Teach English to a Host Family in Italy with CHI

When I found this program on the internet, I was scared to inquire about the details of it. I have teaching experience, but never with a foreign language, therefore I felt defeated before I had even started. I emailed Heidi Smith who is in charge of the World Explorers Program at CHI and she set up an in-person meeting right away. I asked so many questions about the program and Heidi answered them and eased any fears I had about staying with a host family and teaching them English. After the application process I was paired up with an amazing family in Torino Italy consisting of 3 daughters, a mother and father, and a beautiful golden retriever named buddy. I was able to Skype with the family a few times before traveling to stay with them. The family was so welcoming and made me feel at home. We worked on English and they taught me some Italian. They were wonderful guides, showing me the beautiful city of Torino. Heidi checked in on me throughout my stay and always made me feel comfortable to ask questions or inform her about my experience. I loved working with this family so much! They came to California in July 2015 to come and see me and it was great to be able to show them around San Francisco. If it were not for this program I would have never developed a love for living abroad, teaching English, and new Italian family members .

As far as I knew, I didn't know what to expect. This was my great adventure. Flying halfway across the world by myself and living with people I've only known for a couple weeks. In truth, as I arrived in Rome, I felt right at home. My host family was better than I expected. The hospitality was second to none. They gave me my own room. They taught me how to cook delicious Italian dishes. They took into Rome's city center numerous times and showed me all the historic sites. The hospitality even reached beyond the immediate family and extended to the grandparents' and family friends. The grandfather gladly took me on a road trip to a charming hillside town just north of Rome called Orvieto. I even went to work with a family friend and went to lunch at a wonderfully enchanting restaurant a block from the sea. However, the best days were playing soccer with the kids in the yard or playing intense games of table tennis and foosball (actually they weren't that intense when I played). My very last weekend I was able to take the train up to Florence. Another wonderful city that captured my interest. In the end, the entire trip was forever memorable and so were the people and pets :) in which I forged lasting relationships. Till this day, 6 months later I still talk to my "second family" and friends thru Skype and Facebook that I met on my travels in Italy. I must thank CHI for the opportunity!