Natale!

It's almost Christmas! :) I know it's been forever since I've written and that is colpa mia (my fault). There's some things I want to catch you all up on, starting with my birthday. So being here, I never expected anything special, I am so happy and grateful just to have a family to stay with and to be accepted at school, that when I woke up to my host father singing "Happy Birthday" in Italian and a breakfast of only chocolate pudding and Nutella, I was blown away. When I got to school, my friends all kissed both of my cheeks (the custom here) and wished me a happy birthday, then surprised me with a party! My teacher came as well, and we had a blast, talking and laughing and eating. There were so many typical Italian desserts and I had a food coma by the end of the day. After school, my host family had a lunch for me with my favorite pasta (penne pasta with cream, mushrooms and proschuitto) and some of their family came as well, and it was fun to celebrate with everyone. In the afternoon, my friends took me shopping to get some clothes from here,  I still hadn't been shopping if you can believe it, and it again occurred to me how blessed I was to be here. Then my host family and I went to see my host father play guitar at a bar near town, and I learned how to play the Italian version of BS and some typical card games, and for the first time, spoke into a microphone, thanking my host family and friends, in Italian for all they had done for me and how happy I was to be here! The Italian speaking made me so happy. Speaking of which, that's going much better as well. I can understand a lot, and speak a little bit, and it's always getting better. It surprises me when I think back and realize 3 months ago, I couldn't understand more than ciao, and now, for example, today, I spoke Italian all through the day almost, the bus ride home, at lunch and with my host family.
The homesickness is still there for sure, and Christmas isn't helping, but I'll be home in June, and really, I'll have plenty of time with them when I get home. I love my family and friends and miss you guys like crazy!
In unrelated news, I got my first college acceptance and scholarship to Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island! Woohoo! It was my first choice and I'm praying I can go (as long as Jesse comes too!).
I hope everyone is doing well and has a fantastic Christmas! :)

I know things get better

Hey guys! So I just realized it's been almost two weeks since I've posted anything, so I figured today was the day to get back on it :) These past couple weeks have been a lot of ups and downs for me. There was rarely ever an in between happiness or sadness, it was either one or the other. About three days ago, I was really down. I never showed anyone except my family in America and was discouraged about learning about Italian and struggling to fit into this culture that I had loved from afar at home. That night was a Saturday and I didn't make any plans to go out, since I personally wanted to wallow and watch A Walk to Remember. Well, after 2 hours of wallowing after lunch, Fiorella (my host mother) came in to my room and said, "I called your friends, they'll be here in 20 minutes." So I get up, put on some makeup and something cute and try to feel better. Before we left the house, I told Fiorella that I was sorry for being quiet and seeming sad and am working on it. She told me I could quit, go home and forget about Italy if I wanted to. Honestly, it was tempting for all of about 2 seconds, I knew quitting was not an option, so I swallowed my tears and thought happy things that related to Italy (still didn't want to think about America). I met my friends in the piazza in Martinsicuro and we went to the huge street fair that is held in Grottamare (a city near my school) every year in honor of Saint Martin. God knew I needed to be encouraged that night and He delivered :) I had the best night with my friends, laughing and eating nutella crepes and meeting tons of people from school. Then, on the train home, 2 people asked me about directions and stops on the train in Italian and I could understand and respond!! I was thrilled and couldn't wait to find Fiorella and Giorgio (my host brother) and tell them about what had happened. Slowly I'm picking up more Italian and feel much better about living here this year. I even got "The Notebook" in Italian to try working through. It's the little things that make a difference :) Hope everyone is doing fantastic! Till next time,
Kailey

All Saint's Day

Hey everyone! So November 1st is All Saint's Day, and in Italy it is a major religious holiday. This morning I got up with my host family and went to mass, then we went to the cemetery and it blew me away how many people came to honor and respect their dead loved ones. The cemeteries here are marble box-like structures that are built up, no one is buried in the ground. Every box has a name and the dates of birth and death and most of the time, a picture. Every single box had flowers, candles, something on it in remembrance of the person it housed. This was such a surprise for me, because in America, we rarely go back to the cemetery unless it's a funeral/burial or some other occasion, such as the deceased persons birthday or a holiday. I thought it was fantastic that here people treat All Saint's Day as a day of remembrance.
On a different note, I know it's been a while since I wrote last, sorry about that! In that time, I have gone to see three new places: Forli, San Marino and Ascoli-Piceno. My favorites were by far San Marino and Ascoli-Piceno. San Marino is actually not a part of Italy and is a separate state, like Vatican City. It's built up on 3 hills, with a tower on each one. The streets are lined with shops and coffee bars and it still has that medieval feel to it. Ascoli-Piceno is very similar in it's medieval feel, but it also is modern. The piazzas are wide and airy and the citizens are stylish. Ascoli is famous for it's olives and speciality olives. While I was there I tried a meat stuffed olive that was deep fried. I don't like olives but that tasted pretty good :) The pictures below are from Ascoli. Until next time!

Strikes!

