Surely the brochure for the Italian exchange student program said nothing about APS cheating scandals, ice bucket challenges or extreme sports fans, but for a group of high school students coming to Grady this year, these are some images of America that will be among the memories they take back home.

Each year, Grady students have the opportunity to study and socialize alongside several students from foreign countries who have come to the United States to learn more about its culture and to speak the language. For Ricardo Zecchi, Ludovica Longo, Miguel Flores, Julia Friedl and Anna Poznyak, five adventurous students who have made that journey from their native countries this year, leaving behind the lives they were used to at home means not only learning about life in the U.S., but learning more about themselves as well.

Ricardo Zecchi

For Italian student Ricardo Zecchi, coming to America for a year has opened up a whole new world of opportunities. Although he has been to America before, he and his family have not traveled much. He hopes that living here will broaden his world views, create lifelong memories and inspire true independence as he experiences the culture and life of an American student.

Leaving his family and friends in his hometown of Milan was difficult, but living with senior Stone Persons and his family, who have hosted several foreign-exchange students previously, has made the transition much smoother.

“I like them so much and really enjoy spending time with my homestay family,” Zecchi said. “They are so funny and kind to me.”

A major difference Zecchi notes between Italian and American culture is the food. According to Zecchi, American fast food doesn’t compare to Italian food, but he understands he will be living and eating for the next year, so he will need to make the adjustment. He finds Grady easier and prefers it to his school in Italy.

With passions for skating, soccer and longboarding, Zecchi has no shortage of opportunities to get involved. He hopes that after a year in America he will return to Italy with insight on a different lifestyle, school and culture that he experienced during his year abroad.

Julia Friedl

German exchange student Julia Friedl would have started school in mid-September, but starting school in August is only one of several changes for her since coming to Atlanta this year. While she said the education at Grady is more relaxed than her studies in Germany, Julia Friedl is excited for the opportunity to make new friends and get involved in extracurricular activities that she would not have had time for at home.

Friedl was randomly placed in Atlanta after choosing the United States as the country she hoped to visit.

She notes that the culture of America is a bit different than what she is used to, but realizes that it will take some time to truly appreciate all that Atlanta and Grady have to offer. From day one, it has been exciting for her to see all the diversity and occasional craziness that can be observed in the hallways.

“I like the school system because you can choose the classes,” Friedl said in an e-mail interview. “In Germany you are the whole time with the same classmates.”

Friedl attended a much smaller, private school in Munich, where she started learning English in seventh grade. She is the first in her family to study abroad, and in only a short time she has viewed a great change between American and German culture. As an exchange student, Friedl will stay in America, taking classes and learning the differences in the societies of the two nations.

“I think it’s a great experience,” Friedl said of her upcoming year in America. She has traveled to Canada and various European countries, and says she has studied English in school for the past five years.

Though Grady can feel a bit overwhelming for her at times, Friedl has settled into busy school life with a drive to do typical high school things and is extremely hopeful for her future experiences in the school and in America.

Ludovica Longo

With a love of travel and experiencing new cultures, Ludovica Longo was recently welcomed to Grady as a foreign exchange student. A native of Italy, she will be spending the school year with her host sister, senior Madeline Veira, and Madeline’s family.

“I don’t think there is a special reason why I came,” Longo said. “I just wanted to change my life for a while … and my dream is to learn to speak [English] fluently.”

With those hopes, Grady appears to be the perfect school for this experience. Atlanta brings a change of pace for Longo compared to her hometown of Rome, Italy’s capital, but with a positive attitude and high hopes, she plans to change her views on the world and learn valuable lessons through this program. In Italy, she attended an even larger school where choices were limited, unlike at Grady where electives and options are available to all students. One aspect of living and schooling that differs is the diversity, Longo noted. The fact that Grady is so diverse and multicultural surprised her at first, but she found it was not too hard to handle once she got into the swing of things.

According to Longo, nothing compares to the beauty of Rome or its breathtaking views, but she is excited to be here with a new family, new friends, and a whole new experience for this upcoming year. With her younger brother and parents back in Italy, she is grateful to them for allowing her to come to America on this foreign exchange trip.

“I am here thanks to them, even if it has been and is still hard for them,” Longo said. “They are happy if I am happy, and that’s all that matters.”

Anna Poznyak

Most Americans have relocated to a new home or community at least once in their lives. But junior Russian student, Anna Poznyak’s story is a little different. Instead of coming to America on a foreign exchange program, her family is beginning a new life for themselves in Atlanta, hoping for a successful future here.

“Just like thousands of immigrants, we seek greater opportunities in America,” Poznyak said. “Our family is eager to show itself, work hard and finally succeed.”

Born in Moscow, Poznyak is experiencing a community, culture, landscape and education system that are drastically different. Although she misses the variety of activities in which she and her friends could participate in Russia, she loves the beauty and hospitality Atlanta has to offer. School life in Poznyak’s hometown was very different than what she has already witnessed in her first few weeks at Grady, the culture of which she described as “unique.”

“School life here is very active and variable,” she said. “During a week, so many things happen that it is hard to remember all that you must, need, or want to do.”

Most of the exchange students have not been studying English for several years, but since Poznyak has been learning the language since second grade and enjoys speaking English, her move to America has not created too painful a transition. When she first arrived in the U.S., she was thrown into a unique situation, bumping into a gay pride parade in New York City on her way to the Empire State Building. This being her first impression of the country, “it is definitely a memory that will not be forgotten,” Poznyak said.

Poznyak admits the move to America was not the top priority on her list of things to do this year, but she was surprised by the consistent friendliness and hospitality of the people she has met so far, leading her to believe she will have a successful year at Grady and a great future in Atlanta.