Senior foreign exchange student Camilla Autorino says “Ciao” to Italy and “Hello” to Hermosa Beach and to Mira Costa High

By Erica Schneider
Life Editor

When in Rome, do as the Romans do; when in Manhattan Beach, do as Italian exchange student, Camilla Autorino, would do. A 17-year-old Roman native, Autorino, moved to the South Bay at the end of August to immerse herself in American culture.

In four short weeks, Autorino has become well-acquainted with the beach lifestyle of an average teenager in a Southern California beach community.

Unlike most foreign exchange students, Autorino speaks fluent English. Although she was born in Rome, Italy, her family moved to Romania when she was only four years old.

While in Romania, she attended an American school and began to learn English. This was a priority in her family because Autorino’s grandmother was originally from the United States. In fact, Autorino herself has dual citizenship in Italy and the United States.

“When deciding which country I wanted to spend my fourth year of high school in, I knew that I wanted to be in a place where English was spoken,” Autorino said. “I’ve always spoken English to my grandmother at home, so I’ve always felt very comfortable when speaking the language.”

Originally, Autorino considered spending a semester abroad in New Zealand. However, when her grandmother’s cousin, Linda Jo Nota, visited the Autorino family country home in Umbria, Italy last year, she presented the idea of having Autorino come to her home in Hermosa Beach for her semester. She would not only have the opportunity to study abroad but also to live with a member of her family.

“I was excited about the opportunity to come to Southern California,” Autrino said. “I especially liked the idea of being able to stay with a family member, and of course, I was looking forward to being near the beach.”

Autorino has found that the school system in Italy is unlike the American system. For example, in Italy, students are placed into one of several different high schools depending on their abilities and career interests.

The high schools are geared toward preparing students for their future occupations, rather than a general college education. Schools in Italy are classified as Scientific, Classical Studies, Arts, Linguistics, or Trades.

“I attended the scientific high school,” Autorino said. “There, I was preparing to attend a university where I will study medicine, so I can eventually become a surgeon. Most colleges in Italy are not that difficult to enter, but the medical colleges are known for being more selective.”

Since coming to America, Autorino has also noticed differences in the social activities of teenagers here, versus those in her native country.

For example, at the age of 16, Italian teenagers are given the opportunity of going to the local discos and pubs where they are permitted to order alcoholic beverages like wine and beer. In addition, teens can get licenses to drive scooters and “micro cars” at the age of 14.

“It’s been interesting to see the differences in the culture here in America compared to what I am used to in Italy,” Autorino said. “The discos and locales in Rome are always packed with teenagers who love to dance. I’ve noticed that in California there aren’t many places like this for high-school-aged kids.”

According to Autorino, there are other differences between her native country and the U.S. There, high school students are required to attend a gym class for two hours a week in school, and sports leagues are privately operated through club teams outside of school.

“I find it really interesting that sport activities are such a major part of the high school experience,” Autorino said. “In Italy, there is a separation between sports and academic work.”

For boys, popular athletic activities include soccer, rugby and crew, while girls often participate in volleyball and track and field. Autorino played on a field hockey team for four years, although it’s not known for being a very popular sport in Italy.

“Since we don’t have high school sports teams, I’ve really enjoyed attending Mira Costa sporting events,” Autorino said. “I love attending the Costa football games because in Italy we don’t have American football. It was also really entertaining to watch the cheerleaders and the band; it’s so different from anything I’ve seen in my country.”

Since her arrival in the U.S., Autorino has been enjoying other local pastimes such as surfing, stand-up paddling and volleyball. Autorino plans to leave Mira Costa before the semester is over in order to celebrate the holidays with her family in Rome.

“I have really enjoyed my stay in California so far. Mira Costa has helped me make a smooth transition into the American lifestyle,” Autorino said.