Italian student comes to Murray to learn English

Intermountain Catholic

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Andrea Bruno is an exchange student at Murray High School mainly to learn English and the culture of the American people. He will stay in Utah until the school years ends in June.IC photo by Christine Young

MURRAY — Andrea Bruno said his main goal in applying for the foreign exchange program was to come to the United States to learn English. Bruno is from Torino, Italy. He applied through an all volunteer program, and his English is very good.

"I could only choose the United States, but I did not know exactly where I would end up," said Bruno. "It could have been anywhere in the United States, but it is usually a small city like Murray.

"Now we need English in Italy to get a really good job," said Bruno. "So I thought there is no better way to learn English than to come to the United States. I also really like learning about the culture. My parents wanted to send me here about three years ago and I always said no. Then just for curiosity sake I picked up a brochure and read it and I said okay, it will be fun."

Bruno, 17, has a younger brother, 11, at home in Italy, which he says is a small family compared to families in Utah.

Bruno is a senior at Murray High School and is staying with the Holt family. Brandon Holt, 17, is also a senior at Murray High School and is Bruno’s mentor. Bruno is Catholic and has been attending Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Salt Lake City with William and Marge Barber, members of St. Vincent de Paul Parish. Bruno really misses his Italian food, especially Italian bread, so the Barbers took him to the Olive Garden, and he really liked the food. He said he has to have pasta at least every other day. At home in Italy he eats pasta every day.

He arrived in August, and will be in the United States until the school year ends in June. He will have one more year of high school when he returns to Torino.

"I cannot graduate with the class," said Bruno. "Being an exchange student you are not supposed to graduate because I will not have all the credits I will need. In Italy we go to high school for 13 grades."

Bruno said he has been keeping busy traveling all around Utah and site seeing when he is not in school. He has been involved with many school activities. He is on the Murray High School track team and has been having an amazing time attending the school dances. He attended the Senior Ball Jan. 19, which was held at the University of Utah. They had dinner at Buca Di Beppo so Andrea could have Italian food.

"Right now in school at Murray, I am studying math, physics, and chemistry, which is pretty much what I really need for when I return back to Italy and the program I am taking there. I have to keep my brain training. I am also taking English, U.S. history, U.S. government, and weight lifting."

Bruno is not sure exactly what he wants to go into when he graduates from high school, he just knows what he does not want to do. He does not want to be a lawyer, a doctor, or a nurse. Since he has one more year to decide, he has not yet really thought about what his major will be in college.

Over the Christmas holidays, the Barber family invited Bruno to help them make their traditional Italian cookies called scalilies that are fried and dipped in honey. Bruno said they were really good, but they take many hours to make. He had fun and he enjoyed the day.

Bruno is from northwest Italy and said the tradition is more of a southern Italian tradition. He said traditions change so much from one region to another, like foods do from one state to another in the United States.

Bruno’s experience in the United States has been much different than he expected.

"Everything is different," said Bruno. "First, the food. I miss my food so much. Then, I miss my friends. I don’t yet miss my parents and my family. Maybe I will, but I hope not. The people here are much more friendly. Going to school here is cool and easier. I like the teachers. The houses here are huge. In Italy the houses are small and they are all apartments.

"In the United States, the stuff you do with friends you need to have cars," said Bruno. "In Italy, you cannot drive until you are 18 years old, so we take the subway. Here you can drive and go wherever you want to go."

Bruno said the cities are also different. In Italy you cannot find single family houses inside the city. Everything is public housing and apartments. There are no skyscrapers in Italy. Some buildings are tall, the buildings are old. In Utah, he is living in a very large home and he really likes having the large amount of space.

"I have a lot of friends in Italy," said Bruno. "But I actually know more people here because our school system is different in Italy. Here you change classes four times each day and can meet at least 100 people."

Bruno said in Italy they stay in the same class through what Americans call grade school. They may change a little in junior high, and then they stay with the same class for three years. In high school, Italians stay with the same people in the same class for five years.

Bruno has kept in contact with his closest friends in Italy through e-mail, which he says is faster and cheaper than the postal system. He e-mails his parents, but does not want to call them and does not want them to ask him to call them because he fears getting homesick. He told them he is doing fine and asked them to understand him. He is having a lot of fun and enjoying his stay.