tiana, nephew Jasiah, and puppy Cali. We have lived here in Central Florida
for almost eight years now; we are originally from New York. My family and I
are very close and they are nervous about the fact that I will be out on my
own in a foreign land without them. But they know how much it means to me to
be able to do this, and therefore I am thankful that they are being so
supportive.
I play soccer on our High School Varsity Team and I have either practice or
a game everyday after school, so when I come home I’m exhausted. I’m not
that great at it, but it is fun and I just love the game. I love music and
like to dance, and I always have a song in my head. I also like to swim. I
am a very good cook, I think. I make dinner at home sometimes, and I love to
bake different kinds of desserts just because. I am a very outgoing and
friendly individual that is easy to talk to and funny. I love to make people
laugh. I always strive to be an optimistic and positive person. I appreciate
Rotary for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity that will change my
life forever.
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August 20WOW! Yesterday was the first day of the rest of my life. It is not as
interesting to read from a computer rather than actually experiencing
everything in person! I guess now would be a good time, everyone is asleep
and it is early. Also I want to write this before I forget everything. Hope
you enjoy!
So… It is Friday morning. Just like any morning, but vastly different!
This particular Friday morning I was leaving my home and going off to live
in TAIWAN for a year which you already know! So I woke up at 6:30 with the
family, walked my dog and got ready with a little last minute packing. And
of course we are running late (nothing new). SO from my home to Jacksonville
airport is about 3 hours away. So we were all in the car arguing at first
but then reminiscing about really good memories and funny events in my life.
It was nice. Then we finally get to the airport. Check in. Then head towards
the security. My friend Kelly who is also going to be an exchange student to
Taiwan was there waiting for me with her family. My family and I took our
last pictures together and said goodbyes. Surprisingly my mom didn’t cry,
though she had been crying for the past week. I guess she wanted me to leave
with the image of her smiling. She is really the best mom and I already miss
her!
So I go through security with Kelly by my side and I am texting and
calling people to tell them goodbye. Then it’s 12 o’clock noon, we board our
plane and begin our crazy journey! The flight from Jacksonville to Detroit
was fast. I slept through most of it. Then when we arrived at Detroit
airport were we met up with a whole group of people going to Taiwan
including Elycia and Marco who took an earlier flight from Orlando airport.
The other people in the group however are from rotary like me but from
different states of the USA. This was the best flight I have EVER been on.
All the kids going to Taiwan including myself were all together in the
airplane so we got to know each other a little more. It was a huge plane and
it was such a smooth flight. But the only problem was the horrible service!
WHY ME!! The people that bring you your drinks and food were so rude to me!
It was ridiculous! But other than that I was having a great time! So after
like 17 hours on that plane we land in TOKYO, JAPAN! That was the quietest
airport I have ever been to! I felt so cool because I used some of my
Japanese skills to good use! Then we find another group of kids from more
states of the USA. We all stuck together. About an hour passes and we go on
a different plane. Taiwan here we come! This plane ride was different. Not
so much exciting as it was anxiousness and nerve racking. The flight only
lasted a few hours but it felt like forever!! AHHHH we finally land!!
Woohooo!
When we get out of the plane we walked strait to immigration to get our
passports checked. Then we go and get our bags from of course baggage
claiming. I said bye to all my friends who are about to start their new life
here in Taiwan including Kelly and Elycia, as I wait for my bags. I finally
get the two big luggage bags that belong to me and head to where the exit
is. When I went to leave the baggage claim there is a whole mob of Taiwanese
people waiting there for their exchange student with signs. My family was in
the back screaming for me and I recognized my host father! As the group of
people waiting for me came close my hands were shaking so all I can do is
hold on to my luggage’s tight so they wouldn’t notice! It was insane! I was
so nervous and they were all so nice and welcoming! My host father and two
guys around my age who will be a part of my second or third host family
introduced themselves to me as Vinny and Filan. They both helped with the
language barrier. The other people who greeted me I did not know. But they
were nice.
My host father Richard asked me “are you hungry” and I said “YES!” We
went to McDonalds! Taiwanese McDonalds is so much better then American
McDonalds. After we ate, we brought home Filan. My host father Richard and I
went to Vinny’s house to get washed up. Then we finally got to my host
family home where I met my host brother Lucas! He is very kind but not very
good English. They showed me my room which was awesome! Then I met my host
mom. She is so nice and doesn’t know any English. She was very worried I
wouldn’t like her house or the room she and the family prepared for me. But
I LOVE IT! They really wanted to make sure I liked everything. There
hospitality is the best. They always check to see if I am tired or hungry.
Very nice people.
