What were you grateful for this week?
A kind host family, air conditioning, and homemade focaccia bread, courtesy of my host dad.
What was the most difficult or challenging part of this week?
Italian bureaucracy, language barriers, and the humidity. RIP my hair.

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week.
I help set and clear the table for dinner, sweep the floor after we eat, and have been teaching my host brother some songs on the piano.

Tell us about your week! 
This week has seemed like a hassle from start to finish. I had to contend with some serious visa issues, which I only found out about after visiting the Italian post office and the police station, both places were the employees spoke little or no English. (My host mom came along to a few of my meetings, thank goodness!) It turns out my visa restricts my travel ability and the length of my stay in ways I wasn’t prepared for, and I’ve been pretty upset about it. But I gave myself until this weekend to be sad. Now I’m ready to cheer up and get to work finding all of Italy’s hidden gems for the few months I get to be here.

In other news, I kept up with my Italian class. Four hours a day can be a bit lengthy sometimes, but my teachers have been very patient with me as I’ve made lots of mistakes (something I absolutely hate, especially when I’m failing as often and in front of as many people as I am). My host family has also been great, allowing me to practice my very poor Italian when we’re together, and teaching me new words and phrases. 

 

My host brother and I have become better friends; we’ve been spending a lot of time playing the Game of Life together. The Italian version includes mandatory vacations, the option to purchase multiples houses, and several opportunities for gambling, so I think it’s very on-brand and I’m switching out my American version as soon as I get home.

In my free time I spent time getting used to the time zone change and exploring my neighborhood. There’s a huge, gorgeous park near my apartment that looks like something out of a fairy tale, so I’ve taken to walking it in the afternoons and evenings when I’m free while listening to audiobooks or Italian conversations nearby. I’ve tried to stop in every church I pass, since I’m a sucker for religious art and architecture. I’m looking forward to really getting into the swing of things in the coming days and coming to learn and love my new (albeit temporary) city.