Date: Fri 21-Nov-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

schools-AFS-Bartoletti

Full Text:

AFS Student Welcomes Winter

(with cut)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

While most of us were grumbling about winter's early arrival last weekend,

David Bartoletti, an American Field Service (AFS) student from Bergamo, Italy,

was grinning from ear to ear.

David, 17, is a sponsor and representative for Salomon/North American, Inc, a

manufacturer of ski equipment and clothing based in Georgetown, Mass., and he

can't wait to try out the slopes of Vermont.

Not only has David taken part in international ski race competitions for

Salomon ("They give me all their stuff to wear!"), he hopes to represent the

company in this country by entering racing events over the Christmas holiday.

He was interviewed recently in the Boulevard home of Bill and Anita Thompson,

whom he calls "Mom and Dad."

David will stay with the Thompsons throughout the year that he spends in the

United States. He came to Newtown August 8 and entered Newtown High School as

a senior in early September.

He says he is enjoying his time here even though, at first, he had "some

trouble with English."

Actually, it is hard to imagine that a person with David's upbeat and

optimistic attitude would not enjoy himself, or fail to make the most of

challenges and opportunities.

According to Mrs Thompson, David has fit into the family very well, especially

since her three older sons have gone on to college and work.

He and their fourth son, Brant, who is a sophomore at Newtown High School,

have gotten along "pretty well," she said.

"He and Brant are very much like siblings -- they have their ups and downs.

He's been a delight," Mrs Thompson said.

Motorcycles, Not Cars

Another complication is that as an AFS student, David is not allowed to drive,

so the transportation issue can be tricky.

In Italy, David said, "students all drive scooters because they move through

the traffic much faster."

"Here, if you don't have a car, you can do nothing!" said David emphatically.

There are other differences in culture and social life that he has observed

during his four months in this country.

"It is harder to make friends here because they make up their groups in

primary school and then stay in those groups," he said.

And families seldom sit down to eat together for a regular family meal, like

they do in Italy, he said.

Mrs Thompson has two jobs, one at People's Bank and one at Bagelman, and Brant

has been fully occupied this fall as manager of the football team, so the

family is usually on the run.

"Here, they don't have time. You come home and eat when you want, what you

want. I don't know if it's better or worse, but it's different," he concluded.

He insists that he has not had time to really miss his own family back home,

and since the Thompsons have two dogs, he's enjoying playing with them.

"But I do miss my sister, Marta, who is 15. She and I are very close. I could

talk to her about anything," David said.

School Is Easier

Once he got used to hearing, speaking and writing English in his classes,

David has found that his studies at Newtown High are going well.

He hopes to graduate with the class in June of 1998. Then he will go back to

Italy for a fifth year and graduate there, "so I will have two graduations."

"The level of study here is less hard. In Italy, we have no study halls, take

five subjects, and must go to high school for five years," he said.

Eventually, he might become an engineer or an architect, and "maybe come back

here for college."

"I don't know. I will figure that out later," David said with a laugh.

Meanwhile, he is concentrating on making new friends while keeping in touch

with his girlfriends back home, which he should have no trouble doing since he

has the names of several written on his bedroom ceiling in fluorescent stars.

When he turns the lights out each night, there they are blinking down at him.

Keeping track of his fellow AFS students attending other schools in the area

is another priority. David was looking forward to going to Woodbury to visit

them, anticipating the time they would spend talking and sharing experiences.

"It will rain probably, but I don't care. I know how to have fun!" David said.

Actually, it snowed, which was even better.