GREAT QUESTIONS!!!

Ciao, Tutti!
I just had to share this e-mail which Lauren had sent - it's so good, and I'm sure several of you were wondering the same things . . .
"I was reading over the blogs you have posted today and I had a few questions that I would love to have cleared up before I go to Italy and make a fool of myself. The first one is about what to pack. Is there going to be a way for me to do laundry, or do I need to pack a whole bunch of clothes and a massive amount of deodorant? Kind of silly, but I really don't know. Also about the Homestay entry, you said that if I do not eat my whole meal my mom will think I am ill, I don't eat a whole bunch of food at meals, so is it going to be an issue if I do not complete my meal every night, or should I just stuff myself? Also, I believe on my application I remembered to write that I have a certain dietary limitation. Is my mother going to take offense if I do not eat the food if it has to do with this restriction? At home if my mom cooks a meal with this I just eat the rest of the meal prepared and have a little more vegetables than I normaly would. "

With packing, definitely plan to do laundry. In fact, most homestays will do a load of laundry for you each week (plus, of course, washing the sheets and towels in your room). If you discover that your homestay doesn't do laundry, that's okay too - mine doesn't. Instead, I just take one afternoon a week to take my few outfits (I usually pack four tops and four skirts, and that's it) to one of the laundromats in town and do my own laundry. Gives me time to enjoy a little reading or watch the news, anyways! If you're not in the mood to do your own laundry, there are also laundromats who will do your laundry for you, for a higher charge.

Eating in the homestay is an issue which I'm careful about, mostly because I find that different people view eating differently. The homestay hosts are REALLY good about watching the eating habits of their new tenants, and quickly alter their serving amounts for the tenant. By all means, don't STUFF yourself to misery at dinner - that isn't the point of enjoying Italian food at all. Just keep in mind that it's all about communication. When I don't finish something on my plate, my homestay Mom's first reaction is "what, did you not like it (no ti piace)?" I just have to be prepared to explain that it was too much food for me, but that it was delicious (as always).

In the past, I have had students who have performed self-destructive types of behavior in their eating habits (which, I often suspect, were habits before the trip), including not eating at all or often rejecting meals. The rudest student I've ever had actually rejected the homestay's meals, then went out and bought dinner for themselves, and returned home with leftovers. This made the student seem insolent, and the homestay parents were greatly insulted. Had she simply informed them that she was a picky eater and preferred to determine her menu, the homestay would have probably been more proactive in chatting with the student before they began dinner preparation. In another instance, I've had a wonderful student who had a chronic problem with her stomach (but didn't think to inform me or the program about it). Her homestay contacted me, concerned that she closed herself in her room, and hardly ate any dinner. Turns out that, if she had simply informed us and them about her dietary needs, they could have suited her quickly. As always, it's all about communication.

It's so smart of you to mention your dietary limitations in advance, because your homestay hosts do view themselves as professionals, and that you are their guest. Thank you for being proactive - you'll find that, even on nights when they prepare a dinner in which you can't eat one of the ingredients, because of your requests on your document, they will make you an alternate dinner.
Of course, if you should ever make plans to go out for dinner with your peers (and you do have this option), you simply inform your homestay at breakfast that you will be eating out that evening. There are some AMAZING restaurants in Siena, and it's always fun to get away for an evening with friends. The only downfall is the fact that dinner at the homestay is paid for in advance, and you'd have to pay for your dinner if you're dining out!

Wow - thank you for the great e-mail, Lauren!!! Keep sending them!!!

un' abbracio,
Laura :)