High School Student Exchange Student to Italy for a year!
Jul 24th, 2005, 11:20 AM
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High School Student Exchange Student to Italy for a year!
This September I am leaving for a year exchange to Italy to study at a high school for a whole year with AFS. I am 15 years old, and will be living in Como, Italy with an Italian family. I have many questions, and any help would be appreciated.
1. Should I bring a debit or ATM card, or what would be the best way to loose the least amount of money, since I'm staying there for so long?
2. Has anyone noticed what Italian teens have been wearing (for all seasons)?
3. If anyone has been to Como, I would love to hear about it or see pictures, anything would be great!
If anyone knows any important information that is good to know if going to Italy, I would love to hear it! Thanks!
-Lucy
1. Should I bring a debit or ATM card, or what would be the best way to loose the least amount of money, since I'm staying there for so long?
2. Has anyone noticed what Italian teens have been wearing (for all seasons)?
3. If anyone has been to Como, I would love to hear about it or see pictures, anything would be great!
If anyone knows any important information that is good to know if going to Italy, I would love to hear it! Thanks!
-Lucy
Jul 24th, 2005, 11:53 AM
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I offer this opinion as someone who flys to Rome every week and a son (who was in college) that studied in Torino for a semester-use an ATM card and make sure that you have two with you.The reason being is that there maybe a time that the one card does not work;you "lose" your wallet,etc. I would set up something with TWO different credit cards and TWO different ATM accounts. Make sure that one of the ATM accounts is at a bank close by to your parents so if you need money quick they can add it to your account(not just at a credit union type account of your folks out of state?).Make many copies of all important documents that you take with you-leave some for the folks and take some with you.If you are into peanut butter-think about taking some with you?(stop laughing...its impossible to find over there).Italian teens dress up more than here in the states-scarves/wool mufflers around the neck are definitely the thing in the colder weather over there.They tend to wear darker colors.It will start getting chilly by the end of September where you are going so make sure you have alot of sweaters.Bring a sense of humor and wonder with you along with favorite pics of friends and loved ones. The first month will be difficult and a transitional time but trust me when I say that you will not want to leave at the end of the year. The Italians are wonderful people-very much into their families. The food will be fresh and delicious along with great scenery and experiences. You are very very lucky to be going where you are going. Enjoy and savor every moment!!!
Jul 24th, 2005, 12:51 PM
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Hello Lucy, what a wonderful year you will have!!! You must be so excited, I would be.
Lucy I had a stepgrandson who went to Italy for a year. He was a senior in HS here in the US. So he was just two years older than you are.
He had a fabulous time however I will say this. Teens in Italy seem to have a lot of freedom. Partially because there are piazzas and cafes where they can hang out and consequently parents don't seem to worry much and don't seem to concerned what their teens are doing or who they are with.
Consequently my SGS had a lot of adjusting to do the first months in Italy. He ended up in "trouble" because he rather overstepped the boundries and the family he was living with considered that he was not showing proper respect for them. And I and the entire family agreed with that opinion. In other words he was not able to handle the "freedom" he had, being away from parents etc.
Things got bad and consequently he was moved to another family in the northwest of Italy (he had been staying in a town along the coast).
Evidently by the time he was moved in with the new family he had done a lot of thinking and consequently was more mature. Believe the threat "to send him home" made him realize the error of his ways.
So he had a wonderful time with the second family and is always invited to stay with them anytime he is in Italy.
He has grown into being a wonderful man by the way and I am sure he cringes when he thinks of his actions the first months he was in Italy as up to that time he had always been a delightful and respectable boy.
I mention this so that you will have time to think about how you want to be viewed by the obvious loving family that will be receiving you into their home. What you do and say will be a reflection on you, your family and your country. You will be an ambassador in a way.
I truly hope you will be able to file a report here on Fodor's from time to time. I am sure I am not the only one that would love to hear about your life, your adventures and your experiences while in Italy.
My best wishes to you Lucy. Take good care of yourself.
Lucy I had a stepgrandson who went to Italy for a year. He was a senior in HS here in the US. So he was just two years older than you are.
He had a fabulous time however I will say this. Teens in Italy seem to have a lot of freedom. Partially because there are piazzas and cafes where they can hang out and consequently parents don't seem to worry much and don't seem to concerned what their teens are doing or who they are with.
