“It wasn’t tough at all due to the fact I’ve normally felt a element of the loved ones.”
With above 4,000 miles involving Italy and Michigan, Francesca built her way overseas to expertise the American culture by means of a overseas trade student method. 
Francesca claims, “I’m likely to do it simply because I’m going to be much more unbiased and I want to make new pals, meet up with new folks and see new places…I started out learning English when I was 6, so I had a large amount of practice right before I arrived in this article.”
“I assume that every single loved ones, if they’re ready to, ought to have a overseas exchange college student at least one time,” states Robin Sims, Francesca’s host mom.
Robin Sims and her relatives have opened their doorways — and their hearts– to be Francesca’s host household.
And not throwing away any time…
Robin states, “With the way her flight arrived in, we dropped our just one daughter off at university and picked Francesca up the identical day and came dwelling with her.”
Welcoming her in with open up arms.
With a smile, Robin suggests, “For my husband and I, we talked how Francesca’s become like our fourth daughter.”
Her host sister, Emily Sims, expresses, “Francesca has grow to be extra than my best mate, she is my sister at this point, and I can just communicate to her about nearly anything.” 
“My sisters demonstrate me their good friends, so I cling out with them. And we also started sharing garments like serious sisters. They are my new family, I contemplate them as a family,” says Francesca.
Francesca has had so several firsts for the duration of this 1-of-a-kind knowledge in America– Like holidays….
She says, “The most diverse thing is Thanksgiving since in Italy we really do not have Thanksgiving…with a major turkey like in the films.”
The big difference in between faculty and sports…
Describing, “School is pretty distinctive. Below, instructors are like your pals. In Italy they are far more rigid. You simply cannot converse to them about standard stuff…I like track season for the reason that in Italy we do not get the opportunity to do sports activities in school.”
And even trying new food!
Laughing, Francesca shares, “I in no way had tacos ahead of. I hardly ever experienced grilled cheese or donuts, corn canine, and I like burgers listed here they are my favored food items. I also attempted food items that I didn’t like. I really don’t like ranch or pineapple pizza, I don’t like these.”
But Francesca was not the only just one learning new things–
And as we laughed out loud, Robin taught me some Italian, “Ciao mi chiamo Robin. Vengo dal Michigan. So I just stated ‘hi my title is Robin and I’m from Michigan.’”
Even introducing them to some Italian music…
“The band Maneskin. They’re pretty choice rock but they do a good deal of songs in English. We truly acquired tickets to see them in Detroit at the Fillmore.”
Whilst her time is nearing its conclude in this article in Northern Michigan,
It’s not the last time she’ll see the Sims family…
Francesca states, “I’m hoping to come back again this winter, and then they are going to arrive take a look at me in Italy so I can present them exactly where I stay.”
“We’re hoping to go in September, following slide. Which is our 25th anniversary. We believed that would be a system and go see her for a pair months,” says Robin.