Visiting Buonconvento (Siena)

This weekend we decided to take the scenic and longer route to Siena from Chiusi. Actually it is all scenic but this is via the old Cassia instead of the Highway. Along the way we stopped at a wonderful little town called Buonconvento and took a glimpse at the handcrafts on sale as well as the antique open air market. This past weekend was the "Cose del Passato" or Things of the Past market with everything from wooden products, wrought iron, linens, embroideries. There are many little trattorias along the main road in the center of the town and you cannot wrong as they all offer the usual favorites, pastas, meats, antipasti, bruschetta, etc.

If you are going to Siena, stop in Buonconvento along the way.

Television in Italy- The Ugly

One of my greatest disappointments after moving to Italy was television in Italy. I was never an avid television watcher and now I can pretty much say I don't watch any television at all in Italy.  Normal television in Italy is a disgrace. The few channels that are available do not offer anything of quality for anyone and you have to pay a state yearly tax for it. Unbelievable since the government should be paying the viewers for putting up with such trash. There are very few quality programs. Commercials or advertisements are even worse and an embarassment.

Pay tv or SKY is a little better but not much. There are some English speaking channels and some cartoon channels if you have children but I still prefer no tv.

The only thing I miss are the news channels but those too are not in anyway objective so I wonder what news I am actually getting. My best bet is going to the newstand which still sells English language papers and the usual Italian papers.

I don't miss watching television. Reading is so much better!

Enjoying Casa Fabbrini

We were greeted Friday evening by Giorgio and Paola, the owners of Casa Fabbrini who welcomed us into their home as if we had known them for years. It was literally like being "at home" only this home was an amazing Tuscan villa that opens its doors to guests year round and lavishes them with every detailed comfort.

Giorgio and Paola are not only the best cooks, make their own jams, cookies, olive oil, everything but they are also two very respected physicians in Rome. They invited us to an incredible dinner with homemade pasta (made by Giorgio), amazing radicchio, rabbit with the secret sauce, and a semi freddo of persimmon. To top it off biscotti made by Paola herself , chocolates, and after dinner drinks. Oh I forgot about the suppli' direct from Rome and the most amazing mozzarella! Non ho parole...

We sat at a large table in a beautiful dining area with all the guests who stayed in the Villa the entire weekend. It was nice, refreshing talking and chatting with people I had never met before that evening. We had one thing in common, an appreciation for good food and very nice company.

If you ever plan to visit the Valdichiana area, check out http://www.casafabbrini.com/
You will be glad you did.

Living Italy: Slow Food: La Pera Cocomerina

Living Italy: Slow Food: La Pera Cocomerina: "Every once in awhile it happens. You run into something amazing that only a few people know about and want to share it with everyone. O..."

Slow Food: La Pera Cocomerina

Every once in awhile it happens. You run into something amazing that only a few people know about and want to share it with everyone. On our way home from the beach this weekend, we stopped in the tiniest town called Le Ville di Montecoronaro di Verghereto in the province of Forli-Cesena. My husband insisted that we go off the beaten path so I can get my hands on the most amazing jam called Pera Cocomerina. No it is not a joke as I thought it was. Why is this jam so special? It is made with the fruit Pera Cocomerina which grows only in this area. The name is because the pear has a watermelon (cocomero) red color in its center. The fruit is small and weighs from 20 to 60 grams. The fruit is sweet and its trees are very few, about 45 left all in this area of Italy. They are protected trees in that a committee (presidio) has been created to make sure they do not become extinct or destroyed in any way. If you are in the area of Forli-Cesena, make sure to stop by Le Ville. You can only purchase a maximum of two jars of jam!

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of Living In A Small Town In Tuscany

I get so accustomed of living in the small town of Chiusi that things that occur have almost become common place. I forget that those who don't live in a small town may have no idea of how it is like. As with anything else, there are the pro's and con's but you have to decide for yourself. ...

