Michela Rastello

By Sheryl Loucks

Staff Reporter

Her face framed by a head of curls, mischievous brown eyes dancing, Michela Rastello may not speak perfect English but the 17-year-old does not need words to express her excitement.

She has wanted since she was young to spend a year of high school abroad and chose Canada because she wanted to be able to continue skating. Soon she will be starting at the Haliburton Figure Skating Club and is looking forward to helping to coach the younger skaters in the Can Skate program.

The Highlands latest Rotary Exchange student arrived on her host father, Steve Roberts' birthday August 22. He went and picked her up as she was disembarking from her first ever plane trip. "Miky" as she is affectionately known, has travelled over Europe but has never been overseas before.

Although she's never been to Canada she already has a friend here, Carnarvon's Josh Wales, who stayed with her and her family for three days during his own year on exchange in Italy last school year.

Her own family she says misses her but they have taken in a Canadian exchange student from Port Sydney so have gained another daughter in her temporary absence. Andrea Roberts, her host mother, says Miky very quickly fit into their family.

"I like it a lot. She's like a big sister," quips 10-year-old Emily Roberts.

"I have two older brothers at home. I really like having little sister," says Miky.

"She's very affectionate. It was just very easy," says Andrea, adding Miky is their third exchange student and they've gotten used to dealing with the language barrier. "She can understand us because we talk s-l-o-w-l-y."

Miky says everyone at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School has been very nice but all of the questions can be overwhelming, particularly when they're often said too fast for her to understand. She added it is funny what people's misperceptions are of Italy and for the record, no she is not a soccer fan.

She says everyone marvels that she's used to eating pasta twice a day but she finds equally odd that anyone would consider eating bacon and eggs for breakfast.

So far her big new experience has been when the Roberts took her to the CNE.

"She'd never been on a ride before. She got off this double rotation roller coaster and her throat was sore for screaming," Andrea recalled.

Miky did not know quite how to express herself about the roller coasters but she was very clear about how thrilled she is to be horse back riding at Jay Yavis' stables.

"It's great. In January I started jumping, only go over small jumps here," she says.

She will be staying with the Roberts for three months before going on to stay with two other family in the regions. Miky says so far the experience has been good but she does miss her family and her boyfriend back home.

 Many thanks to the Haliburton County Echo for submitting the story and photos to our club.

You may contact Miki at topinamk@hotmail.com