My Journey to Italia

Lunch with the Family

I just finished lunch with my most parents, their son Massimo, his wife Michaela and their daughter Aerie. They where the first of my host family's family that I met when I had only been in Italy for a short while, almost three months ago that weekend I came back from Cinque Terre. It's strangely fitting that I should be eating with them again on my last weekend in Siena. This is officially my last Saturday in Siena and after sleeping away its morning, I have had a leisurely afternoon lunch with my family.



They are so great; I am really going to miss them. Of course leaving them isn't the same as leaving my own parents but in some ways it is harder to do. With one's own parents, you always know that you can go back home and see them, or call and easily talk. They will always be in your life. But with my family here, I can't easily do any of those things. I can't easily come visit again, I can't easily call and communicate on the phone, not only does that cost a ton of money but I'm sure my Italian skills will drastically decrease once I leave. Who knows when I will see them again after this next week? I hope I can keep mildly in touch with them, at that I do see them again on a return trip to Italy, but none of that is certain. People were right when they said at the end of three months you would finally feel comfortable here, in Italy, with your friends, with everything. They were right. Now as I have to leave to go home, I feel comfortable with my speaking skills, or at least the idea that they have improved and could continue to improve. I feel comfortable with my host family. I can easily hold basic conversations with them and talk about my days and thoughts. I am super glad I did this home stay. The past few days I've been hanging out at the mini residence Paradiso a lot and its fun, very nice to be able to hang out with people and talk and go out, but at the same time, I don't think I'd want to have to be there all the time. It's comforting to know my host family is here for me if I ever need them. I always have someone to say good morning and good night to.



Back to the lunch though, it was very nice. When they first got here I was thinking, why oh why did I say I was going to be here for lunch, because there was lots of activity going on and talking and laughing, which is great, I just didn't know how I fit into it all. Then my host mom Laura came into my room all happy and excited looking and told me to come with her and look at something. She led me into the boy's room on the opposite side of the house and pointed out the window to a beautiful rainbow. It was huge and totally complete. She pointed out that there were actually two even, one smaller and faint one echoing the large one. I was really happy to be included in this event, as the whole family was coming in and looking. I didn't feel like an outsider but like a shy member of the family.



At lunch I was able to understand most of what was said, and Michaela remarked that I seemed much better at Italian now than when she first met me months ago. That made me happy to hear. I was even able to have some polite conversation with she and her husband about travel in the US and such. Massimo said he had only been to New York when he was 21 but would like to see the Grand Canyon as he has see pictures of it and likes the look of the wide open spaces. They're just all such nice people, I wish I could speak better Italian or was more confident in it, but at the same time I've made so much progress just to get where I am that I can't complain. I'll just have to come back! Their daughter was still a little afraid of me like last time, but not nearly as bad. She's been running around the whole day without pants on, only underwear. She kept walking behind me when I was eating and staring at me. Her mom started laughing and said that she was admiring my long, pretty hair. How cute! It doesn't look that great right now, but at least someone likes it. Blonde hair is pretty rare here, and my hair has gotten pretty long, its fun to know it impressed a little girl.



Now it's almost three and I think I'm going to walk into town for a bit and try to do some Christmas shopping. I am pretty tired now but I think I need to leave the house sometime today. I would like to hang out more with the family, but I don't want to intrude too much on their family gathering, plus, I think they want to catch up and relax and even if I do understand what they're saying, literally, who and what they are talking about won't really effect me or make much sense. Laura is very particular about her ways though and would never let me help do anything in the kitchen. She told me today thanks but no thanks when I offered to help, and that in the kitchen it was better with one, otherwise there is too much confusion. (Sorry Mom, no learning to cook!) So if I wasn't helping to clean up now and I wasn't able to partake in the conversation I don't know what I'd really be doing…. So I should probably go to town!

posted by Madeline Faye @ 3:49 PM