1.  Be prepared that if you wear the same clothing more than two days in a row people will comment on it. Actually people will comment on anything anyways so who cares.

2. You cannot put on a pair of sunglasses and a hat and have an anonymous day because sure enough you will be stopped and asked if everything is ok.

3. You cannot cry because you feel like crying for whatever reason in your car or anywhere because you will be stopped and asked about it or someone will spread the rumor of something evil having happened to you.

4. Image and appearance is everything so be prepared. Here it is what you wear that makes you what you are.

5. Don't ever ever go barefoot. Huge no no.

6. Don't wear flip flops unless it is scorching hot weather in the Summer.

7. Always wear some kind of a jacket, coat, over coat, trench coat, wind breaker. Going without outerwear is another no no.

8. Shoes should always be super clean and polished.

9. Hair should always be nice and tidy and if possible a weekly stop at the hair salon for women is a plus.

10. Make sure your car is clean. This is an ordeal and impossible for the vast majority that live in the countryside.

11. When in doubt, buy designer even if you cannot afford it. This still makes me laugh.

12. Don't ask for a cappuccino anytime after 11 am. A huge no no.

13. Do buy lots of bread, focaccia daily.

14. Beware of when the circus is in town as it brings diseases.

15. The cold outside or rain causes colds and viruses not the fact that someone sneezed on you.

16. Social media is talking a lot outside.

17. An iPhone is the American way of saying telephone.

18. Facebook is a book with many pictures of faces.

19. Life is eating well..........

Birds in Tuscany!

VALDORCIA & VALDICHIANA TUSCANY JANUARY 2011

Elementary School in Italy- the transition

Not only am I saddened that I don't get to write that much anymore, but every once in awhile I have an aahh moment where I think I should write about this.

This morning was one of those. My child will be entering first grade in the Fall. This is a huge transition for any parent especially one living abroad. I have to learn what it is all about and show no signs of anxiety in doing so.

Anyhow in our small town the Elementary School decided to invite all the future first graders to visit the new school. Each child was paired with an older child who will be leaving the school. They showed the children around, had a snack, games and even a small gift for the new students. The first grade teachers were present, parents and kindergarten teachers too. It made me feel much more at ease with the whole transition and I thought how great that in a small town it can be pulled off so easily. It was only organized the day prior! Will keep you informed.

Snowstorm in Chiusi, March 2010

Selling Used Baby Equipment in Italy

Do garage sales exist in Italy? No. Can you put up flyers around your town in Italy wanting to sell your barely used baby equipment? No. Can you put them on the internet and hope to get some response? Not really. So how does one sell the plethora of baby items one has?
This is my dilemma. I have two garages full of baby equipment, toys, items that I need to get rid of. I want to try to sell them first even at a very discounted price before giving them to charity. I have baby playpens, high chairs, toys, bottle warmers, baby weighing scale, etc etc. Most of which is almost new, some never even used. Any ideas out there?? Thanks.

La Focaccia Da Eva

It has been a long time I know since I have written so here goes:

One of the nice things I love about living in a small town is the simplicity of part of our morning routine. Although at times it can get to me especially when we are running late, I love stopping at the bakery across the street from the preschool for my son's little piece of foccaccia that we stick in his backpack for his daily school snack. All the parents stop there and it is usually the place for the first Buon giorno's before dropping your child off at school.

Eva is the girl behind the counter that knows everyone by name and every child's preference for foccaccia. The little piece of foccaccia at 30 cents everyday that she puts in a little white bag is one of those small things that I would miss if I moved to a big city. It just would not be the same.

L'Aquila Earthquake

I know it has been such a long time I have last blogged. There is a lot going on. My thoughts right now are for all those who are suffering, lost family, friends, homes,possessions, hope in the Abruzzo earthquake. I am from Abruzzo. My family is from Abruzzo. You don't have to be from there to know these are resilient people. We feel for them and hope and pray they get the help they need, peace and comfort in every aspect.

