Mia Famigila and Other Roman Fun
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Last night I met some family members who live in Rome. Claudia and Daniela are sisters who came from the town of Pignola. They are members of the Albano family. (Their mother was an Albano!) This is the same town in which my great-great grandparents were born. We had a wonderful dinner together, and I learned a lot about my Italian family.
This morning I took a very nice walk through a neighborhood close to my hotel. There are not many visitors who walk through this area. Mostly it is quiet streets with apartments and a school. This neighborhood also has many colorful flowering trees that line the streets.
I also passed a children's bookstore this morning. I was surprised to find that half of the books were in Italian and the other half were all in English. Many children in Italy learn both languages. You will recognize some of the titles I found there.
I finished my morning walk going through a city park. Here you will see an the ruins of an aqueduct built by the ancient Romans. Aqueducts were built to carry water around the city to the fountains and the homes of rich citizens. Many of these aqueducts from thousands of years ago are still used to carry water today!
I hope my students in summer school are working hard and learning lots from Mr. Barker, Mrs. Durant, Mrs. Wey, and your other teachers! You will notice that they also have summer school in Italy!
Before I came to Italy I was actually very nervous. It can be a little scary walking into a new place--especially when you speak a different language and come from a different culture. But having a positive attitude, having good manners, and being respectful gets you a long way anywhere you go. The words "per favore," "grazie," "scusi," and "buona giornata" will win you friends in Italy. I am becoming very comfortable and happy in Rome. It is a great place to be!