Growing up Italian

She doesn't let me hang the clothes, but I help take them down. Every night, I have to take out the organic waste to the trashcans on the street."

Romans do not use dryers normally. They wash their clothing and then hang them on a clothesline to dry. They also sort all of their trash into nonrecyclable, glass, plastic/metal, paper and organic (leftover food and such).

What jobs do your parents have?:

"My mom doesn't work and my dad works in an enotecca (a wine store). Our family owns the store."

Family businesses are very common in Rome.

What time does school start, and what time do you go home?:

"8:15 to 1:15 Monday through Saturday."

How do you get to school? Are you allowed to go to school by yourself?:

"I take the number 8 tram every morning by myself. The tram stop is right outside my home and I get off and walk some of the way."

Where do you eat lunch? What is your favorite food?:

"I eat at home usually, but sometimes my parents give me money to get pizza on the way home. I like pizza with tomatoes a lot."

What language do you speak at school? How do you say "Hello" in your language?:

"We speak Italian, except in English class. In Italian, we have a lot of ways to say hi but I think ciao (pronounced /chow/) is the most common."

What are some common kids' names at your school?:

"I think there are a lot of boys named Lorenzo for some reason. I know three Francescas."

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