Building Lifetime Relationships

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!