Funny Story

Gianluca met Kali, Jeevan and Jordan
Gianluca gave Dhania some cheese and then she fell in love with him.
Picnic at Greenlake

Funny story. So today Mason and I got up early to finish preparations for Gianluca's arrival. I asked Mason to clean out the car and I gave him a spray can of carpet spot cleaner. An hour later we got in a very clean car only to discover that Mason had used the entire can of cleaner and the car was TOXIC. By the time Mason and I got to the orientation we were both sick from the fumes. Thank goodness Gianluca's "zia", Valerie, showed up to introduce herself and rescued us by driving Mason and Gianluca home so they would not have to be exposed to the fumes. She stayed and had a lovely visit with us and I prepared our picnic for Greenlake and then she piled all the kids in her car once again and we drove to 7-11 for Slurpee's. On a hot day a Slurpee is the best! She then drove them the rest of the way to Greenlake so that they could be free from exposure. By the time we headed home the smell was a little bit better but it was still pretty overpowering. We had a nice little picnic at the beach, thoroughly overwhelmed Gianluca with mostly MY talking, and it quickly became apparent that he was exhausted, so we headed home. He has showered and fallen asleep. He was a very good sport with our loud, obnoxious family (okay, I'm mostly the loud one). I think once he gets to know us he will be able to better appreciate our way of being. We can be awfully silly! At the park he was able to meet my sister Karyn, my niece Kali, Kali's boyfriend Jeevan (who will go to school with Gianluca) and one of her best friends, Jordan.

It was very hot in Seattle today and I'm not a fan of this heat. I'm hoping tomorrow is a little cooler. Tomorrow we will go to Pike Place Market to pick up some gifts for Noah's host family and then we will head out to Bothell to see the grandparents. Noah will say his farewell to his grandfather Fred and his grandmother Nancy. I'm sure it will be a bit sad.

Welcome to Seattle Gianluca. Roberta and Mauro you have a lovely son. Thank you for sharing him with us.

Finished the Room!

Okay, I finally pretty much finished Mason and Gianluca's room.

Mason says it looks like a girls college dorm room. What do you think?

I have way too much on my plate and I'm feeling the stress of it for sure. I have to finish cleaning the house, finish all my classes for this quarter, go to a birthday party tonight for my sister and my brother-in-law who are both turning 40 and then tomorrow we finally meet Gianluca and bring him home.

I have to admit I'm nervous. You want so much for your student to feel at home, not like a house guest, but like this is their home. You have no idea if there will be a good connection until you actually meet. I know I'm a good person, but how do I know Gianluca will like me and my family? I have no idea why I am feeling so insecure about it, but hopefully tomorrow all of my fears will be lifted and we'll adjust well. I have heard from Gianluca's AFS "Auntie" Valerie who says he is such a sweet boy. She adores him. So there you! I adore her, and if she likes him then I know I'll like him.

I'm really enjoying reading all the AFS hosting blogs. Keep up the good work people and I hope your initial adjustment period goes well.

Gianluca Has Started His Journey!

It's Wednesday night here in Seattle and I'm sitting at my school just having finished writing a paper on HIV/AIDS. As I was writing my paper I was aware that back in Italy Gianluca and his family have said their goodbyes in Rome, and he has begun the first stage of his journey. I'm sure he's sleeping now, as well as his parents. In his mother's mind she is probably worried about what this year holds for him. She is certainly sad that he has fledged from the nest, not to a university or his own apartment, but across the Atlantic Ocean and clear to the other side of the United States! This must be distressing for her and I feel her distress quite acutely as I realize that my own son will depart next Tuesday for his year in Norway. I wish I could give Gianluca's mother a warm hug right now and assure her that I will do my best to care for her son while he is with me. So I'm sending you a cyberhug Roberta, with the wish that both of us can be strong for our sons as they venture out into the world, to grow and shine. It's a brave thing for a mother to do, but it's also an act of grace. Our children are our hearts. Letting them go is NOT an easy thing to do. This takes me to one of my favorite poems:

On Children
Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Safe travels Gianluca. We are looking forward to meeting you on Saturday.

Warm regards and much love to Roberta and Mauro. I will do my best.

Promise.

What does it mean to be a host parent?

This photo is of my daughter Ilaria, son Noah and my Norwegian daughter Siril (CC).

I have been contemplating what it is that exchange students look for in a host parent. This is a big question really, and obviously the answer comes from the unique qualities and expectations of the student, but it can be a heavy question. Most students want to experience a new culture, new family and traditions and they don't want to travel across the globe to only find that their home is identical to their life back in their own country. The chances of things being identical are of course quite slim but it does remind us host parents to just be ourselves and not try to be like their parents back home. We are guardians and loved ones, but we are not their parent. I've never tried to be the "parent" and most of my students call me Nina, not mom, but a few have called me mom and although I don't require it, I don't mind it.

For me it's important to just be there for them, to show up and participate in their lives, to make sure they know that I will listen with unconditional love. What I want for my own children I share with my exchange students. I want them to do what they love, explore the things that they are passionate about, be safe and content, and to strive to be good global citizens. Hopefully this is what Gianluca will learn from me, that I am not trying to be his mother away from home, but that I am an advocate for his happiness and what he can bring to the world. I like to think of myself as someone who champions the youth of the world. They have so much potential to do good and what they need more than anything is to know that we believe in them.

Ilaria Leaves for Scotland

Today my daughter Ilaria left for Scotland. She'll be gone until next July. I'm going to miss her so much but I'm so proud of her and I'm excited to hear about her journey.

A Farewell Party

Today we had our farewell party for Ilaria, Noah and Kali. Tomorrow Ilaria leaves to Scotland. Next up, Gianluca will arrive on August 14th and then Noah leaves August 17th. What an adventure.

My daughter, Ilaria, leaves Monday to volunteer in Scotland for the year. I'm going to miss this beauty of a girl. Thanks for being such a constant source of joy my dear daughter. I love you.