The fact that it has been more than a month since I’ve written a blog post illustrates perfectly what is going on in my life: A lot.
The tennis season at my high school started about a month ago. Compared to my tennis club in Denmark, it is far more intense here. We have practice 5 days a week, 2 hours each day. We play several games a week, where I usually play both a double and a single. So far the Yellow Jackets haven’t been doing too well, but it is so much fun anyways.
It has taken some time for me to get used to the weather conditions that we play in. Despite the fact that tennis started in January, I was overwhelmed by the heat during practice. The bugs are really annoying, but I guess it is something you get used to. I can’t wait to play more. Sports are a very good way to create new friendships.
It has taken some time for me to get used to the weather conditions that we play in. Despite the fact that tennis started in January, I was overwhelmed by the heat during practice. The bugs are really annoying, but I guess it is something you get used to. I can’t wait to play more. Sports are a very good way to create new friendships.
I changed family more than a month ago now. I now live with the Mortons on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine. My new host mom and dad are Laurie and Tom, while I for the first time in my life have a brother, Orion. Besides that I have two other siblings, but they don’t live at home anymore.
It was a very mixed experience to move families as I had expected. It was of course very sad to leave the Paxtons, who I still consider as my family. It is incredible how much and how fast a new family can feel as your very own family. I have developed a new attitude towards moving: I am not changing families, but adding.
I must admit that I was kind of nervous the week up to moving. Even though I knew the Mortons very well, I was once again being ripped out of my comfort zone and had to adapt. I quickly realized that I really enjoy the adapting part. It is so interesting to see how families are different. I absolutely love it with my new family.
It was a very mixed experience to move families as I had expected. It was of course very sad to leave the Paxtons, who I still consider as my family. It is incredible how much and how fast a new family can feel as your very own family. I have developed a new attitude towards moving: I am not changing families, but adding.
I must admit that I was kind of nervous the week up to moving. Even though I knew the Mortons very well, I was once again being ripped out of my comfort zone and had to adapt. I quickly realized that I really enjoy the adapting part. It is so interesting to see how families are different. I absolutely love it with my new family.
The last Rotary trip, where all the exchange students went together, was held in the Keys the last weekend of January. We had a lot of fun learning how to take better care of the oceans of the world at Sea Camp. Among many other activities we spent the most time snorkeling. The scenery surrounding the whole weekend was breathtaking. The turquoise water was visible from the dining hall and beautiful sunsets were the attraction for the photographers. (You automatically become a photographer when you get involved in the exchange program). Since it was only a 4 day trip, much of the time was spent in the bus with the other exchange students. The time was spent signing each other’s tee shirts with sharpies.
My family and I went to Miami in the middle of February, which I enjoyed very much. Miami was very different from St. Augustine. Spanish was being spoken everywhere, the sun was even stronger than in northern Florida and skyscrapers were blocking the view of the beach from the trafficked roads. I found myself in an environment entirely new to me when we went to the boat show. It was very interesting to see the mega yacht my new sister Isla works on from the inside. Looking at all the beautiful catamarans at the sail show made me, if even possible, more excited for our trip to the British Virgin Islands during spring break. Orion’s and my present for Valentine’s Day were tickets to the basketball game between Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. The game was much more high paced than the football games. The difference is much like the difference between soccer and handball. I prefer handball, and I prefer basketball too. The Miami Heat, whom Orion and I cheered for won. In addition to the fantastic experience seeing my first NBA game, I enjoy being able to say that I went to a basketball game with Bill Clinton, Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne.
Hawaii. How do I express in words how much fun I had? The decision to go to the islands in the middle of the Pacific was, for my part, a very impulsive one. I did not really have the money, but I decided anyways to sign up for this adventure: When will a chance to go to Hawaii with students from all over the world ever occur again? My real parents luckily surprised me with the wonderful Christmas present by giving me the trip. Mahalo!
Everything started out just perfect (I hope irony works even though I am typing :p): Julien and I were supposed to get up at 4:30 am, but we somehow managed to set our alarms to 5:15 am and 4:30 pm. Tom saved us and woke us up just in time, so we rushed out of the door, heading for Hawaii. The rest of the vacation went just like a dream. During our week a blog was being updated about all our activities: http://belousa4hawaii2012.blogspot.com/. I especially liked the catamaran tour. Most of us lay in the net in the very front of the boat, where the waves within short intervals were hitting us. The cloudy, rainy sky above us didn’t matter since we were all laughing and wet. The only optional tour, the kayaking tour, was also a lot of fun. I had never heard of kayak surfing before, but suddenly I was the first one to go surfing on the waves with one of the tour guides. I don’t know if it was luck or skill, but I was one of the few whose fun moments being pushed by the waves didn’t result in swimming outside the kayak.
The atmosphere in Hawaii is something special. The cultures of Polynesia, Asia and United States are being melted into a very interesting mixture. I often got reminded of my trip to Japan. I would definitely like to go back!
I am sure I am not the only one who feels that the week went by way too fast, but once I think back on all the fun times, I realize how much we got to experience in a very short amount of time. There is no better way to see Hawaii than with people from all over the world. Many new friendships developed during the week, while others got much stronger. I am sure I will visit either Belgium or the Netherlands to see Ludivine, Manon, and Jessica in the next couple of years.
Everything started out just perfect (I hope irony works even though I am typing :p): Julien and I were supposed to get up at 4:30 am, but we somehow managed to set our alarms to 5:15 am and 4:30 pm. Tom saved us and woke us up just in time, so we rushed out of the door, heading for Hawaii. The rest of the vacation went just like a dream. During our week a blog was being updated about all our activities: http://belousa4hawaii2012.blogspot.com/. I especially liked the catamaran tour. Most of us lay in the net in the very front of the boat, where the waves within short intervals were hitting us. The cloudy, rainy sky above us didn’t matter since we were all laughing and wet. The only optional tour, the kayaking tour, was also a lot of fun. I had never heard of kayak surfing before, but suddenly I was the first one to go surfing on the waves with one of the tour guides. I don’t know if it was luck or skill, but I was one of the few whose fun moments being pushed by the waves didn’t result in swimming outside the kayak.
The atmosphere in Hawaii is something special. The cultures of Polynesia, Asia and United States are being melted into a very interesting mixture. I often got reminded of my trip to Japan. I would definitely like to go back!
I am sure I am not the only one who feels that the week went by way too fast, but once I think back on all the fun times, I realize how much we got to experience in a very short amount of time. There is no better way to see Hawaii than with people from all over the world. Many new friendships developed during the week, while others got much stronger. I am sure I will visit either Belgium or the Netherlands to see Ludivine, Manon, and Jessica in the next couple of years.
