At the end of last term the College welcomed five students from Italy, who are staying with Year 11 host families until the end of August as part of an exchange program with the WA Association of Teachers of Italian (WAATI). Their aim is to live an ‘in-home experience’ and get a feel for Australian life at the very heart of it.
The students have been adjusting to the uniforms and the change of classes, which is very different to the Italian school system, as well as the challenge of following lessons and studying in a foreign language. 15 year old Francesca says she is enjoying the chance to “meet new people, do different subjects and improve [her] foreign language”.
Francesca comes from a coastal town in south-east Italy, and says that in Busselton “there’s a lot of nature and beautiful landscapes, while in Brindisi there are more monuments and archaeological sites”. Gaia, from Agrigento in Sicily, agrees. “The town where I live is famous for its beautiful beaches and for ancient Greek ruins such as temples”. Melissa, from the smaller Somma Lombardo near Milan, also likes the greenery here, although she finds the distances here a challenge. “In my town I can go everywhere on foot”.
Roby lives 15 minutes from the centre of Rome, and finds it “really different” living here, while Mario says “life in Busselton isn’t very different” from living in his home city of Alberobello on the south coast of Italy. However, he does see many differences in the school, and so does Gaia. “In Italy we cannot choose our subjects but at the beginning of high school we can choose the school speciality.” Francesca also notices lots of differences to her school in Italy, where “there aren’t as many open spaces, I don’t wear a uniform and I stay always in the same class with the same students.”
The students are keen to see some of the south west and interact with all the unique wildlife, like kangaroos. “I’ve always wanted to visit an aquarium like AQWA,” says Melissa, “and thanks to this experience I’ve been able to do it.” Both Roby and Mario are also looking forward to learning to surf while they are here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.