WHITE CITY, Ore. — Students from Medford’s sister city Alba, Italy arrived last Saturday as part of a cultural exchange program and have been touring the area. On Tuesday, the students embarked on a hike to Upper Table Rock, led by guides from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The hour and a half hike offers stunning views of the Rogue Valley and surrounding mountains. The BLM guides shared insights about the area’s unique geology, flora, and fauna. For the Italian students, the experience provided a firsthand look at the diverse landscapes of the American West.
The hike is just one of many activities planned for the students during their two-week stay.
Italian high school student, Carlo Zabaldeno said, “really exciting to do all this stuff in the USA, since we never done that before like not done that before, but like to get to know the city, the city council, and also they organized a sort of prom for us next week, so we are going to like live the American dream.”
Even though it is forecasted to be in the triple digits Tuesday, the Alba students are used to the heat, and many go without air conditioning in their schools back home.
Some of their next adventures will be rafting the Rogue River, dinner with the Medford City Council, and visiting Crater Lake.
The visit is part of a cultural exchange program that fosters connections between Alba and Medford.
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