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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

Comments

  1. I would love to hear more about learning Italian and conducting conversations entirely in the language! I took two and a half years of German at Baylor, and my mom is from Germany — but I’m still very hesitant about speaking the language in public.

  2. Some incredibly beautiful photos there Stephanie. I’m intrigued by the logistics of getting the tricky things done that you need (removals, repairs etc.) when you don’t speak the language.

  3. How about — have you had any “ugly American” moments? when I moved to Europe for 2 years I was convinced that I would not keep comparing things at home to things in my new home. I would be completely open and accepting of all things new. I would embrace difference. Well, six months in and I was standing in a computer store — after having bought a printer with the right plug — and, after being told that I couldn’t have a bag to put my new printer into (to be able to carry it to my apartment) because the guy who could go downstairs and get the bags (they had run out) was just about to go on break – and his break time start would overlap with the time it would take for him to go to the stockroom to get the bag — I just lost it. Five years later I like to say that it was my evil twin sister who began to yell in the store about the lousy service and how things “should” be done. I still cringe to this day thinking about it. Yikes. But I’ve been told by other people that lived in different cultures that there comes a tipping point — you lose it — and then you move on. I am proud to say that 2 years later I would have gladly stayed in that country – there were so many things about the people and the culture that I came to admire. But it is hard work to live in another culture. Worth it, but still hard work. Have you had your “tipping point” yet?
    Love your blog.
    Brenda

  4. I would like to hear about the little differences in the homes/neighborhoods. Sometimes watching House Hunters International and looking at the home layouts, sometimes they seem so “foreign”. So any adjustments to no closets, or the washing machine in the kitchen, or how the neighborhood is laid out (easier to navigate than home or harder?), that kind of thing is interesting to me.

  5. I would like to here about your overall year of firsts – all the occasions/celebrations/holidays/traditions that have occurred for the first time during your first year in Italy (birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anniversaries, etc.). Sometimes it is those first times that being back some homesickness or kickstart the excitement of this new adventure. Does that make sense? 😉

  6. I would love to read more about how the holidays (like Easter!) are celebrated there. I don’t know if your family is religious at all, but if it is, how are church services there versus home? And, the weird part of me wants to see an Italian toilet/bathroom and the kitchen appliances! Having visited Spain and Ukraine, I am curious about how these “normal” parts of everyday life for us differ around the world! We had squat toilets in Ukraine, and teeny tiny refrigerators, lol, but I would not trade that time in my life for anything.

  7. I guess my questions would be what’s been the hardest thing with living in a foreign county (outside of being away from family etc).
    By being military and having the base close (and the benefits of lots of Americans close) does that help you settle in to the local environment or make it harder?
    What would you have done differently now that you’ve been there a year? What advice would you give a new family moving to a foreign county?

  8. Your photos are gorgeous! I live vicariously through your blog. My questions are how friendly are the people to American tourists, and what spots should definitely be on our bucket lists? (I know you loved Florence.) I especially love all of the photos of architecture and churches. My son was stationed in Crete for 2 years, and he loved it!
    Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!

  9. I would love to know what one thing you miss the most and what you like the most. When I graduated high school I spent three weeks in June visiting my pen pal. (Remember those?!) Anyway, I knew I felt homesick for something the entire time I was there but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized I was missing darkness in the land of the Midnight Sun.
    By the way, this is a great idea for a post and from the looks of all of these comments, this could quite possibly be a series! Thanks, Stephanie for keeping your blog so interesting!

  10. I would love to know how I can get settled especially with the kids. Was it really a struggle for the children to settle into a new environment.
    Thanks for sharing. Love reading about your little adventures.

  11. I’d like to know about the girls schooling. Are they at an international school? Go to school on base? Or to a traditional Italian school? How much of your day to day is spent on the base (PX, etc) vs. say grocery shopping in neighborhood markets?

  12. i am curious about grocery shopping / general shopping ( i am used to having my grocery-target- Sam’s Club runs every week and i know that’s drastically different there). how did you adjust? also schooling? connecting with other moms? are you mostly connecting with other American mothers within the army base or have you gotten to know Italian moms? just curious! xoxoxoo

  13. also… what are things you miss about the USA that you never expected to miss…. and what are things you love about Europe / Italy that you didn’t anticipate you would love????

  14. I am first generation American, my family is from Formia and Napoli , many are still there. I was looking at your pictures and saw those chocolate eggs, my Nona brought us one Eve Tyrone she came home from Italy it is the BEST bitter dark chocolate Ever, try it!

  17. Ciao! You went to Marostica I saw 🙂 did you like it? If you got the chance go to see the living chess game in september!

  18. Are there any traditions/customs/processes/procedures that you want to bring home to America with you? Anything you’ll keep doing “the Italian way” because it’s been a good addition/adaptation to your or your family’s life?

  19. Are the girls learning Italian too? Do you practice at home with them? How did the girls adjust, esp. the older two? Do you do facetime with family back home? Are there many scrapbookers, and/or cardmakers there? Any craft stores? What is your typlical day like? Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!!! Also, average temperature? I live in SE MN and it snowed again yesterday….I am so sick of this long winter!

  20. Are the girls learning and speaking Italian? If so, I would love to see a cute video of them speaking it. 😉

  21. Fun post! I would love to know about learning the language. Also, what is a typical day like in their culture? How long are the school days/work days, weekends off (Sat. and Sun. off like here?). My husband works for an Israeli company and they are off Fri./Sat. What kids activities are popular? What do kids in your country do for fun? Clothes/fashion? Are things written in English too (Like here we have things in English/Spanish)?

  24. An interesting question – I remember living in Europe and having to choose between “biologic” and “non-biologic” laundry detergent. I had no clue what the difference was. I chose the latter becasue “biologic” sounded sinister, like something from the movie Aliens.

  25. Hi! I’m curious…did you use a template to showcase your Instagram photos? Where did you buy it? Or did you use Lightroom or Photoshop to put it together? I’d like to do something similar on my blog. Thanks!