Hospital Care in Italy

It has been awhile since I have blogged and for good reason. Now I am home full time with my youngest son and it is not easy to have any time to do much else. I did promise myself that I would write a blog about the healthcare system here in Italy.

For as much as I complain about the way things work here in Italy, I have to say that some things DO work. We unfortunately had to do a three day stint at a hospital in Italy and aside from having to wait 5 hours for a room (actually a bed) since everyone has to share rooms, I could not believe that we did not pay a single cent.

I mean how refreshing to walk into a hospital and NOT be asked first and foremost "What insurance do you have?" or "What is your deductible?" before even being asked your name! The questions instead were based on the patient, his symptoms, etc. THIS is how it should be. Sometimes I think cannot the United States just copy what they do in Italy as far as healthcare.

A few weeks ago I had to buy an antibiotic which cost $3.00, a minimal amount because some drugs are considered a necessity and the large discount is given to these drugs. The same exact antibiotic I bought in the USA last summer and it cost me $39.00. This is outrageous. The drug was American made!!

I am pro America, proud to be American, miss my country...the whole deal but something has to be done about these problems. I know the Obama Administration is working on it right now. I just hope it will change for the better and fast!

Italians Shop At Outlets

I thought I would share some information with you I thought to be quite interesting. Gone are the days where Italians will shop only at the neighborhood boutique. While the small stores in town are really hurting with few sales and high rents to pay, the outlets are seeing a huge surge in traffic. Does this traffic mean sales? I am not sure.

I had the pleasure of visiting the nearest Outlet called Valdichiana Outlet Village this past Saturday. The parking lot was jammed full and stores were similarly full of people. I did not see everyone with shopping bags but I did see many many people taking their wallets out and purchasing. This is the wave of the future for Italy. I would not even say it is the future since it has been in the past ten years at least that these outlets are springing up everywhere. You cannot beat them though. This Village has over 200 designer lables for fashion and accessories. There are discounts up to 70 percent throughtout the whole year and it is open 7 days a week. It has a large playground for children and restaurants and bars to keep you happy.

Some stores include Benetton, Brums, Calvin Klein, Conte of Florence, Datch, Fila, Fornarina, Just Kavalli, John Ashfield, Lotto, Levis, Richard Ginori, Sisley, Stefanel, VFG Factory Store.
If you do visit this outlet, I recommend you go to the Lindt chocolate store and order the Varesino at the bar. It is a hot chocolate drink in a glass espresso cup covered with whipped cream, topped with chocolate cocoa and served with a chocolate spoon.

Enjoy!

An Economic Crisis-Surviving it in Italy

The economic crisis is alive and well in Italy just as so everywhere else in the world. Although it is easy to say that Italy's economic woes are the result of the world's financial mess, this country has had high unemployment, inflation out of control, low impossible salaries for years and years. In fact when I arrived here ten years ago and saw what the going salaries were (much less then those in the USA for comparable jobs), my first reaction was to get back on the airplane and return to the USA. I remember continuously saying "how do people live on these salaries?" I suspect that the problems go way way back prior to my arrival in Italy.

So how do people survive now with this enonomic crisis in Italy? Just from my research of how people live, I imagine that those that will survive with fewer problems are those that know how to get by. These being people who already were savers and not spenders, regardless of the economic crisis. Most of these people are the elderly people. Why? Because they have been through wars, depression, recessions and most of all because of their personalities. It is ingrained in them of what it means to save. They don't even think about it. They have no problems walking by stores and NOT buying that article. They use their cash wisely. They don't have debt. They never use credit cards. Many of them do not even own credit cards. Their homes are paid off. They have one small utility car. They walk when they can to save money on gas. They put on an extra sweater instead of turning on the heat. All of these qualities are mostly seen in the elderly here in Italy.

The younger generation will have the most problems. These are people in Italy that HAVE to have all designer clothing, HAVE to go on vacation every year, HAVE to have the latest model of the expensive automobiles, HAVE to have expensive furniture, and etc. etc. These people will have the greatest problems in surviving the crisis in Italy.

