There was once a time when I thought there was nothing worse than hearing my grandma cry. Whenever my grandpa would go to the hospital I would stay with her and she would always cry about how terrible things would be if he died. And then he died. And I moved in with her. I heard her cry all the time. It was terrible. She would cry when she was cooking or cleaning, getting ready to go to bed, and even in her sleep. It was the worst…
Until the day that I heard my mom cry. I remember the first time that I heard my mom cry, not normal cry, but the kind that send shivers down your spine. She had just cut her hand open. There was something different in her voice when she yelled my name and I came running down the stairs. But this wasn’t the worst cry of hers. The worst was after my grandpa died. After she and my dad split. After Katie told us she was pregnant. After we heard my grandma had breast cancer. Right before I left her. It was the cry of a woman who felt she had hit rock bottom. A cry that lets you know that even if you wanted to there was nothing for you to do to give her back her hope. This was the worst…
Until the day I heard my sister cry. Not my 5-year-old sister that cried because she scraped her knee. Not my 13-year-old sister that I made cry because I put her in a chokehold. No, this was my 15-year-old sister that cried because she missed me. This was the 15-year-old sister that cried because of the things people say. This became the worst sound I have ever heard. This put a feeling in my stomach that made me feel like I would do anything to make her stop crying just so this feeling would go away. I wanted to jump on a plane and head home so that she wouldn’t miss me anymore. I wanted to go home to put everyone in their place and remind them that as long as she is my sister they would need to keep their mouths shut. This cry is the worst.
It’s weird how people can forget where they come from when they have the chance to criticize someone else. They also seem to forget that their journeys aren’t over and they never know what is to come in their future.
lunedì 7 aprile 2008
My photo story
One of my assignments for my photography class was the write a story with pictures. See if you can guess what my story is.
Ok, in case you didn’t guess, my story was about a little girl and her stuffed bear. She loses the bear so she looks high and low for it and the bear is always where she goes. Then she gets home and its waiting for her. Its kind of like the bear is saying, “Don’t be sad because I’m always with you, no matter where you go. Even if you cant see me, I’m there.”
Ok, in case you didn’t guess, my story was about a little girl and her stuffed bear. She loses the bear so she looks high and low for it and the bear is always where she goes. Then she gets home and its waiting for her. Its kind of like the bear is saying, “Don’t be sad because I’m always with you, no matter where you go. Even if you cant see me, I’m there.”
The America I Left Behind: Things I do, and don’t, miss
I’m not sure why it happened but a few nights ago I really started to miss home. I didn’t just start thinking about specific people but more general home. And that lead me to think about all the things that I had back in America that I don’t have here. I have taken the time to jot it all down.
I miss the crap out of my little sister, Katie. It’s a really weird feeling, missing her. She and I usually don’t get along, and that holds true up until a little bit before my leaving. But I miss all that bickering that we used to do. And with Katie being with child, I feel like I should be there. I want to play the stereotypical aunt role, taking pictures of the belly and buying gifts every time I go past a baby shop. It’s like I miss being able to play my role and I hate missing out on everything that she is going through. I cant wait to get home and see her. My inside sources have told me that she is the most beautiful pregnant woman they have seen in a while. I believe it. She was always the most beautiful everything, toddler, girl, teen.
I also really miss my Mommy. I know she’ll be over here in about 30 days but it’s not soon enough. You know, I never understood the vigor of a bond between a mother and child until being over here. I always knew that I loved my mom and I respected her before but now I get. I get that as long as she is with me I will truly feel home.
Of course, I miss my Daddy. I guess it’s not really fair to say that the love that I have for my mom is individual without saying the same for the love for my father. It’s weird. I know that both of my parents love me and I love both of them but I get something different from each. With my dad it’s more like a knight in shinning armor and also the smart ass friend kind of love. With my mom it’s more of mixture between a best friend and a mom.
I miss my big bro, Jake. I look around at all the young people here and think about how well my brother would fit in here. Italy is so his kind of town. They have the whole carefree, laid-back attitude of Jake but they also have the hardworking attitude that he has. He belongs here.
And last but not least, I really miss my Nana. A couple of nights ago my mom called me to tell me that I needed to call my grandma and leave a message on her answering machine because my mom accidentally erased my earlier messages. I really miss sleeping in that same bed with her. I miss feeling so close to someone, not physically but emotionally. I feel like we get each other better than anyone else.
Indubitably, I do miss my family get-togethers. Yeah, I do like being away from the drama but I am so used to all the clamor of us getting together that its weird to be around. And despite the drama, I really do love seeing everyone. It was nice to get to see everyone on my mom’s side, except my lovely Uncle Steve and Uncle Rich, over Christmas. And I got to see all my dad’s family at my going away party. I love it when we all get in one room and take pictures. I absolutely love that I have all these pictures of everyone from a time when we are all happy.
