The Family

They have arrived. Finally the day came when my parents and younger brother arrived in Italy to spend Christmas with me here.

It's kind of funny to see them deal with the trash because it reminds me of myself when I first arrived, always asking someone else which recycling bag certain things go in. When I asked for the check (il conto) at a restaurant for lunch the first day, JP was confused by what I said. It reminds me of when I first arrived and knew no Italian, and now I can at least hold a very basic conversation and buy things.

The biggest difference between travelling with my school and traveling with my family is that we look more like tourists as a family. JP is walking around in shorts, goofy socks, climbing rope attached at his hip, and his GSR sweatshirt (I wonder if he's from Italy, hint....NO!). Then my mom keeps stopping at the vendors and actually talking to them, so now they know we are tourists. With my school they'd try and get us to buy things, but we ignored them and they went away, now every time we walk by it's like "Family discount, I save you a table. We have a real Italian chef!" It's very annoying.

My Dad and I kind of fit it, only because I have been here the longest and just know how to blend in. My Dad however, is 100% Italian, as his parents immigrated to the US from Sicily, so even if he doesn't look Italian in style, he's got the face and they don't pick him out in the crowd as easily.