Francesco, with "sisters" Hannah, Abby, and Emma Owens

Francesco Ballardini
My name is Francesco Ballardini and I'm an Italian exchange student sponsored by PAX. I arrived in Shelburne last August, and have been staying with the Owens family and attending CVU. As the school year will soon be over, I will return home to Italy. I am writing to you to express my thanks to everyone here who helped to make my experience so great.

First and foremost, thanks must go to my generous hosts, Kris and Kevin Owens, and their daughters Abby, Hannah and Emma, who opened their home to me. They made me feel like their real "son" this past year, and to them I will always be grateful. Thanks to them I lived the best experience of my life. Together we built a relationship that will last forever in my life. I have been very lucky to have a family like this for my exchange year. I would never forget the love they gave me every single moment of my experience. I love them as if they were my true relatives. A big thanks also to my sisters Abby, Hannah, and Emma that they hosted me as if I was their real brother. Together we went through a true "sibling" relationship, with love and fights. They are great girls and I'm proud of being their "big brother." Thank you very much guys for everything you did for me; I love you.

Thanks, too, to everyone at CVU, especially Principal Sean McMannon and all of my teachers who have helped me so much. CVU is an amazing school and I'm honored to be a part of the "Redhawks" family. In this amazing school I have been involved in incredible activities such as student council and Buddy Program. I will never forget how they taught me that also our little gestures can change people's lives.

I want to thank Coach Rahn Flemming who followed me for one year and not only taught me with an amazing patience how to play football but also how to be a good athlete and a good man. Thank you Rahn; I will never forget you.

I want also to thank my Alpine Ski and Track and Field coaches. Thank you very much guys for the patience and dedication that you put every day in practice.

I want also to thank all my friends that helped me during this adventure. It's very tough sometimes living away from your family for one year but it is thanks to your smiles, jokes (most about my accent), and fun time spent together that I lived the best time of my life. Thank you very much. I made true friends that I will never forget. It's going to be hard returning to Italy without you, even if four of these amazing friends are actually coming back with me and together we are going for 20 days around Italy. During this year I learned one important life lesson: "Friends are the sunshine of life"- John Hay

Finally, I'd like to thank the people of Shelburne, who welcomed me into the community, showed great interest and curiosity about me and my country, and did their best to make me feel at home - away from home. I hope other PAX exchange students will have the opportunity I had here in Shelburne. You are very special people and I will always remember you. Vermont is a beautiful place and the people are just amazing here.

Thank you very much to anyone that helped me through this year. I had the greatest time of my life and I will never forget Vermont and its people. Every one of you made this experience unique and so important for me; you filled a young boy's dream into reality.

Thank you, I'll miss you.