Mixed Signals

Yesterday I found out that I'm going to remain with my host family for the duration of my stay. I felt absolute relief-- I truly like my host family, and was nervous that they wouldn't want to keep me. When my area representative (whom I loathe) came to my school, Martina professed they had decided in my favor. It's funny, because this meeting with the rep was entirely different from the one upon my arrival. Before I felt quite insulted by her words in my direction (In response to my disinterest in group sports: "Oh, you must be lazy then." In response to my vegetarianism: "That's stupid. You should eat meat."). This time, she wouldn't stop praising me. She said that I was the "perfect foreign exchange student," and discussed (to the point of Martina's and my bordom) an article she had read about vegetarians having high IQ's. She also mentioned that Ross, a fellow American student she's in charge of, had claimed me to be the "sweetest, most intelligent" girl of all the foreign exchange students (he exaggerated, trust me). She called me "molto carina" at least a dozen times. I am seriously confused as to why she suddenly loves me, but I'm just going to go with it. It's nice to see that someone perceives me well. One of my biggest difficulties in Italy (and in life) is understanding what others think of me, and where I stand in their eyes. Am I just an American novelty, an actual friend or acquaintance, a snob, too stupid, too smart, too nice... I honestly have no clue.