[Music]
hi I'm Francesca I am 17 and I live in
Vicenza Italy my town is fairly small
located near Venice I lived there with
my mom my dad and my 16 year old brother
my family enjoy spending time with
friends listen to music watching movies
and traveling we're very close and have
a lot of fun together the thing is
I'm not there right now
I'm in America in Ohio in a rural town I
came here as an exchange student last
summer I was supposed to be here for one
year back in Italy things are not good
the number of deaths in Italy has
increased by more than a third to 631 my
parents catch me up on FaceTime oh my
brother he gets up does his school his
homework watches a movie he's pretty
bored loves to hang out with friends but
no he can't
my parents are very worried it's been
quite vocal yeah they are both working
from home right now they can only leave
the house to go to the grocery store
into the pharmacy here my life looks
quite different I get off I do my
homework go for a walk hang out with my
brother is in play with a dog I don't
feel like I'm trapped in the house being
away from my family in Italy right now
is very hard
I checked the news every day and I see
how much people are struggling over
there and it hurts me what I am
experiencing now it's different from my
expectations because now I'm stuck in a
house I can't see my friends here it's
kind of weird and crazy but we're
staying safe at home how is it for you
just knowing that I'm here not there
with you it's got to you know the water
away from past because many people
online saying we should get together but
we know that we're in a safer position
where life continued on each day similar
to the last week after week until one
day Italy has begun easing its
coronavirus restrictions how is it it is
very very bad at the moment it's hard to
start again and
even now launch of features you have to
call this weirdest way from people so
we'll find a way
absolutely why am I here in America
didn't go as expected this was still the
best year of my life
but I can't wait to see my country
however change it might be in spite of
the virus and the quarantine and
everything hug you very tight when you
can crawl
[Music]