Additionally, I miss my other family, my best friends. I have 6 best friends. Everyone I know including my best friends thinks that its way too many but each one plays a very important role in my life and I could never not consider them to be my best friends. There’s the girls: Lauren &Tran, and the boys: Jeffrey, Jesse, Matt & Ian. Just like they serve different purposes, they are also missed differently. Like Lauren, I miss her stupid giggle, even when she is making fun of me for something. And I miss how easily she is scared. I miss Tran’s facial expression. I miss her voice (weeo weeo weeeeeooo wee). I miss how when I walk next to her she will link arms with me and rest her head on my shoulder. I miss how these two girls are so close to me that we are literally like sisters. For the boys, in general, I miss all the little pranks that they have played on me. In case you all don’t remember, Jeffrey farted in my face when I was sleeping, and there was the time when I woke up with shaving cream all over my face. Or what about the time when I had my head shoved into a cake? Or when there was a new stereotype invented just for me (butter)? And then there are all the little jokes about me not being able to read, Ian. Or that I suck at poker, Jesse. I miss chilling with yall at Suicide Hill or at Jeff’s house. And when Jesse had an apartment, that was great. All in all I just miss kicking it with yall. I miss doing nothing and being so entertained by it.
The food here is so different than back home, duh, and it makes me wish I had my food from back home. I want my Nana’s tortillas, fresh off the comal. I want some of my Dad/Mom’s chili. The two of them make the best chili. Each one does something a little different than the other but both are superb here. I think the only time I have even seen beans were when I was at Titi’s house. in addition to those two things, I would love some of my brother’s salsa. He makes it extra spicy on purpose and I love when he does that. I love burning my tongue off, always fun. And if there were one thing to greet me when I get home it would be GoJo’s yellow sauce. I love that stuff. I could buy it by the bucket when I’m in KC. Love that stuff.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the places that I miss. I really miss the Plaza. I don’t miss working there but just being there. I’ve had a lot of really good times at the plaza and the ambiance is truly stunning. I had a dream about the building that the Cheesecake Factory is located in and it was painted red. Random, I know, but it just reminded me of how much I love the Plaza and would love to stroll around it. I’m sure it will remind me of being away.
I also really miss Suicide Hill. My friends and I would go there all the time. I love it on the top of that hill, sitting on the swing and looking at the stars. I always did my best thinking up there. And I always had my best conversations with friends up there. I don’t know if anyone remembers this but we were talking about endangered animals. We’re too smart for our own good.
I miss being at my Nana’s house. I miss the smell of tortillas cooking. I miss hearing the vacuum going. I miss being awakened at 6 in the morning because she had to get up and shower and clean. I miss seeing kids running around the house, specifically ReRe and Marieclaire.
I miss the comfort of my Dad’s couch. I would love coming back from Columbia and falling asleep on his couch. There would be the TV going on in the foreground and possibly Katie yelling in the background. It was always so nice to find refuge on that couch.
But you know what my favorite place is in Kansas City: My mommy’s bathtub. The only thing I can think to do when I get home is take a bath. If you want to talk to me you’ll have to do so on the outside of the curtain that creates such a perfect divider between the heavenly bathtub and the chaotic world. We don’t have baths here and naturally, all I want is to take a bath.
I left all of my movies in Kansas City so I really miss that. I’ve bought a few but they don’t make up for the 100 or so that I have back home. I love Italian cinema but they aren’t so happy go lucky as America. We almost always have a happy ending in our movies and they only have half happy endings. I guess it’s nice to buy movies in Italian though. I’ve bought ones that I have in English and know by heart so that I can learn.
And movies just make me think of quality time. One thing that I don’t have over here is quality time around a table with cards and chips. I miss playing Rummy and Poker. I miss playing SORRY! And I really miss sitting around a TV all scrunched on a couch with a bowl of popcorn watching Dead Silence or some other movie. Does anyone remember the time that we were watching Ice Age and Nana was laughing at us for watching cartoons? She said that we were stupid for watching cartoons. I have a picture of here laughing. Check it out.
I really miss the dollar. What happened to the dollar being the strongest form of currency? It sucks that I am over here and my money isn’t worth anything. I hate that I spend so much money without feeling like I’ve spent anything. I’m gonna start collecting dollars (or as you all in America say it, “saving money”) and then I’m gonna throw it all in a bathtub and swim in it.
So, I’m kind of a whore for kitchen appliances; I think I have every single appliance under the sun and if a new one comes out I want it. Being over here, I am without so many things that I took for granted. If there were a few that I would have brought with me it would be my rice cooker and my quesadilla maker. It’s a good thing I didn’t because all I would be eating would be rice and quesadillas if I did bring those.
In addition to those appliances, I also miss the convenience of a toaster oven or a microwave. Here, if you want to heat something up you either have to put it in the oven or you have to put it on the stove. It’s not the worst thing to ever happen but it would be easier to just have a toaster oven or microwave. And you know what else would be convenient? A garbage disposal. I would love to not worry about clogging up my drain and be able to just throw it all down the sink but I cant. When I get home I think I’m just gonna start throwing food down the drain, not cause I don’t want it, just cause I can.
But more than anything in the whole, wide world, I just miss being at home. Sure there are all of those little things that lead to me missing home, and I’m not really home sick, but if I could have both Rome and the things I love about KC at the same time I would be all over it. Dorthy says it best, “There’s no place like home.”
