Two students from Boston become “Profs” at a high school in Gallarate

“I was born in China, but now, I’m studying at the MIT, with Aditi,” said Danielle Wang, a model American student.

Danielle and Aditi Verma, who are, respectively, Chinese and Indian in origin, have been here in Italy now for three weeks. Every day, at the scientific high school “Leonardo da Vinci” in Gallarate, they give chemistry, biology and physics lessons. English is the language used for the explanations, which are, themselves, complicated, but the high school children seem to appreciate them. This is a new project, which, for the second consecutive year, the headmistress, Luisella Macchi, has decided to offer her pupils.

The families of pupils or teachers of the high school have been the “home” of the two students from Boston, during their three week stay in Italy. “We’ve been made to feel very welcome. Our host families are great!” Danielle and Aditi said in unison.

The two students “adopted” by the high school come from the best university in the world in the field of science. They have brought to Gallarate a breath of fresh air, with real lessons with a genuine, high-school style. There are a lot of differences in the teaching methods and in the organisation of American schools. “In America, school is interactive, you often work in groups, and experiments are part of the curriculum. Then, in the afternoon, a variety of sports activities are organised, all within the school,” Aditi explained. Lessons, too, are organised differently. “Small games and tests are an essential ingredient that make the explanations of chemistry or biology pleasant and interesting,” said Danielle.

Curiosity, a desire to travel, and a wish to be a teacher in the future are the reasons why the two twenty-year-olds opted for this new experience in Italy. “When I heard about this project, I thought it would be a great opportunity to have a go at something I like that might become a job for me in the future,” Aditi explained.

And what about their free time? Work, work, work. A few trips to Italy’s famous cities, as well, of course.

“We adore Milan, in particular! We’ve been there often our stay,” they both declared. But like all experiences, this one, too, must end. Danielle and Aditi will go back to Boston, but the children at the high school will have pleasant memories of them. And who knows, some of them might follow in their footsteps …