From the big apple to the carousel capital, Italian exchange students got to experience the American life all in a span of 13 days. From their hometown of Varese, Italy, 13 students travelled to New York to participate in the UEHS 2026 Italian Exchange. The exchange, a long-standing tradition at the high school, takes place during both the Fall and Spring semesters.
The Italian students arrived in New York city on September 27, where they experienced the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. They then arrived at the UEHS on Sept 29 and were introduced to participating UEHS students and their host families. The following day involved meeting Mayor Nick Burlingame, visiting the historic Union-Endicott Museum, and attending the annual welcome dinner at the Sons of Italy banquet hall. The next few days for our Italian visitors and their UEHS exchange partners consisted of attending school, traveling to picturesque destinations throughout NY state, and spending quality time with each other. Some notable destinations included Niagara Falls, Albany, Ithaca, and Binghamton University.
All good things, however, must come to an end eventually. On Friday, October 9, Italian students boarded a charter bus back to the airport. The students, as expected, couldn't part ways without a heartfelt moment of hugs, laughter, and tears.
"I had no idea how close I'd become with them" one UEHS student said, "The next few days are going to suck".
That day, Italian teachers at UEHS Amalia Roma-Circensi and Celia Randesi-Temple shared the difficult task of ushering the Italian students onto the bus, separating the newly made friends. "This is the hardest part of the entire program," Amalia stated.
While the fall exchange only lasted a handful of days, the memories Italian students and UEHS students made will last a lifetime. Students at the high school are already patiently awaiting the spring exchange, where they get to travel to Varese, Italy and create even more lifelong memories.