What were you grateful for this week?
My host family has been amazing! They are so welcoming and kind. I feel like I’m loved and part of the family.

What was the most challenging part of this week? 
The little girl I spend most of my time with doesn’t speak any English. She can understand me, but I can’t understand her. It has been a little challenging to communicate with her as I learn more Italian.

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week.
The parents had something come up one night, so they were gone for a bit of time. I helped the kids make dinner for the family while they were gone.

Tell us about your week! 
It has been a whirlwind of a week! I’m so happy to be here in Rome. My host family is so wonderful! They are always trying to help me and make sure everything is going well. [My host mom] is the typical Italian mom- always checking in that I’m comfortable. She is so kind.

I’ve had the chance to explore the city a little bit. [My host mom] wants me to have the opportunity to experience everything, so she will often take me out to give me a little tour. One of the kids didn’t want to go to school on Wednesday, so he took me around Rome to see the classic tourist spots. We visited the Piazza di Popolo, Piazza di Spagna, and the Trevi fountain. It is such a beautiful city! I ventured out on my own this weekend to see the Palazza delle Benini and Pantheon. For mother’s day, we took Valentina out to St. Peter’s basilica and got gelato.

[My host family’s daughter] loves to play. It has been so fun spending time with her and helping her with English. She has been teaching me quite a bit of Italian too. Sometimes it feels more like an Italian immersion program for me than an English program for them! I’m happy to be learning a lot though and grateful to be experiencing so much of the culture here.

The food here is to die for! Pasta, gelato, pizza, heaven on a plate. It’s a good thing I’ll be walking everywhere since I eat so much! I couldn’t have asked for a better first week in Italy!