Francesca Calosso is 24, studies at Ca’ Foscari and spent six months in Shanghai on the Dragon programme, with a family with a two-year-old girl.
Why she left
“To give my life a turn and learn to understand the daily life of Chinese people, and to improve the language too.”
Her experience in China
In China I felt at home right away, welcomed and safe. There were ups and downs, as in every life experience, and they helped me grow as a person and understand this new culture deeply. After six months living with a two-year-old I understood how important learning English is for younger generations in China, and I would do this experience again just for the warmth people give you in the street.
Living with the host family was “challenging and stimulating”. The memory she holds dearest: “during one dinner they tried to order as many dishes as possible so I could taste a huge amount of local food”.
The best moment and the hardest part
The best moment: “when the little girl started to build a real bond with me”. The hardest part was “the language barrier, faced little by little with constant study”.
How it changed her
“It let me be more confident and stop caring about other people’s judgement.” She would recommend Nice Exchange “because they are always ready to help and advise you when you need it”.
Quick questions
🍜 Favourite Chinese dish
Caramelised pork
🏙️ The place that stayed with her
Shanghai
🎯 The most important thing she brings home
The family’s gratitude
😊 One word for the experience
Stimulating
🈶 A Chinese word
加油
❤️ Best memory
Her and the little girl singing English songs together
加油 is what you say to someone who is struggling: “it holds all the times I thought I would not make it and, hearing it again and again, I became convinced everything was possible”.
