What were you grateful for this week? This week I have been extremely grateful for my health. I have been sick the last few days. My host family has been sick so I knew it was only a matter of time before I would get it. But I was still able to travel to Lucca, Florence, and Pisa over the weekend. I noticed how much I was walking and I felt like I was walking up and down a million stairs. Then the social worker in me (just graduated with my MSW in May) started to think about how Italy is not very accessible for people with disabilities. I felt very fortunate to be physically able to walk for miles as I visit different places. And even though it feels like the stairs are never ending (especially when carrying luggage), I feel fortunate that I have the ability to take the stairs.What was the most difficult or challenging part of this week? It has been difficult to motivate the girl I am teaching to practice English. She really doesn’t like doing her English homework, and I have found it difficult to keep her on task. As she becomes more comfortable with me, it seems to become more challenging. Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week. 

This week I played dress up with the girl I am teaching and I let her paint my nails and give me temporary tattoos. I haven’t done anything like this for a long time and it was fun to act like a kid again. 

Tell us about your week! 

This week went by super fast. The girl I am teaching completed her English workbook which we have been working on together since I arrived! It felt like a big accomplishment for both of us.

I was able to travel to Lucca, Florence, and Pisa over the weekend. I was really looking forward to a short break and it was great! Lucca was my favorite and my host family’s relatives were kind enough to let me stay with them! They lived in the center of Lucca and it was beautiful. I took a day trip to Florence on Saturday and met up with some other girls from Rome Abroad. Then I visited Pisa. I think Lucca was my favorite. It was so charming and peaceful. 

The highlight of my weekend was renting a bike and riding on the path that goes all the way around Lucca. The path is on a renaissance-era wall that surrounds the city. It was awesome! 

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