Martina Mele is one of our 2024-2025 high school foreign exchange students. She is from Lecce Italy, a city in Italy’s southern Apulia region. Italy is one of the most beautiful countries in the world based on its history and beautiful scenery. Martina makes it a point to let everyone know about the incredible food and to take notice of its influence on American culture. In America we put the Italian title on everything but never have it authentic. Martina is fluent in Italian, English, Spanish and French.
When interviewed, she mentioned that she chose to become a foreign exchange student because, “since I was little, my mom and I traveled a lot, so I really like discovering new countries. Also to improve my English and to go out of my comfort zone because in Italy I was a different person and here I am trying to understand me better” So far, schooling here has been a little harder than in Italy. She believes it has been a little bit harder because she didn’t know that homework had to be done for a grade. In Italy, homework doesn’t matter. She is now improving and doing better.
Her favorite part of the year so far has been the football season due to it being busy and exciting. Martina was involved in cheerleading, volleyball and in the spring, she plans to join the track team. She believes she has been pretty content during the school year but during the holidays missed her family a little. It has been easy to get used to living here because her host family has made her feel the most at home. She also has met a lot of new people and they have become part of what she calls family. Martina is looking forward to Prom festivities and the upcoming track season.
A fun fact is, the best food in America so far Martina has tried is burgers. Something unexpected she has learned about America is the lack of keeping things neat and tidy. She believes that America is messier than Italy and that is just our nature. The example she gives is bedrooms and they are “crazy”. Another surprising thing she has learned is that it is normal for children to receive money for chores. In America, many children learn early how to gain and maintain money.
We were so excited to learn more about our foreign exchange student, Martina!