Things I am glad to be rid of
One of the major things I am happy is not over here is the gas guzzling cars. There are a few people who have big cars but the majority of people drive really tiny cars. If I ever really live over here I want to get a Fiat Cinquecento. They are sooo cute. I would look into the safety features, of course, but the looks are a seller.
I’m also really glad to be rid of having a fast food restaurant on every corner. They have their share of McDonald’s and Burger King but that’s it. And you don’t see them in close proximity. Back home they are everywhere and it’s such an eye sore. Here they at least try to make them look spectacular, so that you’ll want to go in. Renato, our student services officer, loves McDonald’s and Burger King. It’s a little odd but to each his own.
I know that this might be super repetitive but I am so glad to be away from any of the drama that always seems to run along side my family. I swear, if we go 60 days without something dramatic happening it’ll be a first. My grandfather’s one wish was that we all get along and it seems like even in his death we cant manage to make that happen. I know that my family is not individual in having this trait but I’m just happy to not be in it.
I miss the crap out of my little sister, Katie. It’s a really weird feeling, missing her. She and I usually don’t get along, and that holds true up until a little bit before my leaving. But I miss all that bickering that we used to do. And with Katie being with child, I feel like I should be there. I want to play the stereotypical aunt role, taking pictures of the belly and buying gifts every time I go past a baby shop. It’s like I miss being able to play my role and I hate missing out on everything that she is going through. I cant wait to get home and see her. My inside sources have told me that she is the most beautiful pregnant woman they have seen in a while. I believe it. She was always the most beautiful everything, toddler, girl, teen.
I also really miss my Mommy. I know she’ll be over here in about 30 days but it’s not soon enough. You know, I never understood the vigor of a bond between a mother and child until being over here. I always knew that I loved my mom and I respected her before but now I get. I get that as long as she is with me I will truly feel home.
Of course, I miss my Daddy. I guess it’s not really fair to say that the love that I have for my mom is individual without saying the same for the love for my father. It’s weird. I know that both of my parents love me and I love both of them but I get something different from each. With my dad it’s more like a knight in shinning armor and also the smart ass friend kind of love. With my mom it’s more of mixture between a best friend and a mom.
I miss my big bro, Jake. I look around at all the young people here and think about how well my brother would fit in here. Italy is so his kind of town. They have the whole carefree, laid-back attitude of Jake but they also have the hardworking attitude that he has. He belongs here.
And last but not least, I really miss my Nana. A couple of nights ago my mom called me to tell me that I needed to call my grandma and leave a message on her answering machine because my mom accidentally erased my earlier messages. I really miss sleeping in that same bed with her. I miss feeling so close to someone, not physically but emotionally. I feel like we get each other better than anyone else.
Indubitably, I do miss my family get-togethers. Yeah, I do like being away from the drama but I am so used to all the clamor of us getting together that its weird to be around. And despite the drama, I really do love seeing everyone. It was nice to get to see everyone on my mom’s side, except my lovely Uncle Steve and Uncle Rich, over Christmas. And I got to see all my dad’s family at my going away party. I love it when we all get in one room and take pictures. I absolutely love that I have all these pictures of everyone from a time when we are all happy.
Additionally, I miss my other family, my best friends. I have 6 best friends. Everyone I know including my best friends thinks that its way too many but each one plays a very important role in my life and I could never not consider them to be my best friends. There’s the girls: Lauren &Tran, and the boys: Jeffrey, Jesse, Matt & Ian. Just like they serve different purposes, they are also missed differently. Like Lauren, I miss her stupid giggle, even when she is making fun of me for something. And I miss how easily she is scared. I miss Tran’s facial expression. I miss her voice (weeo weeo weeeeeooo wee). I miss how when I walk next to her she will link arms with me and rest her head on my shoulder. I miss how these two girls are so close to me that we are literally like sisters. For the boys, in general, I miss all the little pranks that they have played on me. In case you all don’t remember, Jeffrey farted in my face when I was sleeping, and there was the time when I woke up with shaving cream all over my face. Or what about the time when I had my head shoved into a cake? Or when there was a new stereotype invented just for me (butter)? And then there are all the little jokes about me not being able to read, Ian. Or that I suck at poker, Jesse. I miss chilling with yall at Suicide Hill or at Jeff’s house. And when Jesse had an apartment, that was great. All in all I just miss kicking it with yall. I miss doing nothing and being so entertained by it.
The food here is so different than back home, duh, and it makes me wish I had my food from back home. I want my Nana’s tortillas, fresh off the comal. I want some of my Dad/Mom’s chili. The two of them make the best chili. Each one does something a little different than the other but both are superb here. I think the only time I have even seen beans were when I was at Titi’s house. in addition to those two things, I would love some of my brother’s salsa. He makes it extra spicy on purpose and I love when he does that. I love burning my tongue off, always fun. And if there were one thing to greet me when I get home it would be GoJo’s yellow sauce. I love that stuff. I could buy it by the bucket when I’m in KC. Love that stuff.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the places that I miss. I really miss the Plaza. I don’t miss working there but just being there. I’ve had a lot of really good times at the plaza and the ambiance is truly stunning. I had a dream about the building that the Cheesecake Factory is located in and it was painted red. Random, I know, but it just reminded me of how much I love the Plaza and would love to stroll around it. I’m sure it will remind me of being away.
