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Diario di un'exchange student

"ciò che si perde sarà sempre molto meno di ciò che si avrà guadagnato"

Lettera alla Host Family

"Dear host family,

My name is Ginevra. I like my name; it exactly reflects myself meaning "pure" and "calm".
Ginevra has been king Arthur’s wife and queen of Camelot, too; Ginevra is Genève, a Swiss’ city, but I’m not from Switzerland; Ginevra is the same as Jennifer in English, but I’m not from England.
Foreign people never know how to pronounce it, never mind! 
However you call me, I still am a sixteen-year-old girl who lives in a small city of Tuscany, Italy.
I can't believe I'm finally writing this letter! These words will finally allow me to find such wonderful people as you that, bearing me for a year (don’t worry, I'm not so terrible!), will help me realizing my dream: improving my English in a huge way and becoming a perfect American girl. 

What about my real family? 

My father, Federico, is forty-six and he is an electronic engineer; my mother, Tiziana, is forty-three and she entertains children during birthday parties; I have a younger brother, Tommaso, who is ten and who likes to believe he'll be a survivor (he doesn't know "survivor" isn't a work, yet!); then I have a dog, Holly, and a cat, Gigia.
I get on quite well with my brother, but he’s too young and we don’t have common interests; so I hope to have one of my age in America, so that I’ll have a big help from him or her and I’ll be able to test if having a brother or a sister of my age is as good as I think.
We all live in the countryside between Siena and Arezzo, in a medieval town called Lucignano.
I like living there because it is quiet and it has wonderful landscapes.
I don't like living there because it is so boring: there isn't any shop or anything to do and it is very far from my school and my friends. 

I attend the scientific High School in Siena, as I would like to become an engineer, just like my father.

Strangely I like studying and I've never had any problem at school. My favorite subjects are Maths, Science and, of course, English.
I don't know where my love for English comes from, but I've always been able to understand it or to speak it quite naturally, so that I've never had the necessity to study it hard. 
Who knows, maybe in my previous life I lived in England or America! 

I'm very active and in my free time I can't stay without doing anything.

I love doing physical activities: the one that I like most is dancing. 
I practice dance five (sometimes even six) times per week and I always enjoy dance lessons because when I dance I feel like I’m free. 
One of my dreams has always been being a cheerleader, so I hope I'll take part of my American school's cheerleader’s team.
Other sports I’ve heard about and I would like to try there are surf (when I see surfers on TV I always envy them, it must be so funny!) and cross-country (I love going running through the countryside that surrounds my home here).
Sometimes I go watching basketball matches with my friends and I enjoy them a lot, so I can't wait to watch one of them or one football match in the US!
Music is another of my passions: I can play flute pretty good and piano, too. My favorite genres of music are rock and alternative and my favorite artists are: Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Linkin Park.
I love reading books and watching movies, I often try them in English, so that I can improve it. By now, I don’t understand much, but I’m sure I’ll do it soon!
I usually go out with my friends on Saturdays or Sundays. I have three best girlfriends: Sara, Rebecca and Margherita. We have just known each other for two years, but it looks like we have been friends since we were born. I always have fun with them, even if we just stay home; otherwise when we go out we usually go walking and shopping (I love to go shopping!) in Siena’s center or go to the cinema or to parties.
I also love to spend time with my family, particularly during the summer, when we go to the seaside. In fact, we have a house in the Isle of Elba and we often go there, where we like swimming, diving, exploring new shores or just tanning on the beach. 
During the winter we go skiing in the north of Italy, too; I have been able to ski since I was very young.
I attend a photography course in my school, cause I like editing and taking photos to people or beautiful landscapes and I also like when people take photos to me.
As a good Italian, I love cooking: I usually cook pasta with different sauces or cakes (I'm really greedy!). I can’t wait to cook Italian dishes for you, so that I’ll be able to take a piece of my home, of my Italy, in your house.
Last but not least, I love traveling and discovering new places and realities that are totally different from the ones I'm in everyday. I like changing my habits and getting used to other cultures so that I can have new experiences and meet new people. 
I think there is always something to learn from the others, so, after this travel, I know I will be very richer thanks to you and to everyone I’ll meet there. 

I've never had a doubt about this experience, I'm very determined, self-confident and ambitious, and so I hardly give up.

Therefore I'm really glad with my parents that understand how important this experience is to me.
Another aspect of my personality is that I get really serious and quiet when I'm in important situations, but then I can be also very talkative and friendly when I'm with friends in informal occasions.
I don't like to cause problems to the others, so I’m really calm and obedient (don’t worry then, I’m a nice girl!).
I’m rarely sad. I always try to see the glass half full, instead of half empty.
I think I can be a good friend and a good daughter, helping you whenever you need a hand, and hoping you’ll do the same with me.

I think that destiny never make signs: it turns up his hand and gives the answer, it doesn’t suggest.

Then I don’t know what I’ll do in the future; but I have clear ideas of what I want to do, and I’m trying hard to realize my projects.
I found on the web a sentence that completely reflects what I think about exchanges: “Exchange isn’t a year in our life, it’s a life in a year”.
In fact, I know that next year I’ll totally change my way of living, and the best thing about it is that I don’t have any fear of that, because I’m really curious to know new things and to face the world around me.
I wish I’ll feel part of your family and you’ll be proud of me as your daughter, as I would like that this experience won’t be just great for me, but also for you.
See you soon, 

Ginevra"