Hello Catalina Rotary members,

I would also like to inform you that I am having a wonderful time in Milan. I've even been able to meet with former Exchange students that lived in Arizona, take classes in Italian with some ease, travel to parts of Italy, make new friends, and open my eyes to realize many new things.

As for my school, its very difficult and different than the curriculum I am so used to, but I was able to adapt. I'm currently taking Algebra 2, Physics, Anglo-Saxon History, Shakespeare, Religion, and Physical Education. And most will be accepted by Salpointe High School, my school at home. All are in Italian except for Anglo-Saxon history and Shakespeare. I am also studying Dante's Inferno which is very important for the adolescents here, its a method of teaching moral values and meaning of life. I enjoy reading the poetry, but it's a little difficult to understand the whole meaning with out the help from the footnotes and of course friends in my class. I've also started playing soccer with a friend of mine in class and going to the gym regularly with my host mother.

I've also been able to travel somewhat around the northern parts of Italy including: Venice and Florence. My host mother's brother also invited me to visit his family in Torino soon, so I am excited. My host family has also taking me sailing on their boat down il lago di Lecco and to their two apartments in Edolo and to a small town on Lago di Como. My host father travels all throughout Italy on a monthly basis, so he is able to take me places that he believes will interest me. Even though anywhere in Italy would be amazing for me.

The weather here is very cold compared to Tucson as of right now, and it is excepted to snow in a few weeks. My classmates and I are going to a skiing resort for a class trip in February. I'm very happy that my host family took me skiing before, because I've never skied in my life and it was an interesting learning process but after I got the hang of it i didn't mind at all. I believe in the spring when its nicer weather the Rotary club from Milan is taking all the exchange students and I to Rome for a week.

As you can see I've been having a wonderful time here, just some days don't seem to be good. But thanks to my good friend Ginevra, from school I'm able to over come those weak spots and enjoy my stay. Before leaving the states my mother and father gave me a new laptop as my birthday present. I'm happy they did so because my host families computer seems to be having malfunctions regularly, so I let my host siblings borrow my computer to study and e-mail friends. It's also an advantage because I can use Skype to see my parents and little brother but with the major time difference, not very often. For the first 4 months I've been on this exchange I haven't been homesick that much. Well not to the point where anyone could notice, now a days things are seeming to get harder but thankfully with the help and support of my best of friends and family I am able to stay tough. Thank you once again for this once in a life time opportunity and have a wonderful rest of the day. And safe travels to Magdalena next week!

Wishing everyone the best,
Mariana Aranguren