Last August, Lorenzo from Italy came to Latvia to spend ten months on an exchange program. During this year, he has learned the Latvian language, gotten to know the local culture, and found a place he can call his second home. Lorenzo had always dreamed of spending an exchange year in one of the Nordic countries. He admits: “At first, I didn’t choose Latvia, but when I read about this country, something inside me said — yes, this will be the right one! And so, Latvia became my first choice.”
The young man spent his exchange program in Grobiņa. At first, he didn’t expect much from a small town, as he himself comes from a big city, but over time he discovered its beauty and began to appreciate everything around him much more. Latvia’s nature and his first real winter made a strong impression on Lorenzo: “I really love Latvian nature and the magical sunsets. Here, for the first time in my life, I experienced a real winter with snow! As a history enthusiast, I’m also fascinated by the diversity of architecture visible in every city.”
One of the warmest moments was celebrating Christmas with his host family. Overall, he emphasizes how important the people around him were during this experience. But it wasn’t only a learning experience for the student — Lorenzo also taught his host family Italian, shared traditional recipes such as how to make authentic pasta carbonara, and even taught them a few words in the dialect spoken only in his home region.
A special place in Lorenzo’s heart belongs to everyday school life in Latvia: “I really loved being with my classmates and teachers, who were always ready to help. On the last day of school, they prepared a farewell video with the song ‘Zemenes’ and many gifts. How could I not love them?”
Lorenzo’s time in Latvia also became a valuable life lesson. He realized how important it is not to judge people based on first impressions. He learned to accept another culture as it is, without comparing it to his own. During this time, he discovered how diverse the world is — and at the same time, how similar we all are.
