Meet Diletta Trimboli from Italy

Welcome to our ongoing column called “Walk in their shoes” where we showcase our foreign exchange students and their homes throughout the year. 

Diletta Trimboli is MHS’ exchange student from Italy. Her hometown is near Italy’s border, and, though she misses it dearly, she absolutely loves studying here in the US. Diletta is part of the WEP (World Education Program), which she explains has changed her life. They are “open-minded” and have helped her be able to experience a whole new culture. 

Diletta has been learning English for seven years now. She chose to come to the US over any other country because of her love for the language and the culture. She further explains that she feels more “independent” when studying here in the US. 

Looking for a new experience, she was excited to leave Europe and explore the US. Diletta is still adjusting to the different forms of teaching here but seems to be settling in nicely. She mentions how excited she was to eat American food and experience American holidays. More specifically, she is looking forward to Halloween and Christmas. 

She mentioned that her host family has even been lucky enough to taste some of her homemade pizza. 

As much as she loves being here, Diletta admitted she has gotten really homesick and misses her family.

“My mom cries every day,” she said, but talking over text and Facetime helps both of them get through the day. She’s struggling with her English, but it is improving and it’s getting better every day.

She also misses being able to walk or use a train or use the subway to get to her destinations. “You have to use [a] car [to go anywhere here],” she said. 

Diletta has also had the opportunity of participating in Cross Country here at Mead. She says that it’s enjoyable but that it’s “very hard.” She’s gained many friends from the sport and is grateful for being apart of the team. 

As well as being involved in Cross Country, Diletta is taking a Spanish class. She is really challenging herself by trying to perfect her English and learn Spanish at the same time. 

The casual dressing in schools had Diletta excited to wear what she wanted. She explains that the dress code in her previous school in Italy was extremely strict, and they didn’t allow any shorts or hats of any kind. She also mentioned how different the education in the US was from her hometown. When speaking to a teacher at her previous school, she had to address them formally and the school setting was “more strict.”

After she finishes high school, Diletta would like to go to a college or a university and study in the medical field, more specifically obstetrics and gynecology. 

Overall, Diletta is happy with her current schooling position and is excited for the coming years.