Fall in love with Italy

This program was perfect for me because I have always wanted to live in Italy, but close enough to visit France. Prior to this homestay I studied French and Italian,so I was lucky to have background knowledge of the language. During this program I ended up living in a small town (about 45 minutes southwest of Turin) that speaks Piemontese, a combination of French and Italian.
In this particular region many people speak this dialect, so it is quite a bit different than Italian. But, that being said Italians really do speak with their hands, so it has not been difficult for me to communicate. Another critical language aspect is that when you use the English textbook in Italy you will be speaking British English, not American English. For example, students in Italy are taught "Have you got a pencil?", Whereas in American English we say, "Do you have a pencil?" So at times I felt a bit awkward being an American speaking British English, but not a big deal.
I taught 18 classes with different ages (14-19) and skill levels (1-5 yrs of english). Some were quite eager to learn and others not so much. Teaching is not so hard, it is just engaging 18 different classes who are all teenagers.But living in Italy makes the struggles of teaching worth it.
My host family has been exceptional! They really are the warmest, inviting, culture. You will always have friends and family around and spend many hours at the dining room table. Italians really love quality,and freshness when it comes to food! This region is known for many appetizers, so having 10 different dishes before the main meal is normal! If you love wine this is definitely the region for you! So my family has been very accommodating and loving. My host dad is a ski instructor on the weekend and took me to ski for the first time in the alps! My host parents also took me to Alba, a region where many wine connoisseurs go to learn about wine! I also have gone shopping in Turin with my host sister. I was fortunate enough to stay with one family the entire 3 months and I'm very grateful! I truly feel like I have been adopted into an Italian family and will remain friends forever.