Simona Montalto and Laisha Khatun

For ten days in November, Central High’s Italian IV students stepped out of their classroom and into the heart of Florence, Italy, for an unforgettable cultural exchange. 

 For ten days in November,  a select group of Central seniors had the opportunity to participate in an immersive foreign exchange program in Florence, Italy. The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia sponsored the Italian IVs’ week-long trip to Philadelphia’s sister city, and in March, the students from Florence will be coming to Philly. 

Central’s Italian teacher, Signora Walker, worked with the Floretine sponsors to create a detailed and immerse itinerary for her students to recieve the most enriching experince. Central students were paired with a host sister or brother and stayed at the homes of the respective familes. The host family set-up encourgaed students to utilize their four years of Italian preparation, while immersing in Italian culture firsthand, and forging personal bonds despite a language barrier. 

Central students went to school with their Florentine siblings, where they would then have trips “in centro” Florence as a class. Each day was packed, ranging from the Medici Chapel, a trip to the Il Davide statue, and to the Biboli gardens. Host siblings had even planned day trips for Central students in spare time on weekends, the leaning tower of Pisa was quite the site. Not to mention the authentic gelto!

 In April of this year, a group of students from Florence will be coming to Philadelphia. 

Central’s Italian teacher Ms. Walker detailed the layout of the trip and what the participants had done in advance to prepare and connect with the Florentine students. The teachers involved on both sides organized two Zoom meetings for the kids to get to know each other and share their cultures and experiences, an activity that was both informative and an icebreaker. 

Central students were paired with families of students in Florence, allowing them to be fully immersed in Italian culture while they were there. Ms. Walker shared that she hopes this set-up encourages the students to utilize the skills they’ve learned in their Italian classes as well as enjoy the benefits of experiencing the culture. There was time to explore the city as well as meet local artisans and look into topics such as fashion marketing.