Thursday, October 29, 2015

Exeter-Milligan Welcomes Giovanni Tadini




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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