Joining Graham High School for the next 10 months is foreign-exchange student, Giada Cardella, from Sicily, Italy. At the youthful age of 16, Giada has challenged herself to embark on a daunting yet thrilling experience of living in a completely different country and culture, leaving her loved ones behind to make unforgettable memories. When asked about what her favourite part of America has been so far she replied, “Definitely the football games. We don’t have football in Italy, so it was a new experience for me. I absolutely love it! It is probably the thing I will miss the most when I go home.” She has also expressed her great interest and gratitude for volleyball. Joining the varsity team has allowed her to form many cherishable friendships with her teammates. In addition to attending football games, Giada hopes to live all the exciting adventures that come with living in Texas and going to an American high school. She’s eager to experience homecoming, prom, prep rallies, eating American fast food, Thanksgiving, an American Halloween and Christmas, and so much more treasured moments. One person Giada has to thank for encouraging and influencing her decision to undergo this immense life change is her older sister. Her sister was an exchange student last year and was also placed in Texas, where she had an amazing experience. This inspired Giada to desire the same experience. Giada misses Italian food and out of everyone back in Italy, she misses her sister the most. This will be the second year in a row where they live away from each other. Despite the sadness of leaving her family and feeling homesick, she is continuously reassured that this experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity and will make her grow as a person.
