DECATUR COUNTY, GA — An Italian exchange student made history at Bainbridge High School by becoming the school's first state swim champion — all while adjusting to life more than 5,000 miles from home.
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Greta Zuccaro came to Bainbridge from Rome through the Pan Atlantic Foundation's High School Exchange Program. She says trading the fast pace of Italy's capital for the slower rhythms of Decatur County was a significant adjustment.
"It's very different from my home country, my home city, because I live in a big city, I live in Rome. So, like, even the traffic is crazy. People are always moving. And I feel like I need a break. So it's been, like, a different pace? A slower pace," Zuccaro said.
The transition wasn't without its challenges. Adjusting to a new culture, a new school, and being far from home brought moments where she wanted to give up. Her mother back in Italy kept her going.
"I remember my mom, my Italian mom, every time I used to call her and she used to say, just don't give up because, like, it's your dream and trust me, you're going to say to yourself, like, it was worth it. Like, everything was worth it," Zuccaro said.
Over time, Zuccaro began finding her place — making friends, getting involved in school activities, and bonding with her host family. She joined both the soccer and swim teams, and her hard work in the pool led to a historic achievement. She was later recognized by the City of Bainbridge for the accomplishment.
Zuccaro said the difficult season shaped her in ways she didn't expect.
"Even if it was bad, like, it was teaching me something. So it just made me stronger about everything and more mature," Zuccaro said.
The bond she formed with her host family made Decatur County feel like more than just a temporary stop.
"I knew since the first moment because, like, it was just an host family. It was, like, my second family," Zuccaro said.
Cynthia George, an area representative for the Pan Atlantic Foundation, said bringing cultural diversity to rural communities plays an important role in broadening perspectives for residents of all ages.
"There's a world outside of here. Especially if you have younger children, exposing them and making them realize that there's more to life than just South Georgia," George said.
The Pan Atlantic Foundation is currently looking for families to host international students, offering community members the opportunity to bring different cultures into their neighborhoods.
For more information on the Pan Atlantic Foundation click here
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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