I also really miss Suicide Hill. My friends and I would go there all the time. I love it on the top of that hill, sitting on the swing and looking at the stars. I always did my best thinking up there. And I always had my best conversations with friends up there. I don’t know if anyone remembers this but we were talking about endangered animals. We’re too smart for our own good.
I miss being at my Nana’s house. I miss the smell of tortillas cooking. I miss hearing the vacuum going. I miss being awakened at 6 in the morning because she had to get up and shower and clean. I miss seeing kids running around the house, specifically ReRe and Marieclaire.
I miss the comfort of my Dad’s couch. I would love coming back from Columbia and falling asleep on his couch. There would be the TV going on in the foreground and possibly Katie yelling in the background. It was always so nice to find refuge on that couch.
But you know what my favorite place is in Kansas City: My mommy’s bathtub. The only thing I can think to do when I get home is take a bath. If you want to talk to me you’ll have to do so on the outside of the curtain that creates such a perfect divider between the heavenly bathtub and the chaotic world. We don’t have baths here and naturally, all I want is to take a bath.
I left all of my movies in Kansas City so I really miss that. I’ve bought a few but they don’t make up for the 100 or so that I have back home. I love Italian cinema but they aren’t so happy go lucky as America. We almost always have a happy ending in our movies and they only have half happy endings. I guess it’s nice to buy movies in Italian though. I’ve bought ones that I have in English and know by heart so that I can learn.
And movies just make me think of quality time. One thing that I don’t have over here is quality time around a table with cards and chips. I miss playing Rummy and Poker. I miss playing SORRY! And I really miss sitting around a TV all scrunched on a couch with a bowl of popcorn watching Dead Silence or some other movie. Does anyone remember the time that we were watching Ice Age and Nana was laughing at us for watching cartoons? She said that we were stupid for watching cartoons. I have a picture of here laughing. Check it out.
I really miss the dollar. What happened to the dollar being the strongest form of currency? It sucks that I am over here and my money isn’t worth anything. I hate that I spend so much money without feeling like I’ve spent anything. I’m gonna start collecting dollars (or as you all in America say it, “saving money”) and then I’m gonna throw it all in a bathtub and swim in it.
So, I’m kind of a whore for kitchen appliances; I think I have every single appliance under the sun and if a new one comes out I want it. Being over here, I am without so many things that I took for granted. If there were a few that I would have brought with me it would be my rice cooker and my quesadilla maker. It’s a good thing I didn’t because all I would be eating would be rice and quesadillas if I did bring those.
In addition to those appliances, I also miss the convenience of a toaster oven or a microwave. Here, if you want to heat something up you either have to put it in the oven or you have to put it on the stove. It’s not the worst thing to ever happen but it would be easier to just have a toaster oven or microwave. And you know what else would be convenient? A garbage disposal. I would love to not worry about clogging up my drain and be able to just throw it all down the sink but I cant. When I get home I think I’m just gonna start throwing food down the drain, not cause I don’t want it, just cause I can.
But more than anything in the whole, wide world, I just miss being at home. Sure there are all of those little things that lead to me missing home, and I’m not really home sick, but if I could have both Rome and the things I love about KC at the same time I would be all over it. Dorthy says it best, “There’s no place like home.”
Things I am glad to be rid of
One of the major things I am happy is not over here is the gas guzzling cars. There are a few people who have big cars but the majority of people drive really tiny cars. If I ever really live over here I want to get a Fiat Cinquecento. They are sooo cute. I would look into the safety features, of course, but the looks are a seller.
I’m also really glad to be rid of having a fast food restaurant on every corner. They have their share of McDonald’s and Burger King but that’s it. And you don’t see them in close proximity. Back home they are everywhere and it’s such an eye sore. Here they at least try to make them look spectacular, so that you’ll want to go in. Renato, our student services officer, loves McDonald’s and Burger King. It’s a little odd but to each his own.
I know that this might be super repetitive but I am so glad to be away from any of the drama that always seems to run along side my family. I swear, if we go 60 days without something dramatic happening it’ll be a first. My grandfather’s one wish was that we all get along and it seems like even in his death we cant manage to make that happen. I know that my family is not individual in having this trait but I’m just happy to not be in it.
Smitten for the Italian men
So, I cant help but fall in love with every Italian man that I have the pleasure of getting to know. First, I thought it was just because they have the nice accent but it turns out that there is something that the Italian men are full of (not shit) and American men simply lack. They have charm. And you don’t know charm until you meet a true Italian man. I don’t think I have met a man who made me feel more beautiful and smart than an Italian man.
So far I have fallen in love with 3 men. No, I don’t mean real love, more smitten. The first would be the obvious Renato. He’s just an all around great guy. Seriously, the kind of guy you would take home to mom. He has his smart ass moments, which I love because I love someone who can get with me on my level. But in general he is very sweet and gentleman-like. When we were at that conference he was sure to carry the things to the table and ask me what I wanted to drink. He held the door for me and always said after you. Che carino.
