What were you grateful for this week?
I am grateful for the two kids who I nanny. They are so fun, and have amazing personalities. 

What was the most difficult or challenging part of this week?
The time change! Jet lag is hard! 

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week. (A “wow” moment is when you went the extra mile to do something nice for your host family.)
I brought gifts for my host family. My favorite gift was the mandarin orange California candle I got my host mom. It shows a little part of me, and now sits on the kitchen table where I am reminded of home. 

Tell us about your week! 
This week was filled with a lot of emotions! Immersing yourself into a whole new culture is exciting, overwhelming, and a little nerve-wracking. So far this has been an amazing experience. I have already grown a lot as a person, and learned a lot about myself. 

 

I am starting to learn bits and pieces of Italian from my host family, which is exciting and helps with the language barrier here. 

 

My favorite thing to do is my morning run with my best friend. We run around Gallarate and try a new cafe everyday. This food is so fresh and delicious here, I love the culture! 

 

My kids have also been so sweet and welcoming. Their English is already improving, and working with them is challenging but rewarding at the same time. 

 

I visited Sesto Calende with my host family this past week, and got to see so many beautiful buildings with incredible architecture. There is a river that runs through Sesto Calende which is absolutely breathtaking. The homes that line the lakeside are massive and surrounded by huge green trees. It is gorgeous! 

 

It has been so fun traveling with my host family, it helps me get more comfortable with my surroundings, and allows me to see new places that I wouldn’t have known about before.