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Laura Dal Bianco
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2007-08 Inbound from Italy
Hometown: Cremona,
Italy
Sponsor: Cremona Po Rotary Club, District 2050, Italy
Host: Flagler Beach
Rotary Club, District 6970, Florida, USA
School: Flagler
Palm Coast High School
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Bio |
| October 6 Journal - "Every weekend, every day, every single moment of my life
here is so intense, so filled with emotions. I'm collecting so many
unforgettable memories that I'll have forever with me." |
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December 20 Journal - "What you remember are your feelings
in front of something, not the something itself. That’s why we want to travel,
experience, and feel, not just look at books and pictures." |
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May 30 Journal - "It was really
important for me connecting my two worlds and introducing my family to a
reality that I had been describing to them since the beginning." |
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Laura's Bio
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 Hi everybody!
My name is Laura, I'm 17 years old and I come from Italy.
I live in Cremona, a small city in the north, not too far from Milan, built
by the Romans around 400 BC and “famous” because is the place in which
Stradivarius was born. There I live with my parents and my 14-year-old
brother in the downtown (they are currently hosting Heather, from
Jacksonville). In the free time I enjoyed swimming (I was in a swim team),
listening to music, reading and especially hanging out with all my friends.
About 4 years ago I heard from an ex outbound student of
my town about the great opportunity to become an exchange student and
discover the culture of the country I most like (the US) and since that
moment it has become my goal and my dream…. now, thanks to Rotary, to my
family and everyone has supported me, it has become true! I can't already
believe…..
Now I'm living in Flagler County, in a beautiful place
called Plantation Bay and I'm hosted by Lawrene and Bill Bishop ….they
aren't really “hosting” me, actually they are making me feel like a part of
their family and so far I had a really great time here, in Florida!
I've been here almost for a month and I've already lived a
lot of unforgettable moments: my first flight for alone, the discovery of
the American life, the trip at Disney, shopping in Jacksonville, swimming in
the ocean, my first American hamburger, the first day in my huge new school
(FPC high school), my first American swim meet (I've joined the team of the
school), the BBQs, I've gone boating and tubing, played American football,
eaten pancakes and brownie, climbed and walked on high ropes….
…..and I've met the other exchange students: 30 people
from all the world. We have spent together a wonderful weekend and even if
every one us came from a different country and spoke a different language,
immediately we've understood each other and we have made friends: it was
amazing seeing that people who lived so far have so much in common !!(I miss
u guys, and I look forward to seeing you again)
I suggest everyone to make the same experience I'm
living…someone told me that I'm really brave, I don't think it needs to have
courage but just the desire to open your mind, grow up and know of something
different. |
October 6 Journal
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Hi guys!
I apologize for being on late writing my journal but I've
been so busy…
Anyway do u wanna know how the little Italian girl has
spent her time here in Florida so far?
Here you are!
Everything started with a very long flight (the first
alone ever)…Actually I wasn't scared or worried but when I had some problems
and missed a flight in Atlanta, for the first time realized that I had to
provide completely to myself and I had left the safeties everyone has at his
own home… Probably that could scare the most of people, but for me it was
amazing because I felt something so big was going to start.
My first days of American life have been so amazing…it's
the first impact with a culture that could seem not too far from the European's but actually surprises you day by day… Everything here is so huge
(the spaces, the televisions, the shops, the cars, the packs of food, the
school…), people so friendly and open-minded and if you are ready to catch
every occasion, every invitation, every single moment, you can enjoy your
life so much.
Talking about the school, that's one of the most big
change in my life. Firstly because in my Italian school there were 700
students and here that's the number just of the junior class, then because
I didn't use to move from a class to another but stay all the morning with
the same classmates.. instead of here I'm meeting so many people, and being
an exchange student helps you so much because people are really interested
in you and they all find Italy so cool!!! (and I'm becoming so proud of my
country!!!)
At school also there are a lot of activities and there is
not a better way to meet people and make friends than join a club or a team…
that's why I'm now in the swim team. I was a swimmer in Italy too, so here
I can go ahead to practice my sport in the “American way”.
Last week was the homecoming week in my school…for anyone
who doesn't know what it is, that's the most fun and crazy week for every
American school…. Everyday all the students (and the teachers) went to
school dressed up in a different way (with the colors of the school the
first day, with night clothes the second, then like movie stars and circus
characters). On Friday we had the biggest football game of the season with
election of the king and the queen and a parade of the band and the flags
dancer…Finally on Saturday night the dance…. Every people dressed with fancy
clothes…like in the movies!! SO MUCH FUN!!
I also went to Disney for a whole weekend with all my
family for a big family reunion…the park is huge and everything…so magic…I
couldn't believe when I saw the fireworks behind the Cinderella's
castle!!!…so amazing….
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December 20 Journal
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Three months since my last journal… definitely too much to be
able to synthesize so many unforgettable memories…. But memories are more
sensations and emotions than simple images. What you remember are your feelings
in front of something, not the something itself. That’s why we want to travel,
experience, and feel, not just look at books and pictures. We want to LIVE and
feel to be alive: protagonists of our own life.
