CIAO SONO (I AM) JULIA!

So, after much anticipation Julia is finally in Italy where she will spend the next 6 months living with an Italian family, studying Italian, playing sports and making new friends!
Here is what Julia has to say about her experience so far:

"Ciao! Sono Julia. I’ve truly enjoyed working with Lucia on planning this trip to Italy, and I look forward to sharing my experiences! 

So far this gap year has been an amazing experience, it’s allowed me to focus on specific interests and meet new people.

I said ARRIVEDERCI to my family in the US January 18^th ....

...and have spent the last week adjusting to daily life (and European time!) before I begin school tomorrow. 

My arrival in Venice with Valentina (my host mom)

I arrived to an endless amount of gorgeous mountains and vineyards, beautiful, old homes, warm and engaging people, and a language in which I make many mistakes! 

Vineyards

The family I’m staying with is absolutely wonderful and includes me in all aspects of their life. Not only have I walked with them around their precious town of Conegliano... 

Calle Madonna della Neve

Castelbrando

Miriam (my host sister) and I at Castelbrando

...but we’ve already taken a snowy walk in the Cansiglio Forest (see previous Post) visited two medieval castles, and, of course, Venice!

The smaller, day-to-day things have also really captured my attention: I’ve learned about the Italian school and university system. 
I've been surprised at how often I hear American music, found out that they would never think to have eggs for breakfast, and played Italian card games using -donna- and -cappa- instead of -queen- and -king-.

I’m starting to get a sense of words and phrases that are used often like – sacco di something (literally meaning “sack of”) is their way of saying “a lot of” something. For example:"ci sono un sacco di vigneti a Conegliano" (there are a lot of vineyards in Conegliano).

Even a trip to the supermarket and to the open air market or -mercato-

Mercato a Conegliano

to wander around amidst a jumble of unfamiliar words is an activity in and of itsel! I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow when I start school and meet my new classmates!Ciao a tutti. A dopo!" Julia. 

I understand Julia completely. The feeling of wondering around unfamiliar words and a completely different  measures systems is not a good one!When I first arrived in the US it was very hard to get used to the Pounds, Ounces, Gallons, Inches, Feet, Miles...che confusione!! 
Luckily, by helping my daughter Sofia with homework I learned a lot but I still make mistakes at times!
In Italy we use the sistema metrico decimale. Fruit and vegetables are sold in Chili (Kg). At the fruit stand you would ask: "mi da (could you give me) un chilo di mele (apples)?". The Chilo is a little more than two pounds and it's divided into 10 Etti (one etto is about 3 ounces). So.. if you want to buy some Prosciutto instead of apples you use the Etti:"Mi da due etti di Prosciutto?". 
But I love Prosciutto, and when I am in Italy I usually eat a chilo of it.. and a "chilo di pane fresco" (fresh bread)!!