I have now been in Mesagne over two weeks and I can't even get close to explaining all that has happened! I am settling in with my family and getting to know them individually as well as a whole. I am happy to be with them. My host mother resembles my own mother in many ways, with her comfort, care and worries haha. I am also realizing the things that are different with these parents, things I have taken for granted at home, so that I need to prove my street smarts and that I am trustworthy to achieve some more freedom. But it will come along with my better knowledge of Italian, for good reason.
School life hasn't been as regular as it will be soon, my school is still getting it's schedule organized, therefore I sometimes have class and sometimes don't! When we don't my class stays together and chats, this is when I have made some friends and have talked (or tried) with my classmates. This is when I mostly wish I knew more Italian, because it is really challenging to make friends when I can't talk to them. But I have succeeded in making some, but they tend to be the one's who can speak some English=) I will get there eventually!
Anyhow, I have been studying Italian like crazy! Whenever I have time apart from homework I am either with my family or studying, which has definitely helped because I am learning it little by little. I didn't realize how difficult of a language it was, but with so many irregular verbs I get frustrated often with it.

Ciao for now,
Love Kali

My first days In Mesagne

Hello everyone! I have been here with my new family for about four days now and I am very happy with them. I have my two parents and I now have two younger brothers and a sister. They are all very lovely and hospitable! I feel like I have known them forever already and it hasn't even been a week! Imagine after 10 months! But of course it will take some getting used to, because this family is of course unique and not exactly like my own. Firstly there is the language barrier, so I don't quite feel like I know each member of the family as well as I could.
I am trying very hard to learn Italian, maybe so I could at least understand it, which would help in the home and school. Already I have learned more then when I first got here. My mama and sister are very helpful with helping me learn it. Last night we bought post-it's and went around labeling things in the house and in the bedroom, creating much laughter towards my pronunciation of some words haha.


A few days ago I was told by Noah that Grandpa Fred had passed on Thursday night and even though I had known that it was coming soon it was still shocking. To lose both grandfathers in a year is a hard thing to go through for the boys. I am sorry for them.
Fred was indeed like a grandfather to me as well, sharing with me his advice for this year and having good conversations. I am very sad because of this news.
My heart goes out to the Lanphear family, I love you all.

I will write soon I hope.
Ciao
Kali

2 Weeks!!!!!

Hey! Did you know it's only two weeks until I leave! I cant stay on one emotion for more then a few hours! I'm switching from sad, to stressed, to excited, to worried, to even MORE excited! I just said goodbye to my really good friend Claire today...that was really sad. She's leaving to live in Paris for the year. But then I just talked to my cousin Noah who just got to Norway and that made me feel a lot better, because he has been there for less then a week but is already starting to feel alright.
I feel like I've gotten most of the things I need, but there are some small things still. I am allowed to have one checked bag 50lbs, 1 carry on and a purse. Its confusing thought because once I get to Italy my check bag can only be 44lbs, but then I can have two carry ons.
The last few days I've packed up one of my rooms, but I still have one to go.

Ciao!
Kali

Less Than 4 Weeks!

It's been awhile since my last post and since then I have learned a lot about my host family and city. I'm living in Mesagne, Puglia but am going to an art school (yeah!) in the city 6 miles away called Brindisi. I am so so happy that I am going to be going to an art school again, because I've been missing my old one ever since I left.
I have been talking to my host sister on facebook and I like her very much, she is fifteen. She does not go to my school but I will still be with her at home so I am happy about that. I will go to school 6 days a week (ugh) from probably 830 to 130, then church on Sunday. I have never been a part of a family that goes to church, so I am eager to experience a family with new beliefs:)
My Italian is coming along well, I feel like I am starting to get the hang of it, but I am nowhere close to being fluent. But I do have confidence that I could carry on a slow conversation in Italian haha. I found out that you can get up to 16 college credits if I learn Italian this year fluently, so that's top on my list!
I'm getting things ready to leave here, buying all the little things I will need, getting rid of stuff, and packing up my room.
I'm getting soooo excited! I'm sure all of my fellow AFSers know what I'm talking about. My list of "to-do's" is constantly running through my head, so that I always feel that there is something I should be doing. But I'm getting close to it being complete.
Cioa!
Kali

Its funny...

So right after I posted the other blog today, I checked my email and got my host family information! Even more exciting! Turns out I'm not directly in Brindisi but very close, about 10 miles. The place I will live is names Mesagne and I am still very happy about it! It is smaller, with about 27,000 people.
I have a mother, father, a 6-year-old brother, an 11-year-old brother, and a 15-year-old sister! Yea!

Brindisi; My New Home!!

A few days ago I got my placement in Brindisi, Puglia! I was so happy when I found out! The only thing I know about my host family is that I have three siblings...I will have siblings living with me for the first time in my life. Exciting! I am happy but anxious about it, because this family has so much power over how my exchange will turn out (even though I know it'll be amazing either way).
The city is very old and beautiful, dating back to at least 14 b.c., when it was conquered by Alexander the Great. There is a lot of exciting history behind this city that I am eager to learn more about. I've been thinking about how it will feel to live in a place with so much history, Seattle only being a few hundred years old, this old city has thousands of more years to have stories from. And I want to know these stories!
I guess it is known for it's fresh goat cheese (my favorite!) and octopus (I guess I'll have to try it finally!). Brindisi attracts a lot of tourists in the summer months, because it is a nice town and has good access to a lot of other cute little towns. It also has the safest natiral port in all the Mediterranean, making it appealing throughtout history and still now. Brindisi itself is a smaller city, with about 90,000 people, it is known as a sleepy and relaxed place. Sounds fantastic right?? It will be a nice shift from the 4 million of the greater Seattle area.
As you can probably tell, I am very happy with my placement so far. I can't wait to tell you all more things about it once I've actually lived there! I will fill you in on my host family when I know more about them.
Arrivederci for now!
Kali

My New Language!

Hey everyone! There is approximately 16 weeks until I leave and wow, that is really soon.
I've been learning Italian from Rosetta Stone, which is working really well! I recommend it! I've been doing it for about three weeks and have already learned so much. Some basic vocabulary, such as gatto (cat), cappotto (hat), figlia (daughter), and un maglietta (t-shirt). Some verbs, corre (to run), porto (to wear), and nuato (to swim). The un/una's, dei's, la's, e's, il's, and gli's are what are getting to me. They're just so confusing.
Overall I am satisfied with this expensive language program and am always excited to learn more! I love learning languages, it just makes me feel so good!

I don't yet know my host family and city. But I want to know SOOOO bad!!! I want to learn about the city, talk to my new family, know if I'll have any siblings, know my school, and just have an official home! I am just so ridiculously anxious and think about getting the call every day!
Well arrivederci for now!