What I really would like to share with you guys is not
every single experience but what they made me feel… WHAT THEY LEFT TO ME.
Unfortunately feelings don’t leave a tangible mark, they just remain inside
you, sometimes forever…
How to describe the sensation to be on a boat in front of
Miami Beach while the sun is setting, the sky shine brightly of pink, the
lights of the city start to be turned on, and in front of you there are just
so many overshadowing skyscrapers that make you feel so little, like a drop
in the ocean, and your eyes are simply filled with all of that?!
How to describe what it means swimming 60 feet in a cave
under the water with your friends, winning the prize for the best swimmers
of the year in your school, standing up on a surfboard for the first time,
celebrating your first Halloween and Thanksgiving and enjoying them so much
because you know they are going to be also your last???
How to explain what you feel packing all your stuff while
you are going to change your family, and understand that a chapter of your
life has gone, that you cannot stop the time, you have just utilize it in
the best way you can and not waste a single moment? Understand how 4 months
can tie people that have never met before… 4 months can change yourself,
your mind, your goals, your priorities…
How 4 months can make you grow up so fast, know yourself
so much better, and make you appreciate everything you have. How could I
explain what it means to be in Disney with friends from all over that have
become like siblings for you, in front of the castle of Cinderella, while a
bunch of fireworks are shooting and feeling to be the luckiest person on the
earth…
I wish all these moments could be explained better, that
my language could let me share with you… Every single day is giving me
something, teaching me… Every person I meet, every place I have been has
left me something that I’ll bring with me forever… sensations, emotions that
I can’t explain. It’s just amazing to think how much this experience has
already given me, and how much it is still gonna give me. And I’m simply so
ready not to lose anything and keep going to add wonderful memories… I’m
ready to LIVE! |
May 30 Journal
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Hey everyone!
I know… I haven’t written forever and people are keeping
telling me “come on… we gotta know how you are doing…we need to read your
journal” … well, this is the time to get my feelings in order and try to sum
what happened … never too late, right?
Time is flying, and since the last time I wrote life has
been so great (and busy!!!!) for me….
Right after Christmas I got the chance to go to NYC. This
had been a dream since I was really young and being there (passing by the
Statue of Liberty, standing in front of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller
Center, skating in Central Park, taking picture in Times Square at midnight)
over passed even my expectations. It has been a great trip and I’ll never
forget my host mom telling me “I remember the first time I came to NYC and
my dad told me not to look up because just the tourists look at the top of
the sky scrapers”… in fact I couldn’t stop to look at the sky and walking by
this huge building in the crowd made me feel like a little drop in the
ocean.
I flew back right to Jax the day of New Year’s eve, just
on time to join the Gator Bowl parade in downtown and to spend that night
with all the other exchange students. It has been an incredible day….
Walking on the main street with the big Rotary float, carrying proudly our
flags, throwing candies and lollipops to the people around us, singing,
laughing, wishing “happy new year” in our native languages… After that we
all moved on to the Schacters’ house (by the river) and waited for the mid
night playing pool, ping pong, singing at the karaoke, jumping in the hot
tub, roasting marshmallows on the bonfire and having a lot of fun… The time
flew and suddenly we were all on dock counting down, in front of us the city
lighted by the fireworks… for the first time we were all celebrating the New
Year at the same moment. UNFORGETTABLE.
I spent the first few days of the 2008 with Mona in
Jacksonville, going to the mall, to the beach, playing tennis and chillin'
and when I got back was time for me to move… I knew the first days of the
year were designated for switching my host family but when I actually had to
move my big suitcases and I realized I was changing completely my life again
was kind of tough… But at the same time I was excited to experience
something new and put myself in a new situation…after all we are here to
experience…and experience means also see things from different perspectives
… My new host mom, Lea, wasn’t actually a stranger because she has been my
district counselor since I got here. She lives in Flagler Beach, just a
block from the offshore, so I got the chance to live a completely different
environment, which I enjoyed a lot. In few months we established such a
great relation and I had so much fun with her…I couldn’t imagine somebody
could have meant so much in my life even after a short period of time…
Anyways before the end of the month I took another great
trip... the RYE class of'08 headed on to the Keys, for the Seacamp
weekend!!! A great adventure that took us all way down to the most southern
point of the US, where in an incredible scenery we got learned more about
marine life and spend other time together....
February didn't even give me the time to realize that
another month was flying away, traveling around Florida, hanging out with
friends, going to the beach, attending my first prom (at Kevyn' s school)
and enjoying life... and suddenly March was there and the arriving of my
family as well!!! I was kind of worried about meeting my family after so
much time because I have been changed so much and I was going to face "my
first world" as the "new me".....
I met them in Miami where they flew a day before me...
