Andrea Bonfanti, a 17 year-old from Florence, Italy. Bonfanti’s beautiful smile lights up Owatonna and he has quickly brought a bit of Italian charm to Owatonna.
Back home in Italy, Bonfanti lives with his parents and his 19 year old sister. He’s passionate about soccer, photography, and astronomy, and says Florence’s beautiful architecture and rich history make it an incredible place to live. “The buildings are super pretty, and the history of them is cool,” he shared.
Bonfanti earned his spot in the exchange program through a scholarship, he was thrilled to accept the award and start his trip. “I love traveling and meeting new people, and it was one of my biggest dreams,” He said.
Bonfanti chose America as his top destination out of five possible countries, and fate landed him in Owatonna, where he’s living with the Sturges family until July.
Since arriving, Bonfanti has enjoyed trying new foods especially hamburgers and his host family’s pancakes but he admits he misses Italy’s pasta most of all.
At OHS, he joined the OHS boys soccer team, where he’s found new friends and a new appreciation for the American style of the sport. He also has loved attending football games and looks forward to celebrating holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas as they are celebrated quite differently compared to back home.
Adjusting to life in the United States hasn’t always been easy. “When I got here it was really hard for me because in Italy I had a good group of friends, family, and my girlfriend,” he admitted. But as the months go on, he’s embracing the challenge and the growth that comes with it.
Bonfanti hopes this experience helps him gain perspective, independence, and a deeper understanding of himself. When he returns to Italy, the first thing he plans to do is reconnect with his closest friends and play soccer with his old team. Bonfanti appreciates the people he’s met here especially seniors Eliseu Seguro and Logan Halverson.