Making Sense of the Italian Language

First of all I apologize for being absent for some days. Last week was a challenge with two young children home with the flu. I was so satisfied though that I was able to catch the entire Obama swearing in ceremony on CNN. Thanks CNN and thanks hubby and inlaws for helping out with the kids. Now on to my post....

I am amazed on how many Italian words I did not know and on how many English words are used in Italian daily conversations. Let me explain:
In this region and in this small town the word "minestra" signifies the small noodles or pasta used inside soup. The word "minestra" to me growing up in my Italian American household always meant "soup". Italians use the word "box" to mean "playpen" but it is also used to mean "garage". That could be means for a safety disaster I know. They use the word "scatola" or "cartone" to mean "box".

Italians use the word "scottex" to mean paper towels and "cotton fioc" to mean "Q tip swaps". They use also many English words with an Italian flair. For instance they will say "bisogna faxare" meaning "you need to fax it". They don't say "email" but "a mail".

When it comes to clothing they have a whole different vocabulary. A "kway" is a sort of rain coat I believe and a "polo" is a shirt with a few buttons only at neck. A "golf" is a sweater and a "pull" is a sweater too. The "pinochietto" pants is a capri pair of pants (name from famous wooden boy!). I can go on and on. It is a learning process and an adventure. I still make all sorts of mistakes and frankly I am now unsure of the proper Italian from the improper.

What have been your experiences regarding Italian??

This American in Italy for Obama

I cannot help but want to be in Washington D.C. tomorrow for Obama's swearing in ceremony. I will be watching it live as will so many people. It will be a historic moment that we have all been waiting for.

No matter who you are or where you are, I think that everyone's eyes will be on Washington D.C. tomorrow. What an incredible moment to be American!

Italy Property- Interesting Tips

It took us one year to find our present home in Italy. It was not that I was particularly picky. It was that I had no idea how the whole finding property in Italy phenomenon worked. Here are some interesting tips I learned about finding property in Italy.

1.Don't expect to find "for sale" signs in front of properties that are for sale. For some reason Italians are embarassed by this.
2.Don't expect to get a definitive answer from Italians if their property is for sale. You will get "yes, maybe if the price is right I can move" type of an answer.
3.Do expect to get prices quoted first in Lira, then in Euro, then in Lira, then in Euro.
4.Do expect the price to change continuously.
5.Do expect that the real estate agent will never return your calls, is not really interested in a sale, does not remember who you are or what you wanted.
6.Do keep a diary of the properties you already saw, the prices, date, description, contact name, location.
7.Do expect to be taken to see the same property again although you flat out said not interested.
8.Do expect the agent to not really care about what you want in a property.
9.Do scour the area you are interested in and ask anyone (farmers, residents,etc) if they know of properties for sale in the area. These people know more than anyone else.
10. Do use the internet www.casa.it to compare prices, areas, homes, etc.
11.Do be patient.

Standard of Living Italy

Everyone assumes that the standard of living in Italy, especially Tuscany, must be very high. The most sought after question for those wanting to move to Italy is if the quality of life will be better or worse than their present situation.

No one can say for sure if the quality of life is better or worse. This depends directly on what "standard of living" means for that person. What is important? What can one do without?
For instance a retired couple from the USA moving to Tuscany may not care that the unemployment rate is very high or that the school system is very much lacking whereas a couple looking for work with school age children may find that those two parameters (employment and schools) are very important indeed.

Some standard of living parameters are lifestyle, work, environment, health care, crime rate, population, leisure time. Again, what is imperative to one may be less pressing for another. The best advice is to research and research what is important to you and your family and find out before moving what the town or city in Italy offers. If possible, spend some time in the town or city before moving there and do not quit your job before having a paying job with a legal binding contract in Italy.

