Paula Marras-Giminez (‘24) is new to Vermont and Bellows Free Academy this year as an exchange student. She stated in an interview with The Mercury, “I came from Sardinia Italy to improve my English and to see America.” 

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is well known for its beautiful beaches, but Marras-Giminez didn’t always live there. Marras-Giminez said, “I originally lived in Spain then moved to Italy when I was 13. My mother is Spanish and my father is Italian.” She also mentioned that she has a little brother around the age of 14 back in Italy.

Despite being nervous on the first day, Marras-Giminez said she has adapted quite well to the American high school environment. She has, however, noticed some major differences between here and Italy. Marras-Giminez said that she found teachers at BFA to be nicer than the ones in Italy. She said that classes were more comfortable than the ones in Italy because of the kindness of teachers.

When asked about her classes so far this year, Marras-Giminez vocalized her love for math. She stated that she has been enjoying AP Calculus a lot this year, and so far it’s her favorite class. 

According to Marras-Giminez, being a foreign exchange student requires resilience, but it lets you experience new ideas, people, foods and more.  Marras-Giminez said she is looking forward to more of these new experiences.