The story of Giorgia Pagnoncelli: from Bergamo to Germany, (city of Luedenscheid) for one year with Intercultura and the support of Fondazione Pesenti.
FIRST QUARTER: SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2019
Relationships with the host family:
Even though I changed family recently, I have to say that I am really doing well and the atmosphere at home is very welcoming. I am already very close to one of the two sisters, but I also get along very well with the other sister and the mother.
Relationships with the host community and friends:
One of the first things I noticed is that people are not as cold as the stereotype says; in fact, often the opposite is true. As for friends, the biggest difficulty is the language, but despite that I already have a small group of friends.
Integration and school performance, both from the point of view of results and personal relationships with teachers and students:
At school I attend all the courses I followed in Italy (so also Chemistry, Physics..) and I think the greatest difficulty is the language, also because there are many technical terms. However, the teachers are understanding and the classmates help me too.
Extracurricular activities:
I started a tennis course, and before, with the other family, I also attended a couples dance class with my host brother, but I did not like it very much. Also, soon I will try modern/hip hop dance with my host sister.
The three things I will never forget (positive):
1 First week at the arrival seminar
2 When my current host sister told me that her family had decided to host me
3 When I visited Dortmund with my tutor
The three things I will never forget (negative, if any):
I don’t have three precise moments, but in general the whole first month because with the other family I did not feel good at all and I missed home very much. The only thing could be when the other family took me hunting.
Other (anecdotes, reflections, assessments):
Regarding the language at the beginning, even though I studied German for three years at school, I really struggled because living in the country and having to speak with the locals is different. But I can say that now after more than a month I already feel great improvements.
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