Raising Bilingual Children in Italy

I received many comments regarding raising bilingual children in Italy. It is a learning process for the parents and for the children. It is so interesting to hear how my children are acquiring both languages of Italian and English.

So the stuttering stopped for a few months as my older son was speaking more and more Italian then we had my sister over visiting (speaking mostly English) and the stuttering started again but only slightly. Now that my sister left the stuttering stopped again and we are speaking more Italian. I am trying more and more to speak only English to both kids and it is helping. I would like that the language mostly used between the two children be English but we will see what happens once the younger child begins to speak more.

I imagine when we go back to visit the grandparents in the USA, the English will come back full force again and maybe even the stuttering. I tried to get my husband to speak English at home but did not work. It is just awkward for him plus his Italian is better than his English.

I guess it is a lot of vocabulary to learn for a child in both languages but they have the ability and skill to acquire both and even more. I don't push it and never reprimand if he does not speak it. I just repeat what he says in Italian, in English and that seems to work. Any advice out there??

The Climate Crisis in Italy

The climate crisis and clean environment movement is contagious and thank goodness it is. In Italy, suddenly, every magazine or newspaper you pick up has at least one article on cleaning up the environment. Am I more aware of this now myself or has it become a sudden important trend? I am not quite sure.

In a way, Italy is much more advanced than the USA in keeping the environment clean. The very things I complained about before are the things that have kept carbon dioxide emissions down in the country. Each household is allowed only 3 kw of power and this means to you and me that if you have your washing machine running you cannot use your hair dryer! This means that if you have your dishwasher going, you cannot turn on your air conditioner. I used to complain about this but now I realize that it is actually for our own good. I now wonder what would happen in a country like the USA if Americans were told to do the same. It would be difficult to get used to. What if Americans were told (and they are) to put their clothes out to airdry instead of using a dryer. I immagine sheer chaos.

Italians are used to living like this. For them it is also a matter of keeping their electricity, gas and water bills down which can be very steep. Few Italians even own dryers nor air conditioners. Is it because they are worried about emissions? I don't think so. It is partly due to a culture that never used these appliances and partly due to high prices which few can afford. No matter what the reason, it least the end result is fewer emissions.

So in a way, Americans can learn a lot from Italians. According to www.climatecrisis.net, the average American generates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year from personal transportation, home energy use and from the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume. That is mind boggling.

After Christmas Sales in Italy

I am not quite sure if it is because of the recession or if it is just in my small town of Chiusi and the vicinity but the after Christmas sales so far are quite disappointing. In Tuscany the sales were supposed to start on January 7th so I armed myself with some cash and started hitting the stores where I had seen certain items I was interested in. I was shocked when I saw no sales. I asked the store personnel when the sales would start and they said "oh we are not having sales this year." So I thought it must be an isolated thing. I went to two other larger stores and the same response. I went to another store and they told me "Oh I don't know when they will start."I finally hit the last store, a franchise store for children's things, and they said "oh those items (the ones I wanted) are not on sale."

What a disappointment. The only stores that are having sales are those with items that had outrageous original prices. The sale price is a joke.

Haven't these people heard of the recession going on? Are they hurting so bad they cannot put anything on sale? Probably. It is no wonder people are going more and more to larger shopping malls and outlets to do their shopping or not shopping at all. No wonder the rate of consumer spending has fallen so low.

Shopping in Italy is not what it used to be. In the past you could get some really nice things out here at decent prices. You could get quality Made in Italy clothing, shoes, bags, etc and they would last years. Now finding Made in Italy anything is a real challenge in Italy.

Can You Continue to Live as An American While Residing in Italy??

Before moving to Italy over ten years ago, I remember saying to myself that I would try to continue to live as an American while residing in Italy. The point being that I would try to avoid all the negative aspects of living in Italy and yes there are negative aspects. I would not fall into the "image is everything" philosophy, would not rush home to make meals, would not buy fresh bread everyday, would not turn into one of "those Italian women" who are at the beck and call of their families, and would not burden myself with all the bureaucratic mazes one has to go through almost daily in Italy.