Number two: Maurizio. He is my Italian professor. He’s the perfect combination of funny, smart, sweet, and hardass. He and I have all kinds of conversations about some of the other students in front of them, and its never anything terribly mean but also not terribly nice either. It’s fun because they have no idea and I get to see the more human side of him. We always joke around in class and he always points to the door like I can leave but he’s never serious. Trust me, he’s never serious. Each time he points, he immediately smiles and gives a little chuckle. Che buffo.
Third: Mario. Yes, that is the most Italian name in the whole word next to Marcello or Andrea. This guy is fantastico. He’s my photography professor. And he and I click on the level that he is really, really, ridiculously smart. He’s going to school for astrophysics or something like that. And he speaks English pretty well but he makes funny little mistakes. Its always fun correcting him. We always joke about his English. I’m always telling him that he speaks really well and he always says that I’m just “making fun with him”, yes, with him. I have his class late in the evening so he always says, “I’m too tired to speak English. Parliamo italiano.” I love how we speak a mixture of the two languages.
Now, don’t any of you go freaking out thinking that I’m shagging up with one of my professors cause I’m not. I know my limits and like I said, I’m not really in love with these guys, just the idea of these guys. I will come home the same good girl that I was when I left, no worries.
So far I have fallen in love with 3 men. No, I don’t mean real love, more smitten. The first would be the obvious Renato. He’s just an all around great guy. Seriously, the kind of guy you would take home to mom. He has his smart ass moments, which I love because I love someone who can get with me on my level. But in general he is very sweet and gentleman-like. When we were at that conference he was sure to carry the things to the table and ask me what I wanted to drink. He held the door for me and always said after you. Che carino.
Number two: Maurizio. He is my Italian professor. He’s the perfect combination of funny, smart, sweet, and hardass. He and I have all kinds of conversations about some of the other students in front of them, and its never anything terribly mean but also not terribly nice either. It’s fun because they have no idea and I get to see the more human side of him. We always joke around in class and he always points to the door like I can leave but he’s never serious. Trust me, he’s never serious. Each time he points, he immediately smiles and gives a little chuckle. Che buffo.
Third: Mario. Yes, that is the most Italian name in the whole word next to Marcello or Andrea. This guy is fantastico. He’s my photography professor. And he and I click on the level that he is really, really, ridiculously smart. He’s going to school for astrophysics or something like that. And he speaks English pretty well but he makes funny little mistakes. Its always fun correcting him. We always joke about his English. I’m always telling him that he speaks really well and he always says that I’m just “making fun with him”, yes, with him. I have his class late in the evening so he always says, “I’m too tired to speak English. Parliamo italiano.” I love how we speak a mixture of the two languages.
Now, don’t any of you go freaking out thinking that I’m shagging up with one of my professors cause I’m not. I know my limits and like I said, I’m not really in love with these guys, just the idea of these guys. I will come home the same good girl that I was when I left, no worries.
Italian Politics Conference
Today (April 4) there was a conference on the political system in Italy. I was really interested in going because I know so little about how their political system works but to be honest, I don’t think I know too much more now than I did before going. Anyway, it was beneficial because I was able to cross something off on my 50-before-50 List.
I was running a little late getting to the meet site because I had on a dress, walked to the bottom of the hill and realized how freezing I was, and turned back to change. I called Renato when I was on my way to the bus stop but he didn’t answer. I didn’t think it was a big deal because I figured he was on his bike. I got to the bus stop and waited. As I was standing there I heard this person driving by making all kinds of noise. I turned my head to find Renato yelling my name and motioning for me to come over and jump on. Like a true Italian, I darted in front of all these cars to get to Renato. He told me to get on. No worries, I had on a helmet. It was so crazy because I have never been on a motorcyle before. Jesse always tried to get me to ride on his and so did my Uncle Phil but I am totally mortified by bikes. They scare the crap out of me. But what was I to say? “Oh thanks for stopping to pick me up but I think I’ll go back to waiting because I just might crap my pants if I get on that. I’ll just be late and you can wait for me there.” No way. I had to get on. And so I did. It was so much fun. We went fast and we drove up hills. Then we got to a point where I almost died not because he almost hit someone but because we were going the wrong way up a one-way street that was also going uphill. I was gripping Renato so tightly that I think I might have cut off his circulation. But as a whole it was so much fun. We went to the top of this hill and saw the most beautiful view of the city. It was great.
The first half of the conference was a little boring. There was only one speaker that I was able to follow because he gave tons of background information and he was humorous. His name was Silviano Susi. He’s the guy to the left. Afterwards we went to the garden to have a small lunch (lasagna and wine). It was cute. Renato and I sat and talked about politics, something I know very little about but enough to keep up. Then we jumped on the moto to go to the second half of the conference.
The second half was in a very old palace that had the ceiling of the galleria done by Pietro Cortona. The galleria wasn’t the right dimensions so the owner didn’t want a big name guy to paint in it. this lead him to hire Cortona to do it, who just so happened to become a big deal. Stunning use of color. I didn’t get a picture of it because Dora told me not to after I took a picture of a statue and a chair. If I ever get to go back you will see it, promise.
