We sent our two college age students to Italy last week for spring break. Our son of a slightly neanderthal bent, would have vastly preferred a ski vacation but our daughter was thrilled-visions of Prada dancing in her head. Other than the plane tickets I decided to sit back and let them figure it out. I did force upon them the Rick Steves’ Italy book and sent maybe 15 emails with “helpful links”. They did finally reserve youth hostels , the one in Rome notable for its offer of free beer and wine. Despite my need for overplanning, off they went. Our daughter flew out of SFO and our son out of SEA, meeting 3 hrs apart in Venice.Lesson no. 1-they use euros in Italy (back to airport to make exchange, get ripped off on commission). Son makes it to hostel purely on luck and falls asleep. Daughter gets lost, mom calls son, son finds daughter, lesson no. 2 look at a map/get directions. Lesson no. 3, they speak Italian in Italy and if you don’t know what you’re looking at and can’t read Italian you wasted your time at the museum.Lesson no. 4 (variation on no. 3) at the train station they couldn’t find Florence on cities list, hmmm it’s Firenze.
Enter end of day two and first sibling argument, they decide to read Rick Steves. They cancel all you can drink hostel in Rome, hire tour guides for Rome, and research Florence. And with the dumb luck of youth they have an amazing hostel in Florence and are blown away by “David”. Rome was amazing and the tour guide was in their word : "awesome".
So my report card for them reads-made amazing progress in 8 days, played well together, learned from mistakes, and skier turned art lover, oh and that Prada lover-no time for shopping….

Good for them, sue.

Must have been the good upbringing.

Love it! Love it! Love it! Thanks for sharing!

Hats off to you Sue.... and to your kids.I couldn't have done it better!!

Honestly I couldn't have forseen a better outcome and I restrained myself on the I told you sos very admirably. Plus what is better than a 5AM phone call telling you that there are no trains to Florence from Venice, my husband and I laughed so hard we almost cried. And to think they're college educated?!? or in the process anyway.

What hostel did they like in Florence?
I'm glad that all worked out so well for them.

Oh suehoff, how many tranquillers did you pop into your mouth everytime the phone rang?

That is a precious trip report. Family memories for sure!

Nice.

What a wonderful and entertaining report, as well as some well learned lessons for them. Good job, Sue! On both the report and the child rearing.

Now that they are home safe and sound, you and your husband can breathe a sigh of relief. Isn't it amazing how such smart, college educated kids can have so little common sense...speaking as a Mom of two such kids.

sue, you should be thrilled with the outcome. They did you proud.

I needed that laugh! Thanks for a very entertaining trip report.

I am really impressed, Sue. Your students passed their life test with flying colors!

This is great Sue. My 21 year old daughter just called us from Venice (HER money!!!HTB!) and I'm enjoying this so much, think I might have to post some of her adventures as well.

For one, she told me that everyone in Italy thinks she's French which "is fine with me"--probably because she wears hats!

And yes, please share the hostel they liked in Florence...Erin told me I was right about my feeling about her hostel in Venice, but "it's a bed..."

I have emailed my son for the Florence hostel-I really was hands off-so I'll get back to you guys, but it was clean, nice, and the owner was very helpful.
I hardly think my kids passed as Europeans but my son's nikes caused much comment as they are red w/ green trim-very Italian!
I have to admit to sleep loss until they joined forces and then I thought they'd do fine unless they throttled one another but the sib bonding was great too, although my daughter bemoaned her brother's "still waters run deep stoicism/quiet", she missed her girlfriends' chatter.
Updates soon on hostel.

The Florence youth hostel was Residenza Millenium on guideforeurope.com

Thanks so much, Sue. Don't know if she'll need it, cause she's going to be in school for spring quarter in Siena, but it's good to have referrals just in case.

Oh, as for the "looking European" concept at work here..she was so determined not to "look like an American" that she didn't pack any tennis shoes or t-shirts and only 1 pair of jeans. Well, guess what she just e-mailed me to send her BY AIR??? You guessed it. I e-mailed her back that she should try the Wednesday market in Siena and immediately learn how to say "I am a poor student" in Italian!

Actually, I'm half tempted to send her my Monet t-shirt, but I'd miss it too much (LOL)!

Yes, it's a real learning experience--for them and for us!

If only they were addicted to Fodors Talk they'd know they can't possibly pass for a native. My kids actually said that jeans and nikes were very pervasive ,on Italians, no less. When I asked: even on old ladies like me they both said-oh, we never look at old people-I guess we still have a ways to go!

Oh Sue, you're so right. My daughter is an e-bay addict. At least Fodors SAVES us money instead of costing it!