Interestingly enough during the first years while I was still single and living in the metropolitan city of Milan, I was able to continue to be the American. As any single person, I ate when I wanted to, dressed as I wanted to, went to the gym, worked hard at a job I somewhat liked and all in all I was able to continue to be the American.

Things slowly changed as I moved to smaller and smaller towns. I found myself doing more and more the things that "those Italian women" do. While I am not single anymore, I don't think I am at the beck and call of my familly but I am buying into some of the Italian ways of doing things. Now my philosophy is "don't reinvent the wheel". If Italians have been getting by doing things this way, it must work and if it doesn't work no skin off my nose. There is always "domani" or tomorrow.

I have also realized I have the incredible luxury to be L'Americana (the American) or be Italian when it is convenient for me but that is our little secret. If I want to dress down and wear flip flops until October...I am The American! If I want to not have fresh bread in the house for days...I am The American! If I want to be overly obsessed with safety for my children....I am The American! It works both ways you see. I can also be the Italian when I want to let things slide until tomorrow or double park, etc.

I haven't figured out how to avoid the whole bureaucratic maze but am constantly researching how the Italians get around it. Will keep you informed with details. In the meantime remember if you move to Italy, you really have the best of both worlds. It is not so bad being L'Americana!!

Montepulciano Italy- Great Restaurant

I thought I would give you the head's up on a great restaurant we found just before reaching Montepulciano. It is called Il Covo and is located at Localita S.Biagio n. 3/5 just off the SS for Chianciano. They serve everything from great appetizers to hand made pasta dishes, specialty meats, fish, and pizza. We were with native Italians who said it was one of the best meals they have had.

We had bruschetta, hot crostini, cinghiale al sugo, risotto ai frutti di mare, braesola, pici a ragu and some house wine. The restaurant itself is large and kid friendly. Prices are good. If you are in the area and don't know where to eat, stop there. You will be pleased.
www.ristoranteilcovo.net (Tel.0578.757228)

The Best Places to Live in Italy -Quality of Life

Happy New Year to all. I found a great article in "Il Sole 24 Ore" of December 29th 2008 on the best places to live in Italy and thought I would share with those interested...

The research done by the newspaper for the 2008 rating of provinces with the highest quality of life is as follows:

1. Aosta
2. Belluna
3.Bolzano
4.Trento
5.Sondrio
6.Trieste
7.Siena
8.Gorizia
9.Piacenza
10.Parma


The province of Florence is placed at number 12.

The parameters determining high quality of life for the research are : standard of living, business and employment, services/air quality/health, crime, population, leisure time. Not surprisingly, there is a definite relationship between a higher quality of life and living in the smaller and medium sized towns.

As for any research study, you have to make up your own mind. For instance while the quality of life in a small town in the province of Siena may be high, you may be at a disadvantage if you want to find work as a manager of a big company. Also I could not find education as one of the important parameters on the study which I find very important.

The best advice I can give someone who wants to move to Italy is to research, research and do more research. Visit the town or towns first and repeatedly during different times of the year and if you can, try to live in the town renting a place first before moving there. Also do not give up your job in your native home before getting a contract for work in Italy. The unemployment rate is extremely high.

That is my two cents!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Christmastime In This Small Town- Italy

I am often asked what it is like during the Christmas season in my small town called Chiusi. I have spent now a number of holidays here to know what the lineup of festivities are. During the whole month of December, the stores are open on Sundays as well as the other days of the week. The first Sunday in December is devoted to the town fair or "Fiera." The streets are closed to traffic and there are stands outside selling everything from clothing to shoes to food to animals. Every year I get my great wicker baskets at this Fair that I use for magazines, wood, toys, etc. A great bargain. Many people do all their Christmas shopping at the Fair just because the prices are so good.
The last week before Christmas is the most exciting, especially for children. In one of the smaller piazza's, there is a wooden shed named "Santa's House" that is decorated and has a small mail box in the front where children leave their Christmas letters for Santa. On the Sunday before Christmas Santa "drops down from the sky." He actually comes out of a window from a 5 story palazzo and slowly lets himself down a rope while he throws candy down at the children. This takes place in the town piazza and is usually a crowd pleaser. During the week before Christmas there is also the horse and carriage where children or adults can take rides around town.
There may not be the hustle or bustle of Rome, Milan, New York, or London but there is something really comfy and quaint about Christmastime in Chiusi.

