Jason is starting a gap year before university by traveling around the world. He introduces himself, describing his physical appearance and personality traits. He enjoys many hobbies like football, running, trying new foods, and learning about history. He comes from a large, close-knit adopted family. Jason plans to first visit Turkey, Poland, Slovakia, and Croatia to see friends he met in an eTwinning project. He is excited to experience the cultures, foods, and sights of each country.

1. MY JOURNEY DIARY
BY JASON GRAY

2. Dear my diary,
I've always taught that keeping a diary is silly and girlish. That's
why I 've never taught of myself writing a diary. But this diary will
be my journey book and companion. I will take it with me and
write my impression on it. I have just graduated from high school
and want to take a gap year before starting a university and
travel around the world.
It's better to start telling about myself first. My name is Jason
Gray. I am almost 18 years old:) I am blond and have got
beautiful green eyes. I am tall and well-built. I am a handsome
boy. Actually girls say so:)
A photo of me. What do you think?
Do you think I am handsome?;)

3. As for my personality, I am brave generous, calm, cool and
honest. I am a hearty eater. I love eating and open for new tastes.
Fortunately I am still slim:) Of course I have some bad sides. For
example I am not very punctual and a bit shy, especially about girls.
I don't have a girl friend now. I had one. Our relation ended two
months ago. I think I am ready for a new one.
More about me? OK. Let me tell you about my hobbies and
interests…
TURKISH TEAM

4. Well, the truth is... I have a lot of hobbies. My biggest hobby is
playing football and I'm a keen football supporter of West Ham.
My favourite player is Andy Carroll. This year their manager is
Slaven Bilić, the trainer from Croatia.
I'm all into healthy life and I really like running. It just clears my
head and it calms me down.
One of my favourite activities is going to all kinds of restaurants
and trying out different food with my family. We do it every
Sunday and it just keeps us close. We try out different
specialities - I'm always the one who eats the most! Eating food
from different parts of the world gives me sense of being there
and meeting new cultures. I really love travelling and at the
moment I'm reading short stories from history of European
countries. I'm especially interested in learning something about
Turkey, Slovakia, Poland and Croatia. That's where my friends
live and you know I'm going to visit them soon. I want to surprise
them when they see how much I know about their history.

5. Oh, I almost forgot. People
say I'm handy with tools and
repairing bicycles, so all of my
friends call me whenever they
have problems with it because
they know I can fix it.
I have a new hobby too. I am
learning how to skateboard
and I think I'm pretty good for
now. But you really have to be
careful - it's easy to fall. :)
There's my mother calling...
I've got to go. I'll write to you
soon...
CROTIAN TEAM

6. So, it is time for introducing my large family. I am glad to be one
of this great and unbelievable community, you can know. Let me
introduce their members, as many as possible.
At first I must say, I am an orphan but lucky one in my life. I have
been adopted as a baby by the family GRAY. My mum DANA is a
lovely, honest woman, very proud of her husband (my dad) and 3
daughters - my sisters Petka, twins Andrea and Betka . We are
very close each to other and strong in relationships.
.
MY DAD MY LOVELY MUM

7. Let me introduce my sweet sisters:
Petka is a sensitive, beautiful and crazy, young lady, loving
shopping and she is interested in aviation.
 Andrea and Betka, twins, are very friendly, familiar, sweetheart
and both are interested in travelling (that is common for all of us) . I
think, Betka is more crazy and loves music, on the other side
Andrea loves books and reading. She would like to be a writer in her
future. My mum´s brother and his wife Zuzka have a daughter
Rebecca (my oldest cousin), a nice girl, successful in sport but
sometimes controversial and bigmouthed as she says about herself,
in any case happy and lovely.
 The aunt Zuzka, anytime, is friendly, high positive and in a good
mood, little bit bashful but loves making pictures and travelling, too.

