La mia vita quotidiana

So I feel like I have only been describing the extraordinary days here, but I do still live a fairly normal lifestyle I mean I am here for school right?

My school thankfully hooked me up with a job, tutoring kids in English for 10 euro an hour! I got a little boy named Edoardo. He is five years old, in preschool, and only knows numbers and colors in English. He is absolutely precious! I pick him up from school on Mondays and Wednesdays and we walk to his house together. First things first, we have a snack which he picks and then we play for two hours, it is a little bit more like babysitting because the last thing that kid wants to do is a lesson with me after he has been in school all day. His parents just asked that I only speak in English with him so he becomes familiar with words and the accent and what not. The first day I picked him up from school when he saw me he ran over to me so fast, his little face lights up my world. Honestly I think this situation is better me, for one I get paid, he has already taught me a lot of Italian, and I get to be a part of a real Italian lifestyle in his family’s house. (Where FYI I have my own bathroom and slippers) I will post a picture of him soon =)

This week I also started my service project which requires 24 hours of community service for my Human Rights class. I volunteer at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center, it is only for males from Africa and Asia, and is sponsored by a church connected to the center. I was extremely intimidating walking into the center which is one large room and having 100+ males watching you walk all the way across the room. After a few minutes I got used over it and the guys got over me too haha but it is definitely a personal challenge for me. At the center I teach English, typing classes, hand out food, and just mingle when times are slow. The center only asked for female volunteer’s maybe to just expose these men to women since it is an all male facility. I am going back tomorrow with two of my guy friends who also need service hours so hopefully that will help me adjust a little better.

My last weekly project is a documentary I am working on for my film class. It is on Italian immigrants and the current Italian immigration policy. The logistics of the film are still being worked out but my group and I have been communicating with a Jesuit Refugee center to set up some interviews and I hope to interview a couple people at the center I volunteer with. This project as I have been warned by my professor is VERY ambitious but my group members Kelly and Ryan are just as motivated and interested in the project so I KNOW were gonna make it! (Me infront of the Pantheon for my Art in Rome class)

I thought being in Italy meant I would totally embrace the relaxed live style of an Italian but I have been busy every day since I have been here trying to balance my classes, tutoring, volunteering, site-seeing, trip-planning, and trying to keep up my relationships at home and here….its tiring. My body is suffering the most from this haha but regardless I enjoy being busy and I am getting a really great experience. I feel like when a lot of people study abroad they travel and drink the experience away, and though I am doing both haha I am also taking advantage of my location and situation. Well now I have to go rest up for my trip to Venice for Carnivale!