How and Why Do Italian Women Pamper Themselves?

After living in Italy for several years, I have discovered some interesting facts about Italian women. I can speak only of the smaller towns where I have resided. Women here have a fast paced lifestyle but not because they have to rush to get to work but because they have to rush to get home! Since the whole family returns home for lunch, it is the responsiblity of the woman usually (mother,wife, grandmother) to have everything ready for a sit down lunch. Since most supermarkets, bakeries, butcher shops, fish markets close at 1pm these means the person responsible for making lunch has to run to get shopping done and then rush home to prepare it.

The whole affair includes shopping, cooking, setting the table, cleaning up afterward on a daily basis. I see women running around like mad people trying to get everything done for their loved ones. It is quite stressful. It is the responsiblity also of this person to do the banking, go to the post office, take care of the bureaucratic papers at the town hall, do the paying of bills. This person also has to wait in long lines at the doctor's office, other long lines to get prescriptions for drugs and medical tests. Usually a family has one person who either works or does not work that is given the task of getting all these things done. Sometimes it is a retired grandmother. Sometimes it is a mother who works part time. Sometimes it is the mother who works full time.

So what happens? Inevitably the women are stressed and they need pampering.
The most common way Italian women pamper themselves is by going to the hair salon. The hair salon in Italy is a phenomenon. I could never understand why an Italian woman would go to the hair salon on a weekly basis in some cases but usually every other week. Now I understand. Women here need pampering and it is very common to go to the hair salon to get some pampering by way of a hair trim, hair set, color, etc. It is their way to get away! There is no excuse necessary to go to the hair salon frequently. It is something expected. Sometimes going to the hair salon means spending hours there waiting for your turn which means hours away from all the running around and stresses. What better way to pamper yourself?

Bilingual Children At Home - In Italy

Raising bilingual children at home is a learning process for both the parents and the children. My native language is English and I am almost completely fluent in Italian while my husband's native language is Italian and he is not fluent in English. Since we live in Italy and since our common language (between my husband and I) has always been Italian, we have continued to speak Italian to eachother in the home. This I believe has been a negative influence on our children.

I have always tried to speak only English with our children but I find myself more and more speaking Italian to them just because it is becoming more and more natural for me. I really have to stop myself, think and then start over in English. My eldest child who spoke consistently in English with me is now speaking more and more only Italian. This may also have to do with the fact that he is in preschool and speaks Italian with everyone but me. So after doing some research and talking to my husband, we decided that we will try to bring back the English language in our household so that at home we will speak English with eachother, no matter how strange it might feel. It would be the best not only for our children, but also for my husband who has never taken a formal English language class in his life!

The other thing that happened to us regarding our bilingual children, is that my eldest son after returning from a three month vacation in the United States, began to stutter quite profusely. It seemed like the words just could not come out. After speaking with the kind and helpful people at the Stuttering Foundation and reading their literature (www.stutteringhelp.org), we realized that it is a very normal occurence with bilingual children that may come and go, but that will pass in many instances. After a month of stuttering, he is now speaking normally...but in Italian mostly.

There is a lot of literature available about dealing with bilingual children at home but the best advice I found on www.italiakids.com "Raising Bilingual Children: The Most Successful Methods" by Christina Bosemark or visit www.MultilingualChildren.org. These are both very helpful sites for raising bilingual children. I will let you know how we do! Buona fortuna.