Italian Sister School Visit 

After many years of planning, finally we were able to welcome a wonderful group of students from our Italian sister school Liceo Malpighi, Bologna.

Our guests were involved in:

• Excursions to the city, Phillip Island, Dandenong Ranges and Healesville Sanctuary.
• Welcome to Country ceremony and farewell party.
• A creative writing workshop masterfully delivered by our staff and;
• Attending some of our Senior year's classes.

Our hosting families distinguished themselves for their great sense of hospitality and their warmth.

Our students benefited from their presence as our guests delivered presentations on Italian cultural aspects of daily life and assisted our students in their learning of “la bella lingua”. 

Overall, students had the opportunity to consolidate a friendship that surely will last a lifetime, as you can see from Amelia Speairs’ reflection on the experience:

“Throughout my time at Thornbury, the Italian program has given me endless opportunities, including the Italy trip and Italian exchange. During the school trip to Italy in September/October 2023, we were gifted 10 lifechanging days with an Italian friend we had made for life. This was a special time in our lives that we will all cherish forever. Fortunately for us, saying goodbye to them last year in Italy was not the last time we would see them again, as we hosted them ourselves, here in Australia for 12 days this past July. As a group of 50 Australian and Italian students, we made countless memories that we will keep close to us for as long as we can remember. We went to Phillip Island to watch the penguins return home for the night, to Melbourne CBD to show them the beautiful skyscrapers that hover above us as well as how an average week in an Australian High School is like. As a group of students in Years 10 and 11 at Thornbury, we are so grateful for all the opportunities the Italian program has provided us with.” 

- Amelia Speairs, Year 10 Italian Immersion student

Our guests thank our wonderful community for making this possible!

Creative writing workshops in Italian / English

In Week 4 of this term, THS provided our Italian sister school students from Liceo Malpighi, Bologna, a creative writing workshop on campus. These 5 sessions were facilitated by Dr Lars Andersson, Cara Martin, Renata Tirabassi and Daniele Ricciardi. 

The Italian students had an opportunity to express their creative writing flare in English. 

As well as learning some of the current mainstream English curriculum, students presented their writing and also provided peer feedback on stories that they read. 

We were all very proud at the end of the results.  We hope the Italian students enjoyed their stay in Australia. Bravi ragazzi!  - Ms Tirabassi

Have a read of some excerpts of their writing below:

I could still feel the ground moving, see the plates our grandma gifted us falling from the shelves, hear my friend screaming to escape. I watched the building fall while being able to do nothing.

- Irene Bilotti

Amy put the backpack on her shoulders and left. Her computer was still opened on the kitchen table, the email frozen on the screen. The cup of hot coffee was not even steaming anymore and recently, the view from the kitchen window turned red and yellow as the leaves fell as the sun set.

- Naide Katzurin

As she keeps staring at the table, she notices something, a tiny drawer hidden under it. She stands up and walks towards the table to see. She tries to open the drawer and fails as the object is attached with Susie’s super glue. Charlotte immediately remembers the day when she went to the supermarket with her mum and Susie was very keen on buying a strong glue because she needed it for the house she said. What’s in the drawer then? And why didn’t Charlotte even know about the existence of the drawer?

- Elanora Millo

The night was cold. My body still couldn’t feel the warmth of the summer night. I reached the spot where we would always meet, the spot where everything had gone wrong. I waited and waited, minutes then hours. No one came. Nothing happened. I sighed in relief, thinking that this had all been a fixation of her mind. But just as I turned to leave, I heard footsteps behind me.

- Chiara Zuccheri

It’s strange how people can deduce other people’s life by just one look in their eyes. I felt like I had known him forever. But we were just two strangers on a train.

- Elena Martini

In New York, Elizabeth, a talented photographer always searching for the perfect shot, wandered among the skyscrapers, trying to capture the hidden soul of the city that never sleeps. As Elizabeth travelled through the streets with her camera in hand, she stumbled upon an old decrepit building tucked away in an alley. Attracted by the mysterious aura, she decided to explore inside.

- Allegra Poggioli