The Exeter-Milligan community has welcomed Giovanni Tadini
as a foreign exchange student this year.
Tadini, from Bergamo, Italy in the northern part of the
country, is thoroughly enjoying the good life in Nebraska. His host
family is Dwayne and Cheryl Luzum and he spends a lot of time with their
grandson Trevor Luzum, a junior at Exeter-Milligan.
He and Trevor have bonded, “He is like my brother. His
twin, Hailey, she is close too, but a little shy. Trevor’s parents are
great, too.”
The Luzum’s outfitted their basement for Tadini and
Trevor. He was thrilled with his new “home.”
Tadini decided to give the foreign exchange student
experience a try, “I wanted and to know and view another culture. My life
in Italy was ok, but I wanted a new experience and language. I wanted to
improve my English.“
Tadini had lots of English classes in his schooling but it
was “scholar English. In the summer we can go to England for one month to
practice our English which helps but I think for my future and to work anywhere
in the world you need to learn English.”
So far, Tadini is enjoying the freedom that America offers.
In Italy he drives a motorbike but he just recently got his learner’s permit to
be able to drive a car.
Part of the appeal for Tadini is the difference in
amount of time he is spending studying. “In general I study a lot in
Italy. Here I can work in school and have some homework but I get to do
sports here. It is like a big family here. It is completely
different and better.”
He has joined the Exeter-Milligan football team this year
and is really enjoying the opportunity. So far, during the regular season
he has had few opportunities to play. “Coach Filipi is very
kind to let me play with these guys. I like football. At home I try to
swim three or four times a month. I don’t have time because I have to study all
the time.”
While he isn’t missing his school work, he does miss his
family and friends. So far he isn’t missing the food at home, either. “I
can find what I want here. They have pasta at the grocery store. Part of
the experience is trying the food.”
So far the most unusual item he has tried is a Runza
and he liked it.
Tadini plans to try all of the sports at
Exeter-Milligan. He is enjoying the challenges in America, “I am learning
about life and about being far from home. I am having to learn how to
live with this family because it’s not my family.”
He will have a lot of decisions to make when he returns to
Italy. “Next year I have to choose which direction I want to go to in the
future. It will be my fifth year of high school and I have to choose what
I want to do. I am not sure as there are a lot of question marks about my
future. Maybe I will be a doctor like my dad or go work on the farm that
my family owns and my mom manages or maybe be an engineer.”
So far the Nebraska experience has been wonderful for
Tadini. He is enjoying his host family, “I think I am very lucky they are
very kind. “
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