We met up with Fabi and Dora on our way there. And this part was so much better than the first. There were two speakers that I thoroughly enjoyed. The first was a very handsome man who was talking about statistics and polling. I only enjoyed him for his charm and smile. He had a great smile. But the second speaker was a woman who I loved for what she had to say. She was talking about syntax, semantics, and words in general. It was really interesting to hear someone talk about how politicians use and avoid certain words because of public perception of certain words. As a whole, I enjoyed myself.
I was running a little late getting to the meet site because I had on a dress, walked to the bottom of the hill and realized how freezing I was, and turned back to change. I called Renato when I was on my way to the bus stop but he didn’t answer. I didn’t think it was a big deal because I figured he was on his bike. I got to the bus stop and waited. As I was standing there I heard this person driving by making all kinds of noise. I turned my head to find Renato yelling my name and motioning for me to come over and jump on. Like a true Italian, I darted in front of all these cars to get to Renato. He told me to get on. No worries, I had on a helmet. It was so crazy because I have never been on a motorcyle before. Jesse always tried to get me to ride on his and so did my Uncle Phil but I am totally mortified by bikes. They scare the crap out of me. But what was I to say? “Oh thanks for stopping to pick me up but I think I’ll go back to waiting because I just might crap my pants if I get on that. I’ll just be late and you can wait for me there.” No way. I had to get on. And so I did. It was so much fun. We went fast and we drove up hills. Then we got to a point where I almost died not because he almost hit someone but because we were going the wrong way up a one-way street that was also going uphill. I was gripping Renato so tightly that I think I might have cut off his circulation. But as a whole it was so much fun. We went to the top of this hill and saw the most beautiful view of the city. It was great.
The first half of the conference was a little boring. There was only one speaker that I was able to follow because he gave tons of background information and he was humorous. His name was Silviano Susi. He’s the guy to the left. Afterwards we went to the garden to have a small lunch (lasagna and wine). It was cute. Renato and I sat and talked about politics, something I know very little about but enough to keep up. Then we jumped on the moto to go to the second half of the conference. 
The second half was in a very old palace that had the ceiling of the galleria done by Pietro Cortona. The galleria wasn’t the right dimensions so the owner didn’t want a big name guy to paint in it. this lead him to hire Cortona to do it, who just so happened to become a big deal. Stunning use of color. I didn’t get a picture of it because Dora told me not to after I took a picture of a statue and a chair. If I ever get to go back you will see it, promise.
We met up with Fabi and Dora on our way there. And this part was so much better than the first. There were two speakers that I thoroughly enjoyed. The first was a very handsome man who was talking about statistics and polling. I only enjoyed him for his charm and smile. He had a great smile. But the second speaker was a woman who I loved for what she had to say. She was talking about syntax, semantics, and words in general. It was really interesting to hear someone talk about how politicians use and avoid certain words because of public perception of certain words. As a whole, I enjoyed myself.
Midterm grades
We got our grades back and I did wonderfully. They are as follows:
Italian: A-
Mythology: A
Masterpieces: B+
Photography: A-
Ren/Baroque: B
Sono contenta con i miei vote. Non c’erano meno di C. Va be’
Italian: A-
Mythology: A
Masterpieces: B+
Photography: A-
Ren/Baroque: B
Sono contenta con i miei vote. Non c’erano meno di C. Va be’
Lucia’s Students
Today (March 30) I went to the Laghetto while I waited for Lucia’s students to show up. The larghetto is this little man made lake just out of the city. It’s a really cute place, pretty dirty, but it doesn’t stink. There are really pretty trees all around. I thought I would read a little Eat. Pray. Love. seeing as how I don’t have any Harry Potter to read. Here is a what it looked like.
There was a “waterhorse” in the middle of one half of the lake.
While I was waiting, I walked to McDonald’s and did something that I’m sure would have sent me straight to hell if I died just after doing it. I was waiting in line, it was hot, there were people all over, super crowded, and just as I was about to be at the cashier this woman jumps in front of me. At this point I’m pissed. I look at her, say “Scusi” and start to tell the man my order. The woman behind me starts to tell me that I was wrong for not letting her go telling me that clearly I can see that she is pregnant. I knew she was pregnant but I seriously didn’t feel like she had the right to jump in front of me. I felt a little bad about it afterwards but when I was thinking about if I were in America how it would have worked I felt that I was right in what I did. Well, maybe not right. I should have let her go. But she should have asked. Having a fat belly does not give you the right to forget your manners.
I met up with the girls and we left for the movie theatre. We went to see a movie called Colpo d’Occhio. It was a really interesting movie about a man who is cheating on his wife with a woman who then cheats on him and they break up but he becomes friends with the guy that she cheated on him with and then he ruins her relationship with the new guy and eventually kills the new guy. It was sad but it played on the idea that there was a deeper, psychological meaning for everything that happened. I still liked it.
