One of the four cakes that I got to eat for my birthday.

Hello everyone!!

I have just reached the end of a quite busy, but fantastic week.

It began on Saturday, which was my sixteenth birthday.  Other than school I didn't have any plans for the day.  However, my parents and their friends arranged a surprise party for me. 

The following day, I met with some of my friends to celebrate my birthday again.  We met at lunch t eat some delicious Italian pizza, and then walked back to my home to watch a movie.  Two of the these three girls are in my class.  One day, while we had a substitute teacher, I had started talking to them.  Discovering that we all have much in common, they invited me to spend Halloween with them and another friend.  That night we watched a horror movie, put on Halloween styled makeup to go for gelato (I was pop-art), and, of course, ate lots of chocolate.  The next morning, we finished off the chocolate snacks for breakfast, and learned to play a duet on the piano together.

My friends and I with the community theater behind us

This week, I have began a theater course.  My host sister had been a part of it for many years before her exchange in Mexico, and I thought that it sounded interesting.  So far, I am really enjoying the classes.  My friends form Haloween are also in the theater classes, and I am getting to know the other students.  Everybody seems extremely kind, and they are all very helpful when I don't understand some of the Italian instuctions.  We will be doing a production of Shakespeare at the end of the course in May, and I am looking forward to it.

A few nights ago, I attended my third Rotary dinner.  Everyone I have met have been very friendly and welcoming, so I have really enjoyed attending these meetings.  A few weeks ago, on the day before my second Rotary dinner, I went with my counselor and the club to see the Duke of Modena's summer palace. I was an absolutely beautiful building.  We took a tour of the palace, and a professor who spoke English was able to translate the guide's words.

  

 Both of my Italian nonne (grandmothers) are visiting this week.  My nonna on my mother's  side, who lives in the apartment above me, has returned from a vacation to France.  My father's mother lives in the South of Italy.  They are both extremely kind and it is delightful to spend time with them.

Ciao for now.