Psalm Talamo on Rotary Youth Exchange to Italy
June- July 2025
Ciao, Jo and Hugh, and Members and Friends of the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton. Another busy month. Here is my month 5 report:
At the start of June, we finished our last week at school. On the final day, there was a celebration for the graduating class of 2025, and after school, we spent the afternoon at the beach together. I was so happy for school to be finished—HAHA.
On the 12th of June, I flew to Paris to begin the Europe tour. We visited seven countries in eleven days. We started in Paris, staying two nights, and saw the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum (with the Mona Lisa), Notre Dame Cathedral, and toured the city centre.
After Paris, we took a bus to Brussels in Belgium, where we stopped for lunch, explored the city centre, and tried Belgian fries and waffles. We also visited the Atomium for photos.
Our journey continued to Amsterdam, where we stayed two nights. We cycled around the city, took a boat through the canals, visited Anne Frank’s house, and went to the A’dam Lookout, where some exchange students tried the swing.
The next leg was a ten-hour journey to Berlin. We spent two nights there, visiting the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, seeing the Berlin Wall (including the famous fraternal kiss painting), and even signing our names on the wall. We also toured the city centre and saw the location where Hitler died.
After Berlin, we took a bus to Prague for a lunch stop, admired the beautiful architecture, and tasted the famous funnel cake, which originated in Hungary. We then headed to Vienna for two nights. There, we toured the city centre and visited the Schonbrunn Palace, home of Maria Theresa and Franz Joseph.
After returning to our hotel, we enjoyed a swim in the nearby lake. The following day, we went to the Belvedere Museum before heading to Budapest, Hungary, for a two-night stay.
In Budapest, we toured the city and dined at a traditional Hungarian restaurant with live performances of traditional dances. We also visited the Parliament House at night to see its glowing lights and took some photos.
On our second to last day, we returned to Italy, stopping briefly in Slovenia for lunch before arriving in Venice. We had free time in the city centre, and that night, we took part in flag signing and a talent show—my friends and I sang "Baby" by Justin Bieber.
We didn’t win, but the Aussie girls and I also danced the Nutbush and sang "Tequilla," replacing the word with "water" in a strong Australian accent. On the final day, we said our goodbyes. It was sad, but the trip was enjoyable and memorable.
I also celebrated my 18th birthday. My mum organised with my host sister to get me flowers and a little Stitch stuffed bear. I spent the day at the beach and had lunch with friends, then dinner with my host family, who bought me a cake decorated with the Australian flag. It was a great day.
Other than the Europe tour, I haven’t done much else. I’ve been going to the beach almost every day with my friends and hanging out with them every night. I’ve also been practising more Italian; my host siblings say I’m getting much better now.
Hope all is well in Australia. Big hugs, Psalm
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