Life in the U.S. / Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight – Noemi from Italy

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For today’s Student Spotlight, we’re excited to feature Noemi from Italy! She is truly making the most of her time in Arizona during the 2023-24 school year! It’s inspiring to see how she has embraced new experiences and interests. Thanks to her welcoming host family, she experienced her first rodeo! She also reignited a new passion when she joined the swim team, while making new friends and connections. From Halloween to Spirit Week, she loved dressing up and being a part of the American community!

Noemi (left) dressed up in fun onesie costumes with her host siblings in Yuma, Arizona!

What motivated you to become an exchange student? 

Since I was a kid, my parents taught me how traveling all around the world opens up your mind, so I thought that I could travel a bit more than 2 weeks. I wanted to learn to live in a different environment and embrace a different culture. I always thought when you challenge yourself, you’re growing up.

How did you feel when you learned you were placed in Arizona?  

I was pretty happy because I was afraid to be in a super-cold state and Arizona is definitely not cold. I arrived here in August and I was really shocked by the heat, but during the fall and winter I loved the weather.

Could you share your experience living with your American host family? Do you have any favorite memories so far? 

I feel so grateful for the host family that I’m living with! They are very nice and understanding toward my culture. One of my favorite memories of them is a Christmas memory! We were playing Elf on the Shelf and I had to hide it, everyone could see but my host brother. He just kept running around looking for it without finding it for 10 minutes and we were all laughing.

Noemi with her host parents as they attend an exciting rodeo in Brawley!

The rodeo was so much fun! We had a one-day trip to Brawley, where I met my host dad’s family, and then we went to see the rodeo. I saw cowboys and cowgirls competing in events like horse riding and bull riding, and other events similar to those. In the middle of it, they organized some shows with clowns, giraffes, and zebras.

I really, really enjoyed spending time there because it was the first time in my life seeing something like that, I’m not used to any of those shows and I loved it!

Noemi (blue jacket) with her friends as they enjoy their lunch break at school.

What surprised you about living in America? What are the biggest differences in your day-to-day life versus back home?   

A lot of aspects are different, starting from the school where you change classrooms, you decide your schedule, you have lunch there, and you can join school teams; a thing that I used to find weird that now I appreciate is the fact that nobody judges your outfit: pajamas, crocs, slides, or anything else the people here simply don’t care and I love this

Noemi (left) is excited to attend her first homecoming with her friend in Yuma, Arizona!

Have you tried any new activities or joined any clubs at school?

I joined the swim team and it was probably one of the best decisions I could have made! I made lots of friends and I had a lot of fun. It was a new experience for me cause I didn’t practice it at home, and I discovered a new passion which I’ll probably bring with me to Italy. I used to swim when I was a kid, but I stopped at young age and deciding to rejoin was one of the best decisions.

Noemi (right) and her friend wearing Malibu Barbie gear during Spirit Week!

Are you interested in making a student like Noemi a part of your family? We are looking for American host families to welcome a student for the upcoming 2024-25 school year! Check out the profiles of our wonderful students! New profiles go online every Thursday!