And then with Louisa

The next night I was in the kitchen, but this time Louisa was the chef. We only had 4 students: 3 American tourists, a mother and her two daughters, and a lady from Holland who has been studying at Dante Alighieri for this week, but because she speaks about 4 other languages fluently she is picking it up really quickly. I had thought from the first cooking class that I did with my study abroad group that Louisa spoke a lot more English than she does, turns out her English is very limited and I had the great pleasure of playing translator all night. Fortunately I understand Italian pretty well, and speak English perfectly so it wasn't an issue and I got to feel very useful. Also, because the group was so small I was able to cook a lot! It was so wonderful, I'd been missing cooking, not good food--my host mom is an incredible cook-- but the ability to make the good food on my own.

Louisa is maybe 50, a native of Tuscany, and so incredibly sweet. She is always happy, bustling around the kitchen keeping an eye on everything and singing. It is so wonderful to work with her. She was very grateful to have me there to translate and to have someone to talk to. Also probably so she wouldn't have to do the dishes on her own, but I didn't mind that at all, because strange as this may sound, I've actually missed doing dishes! I always offer to help my host mom but she just says no, no, and sends me away. Louisa also was so welcoming into her kitchen, trusted me with cooking and speaking even though she had never had any proof that I could do either. I got to work with her the 3rd night also and it was even better than the first because I felt more comfortable around her and knew what she expected from me. All in all, I love my internship!