Experiencing A New Setting

Coming from Italy to America, Anna Fanciullo has joined Fair Grove High School for the  2021-2022 school year.

Fanciullo stated, “I knew I wanted to be an exchange student since I was twelve.” Anna saw a girl handing out flyers for anyone who was interested in being a foreign exchange student. She took this opportunity to get more information on what she could do to go on an adventure.

Coming from Italy to America, Fanciullo experienced many new things. “Going to a rodeo, playing golf, watching a football game, baseball, and cheerleaders. Eat a funnel cake and buy the $1 extra large drink at Kum and Go,” stated Fanciullo. Some of the things Americans deem as simple, has made her time in the states so much more of an experience.

Before coming to the United States, Anna knew that she was going to enjoy her new adventure here. “Obviously all the world knows how great America is, so I knew what I was going into, and I love it!” exclaimed Fanciullo.

Fair Grove is a pretty small town compared to most cities around Greene County. Although it’s a small town, it doesn’t stop anyone from liking it. “People are nice and the sense of community is so strong, maybe also because being a [small] town, in fair grove everybody knows everybody, and I think that helps. There are a lot of activities to do, clubs to join, football games to watch etc…” said Fanciullo.

There are many different ways each country goes about their ways. Fanciullo explained, “We go to school six days a week, from 8:00 AM to 13:00 AM, with no lunch and a snack break, we don’t have the same schedule every day, so it can happen that I have math two hours on Monday, and then I don’t have math for two days.”

In Italy there are many different types of school. Not all schools focus on the same subjects. Fanciullo’s school focuses on many different subjects, such as sporty science, but there are also linguistics professionals (aesthetician and hair stylist).

Coming to an American school in Fair Grove, Fanciullo got to meet a new family. Anna Newlin (12) and her family are hosting Franciullo. Newlin explained, “To get ready to host a foreign exchange student, you have to go through a process to get approved to be able to host the student. People from the agency have to visit your home to make sure it is fit for a student to live. Then, we spent a lot of time preparing our house and a bedroom for the student.”

 Newlin and her family get to experience having a new addition to their family. “Anna is my sister now and we treat her like she is a part of our family,” stated Newlin.