cThere are those who had already done it, like Barbara Bianchi who in 2014 welcomed a Thai girl into her home in Montopoli Valdarno. And there are those, like Tiziana Italiano, who simply decided that the time was right. They are two of families who have decided to host a foreign boy for a school year (but you can also do it only for two months). Interculture, the voluntary organization born in Italy in 1955 to promote dialogue between cultures and school exchanges.
Fabio Bianchini and Barbara Bianchi with Arny, the Greenlandic girl who have been hosting Intercultura since September.
In July, there will be over 1750 Italian young people who will leave for an experience abroad. In September, however, 400 will come to usfrom 60 countries (anyone can apply). Barbara Bianchi is convinced that she has received so much from Arny’s presence: «You have to believe it, it’s not all easy but it’s worth it», she says. «There are many families who send their children abroad, very few who are willing to welcome them. Instead, I think that in this somewhat arid society this experience is good, and not only for the host family, but for the whole community. At first Arny thought we were doing it for the money. When we explained to her that we offered ourselves for free, she changed her attitude. Now he knows that he has another family here, and that we will always wait for him with open arms.’
Barbara and her husband Fabio Bianchini met Intercultura about ten years ago, when their children went abroad with the association. Upon their return, they convinced their parents to reciprocate the experience and, in 2014, they welcomed a Thai girl. Now the children are grown up, studying abroad, and they they got back into the game with an Inuit student. «Inclusion in school was the most difficult part, because the cultural impact is enormous. To say: where she lives there are no roadsyou travel by ferry or plane, while you walk around the village.
«Our houses are less heated, it was cold. And when a dinner was organized between hosted students where everyone cooked a typical dish, she cried because she didn’t find her “hers” ingredients, such as seal or whale meat. She slowly learned Italian, thanks to an intercultural course and now she speaks it well. We discovered by chance that she sings very well, we enrolled her in a music school in Pontedera and she just won an award. In recent months she has transformed, and seeing her like this pays us off. For us, and for her, it is an affection that will always remainlike that of our children for the families who hosted them».
For Tiziana Italiano, on the other hand, the one with Arij, a Tunisian, is the first experience of welcoming a foreign student. “My children’s English teacher offered it to everyone, and we offered it,” she recalls. «I grew up in a family with six children, the front door was always open. My best friend is Albanian, we welcomed her in ’91 as soon as she landed with hers and we’ve been inseparable ever since. I believe that giving is also a way of receiving». Arji arrived in September, and even for her at the beginning the introduction to school was not easy. In addition, Tiziana’s daughter Margherita was not used to sharing her room, and it took her some time to adjust. “Let’s add that Arji speaks French and we don’t. I don’t know how we managed to communicate.”
Tiziana Italiano and Mariano Pastore are the host parents of Arji, a Tunisian student who arrived with Intercultura.
Now the language problem is solved, Arji speaks Italian very well, e with Tiziana, catechist, he had long discussions on religion: «We found many points in common, we both had prejudices but the comparison helped us. Now I appreciate both the Muslim religion and my own more». At Christmas, Arji will return to visit his Italian family, who in turn will go to Tunisia in summer 2024.
According to an Ipsos research promoted by Intercultura, 3 out of 10 Italians say they are willing to live an intercultural experiencewelcoming a foreign student. For 40 percent of them, it would be an opportunity for discussion and cultural exchange. The moment is now.
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