{"id":12000,"date":"2024-09-10T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/preprod.sts-education.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/05\/ode-went-on-exchange-to-italy\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T09:56:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T07:56:13","slug":"ode-went-on-exchange-to-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sts-education.com\/en-nz\/high-school\/our-exchange-students\/student-testimonials\/ode-went-on-exchange-to-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Ode Went On Exchange To Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Ode went on exchange to Italy<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Ode<\/picture><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Ode van Daele, from Belgium was on exchange in Italy.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I always had it in my mind that I wanted to go to Italy. The language, the culture, the food, everything appealed to me. So, I went for a high school exchange for 3 months.<\/p>\n

The three months flew by, and I never expected to get used to my new life in Italy so quickly. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have had, from my family in Belgium, my host family, friends, classmates, school in Italy, and from STS.<\/p>\n

Life in Italy<\/h2>\n

I stayed in Savona, a town on the north coast of Italy. When I arrived at the airport, my host family was already waiting there, eager and excited to see me. My host family consisted of 2 parents and 3 sisters aged 10, 14, and 17. Thanks to my host family, I learned a huge amount and saw many beautiful places. They took me to Venice, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and more!<\/p>\n

I was quickly made very welcome by my sisters. They included me in their daily lives. I was in the same class as my eldest host sister, and she introduced me to all her friends. Thanks to the middle sister, I started scouting. The scouts were also very welcoming, and we even went to France together!<\/p>\n

Learning Italian<\/h2>\n

In the beginning, it was difficult to follow the lessons properly because I didn't speak any Italian. But in cooperation with the school, I was able to take many Italian lessons, which helped me understand more and more. My sister also helped me with my homework.<\/p>\n

Most of the Italian, I learned in my family though. In the beginning, we spoke English, but since not everyone could speak English, it was sometimes difficult to communicate, so I was soon obliged to try to speak Italian.<\/p>\n

Differences between Italy and Belgium<\/h2>\n

Life in Belgium and Italy is very different. In Belgium, I live in the countryside, and in Italy I suddenly found myself in the city. The school day ends much earlier in Italy than in Belgium, so I had the whole afternoon to do something with the family, go to the beach, visit another city, or just go for an ice cream.<\/p>\n

Learnings<\/h2>\n

I would recommend going on exchange to anyone, because I am convinced it is the best way to grow on a personal level. I learned that you have to dare to be open to new adventures and that spending time abroad is a great eye-opener. I feel better now than ever, and that is entirely thanks to all I learned in Italy.<\/p>\n

Find out more<\/h2>\n