Study Abroad – Sidra Zaidi

There was probably some really famous, intelligent person who once said that families are the greatest teachers. I don’t think I need to find a particular quote to prove such a thing. But whoever said it first was absolutely right.

In my short life, I’ve taken many classes but the majority of what I’ve learned can’t be found in any textbooks. And while a lot of my SIT friends have been going out and about (visiting the Chateau de Chillon or hiking in St. Cergue) I can’t get myself to leave the house. I’ve never been a homebody but I don’t want to leave because I love my homestay family so much.

While I spend a majority of my homestay time with Giussepina and Giani, there are SO many family members who live close by or in the same house as us. There’s Véronique, the granddaughter of Giussepina, who is 21 and so gorgeous and intelligent. I met her parents today — her mom Patricia is Giussepina’s daughter. Then there’s Roberto, who is Patricia’s brother and one of Giussepina’s sons. Of course Vito and Vita (the sister of Giussepina) live downstairs but their son Damian (who is 26) is also living with them for a few weeks. Then there are also cousins of Giussepina and Vita from Sicily and Milan who visit often. It’s funny because there are so many family members that Giussepina forgets who I have met and who I haven’t and there are always rounds of unnecessary introductions haha.

One thing that I’m convinced of is that everyone in Giussepina’s family is good-looking, smart, very active and fit, and also SO FUNNY. I keep telling them what a wonderful gene pool they have.

The food is also delicious. The Mulones (the main family name, even though everyone has a different one b/c of marriage, etc.) are all excellent cooks. They eat in the traditional European way: HUGE lunch and then small dinner. Today we had a three-course lunch, which is typical for them, but Paul and I are usually in Geneva during lunchtime so we hadn’t experienced these types of meals yet. This morning, I observed Giussepina’s cooking skills in the kitchen because I so desperately want to learn how to cook like her. Therefore, I knew what was on the menu. But poor Paul thought that the main course was just pasta with tomato sauce. Little did he know that there was plenty more food on the way: roasted chicken, green beans, salad, and pear pie (sounds strange, but so good!). The best part about eating with the Mulones is that I never feel guilty about stuffing my face since pretty much everything is grown from the garden, save for the meat. (Tomorrow we’re having lasagna and then later in the week homemade pesto — .)

I am so fortunate that I was placed with such a wonderful family. Never have I seen such a happy group of people. It’s not to say that they haven’t had their share of misfortune — I think that they have, but they’re all optimistic about life and karma has paid them well.

For example, I was talking to Giussepina this morning about her late husband. The story is remarkable. She married him at the age of 19 and then came to Switzerland with him. They were married for 35 years and had (I think) three children together. He died in the mid 90′s. She told me that his death was the reason she started inviting homestay students — despite the fact that she had always been surrounded by family, she was really lonely.

Giani is also a widow. His wife died in 2001 after 14 years of marriage. Giani and Giussepina found a common bond because they had both lost their spouses and surprisingly enough, the two couples (Giani and his late wife and Giussepina and her late husband) lived in the same village and were friends. Giussepina told me that she loves Giani (which she didn’t even need to say because of how affectionate they are towards each other) but she is always flooded with thoughts of her late husband. She explained that despite this, Giani was not jealous at all. He understands that Giussepina can never forget her first husband because, after all, they had been married for the majority of Giussepina’s life.

I’m still in awe over how interconnected all of their lives are. I think that if this same situation had happened in any other family, there would be so much animosity between everyone. But for some reason, the Mulones have taken the high road and been nothing but open-minded about everything. I am SO blessed to be able to experience a tiny portion of their lives.