Scholarship Update

I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship before I left New Zealand from the Sargood Bequest. As part of the requirements I have to write them updates three times during the exchange. Time has gone so fast and it's now time for the first one so I thought I'd share that with you here :)

Monday 25^th November 2013

 

Dear Sargood Bequest,

I’m writing this to you from Cesena, Italy which has been my home now for almost three months. Time has been going so fast and I can’t believe that a year ago this life was only a dream, however thanks to you, that dream has been realised and I’m now living it. With each new day I’m becoming increasingly more accustomed to the culture and way of life here, although I’m still discovering new differences between the Italian culture and New Zealand culture in everything I do. These differences are so exciting because they can be the smallest thing, which seem insignificant but when it’s something you use or notice every day, it takes a toll on your life and changes it in some small way. In these past three months I've had so many unforgettable experiences and learnt so much about the world, but also about myself, although it’s definitely not all been easy. So far the biggest challenges for me have been school and the Italian language.

Before arriving in Italy I set myself some goals for the beginning of the exchange and I’m very happy with how I managed to achieve them. One of these goals was to join some kind of afterschool club because I thought it would be a good opportunity to improve my language, meet new people and learn a new skill at the same time. I have now been part of a rhythmic gymnastics club for 2 months and more recently also joined an Italian language course. These two courses each take place two nights a week and I’ve met so many new people through them, while as I thought, improving my Italian and learning new skills. I’ve never practised gymnastics in New Zealand so this is completely new to me and I’ve learnt how to do so many things I’d never imagined being able to. As well as these courses AFS Italy organises Italian lessons two afternoons a week with the other exchange students in the area. These classes are great because we can ask any questions we may have, while also getting to see the other students who after going through so much together seem like my third family. I think keeping busy is a very important factor of this exchange because although ten months seems like a long time at first, it goes so fast and I need to make the most of every minute.

Although I’m loving it here in Italy these last three months haven’t come without their challenges. At the beginning of the exchange school was a huge challenge for me. I had never realised how much something could affect me but being so tired, not having friends and not understanding anything really took a toll on me and I had a number of sleepless nights dreading school the next day. The school situation is now improving as I learn more Italian and make new friends, I’ve also talked to my teachers so we both understand what we want from each other. In my first month or so all of the teachers ignored me and I didn’t have the language to talk to them, it turned out that the principal had said I wasn’t expected to do anything so they wanted to leave me to do what I wanted but I don’t think that’s the right way to go about school this year. Although I’ve finished school in New Zealand the subjects here are different and interesting to me, trying at school will also help me to improve my language, therefore I’m determined to work as hard as I can. Through this challenge I’m learning to have a more open mind and therefore although I’m not making friends similar to mine in Auckland, I’m making lovely friends nonetheless. I’ve also purchased the textbooks so that I can study as the other students and even find myself enjoying some of the subjects such as; philosophy, anthropology, pedagogy and religion.

After only a month into my exchange my host sister, Marta, had an exam in Rome and took my AFS friend, Ida from Denmark and I along with her. This weekend was one of the best of my life and I truly can’t explain how I felt standing in the Coliseum, it was so unreal! For me, it’s always been a dream to visit and I’m now lucky enough to say I have done. The Coliseum was so much larger than I could have ever imagined and I learnt so many incredible things about what went on there. We also visited Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Vatican City which was truly breath taking. Seeing these kinds of things makes me see the world as a bigger place, with so many possibilities and I genuinely think those sights will stay with me forever as my now broadened way of thinking.

I’ve had so many new, amazing experiences here so far in Italy and I can’t wait to see what else is to come. As I sit here now snow is starting to fall outside – something so normal for my host family and friends here, but something that I witnessed for the first time only yesterday. So thank you for allowing me to see the snow, the Coliseum and Saint Peters. Thank you for allowing me to live my dream. Thank you for so much for this opportunity. I could go on forever but I’m just going to say thank you for every little thing, because I honestly can’t name everything I owe you thanks for.

Every day is new and although I know that there’s still hard times to come, I know I’ll reach the other end as a better, stronger person.

Yours Sincerely,

Emily Clarke