Enter Dick Van Dyke

It looks like not only will Max and I be sleeping in separate beds like the black and white couples of yesteryear, but we'll be in different houses in Italy.  But don't worry, the houses are probably close to each other.

We were given the option of staying with 3 or 4 other teachers in a self-serve apartment in Milan or the teeny tiny medieval village of Camerino in separate home stays with real live Italians.  Milan is far away from both our airport and our weekend plans.  We made plans to stay with some friends of my bookbinding teacher who live just south of Umbria in Ascoli Piceno and make paper and books for a living.  We contacted them a few months ago and they offered to let us come and stay in what they termed the "rustic guesthouse" on their farm.  We, in turn, offered to take care of goats or chickens or whatever.  They haven't taken us up on the offer of husbandry yet, but we would really do it in return for their generosity. Not that we know how to take care of goats or chickens - but I'm only second generation non-farmer, that has to count for something.

The idea of a sweaty city with one great piece of art we'd already seen, all the modern Europe you could hope for, and several single party animals just didn't jive with us.  Camerino is small, secluded, rural, and mucho authentico.  And we will get to stay with local families, albeit not our own family...  Kind of ironic.

Max has had visions of throwing rocks at my window in the evenings to ask if he can take me on a walk - with our host parent's permission of course.  We'll be in class together all day, take walks together in the evenings, and talk via can and string telephone strung over the cobblestone lane separating our houses.

Sometimes it feels like a hilarious adventure and other times it sounds like jr. high summer camp from Hell, but in Heaven.  I'll let you know which it turns out to be.    
        

(More pics so you don't feel too bad for us)

To you, the unbelievably kind who offered to let us crash at your respective places of residence if things didn't pan out - THANK YOU.  MBC, Hannah, Sowards, and Goodwins - you'll always have a room with us wherever our future home may be.  Really.