I am very happy to be here and I am so excited to become close with this
new loving family.
February
3, 2012
August-
Well after I wrote the first entry that night I didn't sleep much. (I had
slept too much on the plane.) So when the morning sun came up, I was up with
it. I waited for everyone to get up so I could know what to do. I finally
made enough sounds unpacking to wake everyone up! No, I didn't unpack last
night. I unpacked in the morning because I was just being the lazy American!
After I was settled in my room my host brother knocked on my door and asked
me if I wanted to get breakfast and of course I said yes. We took his moped
to this breakfast shop close by! Oh yea, it was HOT outside 好熱! Summer in
Taiwan is just as hot as Florida, if not more!!! My host brother tried his
hardest to use his horrible English skills to tell me he will order me some
"America breakfast." The food here in every resturant is fast. I recieved my
breakfast in less then 2 minutes. It was an egg and cheese wrap thing. It
was good except for all the extra cheese. Apperently every american likes
extra cheese on all of their breakfast foods. But not me. So I ate most of
it and we went home, took an hour break and then Vinny came to the house and
we went to lunch.... I wasn't hungry and they were suprised. We went to a
common noodle shop in my small town of SanYi. It was good but I was NOT
hungry!!
The next few weeks were mostly the same thing because it was summer and all
the boys were off from college so they were usually with me. The boys:
Lucas, Nikky, Yi wei lai, Vinny, William, and Kevin. Those are all of my
host brothers from the three host families I will be living with. I have a
little host sister but I seldom see her. They are all cousins. Nikky and Yi
Wei Lai are brother. Kevin, William and Vinny are brothers. Nikky, Yi Wei
Lai, and Vinny were all exchange students to America before so their English
is very good! I became closer to Vinny the most, I think. The whole summer
was just us spending the days together and helping out in the family
restaurant. It was like everything they did was with me and it felt great to
be apart of the family. They were literally like real brothers to me. I
never had brothers before.
We went to Taichung together many times to go to night markets which are
very famous in Taiwan. The name explains it all. Its just locals who sell
anythings and it just becomes a big market on the street, at night. You can
buy really good food for cheap and you can walk around and it's just
something to do. In small towns a night market would only be once a week.
But in big cities like Taichung and Taipei they have night markets all day,
everyday! It's interesting and very different!
Also in Taichung there are so many nice movie theaters! One movie we saw is
very famous! It is a true love story in Taiwan about a boy in senior high
school who was in love with this one girl, who many boys liked. It was a
very good movie (my favorite) its called: You are the apple of my eye!
We took a charter bus (very common) and went on a family trip to the
southern parts of the island with the boys and other family members from my
host family including the grandfather. The grandfather was very sick and
weak. He needed much help from everyone. But I know he had a nice time. It
was a great trip! We stayed in a 4 star ☆☆☆☆ hotel in Kaohsiung and just had
fun. It was very cool to see the beaches in Tainan that look nothing like
Daytona or New Sumyrna. No waves!! A little boring! I burned my lip really
bad from the grilled oyster! OW!!
Yi Wei Lai and I went to a Taiwan singer's concert in Miaoli where I met a
my friend Edern who is an Exchange student from France. He is also in my
district! He is cool! The concert was amazing! It was a singer named A-Lin!
She is a very famous Taiwan singer. She is extrodinary live!!! Taiwanese
people love to give encores. She had about 4 encores!
The first District 3500 meeting with all the exchange students was
unbelievably fun and there was so much talking!! The thing I was most happy
about was seeing a girl named Hunter! I met her on the plane from Detroit to
Japan! She was so cool! But the only thing I could remember about her was
that she was from Colorado! So I thought when I was leaving the airport that
this was the last time I would see her! But HERE she was!! She is so funny!
One of my favorite exchange student friends! There is also Evelyn from
California who is my really good friend, she is crazy! The meeting was
great! Our district is a normal size but with a small group of exchange
students! We ONLY have about 20!!!
That was the best summer of my life. I was starting this exchange off so
well! I had families I loved and considered them as real family! I met the
exchange students I will see the most in my year here in Taiwan! And I was
getting use to the life here! It had to be the highest part of my exchange.
But of course all good things had to end and ALL of my host brothers had to
leave to go to their college for the new school year. It was sad. To be
honest, I cried when Vinny was leaving because it was like I would never see
him again. He was my brother. I wonder if my sisters in America felt this
way when I left to come to Taiwan. Lucas and William go to school in
Taichung 30 minutes away. Yi Wei Lai went to the military. Kevin, Nikki, and
Vinny went go to school in Taipei 2 hours away... I havn't seen Vinny since.
So one more week passed and then it was time for me to go to school!! |