Ode went on exchange to Italy

Ode van Daele, from Belgium was on exchange in Italy.

I always had it in my mind that I wanted to go to Italy. The language, the culture, the food, everything appealed to me. So, I went for a high school exchange for 3 months.

The three months flew by, and I never expected to get used to my new life in Italy so quickly. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have had, from my family in Belgium, my host family, friends, classmates, school in Italy, and from STS.

Life in Italy

I stayed in Savona, a town on the north coast of Italy. When I arrived at the airport, my host family was already waiting there, eager and excited to see me. My host family consisted of 2 parents and 3 sisters aged 10, 14, and 17. Thanks to my host family, I learned a huge amount and saw many beautiful places. They took me to Venice, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and more!

I was quickly made very welcome by my sisters. They included me in their daily lives. I was in the same class as my eldest host sister, and she introduced me to all her friends. Thanks to the middle sister, I started scouting. The scouts were also very welcoming, and we even went to France together!

Learning Italian

In the beginning, it was difficult to follow the lessons properly because I didn't speak any Italian. But in cooperation with the school, I was able to take many Italian lessons, which helped me understand more and more. My sister also helped me with my homework.

Most of the Italian, I learned in my family though. In the beginning, we spoke English, but since not everyone could speak English, it was sometimes difficult to communicate, so I was soon obliged to try to speak Italian.

Differences between Italy and Belgium

Life in Belgium and Italy is very different. In Belgium, I live in the countryside, and in Italy I suddenly found myself in the city. The school day ends much earlier in Italy than in Belgium, so I had the whole afternoon to do something with the family, go to the beach, visit another city, or just go for an ice cream.

Learnings

I would recommend going on exchange to anyone, because I am convinced it is the best way to grow on a personal level. I learned that you have to dare to be open to new adventures and that spending time abroad is a great eye-opener. I feel better now than ever, and that is entirely thanks to all I learned in Italy.

Find out more

• Read more student stories from Italy
• Read more about a high school exchange in Italy
• See all our high school exchange destinations