Foreign Exchange Student Highlight

Grisel Gonzalez
Assistant Editor
  Meet Giulia Tessaro, who temporarily left her home country, Perugia, Italy, to submerge herself in the American way of life as a foreign exchange student in Idaho Falls. 
  Giulia Tessaro  dove into the many differences she has noticed between the United States and Italy. Some of these differences include: the United States serves bigger food portions, the roads are bigger, and the neighborhoods are bigger. Schools in Italy do not allow students to choose their classes or switch classrooms. Instead, the teachers move from class to class to teach. Not only this, but there are no school dances, and school lunch is not served. Tessaro touches on the fact that she does miss her family and friends back in Italy; however, she is getting used to everything in the states. Tessaro mentions that the first few days were difficult because switching languages from one day to another is not easy. She talks about at times feeling frustrated because expressing herself is hard when she cannot find the right words. Her favorite memory this far has been her visit to Yellowstone National Park with her host family.  She mentions, “we had so much fun, and we took our first picture together.” My favorite thing about Idaho [is] the people because they’re very nice.” There are various things that Tessaro still wishes to experience in the U.S.; however, she mainly wants to visit New York. Tessaro decided to come to the U.S. because she “wanted to experience a new culture and also because it has always been [her] dream to come here.” Her parents were tremendously supportive of her decision, and she mentions, “I could never be thankful enough.” Lastly, Tessaro's piece of advice to other students contemplating going through the foreign exchange student program is “do it even though it means staying away from your love[d] ones, for sometimes in a country where you know no one, you won’t regret it! It’s a lot of fun, and you will live a unique experience that will be with you forever.” Even though it may sound intimidating at first, it is worth taking a plunge for an incredible experience!

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