Childhood friends were reunited this year at Greeley West as part of a foreign exchange program.

Junior Elisa Toraldo is one of the foreign exchange students attending Greeley West this school year. She is from Italy and this is her first time in the U.S. However, she came with a friend in mind.  

Senior Piper Clancy is housing Toraldo during her time in the U.S. Clancy already knew Toraldo from their early childhood growing up in China. They lived together in an orphanage.  Clancy was adopted and moved to the United States and Toraldo moved to Italy.  The reunion has been perfect.  

With experience, from her freshman year, hosting another foreign exchange student from Italy, Clancy had plans to help Toraldo adapt to a new school. “I have introduced her to my group of friends and to a typical routine of a high schooler in America,” Clancy said. 

Toraldo had to work hard to convince her parents to attend school in the U.S. She then had to look for an agency, which was also a very difficult process. Toraldo said, “It took us a long time to look for it because all of the Italian agencies proposed to go to a random place and random family, while we already had a family in mind.” 

Toraldo explained the culture shocks and differences from her school in Italy to Greeley West. “We’re always in the same class and the teacher comes to our classroom. We also have the same classmates for all five years (we have an extra year of high school),” Toraldo described. 

Along with the different classroom experiences, Toraldo explained the different relationships students have with teachers in her country. “We cant talk about our personal life or private things, they just want to do their jobs and go on with their programs,” Toraldo said. 

Although the language barrier is a struggle, Toraldo is thrilled for the upcoming year. “I’m very excited to experience a football game, proms, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Halloween,” said Toraldo. Her and Clancy also plan to travel to New York and Mexico later this year.