What were you grateful for this week?This week my host mom was sick. Despite not feeling well, she never shied away from work and, rather, went above and beyond to make us wonderful meals and tidy the house. I cannot stress enough how much I appreciate all she does, not just this week, but every week. 

What was the most difficult or challenging part of this week?This week I kept getting migraines and sometimes the pain meds would have little or rather an adverse effect. It was rough to play with the loud children with a pounding headache, but I made the best of it and it all worked out. 

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week. Stefano is trying so much harder to speak with me in English! Specific phrases are “It’s hot!” and “Aha! I’ve got you!” I can’t help but smile knowing that we’re finally making great progress. 

Tell us about your week! This week included Halloween which was spent with the kids at a party set up by one of their friend’s mom. Despite Halloween only recently becoming a holiday for children in Italy, they got to trick or treat in an apartment building. It was great to see the kids having so much fun and I’ll admit I was thrilled with the abundance of candy. November 1st is a holiday here so the kids didn’t have school. We took the day to drive up through the canyon to an extremely small village near the top of the mountain for a festival. There were street vendors offering all sorts of goods, similar to a farmers market. My favorites were the palm readers and fortune tellers, although I didn’t stop and spend money for them. This week I have finally started to capitalize on all my free time. Back home I would go out and do something with friends, but since I’m in a more isolated part of Italy and people who speak English aren’t as easy to find, I have taken to reading and art far more than I did before. I’m currently rereading The Count of Monte Cristo, a favorite, and starting new art projects every day. This renewed vigor is a blessing as I usually abandon art pieces and books without a second thought. It’s been very nice to be so productive.