“What is different about school in the United States versus Italy?”
“In Italy, once you finish middle school, you have to choose between different types of high schools, such as scientific, artistic, language-focused, social studies, classic studies etc. Each type has a specific focus, and students do not get to choose individual classes. Once you select a school, you follow a fixed curriculum for all five years of high school. Typically, we have around 10 subjects in our weekly schedule.”
“What do you like and dislike about the the United States?”
“The thing I love most about the U.S. is the school system. It’s flexibility allows students to choose different subjects each year and explore various interests before deciding what they want to do in the future. I also really appreciate that sports are part of the school system. This creates a great balance between school and extracurricular activities. In general, I feel that U.S. schools have a lot of resources. One thing I don’t like, however, is how dependent everything is on cars—back home, I was used to walking everywhere, so that was a big adjustment.”
“What have you learned so far from this experience?”
The biggest thing I’ve learned from this experience is how to adapt to a completely new environment with confidence and resilience. Before coming here, I had never been in a situation where I had to build everything from scratch—friendships, routines, a sense of belonging. It was difficult at first, but it taught me how to be independent and navigate unfamiliar situations without feeling discouraged. I also learned the importance of being open-minded and embracing differences. It has also made me more appreciative of my own culture, because living somewhere else makes you reflect on the traditions and values you grew up with. In the end, I’ve realized that even though adapting to change is challenging, it’s also incredibly rewarding. It has shown me that I’m capable of more than I thought, and that’s a lesson I’ll carry with me no matter where I go in the future.