Seeing my mom, my dad, my brother at the airport, waiting for me, after 8
months.... meeeennn.... is something that I cannot even explain.... But then
I wasn't done with the emotions for that day, in fact got in south beach
another surprise was waiting for me... Right there at the beach there was my
best friend, directly from Italy!!!! I thought I was gonna blackout when I
saw him... it was completely unpredictable… we spent we spent 4 wonderful
days in Miami.... we went to the beach a lot, to an NBA game (Miami Heat vs
Orlando Magic), shopping and boating, before heading to Key West for 3 super
relaxing days... After all we drove back to Flagler where finally my family
got seen "my new life"... It was really important for me connecting my two
worlds and introduce my family to a reality that I had been describing to
them since the beginning... I took them pretty much everywhere and the
assist to a Rotary meeting during which I was the speaker of the day. It was
really touching for me speak in front of "my two worlds", and recognize that
even if many people were staring at me and I wasn't speaking my language I
was perfectly comfortable, as never before. At night we had a big dinner at
my second host mom's house where many of my friends.
My parents left Easter day and it wasn't dramatic as I
thought ..I was already really settled down in my life and I knew I was
gonna see my family sometimes pretty soon, plus my schedule for the
following months was already so busy that I couldn't waste time with
homesickness...if there is something that you learned as exchange student is
that time is such a valuable gift....
First of all I was going to change my host family again...
which represented one of the toughest moment in the past months... I knew
already my third host family since they took me to NYC and I knew they were
extremely cool people, plus I was gonna have three host siblings pretty of
my same age...but as I mentioned before my life was being perfect and once
again I had to move on, change life and readapt again.... leave "my mom',
the beach, my habits...But everything comes to and right before my spring
break.... I moved to Palm Coast, with Santoianni
Well, probably their last name would suggest u
something...and...yes !! they are Italian !!! I mean 100%
Italian-Americans.... Although just Chris, my oldest brother speaks Italian,
but he left a month ago to Milan (to play baseball) and I'll see him again
when I get back... So right now I have just two siblings at home with me,
Lisa who is 19 and Ray who is 16... they are great and I have such a cool
relation with them....I have so much fun together. Right after I moved, we
spent the spring break together in Fort Myers, where Ray had a baseball
tournament.... We went to the beach a lot, got really tanned and try the
coolest thing ever: parasailing!!!! we were floating with a parachute 500
feet over the ocean while a boat, connected with a rope) was dragging us..
SO COOL!!!! we also went to Busch Gardens and try every kind of roller
coaster u can imagine.....it was a awesome week.!!!!
But April wasn't done yet, just a couple of weeks (still
really really busy) and another important event was waiting for me.... The
District Conference!!!!
This is an annual event attended by every Rotarian in the
district that this year took place in Jacksonville. Lea and me went there
the day before and spent the afternoon in Jacksonville, having a great
dinner by the river from where we could see all the lights of the
downtown!!! The day after all the other exchange students plus all the
Rotarians, of course, came over!! it was so cool see all of them again after
few months, there was so much to say, but when we are together we don't need
to explain, we pretty much know how life is being an exchange student!!! We
participated in the lunch session, where we got in a room, filled with
hundreds of Rotarians, carrying our flags while our national anthems were
played... We got at standing ovation, I was going to cry!! I felt so proud
with my Italian flag.... representing my beautiful country in front of all
those people!!!
That night we slept (or at least we were supposed
to....:-)) at the Shacters' again and the day after we help a community
service program, helping out to plant a garden for natural cultivation....
it was nice be able to do something for others, while usually we feel that
others do so much for us.
The week after I helped out for another Rotary event, but
this time organized by my club (Flagler Beach R.C.): the bike event!!
hundreds of bikers came over for the weekend to attend a long ride all
across our county... Rotary was collecting founds for scholarships and they
did a great job...I was really proud of taking part in this project.
And here started my prom weekend... yes because as I said,
I had already been at Kevyn's prom in Fernandina beach, but Maike decided to
invite me to her prom as well, since in her school they could bring friends
from outside.... That weekend I went to Gainesville and I visited UF
campus.... I can just say that I felt in love!! GO GATORS..... OMG.... that
place is huge and they have everything inside, like a town inside another
one!! Her prom was in UF and we had a blast!! We danced all night!!!
Just a week after the moment that every student was
waiting for months (or even years) in my school..... FPC PROM!!!!!!!!! Prom
is one of the most important events in the life of an American teenager and
it became for me one of the most American moment of my year!!! it was just
perfect.... I met bunch of my friends at my friend Mallory' s house (of
course that afternoon was frenetic between hair, nails, finding the right
make up.....lol...) we had dinner there and we took pictures outside...The
prom was at the Daytona Hilton, which was a wonderful location... I cannot
imagine having a better night... we had soooooo much fun.... I'll never
forget it.
…But that is not it…. Just few days after I was on a
plane…destination: CHICAGO!!! I went with Lea (second host mom), Jennifer
(host sister) and her best friend. It was a lot of fun!!!! In 4 days we
pretty much visited the whole city, had dinner on the top of the John
Hancock building, climbed the Sears Tower, went to see the musical Wicked
(awesome), went to a jazz club, ride the famous ferris wheel at the Navy
pier…and of course went shopping J.
My time is flying away… I wish I could stop it, but I
cannot…I’m just trying to not waste any minute and not have regrets…
I’m gonna write again soon…now I g2g
A presto…
Un bacione
Laura |
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