Host/Hobbit/Happy

November 18, 2024

Remember snow days as a kid? And how fun they were? Waking up to a phone call saying school has been cancelled, then running to the window to see a gilded-in-white-backyard, then putting on your warmest clothes and racing outside to make snow angels or build a snowman or go sledding, then getting cozied up by the fire with a hot cup of cocoa or cider and turning on a movie, then doing arts and crafts or working on a puzzle or playing games with your family….

Most days this week have felt like that, sans snow. The air quality has been so bad, there is a constant layer of fog blanketing all of Piacenza. It makes town seem so dark and eerie and dreary that it’s tough to go outside. Also, the particle matter in the air from pollution is so high that stepping outside and taking a breath is about the same as smoking a cigarette. So! We’ve all been holed up in our apartments as much as possible, but the girls and I have made the most of it.

This week I went from reading The Hobbit to being a hobbit. I have been cooking and hosting and eating and snuggling into my hobbit hole of an apartment all weekend long and it’s been so fun.  

A few of the girls who did the one-year program at our school last year are back in town for their graduation, and it has been so nice seeing them. Friday night we had a soiree at Sam’s house to welcome Ivana back from Macedonia, then took a community walk to the train station to greet Lauren after her harvest in Croatia. I’ve had the privilege of hosting Lauren since then which has been so fun. She’s like the cool older sister of our group here. She’s worked so many harvests in so many countries and has the kindest heart, so getting to hang out with her again has been the biggest blessing!

After staying up till 2am catching up, Lauren and I slept in till 11 on Saturday which felt amazing. There was a wine fair in town this weekend so she headed to that, and I went back to Sam’s so we could have a fake snow day. It felt like a walk-of-shame as I walked through the heart of town in my pajamas hidden under my wool trench coat, but I couldn’t be bothered to change out of them that day. We played monopoly (which I hate, but it was still fun), did a puzzle, finger painted, ate toasted PopTarts (which Sam found recently at a weird Polish-American store), and drank cocoa. We spent the whole day acting like little kids. It couldn't have been better. That night I put on real people clothes, then we headed out to a local bar to listen to some live music and hang out. Both bands played alt/indie style music, which made the ambiance so chill and relaxed. It was the perfect ending to the day.

Yesterday was my good friend Mariana’s birthday, so I made some homemade hot chocolate and had all the girls over for a little Bring-Your-Own-Mug birthday party. Liana helped decorate, so my apartment was covered in colorful balloons, and we sat around the table yapping and laughing and consuming sugar until we were all worn out. After the party I made a big pot of soup, which Lauren, Ivana, and I have enjoyed for our past few meals.

I finished this week with a full house, a full stomach, and an even fuller heart. There’s nothing better than getting cozy and spending time with friends!