Going abroad - something many students have done. Going abroad without parents – many students have done that, too. But how many have gone abroad with among other things a bunch of teachers and two headmasters to stay with host families for almost one week? I know three anyhow. Me and two other students from our class.

Our journey went to a town called Monza which is situated a little north of Milan. We were in Italy not even for five days and nights. But we had time for quite a lot all the same.

Half the group outside the Royal Palace in Monza, the other half got stuck at a crossroads. The Italians drive as fast as the rumour says.

The first evening we hardly had time for anything. We met two groups of students who had arrived the same day from England, then it was time to meet our host families. Everybody was pretty nervous, except for the teachers who were to stay at a hotel, but it went well. In spite of some language problems everybody managed to find the right family.

The next day it was time to start school. Exactly, you don´t escape those things in Italy either Consequently, we went to school every morning. We sat watching our hosts´ lessons. It was perhaps not that fun, as nobody understood what they said, but we survived. Anyway, we had a chance to get to know the students from England and Bulgaria better.

The canteen in the school, the only room with colour. Orange walls and green tables.

After just some day it felt like we had known each other for several years. Of course, we were not together only at school, we always had plenty to do in the afternoons. We saw lots of exciting and interesting things during our guided sightseeing tours in Milan and Monza and I saw the first ballet performance of my life during the journey. Besides, I rode on the famous Formula 1 track in Monza, certainly in a shaky bus, but nevertheless. But nothing was as fun as the day when we went to Venice.

We went by bus early in the morning, and with sleepy eyes we saw the Alps gliding past. Though the tour took a rather long time it was well worth it. What was then such fun ? Splashing around on flooded marketplaces with big plastic bags on our feet does perhaps not sound very fun. Being pushed around again by a guide does probably not sound especially fun either. What was fun was instead what happened after the round tour when we could do just what we liked. Venice was our first and only shopping opportunity during the stay in Italy. We split up into groups and then spent the following hours wasting money. It was also our last day together as a group.

One of the places where we got wet in Venice. When the water sank the marketplace was instead filled by hungry pigeons.

When the evening came it was time to go home again, though not for everybody. The Bulgarians were going on to Rome, and after a frenetic changing of e- mail addresses we had to say bye- bye to them. When we came back to Monza it was time for farewell to everybody else, too. The next morning we were off for Sweden again.

Why have I then told you about my personal experiences on almost a whole magazine page? Because I want to make you really dying for going abroad! If you have the opportunity of going somewhere, do so! It is also an incredible experience to stay with a family instead of at a hotel. You get to know the country and the culture in quite a different way. The language will not be a problem. We Swedes are very good in English, and even if those you talk to are not, it will absolutely be possible to make yourself understood all the same. Besides, I managed to catch a little Italian during the few days we were there. But the very best with the trip was all the people we met. This summer I will probably go to see my English friends. Therefore, start saving money, start a project, do something! This time everything was paid for me, and I could just go along. If I am going to England this summer I will have to pay for everything myself, but it is no doubt worth it. Travelling is the greatest fun there is!

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Writer: Petra Grundström First published in the school magazine “Parkbänken”
Translated by Anita Lindberg