31 Dec. 2004 -- New Year's Eve!
Torino, Italia

• 8 pm It’s New Year’s Eve. Is anyone out there who speaks English? Anyone who wants to be my friend? Just back from a magical and white winter wonderland in the little village of Champoluc up in the Alps and just arriving for the New Year celebration are the same group of friends and children from about six nights ago (the Christmas dinner). Even Noam, my newfound friend from school, is in Paris as Jen and Adina are at home in my America. So much Italian! So much wandering around the house feeling out of place and quite awkward … um …Happy New year, anyone? We are going to watch Dick Clark and the ball drop from Time’s Square, right? Right?!
• 8:34 pm A little better now, Sergio and his sons are here as well as the couple who lived in the States, Elizabetta and Alessandro – all three of whom speak English well and aren’t afraid to actually talk to the American nanny. (It’s always a mystery what is actually happening.) And I have some champagne.
• 9:11 pm Fried custard anyone? Seriously wonderful. But at this moment – on the third holiday in a row within a month, I want my family, my house, my food, and my comfort and traditions. It’s so hard for this independent girl to admit, but so true. The fried custard is fabulous, however.
• 11:44 pm Just finished dinner – seven different cheeses was one of the eight courses (ok, maybe six courses, but you lose count after so many). Happy New Year!!! Dick?
• 2:04 am Just finished an hour-long dance party, no, two hours. I am continually shown how alike all families are. The song selection was quite funny at times: “A little bit of Monica is all I need” to “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” to Chicago hits to Italian classics … getting a little bit tired.
• 3:22 am Girls put to bed, dishes done and pajamas on – tried to call mom, but my phone cards are used up. Hearing her voice tonight would’ve been really nice. But my tired body and exhausted mind are ready to sleep in my own Italian bed and my own Italian room, after five days in Champoluc.

Can it really be 2005? Have a really been here, in Italy, for three-and-a-half months? Do I really still have almost eight months to go? What an experience this is for me – so many feelings and crazy realizations, so many conclusions and humbling moments – a language that leaves me wondering; a family that welcomes me, but doesn’t revolve around me; an energy to keep up; new traditions to embrace; the ability to sit back and watch or join in and experience. Though I know these eight months will fly by, how long it seems from now! And though now I think it might have been good to go home for these holidays, my other side is so happy to have experienced them here with this family in Italy – no one said is would be easy – maybe just me.