Hi guys! This past week has been a full of new experiences for me! I think the most noteworthy one was probably going to a strike. In Italy, public school students are upset with the Prime Minister for cutting funding for public schools and giving that money to private schools, so they organize strikes. Last Friday, I went with my class to protest with them against the government. So many students in the area came out for this, and they just skip school to do it. It was so unlike America and I'm pretty sure I just stared the whole time at everything going on. It was cool to see that these students took an active view on politics in their country, because rarely at home do I see this, unless there are huge issues that hit close to home. The pictures below are from the strike and one of me and my class. As you can see in one of them, at one point all the students sat down in the middle of an intersection and blocked traffic, and it was such a feeling of this is weird and I wonder what American kids would do if we had strikes every couple of months.
Another thing I have been getting used to lately is riding a public city bus, which I know sounds like nothing, but coming from Tennessee, where I don't even think there are buses, to riding one almost everyday is a lot different. It's great though, because I have to use my Italian and speak to the students that have helped me or ask where something is, and it has helped me become more confident in my speaking. It is the greatest feeling when you say something in another language and people understand!
Other than strike, it has been pretty quiet. I did go to a big Sicilian family dinner and it was just like a movie! 4 courses and loud talking and laughter, plus some of the best pizza and pasta I have ever tasted.
This week has brought many new and exciting experiences in my life, and I'm so happy to be here, but I miss everyone at home and cannot wait to see you in June!
-Kailey
P.S sorry for the skipping around, I had too many thoughts I was trying to organize!

Uphill to the Church

Hey guys! Sorry it's been awhile, I have been a little busy! Today at school, all the classes walked 2 or 3 miles (uphill might I add) to this church nestled in the hills past San Benedetto (where my school is). The point of this is to have a mass once we get to the church and pray for the school year ahead. You did not have to go in if you didn't want to, but it was recommended. It was so cool to see this line of people that took over the whole street, and I loved that the school took a day off just to walk and pray for the year ahead. This week and the past week have been much better for me. I am still homesick and miss my family and friends, but it isn't this mad desire to pack up and go home, and I am encouraged. Learning Italian is a whole other story, though. It's a beautiful language, but actually speaking it is difficult. My host family has been incredibly helpful and patient, and even though I feel like I'm getting nowhere, I think there is progress. I can understand basic sentences and yesterday I even read a bio on Italian Wikipedia and understood the main theme of it! It's little things like that that are especially encouraging. At this point, I can recognize more words reading, than listening, and my understanding has gotten better. I am working on speaking everyday with my host family and friends.
       Last Sunday, I visited the village of Ripatransone, which is where my host mother's family lives. It was my first big Italian Sunday lunch and I thought it was just like a movie. Ripatransone is this medieval village perched on top of a hill and looks just like a postcard (I included a picture below :) They even had a little farm with chickens, a pig, rabbits, sheep, turtles and a dog. The past two Saturdays that I have been in Italy I have gone to the center of San Benedetto (where my school is) and walked around with friends, a lot like people go to Downtown Franklin on the weekends and get coffee and ice cream and go shopping.
Overall, these past two weeks have been great and I look forward to many more here in Italy! I hope everyone is doing well at home!
-Kailey

First Couple Days

Hi Everyone! Thanks for reading! So on Sunday I arrived in Italy. I met my host family at the airport in Rome, and they are some of the nicest people I have ever met. My Italian skills are pretty much nonexistent and this family has been very helpful in getting me to understand what's going on. Already I've noticed that there are many differences between here and America. One is that people in Italy, especially at school, are so welcoming to outsiders that it is hard to not feel included in daily life. Another is that meals are shared as a family a lot more than in America. Everyday I have eaten with my host family for lunch and dinner, which I'm sure part of it is because I just got here but I think that in Italy families spend a little more time together. I also have noticed that Italian kids speak many more languages than English kids do. I was so blown away by how the girls in my class can speak to me in English and then be nearly fluent in French and Spanish as well as Italian. Here, life is a little bit more relaxed. I have not felt rushed out of the door at all, which is a new feeling too. I hope you guys are all doing well, and I miss everyone back home! :)
Till next time!
-Kailey

Pictures :)

I think it's about time to put up some pictures of where I'll be living next year :)

Most of the Abruzzo region, where Martinsicuro is, is national parks and has scenic views and castles with medieval towns

4 Months and counting

Hi everyone! My name is Kailey Navin and for my senior year of high school I decided to pack up and move to Italy as a foreign exchange student for 10 months! In just 4 months and 17 days, my plane leaves for Rome. I'm so excited to share this experience with you and I hope you enjoy my posts. Italy to me means beauty. All the history of the Holy Roman Empire and how Italy has evolved over the years fascinates me. I adore the culture and welcoming nature of the people and cannot wait to live day to day life there. Three years ago, I went to Italy and Greece with the Latin Club at my school. It was an incredible experience (since I had never been overseas), but as charming as Greece was, my most fond memories were from Italy; specifically Rome. The grandeur and extravagance of the Vatican left me speechless. I had never seen such detail in one building, and to be surrounded by the art of Michealangelo and Bernini was a little mind blowing. It was amazing how there could be a Gucci store on one side of the street and the other side holds the Coliseum. One of my favorite parts of Rome had to be Piazza Navona (It was the one in the Angels and Demons movie with Tom Hanks). At Piazza Navona, our group got time to walk around and see all the street artists, who were so nice, and just explore the area. I saw a church with someone's head still preserved a box! Although those things were great, what I really loved was the carriage and carriage driver outside. I am a horse person, and judge people on how well they take care of their horses. So, outside the church, the driver stops, grabs a brush and begins to show a little Italian boy how to brush the horse's leg. It was so sweet to see the care that went into this horse. The horse was well taken care of, relaxed and stood completely still for the boy. This is why I love Italy. Thank you for reading and I will talk to you soon!