Her name is Jeannie and she’s from New Zealand, she’s spent the last ten months here in Italy as an exchange student, so she was at Liceo Sereni in Laveno, in the class 3bles. On the last day of school before returning home we had a pleasant interview.
<First of all, now that your Exchange student journey is over, do you want to give us your opinion about that experience? >
<When I first came here it was a big change, a really big difference; a very big culture gap. Everything here in Italy is very different, something that I was not used to. So I had to get used to that, I had to get used to a new language, new school, new friends and new family. But now that is over I’m really glad I’ve done this exchange because I couldn’t have imagined what my life would be like without this exchange, because I’ve grown so much as a person and I’m really thankful for that, because now I’m a different person, probably better.>
<What is the thing that you prefer the most in the Italian school and, instead, the one that you prefer the least? For example teachers, school environment and subjects? >
<The Italian school is very different from New Zealand’s school, it’s really formal here and the school is really sad, like the color and the wall. It’s just no color, but the people are very nice and the teachers are nice. I like how here you get a lot of subjects because in New Zealand you can choose a max of seven subjects, here you can know everything. Another thing is about the test, in New zealand we don't have oral tests and when I first came here I was like “that's terrifying” ‘cause in New Zealand it is all on the computer and not that much textbook. In new Zealand schools are only boys or girls, they are in different colleges, I think that here is really fun going to school with the boys ‘cause they are really funny, they have funny sense of humor. In elementary school you go with boys and girls, but colleges are separated.
<What’s your favorite subject?>
<I like art >
<Why Italians don’t appreciate art?>
<Well, I appreciate art because New Zealand doesn’t have that much history, obviously it has history but not as old as European history, ‘cause New Zealand history is newer than Italian history. Italians are probably so immersed in the art that they do not notice how beautiful it is. Europe has a lot of history and different types of architecture, so when I came here I was surprised and I was like “this is very cool”. Buildings are really cool and I’ve never taken art history or anything about arts before in New Zealand, just because I’ve never been interested in and I never saw something similar. Because art is a compulsory subject I had to take and I really like it and I find it really interesting. I love ancient art. >
<What subject did you take in New Zealand?>
<I’ve alway chosen Algebra, Physic, Maths, english and calculus and cooking and P.E, I’ve never studied kind of humanistic subjects>
<Now that you know Italy, do you think it resembles the idea that there is in other countries? Are the stereotypes true? >
<When I first told my friends in New Zealand that I was going to Italy, all my English friends were like :” Mamma mia! Pizza Pasta, Mandolino”. I thought that Mamma mia was a stereotype, I came here and people were saying! I thought that it was only a movie thing or something like that, but it is actually true. People say that. But I come here with an open mind, so I didn’t really mind about stereotypes. But Italians eat only pasta and pizza, so this stereotype is true. In my host family here we eat pasta every day, which is a lot for me. And they eat no meat: in New Zealand I eat meat twice a day, I miss it! Italian use also their hands a lot while speaking, I always notice that while I speak with Italians>
<What are the differences in hobbies and fashion between Italian teenagers and those in New Zealand? >
<Here you have a thing called “maranza”, they are strange and people really like skinny jeans, if you wore that in New Zealand you will get bullied. Also when I first came outside to go to school everybody was smoking, there were people smoking outside the school; in New Zealand you don’t see a teenager smoking. The smoking thing here is very strange for me, when I first came outside I was like “there’s too many people smoking”, in New Zealand nobody smoke, only vape and I was like “ What are these kids smoking in the middle of the street?”. The smoke thing is very serious, that makes me pretty strange. >
<Finally, if you want to leave a message for those reading this article, what would it be? >
<My message is always say yes, obviously not to dumb and stupid things, if you have given an opportunity say yes to experience. Never say “I think I’m going to stay home today” cause you may not be able to get that opportunity again. So say yes and live your life>