Consequently my SGS had a lot of adjusting to do the first months in Italy. He ended up in "trouble" because he rather overstepped the boundries and the family he was living with considered that he was not showing proper respect for them. And I and the entire family agreed with that opinion. In other words he was not able to handle the "freedom" he had, being away from parents etc.
Things got bad and consequently he was moved to another family in the northwest of Italy (he had been staying in a town along the coast).
Evidently by the time he was moved in with the new family he had done a lot of thinking and consequently was more mature. Believe the threat "to send him home" made him realize the error of his ways.
So he had a wonderful time with the second family and is always invited to stay with them anytime he is in Italy.
He has grown into being a wonderful man by the way and I am sure he cringes when he thinks of his actions the first months he was in Italy as up to that time he had always been a delightful and respectable boy.
I mention this so that you will have time to think about how you want to be viewed by the obvious loving family that will be receiving you into their home. What you do and say will be a reflection on you, your family and your country. You will be an ambassador in a way.
I truly hope you will be able to file a report here on Fodor's from time to time. I am sure I am not the only one that would love to hear about your life, your adventures and your experiences while in Italy.
My best wishes to you Lucy. Take good care of yourself.
Jul 24th, 2005, 12:53 PM
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Como. Unless there is more than one Como, It is a nice(wonderful) town in a fantastic area of Italy.
You might want to do a Google Image search. You are at the Southwestern end of Lake Como. (As far as locations to spent a year, you have hit the jackpot).
Nearby places to visit (besides the other lakeside towns) are:
Bergamo
Brescia
Verona
Vicenza
The Dolomites
Switzerland
Lake Maggiore
Lake Orta
Milan (Italy's business city)
Venice is not far away by train
(hopefully you will have the opportunity).
Unfortunatley, I am your age times appx 3 so I shouldn't give you any comments on clothes (however Como has adequate clothing stores.) I can tell you that casual clothes with american city names, etc. are prevalent. If there is good (large) bookstore near you, they might have an italian fashion magazine (but I would wait until you arrive).
Go and have great fun.
You might want to do a Google Image search. You are at the Southwestern end of Lake Como. (As far as locations to spent a year, you have hit the jackpot).
Nearby places to visit (besides the other lakeside towns) are:
Bergamo
Brescia
Verona
Vicenza
The Dolomites
Switzerland
Lake Maggiore
Lake Orta
Milan (Italy's business city)
Venice is not far away by train
(hopefully you will have the opportunity).
Unfortunatley, I am your age times appx 3 so I shouldn't give you any comments on clothes (however Como has adequate clothing stores.) I can tell you that casual clothes with american city names, etc. are prevalent. If there is good (large) bookstore near you, they might have an italian fashion magazine (but I would wait until you arrive).
Go and have great fun.
Jul 24th, 2005, 01:00 PM
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Lucy, I would take an ATM card and a credit card. You will be able to get cash for everyday living, and the credit card will afford you the protection of having a larger credit limit than you might have in your checking (which would be the debit limit) in case of an emergency.
LoveItaly's story (wonderful, LI, by the way) could have been written by hundreds of parents/grandparents/students. Really nice kids from good families can get off track more easily in a foreign country. You are a lucky young lady, and I wish you a fabulous year!
p.s. Be aware that there are also "re-entry" problems when you return home. You will feel that you've changed and grown so much, and your friends and family will relate to you as if you were the "old" Lucy E. Just be prepared for it, and give everyone a pass the first few weeks when you come home. (Speaking from experience; I went to boarding school in Europe, and the first few weeks of each summer vac. back in the States were difficult for these reasons.)
LoveItaly's story (wonderful, LI, by the way) could have been written by hundreds of parents/grandparents/students. Really nice kids from good families can get off track more easily in a foreign country. You are a lucky young lady, and I wish you a fabulous year!
p.s. Be aware that there are also "re-entry" problems when you return home. You will feel that you've changed and grown so much, and your friends and family will relate to you as if you were the "old" Lucy E. Just be prepared for it, and give everyone a pass the first few weeks when you come home. (Speaking from experience; I went to boarding school in Europe, and the first few weeks of each summer vac. back in the States were difficult for these reasons.)
Jul 24th, 2005, 02:13 PM
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Lucy,
I was an exchange student in Belgium when I was sixteen, quite a long time ago but I can recall some anxieties.
