Welcome To Sigonella

Welcome to the beautiful island of Sicily! We are all excited to have an addition to our community of Sigonella. My name is Amy Shattuck and I’m the 2011 youth sponsorship representative for NAS Sigonella Youth Programs. This means that I get the privilege of telling you the 411 on Sig, and what you can expect.

Moving to Sicily can be a big change; Italy is a lot different then the states. But it can also be a wonderful new experience for you. Here in Sigonella you will have the opportunity to see the beauty of Italy and learn about new cultures.

The people in Sigonella are outgoing and friendly. We all know how scary it can be to be the new person, so people here are really good about accepting people and helping them to make the adjustment. In time, you’ll be as comfortable as ever and feel like Sigonella is home.

Sigonella is one big family and we are glad to welcome you to our dinner table.

Enjoy Your Stay Here in Sigonella!

Amy Shattuck

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Table of Contents

Teen Welcome Letter Page 2

Information on Sicily Page 4

Italian Words to Know Page 5

What Are the People out in Town Like Page 6

What Are Some Things to Watch Out For Page 6

What is the Weather Like In Sicily Page 6

What is the School Like Page 7

Sports Page 8

Where do the Teens Hang Out Page 9

What Do Teens Like Page 10-13

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Information on Sicily

Sicily is black and white and a million shades of gray. There is no other place on Earth like it. Our island is a unique place full of art, archeology, history, and breathtaking scenery, and of course great food!

The population of this Island is 60,625,881 million

Cool things to see in Sigonella!

- Elephant Square:Rebuilt in 1700 on the site of the older medieval piazza, the present piazza plays the same role as center of the city as it did in the past.

It is a major meeting point for locals, tourists, and the cities principle streets, which converge at the piazza. No need to get lost in Catania! At the centre of the piazza stands the appealing Elephant fountain, created in 1736. As well as being made in imitation of Bernini’s Minerva Elephant in Rome, it is reminiscent of Catania’s long and varied past.

- Palermo: Often overlooked amid the seething metropolis of the capital city, the heart of Palermo lies in the ancient quarter. In jut a few hours on foot you can explore some of Sicily’s most famous monuments and charming squares, such as the Pizza Pretoria.

- Mont Etna: Europe’s highest volcano, and one of the most active in the world, continues to draw visitors to view its awe inspiring power.

- BeachesThe beaches here in Italy are stunning, beautiful white sandy beaches with clear blue water. You can swim out to rocks that are along the shore line and jump off into the water, or explore the caves.

- Etnaland Etnaland is a water park which has a huge variety of waterslides and attractions. It’s a great place to go during the summer!

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Italian Words to Know

English ItalianHello Ciao’

Goodbye ArrivederciHow Are you? Come Stai

Thank you GrazieYou’re Welcome Prego

Please Per Favore’Excuse me Mi Scusi’

My Name is…….. Mi ChiamoWhere is………? Dov’ e ……?

I don’t Speak Italian Lo non Parlo ItalianoHow Much Does it Cost Quanto Costa

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What are the people out in town like?

One thing to remember is that it is a different culture and you have to respect that. With that in mind know that what you may consider personal space, might not be the same as what they consider personal space.

What are some things to watch out for?

The pace of life can be slow and this doesn’t suit everyone. Also in August many areas of Sicily, (and also in other parts of Italy), the country almost grinds to a halt. Once again this is positive if you are in Sicily as you can relax for the month. Some Americans think driving here is crazy. Just go with the flow and repeat to yourself “I am not going to get in an accident today!”

What is the weather like in Sicily

The weather in Sicily changes in time with the seasons. With the winter comes rain and cold and in the summer you encounter blazing sun and dry wind.

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What is the School like?

The best word to describe our school, SMALL! Students wise, we only have like a 100 high school students so class can be mighty tiny. The great thing about that though is you’ll know everyone in school, no matter the grade level

The building is considerably huge given the small body of students we

have. It’s only 4 years old, and it has the best facilities in Italy. The sprit of the Sigonella jaguars shines throughout the hall ways, with blue and yellow everywhere and a

giant jaguar coming out of the gym floor!!

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Sports

Sigonella offers a variety of sports through the school.Fall:

FootballCheerleading VolleyballCross CountryTennis

Winter:CheerleadingBasketballWrestling

Spring:SoccerBaseballSoftballTrack & Field

Last year Sigonella had very successful sports seasons. The football team, wrestling team, softball, and boy’s soccer took home championships and several other teams placed in the top three.

A great benefit to doing sports here is the traveling! On every away game you will travel to compete in places such as Rome, Venice, Milan, Naples, and even some parts of Germany.

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Where do the Teens Hangout?

The Teen Center is where you will find most of the teens. There is a lot to do there; you can play video games, ping-pong, watch movies, or building a giant tower out of jumbo Jenga blocks!

Another place teens like to go when they are done with there towers, is the gym, where they can pick up a game of either basketball or volleyball.

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What Teens Like!

Favorite Book:

- Harry Potter - Twilight - Hunger Games - Child Called It

Favorite Sport:

- Soccer- Football- Basketball- Volleyball

Favorite Movies:

- Love and Basketball - Hangover - Remember the titans - The longest yard

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Favorite TV Shows:

- SpongeBob Squarepants - Army Wives- Secret Life of the American Teenager- NCIS

Favorite Music:

- Hip-Hop - Rap

- Country- R+B

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Favorite Singer/Group:- Kid Cudi - Alicia Keys - Rihanna - Christina Aguilera

Favorite Holidays:

- Christmas - 4th of July

- Thanksgiving - Easter

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