Between Nov. 8 and 16, students in Burlingame’s Italian classes hosted Italian students from Carpi Italy for the first time in three years. Typically, the exchange program is offered every two years to juniors and seniors who have completed or are currently enrolled in Italian 3 or Advanced Placement (AP) Italian, but it was canceled in 2020.

The program allows students from Italy to visit Burlingame in the fall, and funds a spring break trip to Italy for Burlingame students, who will stay with the same student that they hosted previously. 

Burlingame students coordinated activities and created itineraries on the weekend with other hosting students in order to show their hostee around. Students went to San Francisco, where they visited tourist destinations such as Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s wharf and the Union Square ice rink. 

“We went to Alcatraz, which was really fun because I hadn’t been there since I was six. Then we explored the city and did tons of shopping,” senior Emmi Cate said. 

Besides the exciting tourist attractions in the city, students also got the chance to explore Burlingame, visiting local staples like Rise and Maverick Jack’s. 

“I was surprised that you don’t eat the whole pizza, you share. In Italy, we take a pizza, and eat the whole thing alone,” Italian student Sofia Mazza said.  

Pizza eating habits aren’t the only thing that differed from what the Italian students are used to.

“Burlingame is less crowded and more tidy compared to our school at home,” Italian student Cecilia Boni said. “We also only spend 5 hours at school and have lunch at home.”

Aside from spending time with their host family, the Italian students ditched their Burlingame classes and took day trips throughout the Bay Area with their own classes.

“My favorite part was going to San Francisco with my school and going to SalesForce, the top floor view was amazing,” Italian student Giorgia Bugat said. 

For the Italian students in Carpi, going on abroad trips isn’t as much of a rarity as it is in Burlingame. While not all students come to America, most will attend some version of an exchange program, whether that be in the United States, France, or Spain. 

In March, Burlingame students will reunite with their host families in Italy, however, it is not so simple. For the past three years, Burlingame Italian students have been fundraising to attend their own Italian trip. Students that want to attend the trip in March are required to sign up to help fundraise, whether that be selling candy at football games or making and selling biscotti at Burlinagme’s tree lighting event. In addition to fundraising events, students also are required to attend meetings during lunch in order to prepare for the trip. The meetings were much more frequent prior to the Italian exchange students’ arrival and will presumably pick back up as students approach their own trip. 

“I look forward to reuniting with the Italian exchange students in Carpi this spring. I am most excited to experience Italian culture by speaking the Italian language and learning their traditions,” senior Claire Guglielmi said.