An international student studying in Italy has struck up an unlikely bond with a local grandma - known as a 'nonna'.

Gheed Hussam, 22, traveled to Siena in July last year to complete a course in Italian as part of her degree.

To her great surprise she left with an unlikely friend and an honorary grandmother.

Gheed met the Italian nonna Nicoletta, who is her 70s, during Palio, a horse race held twice a year in the city of Siena.

The two hit it off straight away and over the next few weeks developed a close bond.

Nicoletta cooked homemade meals for Gheed, helped her with her Italian and even showed her around the city.

When Gheed's month in Italy came to end and she returned to her hometown Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Despite the distance, the two kept in touch and Nicoletta even went to visit Gheed in the UAE.

Gheed was studying at the Sorbonne University in Paris when she was sent to Siena to study Italian as part of her degree in applied foreign languages and business.

The student arrived in Siena during the famous Palio horse race, which attracts tourists from around the world.

When Gheed arrived, the city was very crowded, which made the student nervous.

Gheed, a Palestinian who lives in Abu Dhabi, said: "I arrived during Palio and there was a huge amount of people, so I was alone and a bit scared.

"She [Nicoletta] looked at me and smiled so I asked her what was going on and she was so kind to me."

Nicoletta, a retired teacher, immediately took her under her wing

She explained the festival to Gheed and took her on a tour of the city before driving her back to her hotel.

Nicoletta looked after Gheed for the rest of her month Italy.

She made her homemade meals, helped her with her Italian and showed her the historical sites.

Gheed said: "Siena is a very welcoming city, but she [Nicoletta] made me feel safer there. On the last day before my final exam, she took me out for Pizza to wish me good luck.

"I'm a very social person, but I was scared in Italy and she made me feel at home"

On her last day, Gheed asked Nicoletta to visit her in Abu Dhabi so she could return the favour, show her around the city and meet her family.

Four month later, Nicoletta was on the plane to the UAE to visit her new friend.

Gheed's family took Nicoletta in, just as she had done with Gheed, and made her feel right at home.

Gheed said: "She tried a bit of everything. I took her to my grandma's house and she made her tabbouleh. She said it was great and even asked for a recipe.

"Nicoletta really enjoyed Abu Dhabi. She met my mum, my grandparents and my siblings. She felt really at home. My mum made her lots of Palestinian food."

The pair's unlikely friendship didn't end there, the two have been in touch ever since.

They send each other updates every couple of weeks and still talk on the phone.

Gheed, who is now in culinary school, said: "We update each other every few weeks. She just sends me pictures when she goes on trips, literally just like my grandma.

"The nicest thing she did for me was staying on a call for an hour to help me with my Italian dissertation.

"I always tell her that she had the biggest impact on me, she made me leave my little bubble.

"Now that I'm at culinary school I make lots of Italian food. I make focaccia, pizza and even panettone and send her pictures. She's my honorary grandma big time."