I have to deliver a five-minute speech at a farewell party organized for the the American students who partecipate in the school-exchange programme. Can you please help me organize my ideas or suggest a site where I could look for information? I really hope you can help me choose the most appropriate expressions.

1) I just wanted to have your attention before you start having dinner.
2) I really hope you enjoyed your stay with the Italian host (?) families.
3) I'm sure you have had the chance to get to know (?) (nearer??) our culture and traditions. I also hope you will be willing to participate in next year's student exchange.
4) I think school exchanges are extremely useful not only to improve the knowledge of the foreign language but also to make new friends (to strike up new friendship).
5) We'll be visiting your school at the end of August for three weeks.
I'm pleased to see that that your teachers have recovered from flu and are doing (?) fine now.
6) I'll be accompanying the Italian students on their exchange programme (??) to America.
We are all looking forward to our journey to America.
7) I seize the opportunity to wish you a good journey (flight?) back home
The dinner has been offered by the committee of the exchange programme (As our town is twinned with this American city).

1) I attended (followed?) a lesson on English literature.

1) May I have your attention before we start having dinner?

2) I really hope you enjoyed your stay with your host families.

3) I'm sure you have had the chance to get to know our culture and traditions. I also hope you will be willing to participate in next year's student exchange.

4) I think school exchanges are extremely useful, not only to improve our knowledge of another language, but also to strike up new friendships.

5) We'll be visiting your school at the end of August for three weeks.

I'm pleased to see that that your teachers have recovered from flu and are doing fine now.

6) I'll be accompanying the Italian students on their exchange program to America.

We are all looking forward to our trip.

7) I hope you all have a good flight back home.

Tonight's dinner has been provided by the committee of the exchange program because our town is a sister-city to this American city.

1) I attended a lecture on English literature.

or

I followed the lesson on English literature.

To help you organize your ideas and suggest resources, I would recommend the following:

1) Opening:
- Start with a warm greeting to capture everyone's attention. You can say something like, "Good evening, everyone. Before you start enjoying your meal, I would like to have a moment of your attention."

2) Expressing hope for their experience:
- Begin by expressing your well wishes for their stay with Italian host families. You can say, "I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed your time with your Italian host families."
- For the phrase "get to know," you could say, "I'm sure you had the wonderful opportunity to immerse yourselves in our Italian culture and traditions."

3) Encouraging participation:
- Emphasize the importance of their involvement in future student exchange programs. You can say, "I really hope that your experience has inspired you to participate in next year's student exchange program."

4) Highlighting the benefits of school exchanges:
- Talk about the value of school exchanges, not only for language improvement but also for making new friends. You can say, "School exchanges are extremely beneficial, as they offer an opportunity to improve foreign language skills and establish new friendships."

5) Sharing upcoming plans:
- Mention the visit to their school in August and provide an update on the teachers. For example, "We are delighted to inform you that we will be visiting your school in August for three weeks. By the way, I'm pleased to let you know that your teachers, who were previously ill, have recovered and are doing well now."

6) Upcoming exchange program:
- Briefly mention your participation in the exchange program and express excitement for the journey to America. You can say, "I will be accompanying the Italian students on their exchange program to America, and we are all looking forward to this amazing adventure."

7) Closing:
- Conclude by wishing them a safe journey home. You can say, "Before we proceed with the dinner, I would like to take a moment to wish each one of you a pleasant and safe journey back home."

Regarding the information sources, here are a few suggestions:
- Websites for cultural information: You can search for official tourist websites and cultural resources related to Italy and its traditions.
- Language-learning platforms: These platforms offer information on cultural aspects of different countries. You can search for topics specific to American-Italian cultural exchanges.
- Personal experiences: Speak to other people, including fellow students, teachers, or even previous exchange program participants, to gather insights and personal stories.

As you go through these sources, make sure to adapt and personalize the language to match your own style and express your thoughts effectively. Good luck with your speech!