By: Kayla Stephensen

Lorenzo Morbelli, one of this year’s foreign exchange students, was very excited to answer questions on his opinions about Bellbrook and America in general.

Q: What shocked you about the U.S.?

A: The food, it sucks. Pasta in bowls? It’s against my culture, you don’t do that! What is this pasta salad? That’s gross. And you call it Italian sauce and it’s not. It’s just garlic and tomato.

Everything here is big: big cars, big roads, big soda cans. I went to Cincinnati and Dayton and it’s huge. The skyscrapers were huge! Our skyscrapers are 200 meters.

Q: Why did you choose to come to the U.S.?

A: I wanted to learn English, come to high school and culture. What do you call it? I like the Patriot-ness.

Q: What are some American rumors you heard and are they true?

A: That you eat a lot of junk food. You do have a lot of fast food; I only have Burger King and McDonald’s. I was told I would only drink a soda, no water but I drink more water here. Water dispensers? They were rare in Italy.

Q: How is high school different here compared to your high school in Italy?

A: In Italy we had no change of classes, we would stay in the same class.

Q: I know you’re on the varsity soccer team here. How does soccer differ in Italy?

A: It’s…not more relaxed but…less aggressive. Like in Italy I won’t get faulted but here I get faulted a lot.

Q: Do you want to try any other sports while you’re here?

A: My host parents want to travel during the winter so I can’t do a sport but I go to the gym with one of my host dads. I want to try lacrosse because it’s not in Italy and everyone says it’s funny and cool.

Q: What do you think of the American people?

A: Everyone’s nice to me. The teachers are more friendly. In Italy you don’t talk to a teacher unless you have a question for class.

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” I like Steve Jobbs.

Q: What do you think of your American History class?

A: American Studies is pretty interesting. I like it. I don’t know many people though; it’s mostly sophomores and freshman.

Q: What do you think of American music?

A: American music is good. Italian is bad. I like to listen to rap music and pop.