1. How would you characterize the author's Italian adventure? Were you surprised by her integration into the tight-knit community of Diano San Pietro? Did you find her approach to living in a remote, rural region unusually adaptive, foolhardy, or brave?

2. Are there any traditions in this region of rural Italy that you found especially memorable as you were reading? Did you find the author's anecdotal narration of her experiences to be effective?

3. Were there individuals in this story whose personalities you found amusing or bewildering? Who were they? What behaviors or attitudes did they exhibit?

4. How would you describe the relationship between the neighboring communities of Diano San Pietro and Diano Marina? If you were visiting the region, would you prefer to stay in one village over another? Why?

5. Were there aspects of everyday life in Diano San Pietro that reminded you of some of the traditions in your community?

6. Were there other facts about the author's experience that you wanted to know? Did you feel the book did a good job conveying the author's personal experience of life in a rural village?

7. Have you ever traveled beyond your immediate community to a place where you have had to "do as the Romans do" in order to coexist peaceably? How do you think the author's behavior was perceived by her neighbors?

8. Does the account of life in a village in Extra Virgin remind you of other books you have read by travel writers? Which ones?