Pictures Of My Host Family

Here are some pictures of my host family. The first is of my host mom and baby brother, the second is of my host mom and dad on their wedding day, and the last is my new room!!

So I have one week left. Tomorrow I begin to pack..that will be an adventure.

Another email!

So I've been waiting for another email from my host family...and I got one!! This one, thankfully, was in English.  Their English is not too bad, actually, which I guess is good.  I hope that it isn't flawless, though, because if it is just mediocre I will be able to use it as a crutch until I get a little more comfortable in Italian, and then drop that crutch once I have more experience.

The email was pretty generic..how are you, sorry we haven't written, etc.  They have just moved into a new house, and have been busy.  They said that they want to know more about me, and that they will send me pictures tomorrow (even though this email was sent on Tuesday)...in my research of Italian culture I have read several times that they often make specific times but don't actually follow them.  For example one might be at school and make plans with a friend, but chances are they won't really happen, it's just something to talk about.  So that will be a bit frustrating at first I am sure but I can get used to it.

I am getting very very excited.  We finally got my visa taken care of this morning.  My mom worked very hard yesterday to get all of the papers together and so now it's off to Philadelphia.  I really really hope I get it in time..but at this point I've done everything I could do and there is nothing left in my control.

Wow, it is less than two weeks away.  I can't even believe how fast this summer has gone.  It's been great, probably the best summer of my life.  And this coming year will probably be the best year of my life..well, one of them at least.  All of the excitement is hitting me, it is all going to be great.  

More later..(but who knows, maybe I'm just saying that, and won't actually stick to the plans..hmm.)

"Ciao Ellie!"

My host family wrote me an email a while back, but I have had no time to blog lately.

They wrote:

Ciao Ellie,

sono Federico.  Grazie per la tua mail, tutto ok.

Parliamo poco inglese, ma riusciremoa capirci senza problemi.

Scusami se ti rispondo solo ora, ma io e mia moglie stiamo traslocando in una casa piu'grande e abbiamo molte pratiche da sbrigare.

Ti prometto che nel weekend che ti scrivo una bella mail su di noi, cosi cominciamo a conoscerci meglio.

Saluti

Federico, Alessandra e Filippo

My rough translation skills tell me that this means:

Hi Ellie,

I am Federico.  Thank you for your email, it is all ok.

We speak little English, but (and this is on par that I am not completely sure about) we will have no problem communicating.

Excuse me that I am responding alone, but my wife and I are moving into a larger house and we have many things to do.

I promise you that next weekend that I will write you a nicer email, (not sure about this part either) so that we will begin to know each other better.

Goodbye,

Federico, Alessandra and Filippo

So that was a nice little email.  I wonder what they're new house is like.  I am considering calling them but I am not sure that I would be able to communicate.  I am very nervous about that..the new language and my ability to talk to them.

I might call them on Saturday though, because they sent that email a while ago, and although they promised, I have yet to get another email.

A few days ago we got my declaration of hospitality and last night we got my school papers, and the AFS guy called today about visas and told me to call them and tell them the situation and tell them that I have copies of the documents.  He said that they will eventually need the originals but sometimes they will start with the copies and move the process along, but sometimes they won't it depends on your consulate.  I hope ours will...I am getting very very nervous about my visa, I leave in 3 weeks!!