Where do I live?

I am at my homestay now and I am really excited!! I have a hostess who is named Carmen who has a dog named Leo. He is really cute. There is another girl from the States who is going to be living here, whose name is Laura. My room is huge! I think it is bigger than my room at home, and has really pretty orange curtains on the windows.

When we arrived on Saturday, Carmen was babysitting her niece and nephew, Alfonso and Marisola. He is 15 and she is two and four months. Nobody really speaks English at all, and I am really lucky to have Laura to help since she can speak pretty well. I understand almost everything, but it was like I was mute and couldn't answer.

We came in and we were shown our rooms and asked to unpack everything from our bags. I even have a couple shelves for my shoes! I have a table and a couch in my room, and even a TV (way different from the last time I was in Italy when I had nothing at all). DD will be happy to know that there is even a Turner Classic Movies in Italian channel!!

The housing I am staying at is really nice. There is even a backyard! I was confused as to where in the city we are exactly and I keep getting lost every day, but it gets easier. The Archeological Museum is about a block away, which is hilarious because I really wanted to go there. I need to go out of the house and explore a bit to get my bearings.

I spent a bunch of time with Carmen and everyone, and after about seven hours I felt like I had smoke coming out of my ears from trying to understand. I keep thinking I’m going to make a huge faux pas of some kind and really embarrass myself, and to be honest after all the time spent trying to understand, in a house I don’t know, and a new language, and feeling awkward beyond belief…I pretty much was trying to stave off a panic attack before bed. The following days have been much better. Carmen is really nice and she laughs that I understand better than she thought I did and I have never taking an Italian class. She says that in a month me and Laura will be speaking fluently-ish.

I am constantly lost here. The day before yesterday, I had to go with a friend to his homestay and his host mom had to show me how to get home. I keep thinking, "Where do I live? I don't know how to get there and all the buildings are in the way!!" But I'm learning.

I am cold all the time, as there isn’t any central heating in Italy. They see it as not only a hassle to install, but also a waste of energy and money. They are probably right, but I sometimes feel like I am camping! I have to wear long sleeves to bed and bury myself under the covers. I think I’m just going to have to deal with the cold. This is yet another example of Italy being energy efficient without even trying, and how they have been forever and ever. I took a shower a couple days ago and it was one of the coldest experiences of my life. Today I'm going to buy a hot water bottle so I don't freeze to death.I'm getting used to it, piano piano (step by step).

I think this is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I am hungry ALL of the time, because people eat a lot less here, and my language skills are kind of bad, even though they get better every day. I am SO much bigger (tall and wide wise) than most of the women here, which is also hard since I’m seriously conspicuously blonde and so people stare.

But I guess that if it’s really hard, I will grow a lot. It will get easier I am sure! I really like Italy and I really like the people and the food and the buildings. We have class for four hours a day, all in Italian, and I have never had so much homework for one class! Seriously, like 10 exercises a night or more. And then, when I go home for dinner, I have another "class" with my hostess because I have to speak at home and learn there too. I always wanted to be immersed in another language, because I know this is how you learn it, but IT IS HARD. Do not underestimate how humbling learning a new language is.

I walk around in a constant state of half-faintingness from low blood sugar. I have decided to eat chocolate during class to avoid this, but I don't really eat breakfast or lunch. I walk everywhere (probably 6-7 miles a day) and so I think I'm going to lose a bunch of weight here. I feel like my stomach is constantly eating itself. Today I've eaten a tiny piece of crunchy bread with marmelade, and a bar of chocolate. Oh yeah and a shot of espresso. I feel dizzy.

Now I have to leave to go to the police station and apply for my permesso di sogiorno (permit to stay in the country). I'd love to have emails from everyone!! Cmonroe161@gmail.com.

Love you all!