response to marilou!!

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B --

Sounds like you continue to have great experiences. What in the world is the "contrada “Selva”"? What's a flag thrower?

By they way, it is snowing right now! We were headied out the door to shop -- hmmm. We'll see! Emma got your letter (Meg's hasn't yet arrived -- I'm sure it will in a day or two). She was quite excited.

So you're going to be teaching English -- that should be fun. How old will the kids be? The cooking class must be a blast -- did you make anything interesting or yummy?

What's your host family like? Just a mom and dad? How about your new roomie.

Hey, I didn't think Italian women shaved!

Take care,
M and the girls

ANSWERS:
In Siena every year a horse race happens in August- called the "Palio" througout siena and tuscany there are different neighborhoods called "contrada" -"Contrade" (plural) and they each have a name, coat of arms, and animanl representation- the one my family supports is names "selva" represented by a rhinocerus... flag throwers are the men that dress up in colorful spandex and have flags with the coat of arms, and colors and flag of their contrada and they compete in artistic displays of flag tossing...

I will be taching english in elementary schools most so anywhere from kindergarted to 5th grade

we made a 4 course meal and there are lots of yummy things that i made... i made "chin chin" which are special cookies, exlcusive to siena and exlcusive for carnival-aka carnivale cakes- I can make them for you all though... they are really yummy!!!

I live with a mom and dad: Luciana and Roberto. And I have a host brother and sister that are adults ROberta and Ferdinanzo .... they are all very nice. My roomate is from suptate New York she goes to Siena College in Albany. We have seperate bedrooms so our living situation appears to be better than a lot of other poeples who are sharing their miniture rooms.

xoxo
barbara

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