Where do I begin. This first week has been incredibile. I have seen so much and done so much already during just the first part of my stay in Italy. It feels like I have been here for much longer than 6 days, but in a good way. People in Carpi, my host family, and the students are wonderful but especially my host family. They have been so great to help get me settled, take me out and about in the city, and they have made me feel like apart of the family! I already cannot thank them enough.
The city of Carpi is so beautiful and pictures could never do it justice. I started my stay by going to the Bulgarelli and Lodi household with my host mother, Lia. The first song I heard, on the way home was Animal Planet (you and me baby ainàt nothn’ but… you get the picture). So, I quickly learned that American music, American movies, companies, etc are very popular in Italy. That was not something that I was really expecting to see while in Italy or at least not to the extent that I have seen. When we arrived to the apartment I was given a tour by Lorenzo (my 12 year old host brother). They are so nice and Lorenzo is just like my brother Donald so it is easy to get along well with him! We then went right into the 3rd largest Piazza in all of Italy! This is one of the most beautiful places in Carpi. There is the Duomo, the Castle of Alberto Pio - a prince of Carpi’s past. It was a beautiful day to be outside.
The next day, May 15th, Lorenzo, Lia, and I went to bowl in Modena, the next town over. We had a wondeful time bowling and I had to explain to them that even though they were always beating me that my scores were much higher here than at home. Then Lorenzo and I played aracade games and air hockey. Then we came back to Carpi – we played Uno, which of course I had to lose at as well but it was fun never-the-less. We spent the rest of the afternoon talking, reading, and watching TV. Andrea and Valentina were in France for Valentina’s skating competition (which her team received 1st place – Yay Valentian!) so I was not able to meet them until Monday but when I did meet them they, Andrea and Valentina, proved to be just as nice as Lia and Lorenzo!
Lia and Valentina speak English well. Andrea and Lorenzo do not know much English but it is interesting and fun communicating with all of them and other Italians! Sometimes I understand them sometimes I don’t and sometimes they do understand me and sometimes they don’t but we always find a way to comunicate. For instance, we are all eager to learn each other’s languages so we use dictionaries at home and I do also when I am at school teaching. In two intances people have wanted to speak to me and I to them but they did not know English and I do not know Italian so we communicated in Spanish because we both knew the language. – this happened with a professor at the my school, Foccerini, and one of Valentian’s friends last night. I was very excited to be able to communicate in this way!
The first few days of this week we spent getting oriented in Carpi with guided tours, a presentation from a woman on the council for education in Carpi, and visiting schools other than our own after our school day was finsihed. We have visited my school –Foccerini, a middle school, a high school – Liceo Fanti, another middle school – Alberto Pio, and pre-school for ages 3-6 – Ballena Blu. We took tours and learned about the different programs available at those schools. I am excited to continue to learn about the teachers, students, and the school systems in Carpi!
Being in Italy has been a wonderful experience so far and I only anticipate it getting better!
P. S. - I love you family and friends!!!
Ciao!
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