Afterwards we went to get gelato at a place called Gioliti. They have pretty good gelato but my favorite was the one in Aversa. The girls and I were exchanging words, trying to figure out what the English/Italian equivalent was. It was a bunch of fun and I cant wait to hang out with them again.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter has finally reached the point where it is in control of my life. When I got to Titi’s house, I started to read the 4th book. I finished it after a week and immediately started book 5. I stayed at home all day on a beautiful Saturday reading that book. I was so sucked into it. And now I am ready to read the 6th book and I don’t have it. So, you know what I’ve been doing? I’ve been going to the bookstore, Feltrinelli, to read it there. I’m like a crack head doing what I must to get my fix. Stupid Harry Potter.
Oh the places you will go…
Dr. Seuss truly did know what he was talking about when he wrote that book. I have been to so many places and seen so many things here in Rome alone, my favorite being the museums. My school is so great about taking us to museums and in one week alone we went to one every day. We had a short week (only 3 days) and managed to see three different places.
The first place that we went was the Vatican Museum with the Masterpieces of Vatican class. We were going to see some of the sculptures but that area was closed off because a structure fell. Instead we took a look at the various works that we had learned about in the class.
This is Raphael’s Transfiguration, 1517. This was on our midterm. Its shows how light is used to show good and evil. The top is full of light, making it more holy, whereas the bottom is void of much light, showing the lack of holiness.
This is by daVinci. I don’t remember the name but I know it was about a saint who went into the desert to cleanse himself or something like that. We didn’t learn about this one.
This is a piece by Caravaggio, one of my favorite artists. It was done either in the late 1500s or early 1600s. I don’t know the exact name of this piece because I only learned it Italian but I think it translates to mean The Descent of the Cross.
We didn’t learn about these but there were all kinds of pieces that looked straight out of Egypt, probably stolen like so many things were.
This is a statue of Bacchus, also known as Dionysus. He was originally the god of the extraordinary and later became more commonly known as the god of wine who inspired creativity in music and poetry. He reminded me of Lauren.
This is Ajax and Achilles Playing Draughts, 6 Century BC. This was on our midterm. I so got it right.
After we finished up at the Vatican, we made our way back to school where our photo teacher met up with us to take us to a photo exhibit going on down the road. They were showing pieces from the National Geographic of Italy because they were celebrating their 10 year anniversary in Italy. It was the perfect place for me. Everyone that knows me knows how much I love, love, LOVE National Geographic and photography. It was amazing. Mario and I walked around and talked about all the pieces that we liked and I told him that this is my favorite subscription and I wish I could work for them. He said that’s his goal. I would love it if he started working for them. Maybe that would get me a job or at least a free subscription. Love National Geographic.
The next day we went to the Capitoline Museum with our Baroque and Renaissance class. We focused on paintings instead of statues and ruins.
This is the original shewolf. The two babes are the founders of Rome, Romolo and Remo, which translates into Romulus and Remus. She kept them alive and they started the city, I think, maybe.
This is another piece by Caravaggio. This is St. John the Baptist. I think he did this one in 1607 give or take 5 years.
The next day we went back to the Capitoline but this time was with Lucia and Claudio for Greek and Roman Mythology. Lucia wanted us to do a tandem with the students at her other school so we met them. Cute kids. Anywho, we spent the day looking at statues.
This is a bronze figure of what was either thought to be Marcus Arellius and it turned out to be Constantine or vise versa. I don’t remember. Pretty cool, however, because they didn’t bother to focus on proportion. Instead they made the horse way larger than it would have been to show how much power the rider had by means of controlling such a big animal.
The first place that we went was the Vatican Museum with the Masterpieces of Vatican class. We were going to see some of the sculptures but that area was closed off because a structure fell. Instead we took a look at the various works that we had learned about in the class.
This is Raphael’s Transfiguration, 1517. This was on our midterm. Its shows how light is used to show good and evil. The top is full of light, making it more holy, whereas the bottom is void of much light, showing the lack of holiness.
This is by daVinci. I don’t remember the name but I know it was about a saint who went into the desert to cleanse himself or something like that. We didn’t learn about this one.
This is a piece by Caravaggio, one of my favorite artists. It was done either in the late 1500s or early 1600s. I don’t know the exact name of this piece because I only learned it Italian but I think it translates to mean The Descent of the Cross.
We didn’t learn about these but there were all kinds of pieces that looked straight out of Egypt, probably stolen like so many things were.
This is a statue of Bacchus, also known as Dionysus. He was originally the god of the extraordinary and later became more commonly known as the god of wine who inspired creativity in music and poetry. He reminded me of Lauren.
This is Ajax and Achilles Playing Draughts, 6 Century BC. This was on our midterm. I so got it right.
After we finished up at the Vatican, we made our way back to school where our photo teacher met up with us to take us to a photo exhibit going on down the road. They were showing pieces from the National Geographic of Italy because they were celebrating their 10 year anniversary in Italy. It was the perfect place for me. Everyone that knows me knows how much I love, love, LOVE National Geographic and photography. It was amazing. Mario and I walked around and talked about all the pieces that we liked and I told him that this is my favorite subscription and I wish I could work for them. He said that’s his goal. I would love it if he started working for them. Maybe that would get me a job or at least a free subscription. Love National Geographic.
