VICENZA, Italy – Following the consolidated decade-old tradition of cultural exchanges, two dozen Italian students visited the Vicenza High School on Villaggio March 5.
The visiting Italian students were from the Liceo Scientifico “Giovanni Battista Quadri,” a school in Vicenza founded in 1972 and oriented towards scientific subjects. As the majority of Italian students who see the American school for the first time, “Quadri” students remarked how the environment and activities are different if compared to the lessons they attend in their school.
“It’s really a perfect school, because there are fewer restrictions than the Italian school,” said Giulia Anzolin, one of the Italian students partaking in the exchange.
In addition to the differences like the timetables, the rooms and the subjects, she highlighted that “there are even more activities and laboratories, while in our school, study and theory are predominant.”
About 20 American students were showing the school to their Italian peers. One of them, VHS 10th-grader Dylan Horrigan had the chance to show an Italian student the school and a new way of learning and going to school.
“They were surprised and I believe they liked it too,” he said, while another 10th-grader Lilyana Hirko commented that it was a great experience to meet new people as well as learn about the similarities and differences between the two school systems.
“Every student from the Italian school was so kind and I loved meeting them,” said Hirko.
Michela Ambruoso, VHS teacher of Italian language and culture who coordinates these events, plans to return the visit with her Italian class in mid-April. Ambruoso said that they are invited to a debate on legality coordinated by the Vicenza Municipality and the school.
The upcoming event will be another chance to share and learn about a different language and culture, which is a great experience according to the English teacher Cristiana Pagliarusco, who accompanied the Italian students.
“I am very happy to be here today,” she said. “It is my first time in this building, and my first time visiting the American School in Vicenza, so I am really enthusiastic about the welcome and acceptance by Michela [Ambruoso] and all the staff, and I appreciate what they have done for us.”
Pagliarusco added that students were happy and very interested in what they were doing.
“I am very pleased; it is not something we can take for granted.”
Toward the end of the visit, Pagliarusco analyzed the differences between the two schools.
“The building itself is completely different from the one they are used to attending, including the atmosphere, which is more informal, and the structure in the educational program that is definitely projecting to the future.”
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