8.  My dad has 2 brothers (single) and a sister Terka (my
uncles and aunt ). Terka is a pretty woman, temperament but
often underdog, as she says. Her 2 daughters Monika and
Kristinka are my younger cousins. Kristinka is very quiet, shy
and bashful but she loves travelling and music. If she is older,
we will travel together, I hope because this is common for both
of us. Monika, in contrast to Kristinka, is a born leader, very
familiar, friendly and crazy but also a little bit lazy. She wishes to
be successful with her maturity. My cousins from dad´s side are
really great, we have no boredom together.
 My dad´s previous wife ANNA, by the way, she speaks
excellent Turkish (exwife - they divorced many years ago, but still
are in good relation) is my step-mum and from their marriage
there are 2 daughters Izabel and Monika (my step-sisters).
We meet with the girls from time to time. Imagine, Izabel loves
eating (like me) so much and a lot, this time she is preparing to
foreign practice to Austria. She is friendly and also has a
boyfriend. And Monika is also very friendly, sincere but
sometimes moody, pigheaded and pettish. She loves music and
running, like me .

9. I have only one grandmother, from my mother´s side,
other grands are dead.
One person, very important in my life, is my previous
classteacher Mrs. DI, she has learned me few words in
Polish language which can help me later, during my
travelling.
I would also like to mention my last girlfriend SHEILA,
she visited Croatia several times and we have planned
our travelling there before our separation. What to do, life
is like this, maybe I will lucky to travel with a new love.
In the end, I must also mention 5 more members of our
great family:
Max - our dog, 3 parrots - Mimi, Kiki, Pipi and Liza - our
old cat.
My plans are clear, travelling, travelling and again
travelling. WHY???
Many reasons, to visit ad know countrie, their cultures,
traditions, languages and to feel atmoshere of life there.
And also to visit my friends in these countries:
in Turkey, in Slovakia, in Poland, in Croatia.
I love eating and open for new tastes, do you
remember, I am looking forward to these countrie´s
cuisine, to try out different specialities, at all kinds of
restaurants.
SLOVAK TEAM

10. Yes, I can`t wait to meet my foreign friends but at the
same time I`ll miss my old friends here in England and of
course my school. So maybe it`s time to write something
about them. I`ll start from my high school. “Education is
the most powerful weapon which you can use to change
the world” – my form teacher used to say. Mrs. Collers
was the best teacher in the world. She taught me how to
be tolerant, open- minded, self- confident and sensible.
She knew about my interests and it was she who
encouraged me for taking a gap year, a year for
travelling.

11.  I`m glad I could attend to this high school. My favourite
subject was P.E. because I`m good at volleyball and football.
But I also liked English especially literature and English
History. After lessons I attended many extra classes, like
Spanish lessons, Art lessons and Poetry reading. My class
organized very often some charity events, like concerts,
matches or races to collect money for our sick friend who
needs expensive medicines. In the high school I met my best
friends, my ex-girlfriend.

12. My best friend is William, I called him Will. We attended to the
same school from early childhood. We are always together. We
play football and share the same interests – our true love is
playing the guitar. We used to be members of a rock band. It
was awesome! Today, he is learning to play the drums, but I
guess it`s not my cup of tea. I know he supports me and I`ll be in
touch with him during this year. I`ve got more friends but I guess
Will is my best friend.
I hope the gap year will influence on my future…
POLISH TEAM

13.  I think that's enough of me and my life. I think it is time to
move. I've decided to start my jorney from Turkey and then I will
go to Poland, Slovakia and last but not least to Croatia. Then I
will keep on travelling to other countries but ı haven't decided my
next jorney after visiting these four countries. The reason why I
want to visit these countries first is that I had promised my
friends there to visit them one day .We had a very successful
eTwinning project last year and we all awarded with European
Quality Labels.

14. When I told my parents I accepted my idea without
hesitation. They encouraged me and said they were ready
to pay for my journey. My parents are always very easy
going. I am very lucky they adopted me. I have already
started readings books about Turkey. The more I read the
more I am interested in it. It seems to be a fantastic
country. My friends are in Bursa/ Mudanya but Before
going there I want to visit İstanbul ,too. It seems to be a
fantastic city. I can't miss it so I will spend 2 or 3 days
there. I want to surprise all my friends so I will contact only
with Turkish teacher Mrs Sengül and make surprise to my
friends. I want to buy small gifts for them before going.
William can help me. All my friends in Turkey are girls.
Buying a present for girls is difficult. Anyway I must take
my dog Max for a walk now. I'll write back soon
TURKISH TEAM

15.  EXTRA INFORMTION:
There are 5 parts in this part of the
diary. Each part was written by a
different country. Turkish team wrote
two parts. Thanks a lot to each team for
their contributions.