Teenagers live differently than what would be considered normal for teens in America. Teens often drink together but at least in my area it was no different than going to a fast food restaurant after school. It never was abused. You will have to regulate yourself since the Italians may not have the same rules as you are used to. I ended up appreciating a good cup of coffee as well.
Teens in Europe don't drive. They hang out together in groups and probably won't be dating. Often they will want to speak English with you. Ask them to help you learn Italian. One way I learned to speak French was to watch American shows I was familiar with at home. When I heard the show in French I was able to start understanding the conversations.
You might bring cds of what you listen to at home so you can share them with your new friends.
Italians like to wear black. If you don't want to stand out wear dark clothing. Shoe styles are often different as well. You may want to avoid bringing many pairs. It is always fun to go shopping anyway. I would also avoid shirts with American logos on them especially if you're traveling around.
One thing I would recommend is to communicate with your family. I ended up having some difficulties with my first family and swithced families. The move was good for everyone and I ended up with a great life changing year. I think though that if I had been able to communicate better with the family it would have gone better. You might tell your host family that if ever you do something that doesn't agree with how they run their family to please let you know. There were some real cultural differences that I just didn't know until someone explained them to me.
If you have the patience for it writing in a journal is a great way to record the transformation of your year.
As far as food goes you are in for a great experience. Try everything, although be warned I gained quite a bit of weight that year. It didn't take long to lose it again when I returned home.
I would get a good camera to record your year. If you get a digital camera you might be able to email your family at home who will be missing you terribly. Don't forget to write your parents often. I have a ten year daughter now and I have no idea how in the world my parents let me go, but I'm sure glad they did.
I would also read up on some Italian history especially in your area. That will be easy to find on the internet. Understanding the people you are with will only help their opinon of you. Not everyone loves Americans if you are ever stereotyped don't take it personally. Most people will be eager to help you in anyway.
You might read up on how to deal with homesickness. IF the homesickness bug ever bites you, you will be armed to know how to deal with it. Finding another exchange student can help you feel like you are not alone in the rough times. I didn't have any Americans at all around where I lived but there was an American church about an hour's bus ride away that I would go to if I need to feel closer to home.
Most of all relax and know that you will never forget or regret the year.
I was an exchange student in Belgium when I was sixteen, quite a long time ago but I can recall some anxieties.
Teenagers live differently than what would be considered normal for teens in America. Teens often drink together but at least in my area it was no different than going to a fast food restaurant after school. It never was abused. You will have to regulate yourself since the Italians may not have the same rules as you are used to. I ended up appreciating a good cup of coffee as well.
Teens in Europe don't drive. They hang out together in groups and probably won't be dating. Often they will want to speak English with you. Ask them to help you learn Italian. One way I learned to speak French was to watch American shows I was familiar with at home. When I heard the show in French I was able to start understanding the conversations.
You might bring cds of what you listen to at home so you can share them with your new friends.
Italians like to wear black. If you don't want to stand out wear dark clothing. Shoe styles are often different as well. You may want to avoid bringing many pairs. It is always fun to go shopping anyway. I would also avoid shirts with American logos on them especially if you're traveling around.
One thing I would recommend is to communicate with your family. I ended up having some difficulties with my first family and swithced families. The move was good for everyone and I ended up with a great life changing year. I think though that if I had been able to communicate better with the family it would have gone better. You might tell your host family that if ever you do something that doesn't agree with how they run their family to please let you know. There were some real cultural differences that I just didn't know until someone explained them to me.
If you have the patience for it writing in a journal is a great way to record the transformation of your year.
As far as food goes you are in for a great experience. Try everything, although be warned I gained quite a bit of weight that year. It didn't take long to lose it again when I returned home.
I would get a good camera to record your year. If you get a digital camera you might be able to email your family at home who will be missing you terribly. Don't forget to write your parents often. I have a ten year daughter now and I have no idea how in the world my parents let me go, but I'm sure glad they did.
I would also read up on some Italian history especially in your area. That will be easy to find on the internet. Understanding the people you are with will only help their opinon of you. Not everyone loves Americans if you are ever stereotyped don't take it personally. Most people will be eager to help you in anyway.
You might read up on how to deal with homesickness. IF the homesickness bug ever bites you, you will be armed to know how to deal with it. Finding another exchange student can help you feel like you are not alone in the rough times. I didn't have any Americans at all around where I lived but there was an American church about an hour's bus ride away that I would go to if I need to feel closer to home.
Most of all relax and know that you will never forget or regret the year.
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