Italian students found two months spent in Bunbury a wonderful challenge and an experience to remember

Two young Italians visiting Bunbury on a student exchange program said it had already been an experience they would never forget, suggesting everyone should consider a visit to “charming Bunbury”. Sara Consolandi and Pietro Giori have been in Bunbury for seven weeks and said the experience of learning a new culture and interacting with the locals has been amazing. Sara found this experience both challenging and constructive. “(It is) challenging because it was my first time travelling alone for a long period and away from home and constructive because it taught me how to do things by myself and be independent,” she said. “I have to thank my parents because they let me travel. “I experienced how to adjust to different environments, culture and my host family has been the most helpful. “They were always ready to help me (and) make me feel welcome.” International exchange students visiting Bunbury are allocated to hosts who then treat the students as part of their own family. Sara said she now considers her host sister Akemi Mainit her own sister. For Pietro, who has travelled alone before to Bulgaria, his experience in Bunbury was easier with it being his second time away from his family. “I thought it was a good thing,” Pietro said. “I found it really fascinating to explore and understand how I can feel about things and how others can feel different about it too. “My host family has helped me a lot too. They have taken me to the beaches, zoo and really showed me around.” For Pietro and Sara, along with the good experiences and learning new cultures, Bunbury had its own surprises they found fascinating. “I don’t think that I have seen like an apartment building here,” Pietro said. “It’s really strange to see the landscape and not see big, tall apartment construction — that’s the first thing that gave me a bit of a culture shock.” For Sara, it was the laid back and relaxing nature of Bunbury that surprised her. “The thing that I can see here is that everyone is way more relaxed than in Italy,” she said. “Everything is chilled and relaxed without thinking too much. It is very different to Italy where everyone is thinking a lot about what they have to do and are busy.” Now as their exchange time is ending, Sara and Pietro are already making plans with their host siblings on where they are going to visit when they come to Italy.