Students

November 5, 2024

First Impressions and New Perspectives

    It's been 2 months since I arrived in Italy, and I think what I've realized most is that in every city, country, place in the world, no matter the culture, people are just living life. While there may be differences, these changes don't overshadow the simple fact that we all live and experience life in much the same way. While talking to my friends and family in the US, all eager to hear about 'Italy' and what my life is like here, I find myself at a loss for words. How do you describe daily life? When what you are doing seems like everyday routine, what makes it special? I truly believe that this exchange has helped me to discover why it's so special, and why it's so difficult to describe your culture to other people. After all, how do you explain something you don't realize exists?

This month began with a mug cake, a cottage, and 200 exchange students at an orientation in Rimini. While the mug cake was more like a mini disaster, orientation was not. I was able to meet every exchange student in Italy from places like Taiwan, Slovakia, South Africa, Brazil, India, and so many more. Unlike my orientation in the US (sorry District 6900 but you know what I mean), the rules were very lax (as in they genuinely did not give us any rules). We just had a few presentations Saturday that we had to listen to, and then we were free to converse and get to know each other. We stayed in small (emphasis on small) cottages with 2-3 people per room and 4-5 per cottage. It was amazing to be able to meet so many new people, and I made lots of friends that I will most definitely call upon when I need a place to stay.

    I've started pallavollo (volleyball) with a beginner team that was formed in my town this year. Since Italy won a medal for volleyball at the Olympics, a lot of people- some older than usual for beginners- have become interested in playing, so the local volleyball community created a team for them. It is perfect for me as I have never played before, and it is a great way to meet people outside of school. I also watch my host mom play volleyball every Tuesday and Friday and sometimes join her during breaks. I also play badminton with 2 other exchange students in the area, which is more difficult than it originally seemed.

    I've been many places this month, and while I would love to go into each and every experience in detail, I don't believe either you nor I have time for it. Some of the key places were climbing the clock tower of Lecco, visiting Milano (many times), exploring Varenna (not Verona), touring Bergamo Alto (literally High Bergamo, but also known as the old town of Bergamo), and hiking in Val di Mello. The clock tower was beautiful and gave us a full view of Lecco, the town where I go to school and spend a large magority of my time. During the second weekend in October friends from Sicilia came up to visit us to celebrate their daughter's birthday. That weekend, I went to Milano, Varenna, and Bergamo Alto, and also had a large party to celebrate where we ate pizzoccheri , a classic dish from Lombardy. I was happy to have met Pino, Pina, Pia, and Carmello (yes, I happened with the names), and I am incredibly grateful to my family for giving me the chance to see them again in December for Christmas in Sicilia. I ended the month with a visit to Val di Mello a few days ago and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. We hiked up a mountain about 471 meters (or 1,545 feet for any Americans reading. Can we please switch to the metric system?) The views I saw were absolutely stunning and I am so glad I went, even if my legs were shaking by the end of the day.

    And now for the food. What can I say? I'm in Italy. We've eaten enough to gain 4 kg (or for Americans 8 lbs). From pizzoccheri (a buckwheat pasta with lettuce, cheese, and potatoes) to pasta e patate (a tomato soup with tiny spaghetti and cubed potatoes and sometimes zuchini) to tortina di melanzana (an eggplant casserole type thing), cheese (obviously), and, of course, a tragic mug cake that was only mangiabile (edible) with heaps of Nutella. As you would say in italiano, che schifo!

    Otherwise, school has been going well. I've done a few tests by now, including an English test which I somehow managed to get a 7.5/10 on, and a test on euthanasia in Italian which I passed. At this point, most of my teachers expect me to take the tests, which is very difficult because not only do I have to study in another langauge, I have to account for the fact that the tests and questions are different from what I am used to. However I believe I will learn quickly how it works as I continue to take more and more tests.

    Additionally, I realize I may have given many of you a false image about contacting me before leaving. To clear up any lingering confusion, you are all welcome to reach out to me. As long as you don't spam me everyday I promise I won't block you. iMessages, Instagram (riley__pare), or whatever works for you is perfectly fine.

    To conclude, I feel every day that I am growing both in language skills and cultural understanding. I know that sounds unrealistic or even a little cringey, however it is true that I've improved so much since I came here. While at first it felt as if nothing was changing, I can see now by incorporating just a few new vocabulary words or by implementing a new tense everyday that I have been able to come to a level in the language that I could not have even imagined when I got to Italy. For all my fellow exchange students going through the same experience, please believe that this is enough to learn a language. For all those at home, know that I miss you and I am doing well. Grazie a tutti per aver letto e ci vediamo la prossima volta!(Thank you all for reading and I'll see you next time!)

And last- don’t forget to check out my blog with more photos and details on my experience in Italy! ⬇️

https://rppared.wixsite.com/simply-italy/post/navigating-venice-a-first-timer-s-guide