Pia Salvatore - VIC to Italy

Mon 31 Dec 2007

Pia Salvatore from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College in VIC is currently in Italy on our semester program. Here is her latest news.

Ciao!

I've been in Italy for about 3 and half months now, and having a really good time.

I'm staying in a place called Grado which is an island, but small. It's got really nice old historic buildings and houses, and where I am living is literally across from the beach - great view!

School is really, really different, 6 days a week, finishing about 12. During most classes I just preoccupy myself, but it's good - the people are nice. Where the school is is a city called Monfalcone, a 20 minute car ride, from Grado. Monfalcone has lots of factories where they make boats and ships, or parts of.

The afternoons are long - so I go out for walks, and have taken up a bit of swimming as well... I also got involved in an activity at school, it's good because I really need something to keep me occupied.

A while ago, I went with my host family to Croatia, we drove there - which I think is pretty cool, just being able to drive to another country. It's really pretty where we went which was a coastal fishing town.

Language is really getting there. When I think about how much I knew at the start and how much I know now - it's such an improvement!

My host family is really great, I go along to the things they are involved in; basketball, horseriding... And, of course, I do my share of work around the house - we actually figured a bit of roster with the dishes.

Christmas in Italy was another experience, cold cold cold!! We opened presents at midnight which was a bit different. Lots of good Italian food for 3 days straight!

We had our last day of school on the 22nd of December - so close to Christmas! And now we have about 2 weeks until we go back to school.

I found the first couple of weeks really difficult with homesickness, but once that passed, I really haven't had that much since - which is a very very good thing, because it is better to think about getting into your overseas life than dwelling on the one back home, which will always be there anyway!

I really love the Italian culture - just the lifestyle is great, the way the days run - go out in the morning to school and work, come home for lunch, go back to work after a sleep, and if it is Saturday, go out and enjoy!

I've met so many great people, and this is definitely one of the best experiences of my life!