Italian boy travels a mile for internet signal to take online classes
The studying place for twelve-year-old Giulio Giovanni has a view other people would envy — the fresh countryside of rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves under a Tuscan sun.
He would prefer to take part in internet classes from home — as his classmates have to because of Italy’s coronavirus lockdown — but the bucolic place below a tree 1.5 km (one mile) away is the nearest with a signal.
“On days when I have lessons I bring from home a table, a stool and my bag with the tablet and all the books that I need and then mum and I come up here in the car,” Giulio said.
His mother drives him everyday to the place outside Scansano’s tiny Tuscan town because the telephone line at home has been out of service for months and there is no mobile phone signal there.
“So, to take part in his lessons, we have to come up here where we can at least get the Internet,” she said, explaining that she uses her cell phone as a mobile hotspot.
“We set everything up and we are ready for our lessons,” said Giulio, who is in the first year of middle school.
“I prefer being at school because at least there I’m with friends. Here I can see them but only via the screen. At least there I would see them in person,” he said.
His mother said she is taking legal action against the telephone company because it takes too long for them to repair the line at home.
Until then, she will continue driving Giulio to the spot where, though others may be tempted to enjoy the splendors of nature, he’ll tap on his tablet’s “classroom” app and start his school day.
