This post features student writing.

July 2

When we arrived at the train station we were welcomed by the homestay families we would come to know over the next few days. We greeted them and tried to fragment together our respective languages (English and  Italian) so that we could understand each other—this is easier said than done. For me, when I arrived at my new home for the next week I was met with very, very tasty and traditional Italian pizza. After dinner, exhausted from the long day of travel, I fell asleep in the room that was temporarily mine.

July 3

The next day, all of the students and their families met at the beach. We hung out for many hours together before we eventually split off into our separate families to have some time before a walk we would do later in the day. After having time to relax we went on a walk through Ancona. We learned of the extensive history of the town; we walked through the streets to murals, and to cathedrals. So far the experience of our homestay has been amazing; we have all had fun getting to know the Italian culture and taking part in these Italian families.

July 4

The next day, we experienced a traditional Italian morning with Nutella and toast, alongside a delicious Italian caffè. After a 30-minute drive to the Sirolo beach on the Adriatic Sea, we trekked one kilometer to the beach. We were rewarded with the reunion of all the students. All the students and their host families enjoyed lunch at Da Silvio, a seaside restaurant. After, as we were all exhausted from the exciting beach day, we spent a few hours relaxing at home, until it was time to go to dinner. My host family treated us to various types of pizza in the small community of Senigallia.

— Isaac & Ben