Communications

So, let's face it, we are in the communications age. Calls between Europe and the US aren't the same old echoey, scratchy chats we used to have in the 80's (or even the 90's, for that matter). Everyone is linked to everyone, and even a text message can reach someone on the other side of the word in the length of time it takes to dial a phone.

As in everything else, blessings and curses come hand in hand. When you can contact someone whenever you want, you're able to satiate that feeling of missing them. But every time you feed the need to talk to someone, it becomes more and more of a necessity. Really, dependency on technology for effective communication and maintenance of relationships is an addiction. I literally have to PRY cell phones out of some of my cheerleaders' hands at football games, because they feel the need for such immediate reception (a sign of approval, perhaps?).

When we're in Italy, yes, it is possible to be text messaging your friends, calling your pals, complaining to your parents WHENEVER YOU WANT. However, please consider this: just like you're having to learn to live in a different home, with different people, on a different schedule in a different town, consider finding different ways to explore your friendships. Send them postcards - how rare is it for people to take the time to WRITE letters nowadays! Buy tourist junk that makes you think of them. It will mean SO much more to your friends when you return with a gift that's specially picked out for them, rather that just talking/texting with them every day while you're in Italy (and causing an enormous expense), which is what you do whenever you're at home.

SPI shared options for renting a cell phone, and I won't ever question a parent's decision to spend the money to keep a leash on their teenagers - Jeremy has his leash to me! Please consider that there are MANY ways of keeping in touch without the link (and expensive cost) of a cell phone.

Internet: Dante Alighieri has a computer lab at the school, and there are SEVERAL internet spots in town for very cheap use (did I mention that Siena encourages academic life - in such a small town, there are three universities there). Your child will have the opportunity to use the internet daily.

Telephone Calls: There are international calling centers throughout town, as well. The one I frequent has individual booths where you make calls for 10 cents a minute to the US. And, to be honest, I don't think I even speak to my HUSBAND for 200 minutes during our stay. Also, when you receive the information on where your child's homestay is located, you'll have the address AND their phone number included. In Italy, phone service is such that, if you receive a call, there's no charge to you. Charges only happen when you make outgoing calls. You can always schedule a weekly call at a specific time at the homestay, where you can be updated by your kiddo. $20 International Calling Cards at the local drug store will last you the entire trip - it did for my husband! I will also teach the kids how to buy and use international calling cards from Italy, which also are a great deal (not as good as calling from the US to Italy, though).

The Best Sign: Never hear from them - isn't that the sign that they're having the time of their life? Of course, I'll be posting blogs here at least every other day for all of you to hear about our events and experiences during the trip, so if you never hear from your kiddo, you'll at least know from me what we're doing daily.

Please take these ideas into consideration as you plan how you want to keep your child in touch with you. And, if you want a little more, I can share some horror cell phone stories with you: one year, a child's parents chose to buy her a tri-band cell phone for her to use to call them while in Italy. The child's roommate used it to call her boyfriend for 2 to 3 hour phone calls every night. When they returned home, the roommate's parents didn't reimburse the parents for the OVER $1500 bill which the roommate charged. UGLY. Another one, you say? I had a student whose parents called her every night to chat. Child was so homesick that she never acclimated to living in Italy, spent most of her time hiding away in her bedroom at the homestay, and spent the entire trip finding ways to get back home. Made my job SO fun.

I'll share with you some phrases which are standard indicators for homesickness/culture shock later this week. Parents, you, as the adults, are going to have to understand that, the more you insist that your child stay in voice-based communication, the less they're going to find their independence and appreciation for their life in Italy. Sometimes these trips are as valuable for parents as they are for the students, to teach us all about how much we can trust and appreciate our relationships, as we discover different ways of expressing love for our dearest ones.

pace,
Laura :)