The next day we went to the Capitoline Museum with our Baroque and Renaissance class. We focused on paintings instead of statues and ruins.
This is the original shewolf. The two babes are the founders of Rome, Romolo and Remo, which translates into Romulus and Remus. She kept them alive and they started the city, I think, maybe.
This is another piece by Caravaggio. This is St. John the Baptist. I think he did this one in 1607 give or take 5 years.
The next day we went back to the Capitoline but this time was with Lucia and Claudio for Greek and Roman Mythology. Lucia wanted us to do a tandem with the students at her other school so we met them. Cute kids. Anywho, we spent the day looking at statues.
This is a bronze figure of what was either thought to be Marcus Arellius and it turned out to be Constantine or vise versa. I don’t remember. Pretty cool, however, because they didn’t bother to focus on proportion. Instead they made the horse way larger than it would have been to show how much power the rider had by means of controlling such a big animal.
Second Trip to Gricignano: Easter Weekend
Saturday
The day started off pretty rough for me. I stayed up really late reading Harry Potter and I had to get up at 6:45 to catch my train. Just before leaving the flat, Nicole asked me where the red umbrella was so that these people that neither one of us knows could use it while they are in town for a few days. This just happened to be the umbrella I was taking with me to Gricignano, I needed it to match my Easter outfit, a concept I don’t think she understands. I mean that to say she doesn’t get how important Easter is to me or how hard I have always tried to make sure everything I have on that day matches. Whatev. Not the point. So I left with my turquoise umbrella instead, the brand new one I had just purchased for a whopping $12. Trust me, I never would have spent so much on it in the states but things are pricier here and I needed an umbrella. The rain wasn’t that bad, thank God, as I was wheeling my suitcase down the narrow streets. That is, until I got about two blocks from being inside and a huge gush of wind swept by, turning my umbrella inside out. I must admit, I have always wanted that to happen to me, just cause it looks cool, but I would have preferred it on a day when I wasn’t trying to get somewhere. I closed the umbrella to turn it right again and then, BAM! I was hit again. Needless to say I walked in the rain for the remainer of the two blocks.
When I got to the train station I had no idea what number my train was or where I was going so I looked on a board and then headed in a general direction of where it said some train going to Napoli was. I figured there was a good chance my train would be over there.
I always ask questions when I don’t know something and the language barrier hasn’t stopped me from doing that so I walked up to a man and asked if the train was going to Aversa. He had no idea so he turns to this very handsome man with salt and pepper hair and a face like it was chiseled from marble (not stone). He said he didn’t know either and pointed me in the direction of someone who might. He then walked with me to this all-knowing person and asked him for me if it was the right train. It was not. The salt and pepper man of my dreams then walked me to a board that had the updated arrivals and platforms and departure times. He said to just wait and look and go to whatever number shows up next to the train I was supposed to be taking. I thanked him and he walked away.
I stood there looking up at that board for a good 5 minutes and nothing had changed, at least not for my train. It was just as I started to worry that the beautiful number 7 appeared. Grazie Dio!
In the midst of me turning around to head toward my train, the original man whom I had asked if I was going the right way was standing right in front of me. He asked me if I found the right train. I smiled and said yes. Then the salt and pepper man approached. He said with a smile, “You’re number is here, seven” in Italian, of course. I thanked them both, smiling. As I walked away I couldn’t help but keep looking in their direction instead of my own, saying “Grazie mille.” I must say that immediately after saying it I felt like I had the whole Audrey Hepburn sound in my Italian accent as she had in Roman Holiday.
I don’t know what it is about the Italians but they have a quality about them that is matched and rivaled by no other. They have to be, by far, the nicest group of people I’ve ever encountered. Generally speaking, I usually one stereotype when its funny and I’m never quite serious about it. But in this case I really do mean to group all Italians together because they are so nice. That’s not to say there are not a few bad apples in the bunch but every group has their oddballs. All other things aside (i.e. the mafia, communists, etc) the majority of encounters I have had have proven them to be… nice, helpful, and genuine. I’m still keeping my eye out for the bad ones. You know what they say, “Prepare for the worst, live for the best”… or something like that.
I got to Aversa around noon. Jeff, Christian, and Sophie came to pick me up. When we got home the girls asked me if I would go with them to rent a movie. Titi handed me the keys to her car. Was she serious? She was going to let me drive? This would be my first time driving in a foreign country. Her car was so big and I was afraid of scratching it but everything went smoothly. We picked up some candy, tried to rent a movie, and went home. After dinner that night we went to Campania to get gelato at that amazing place.
Sunday
We woke up and went to Easter mass. It occurred to me during mass that this was the first time that I was going to a church other than Guardia Angels for Easter mass. Last year I couldn’t make it home so I had a three-way call with my mom and my best friend, Jeff, and the three of us conducted Easter mass. We each took bread and wine, gave it thanks, and ate/drank it, accepting it as Jesus. But this year was different. I was in another country, a different time zone. I did like the sermon, priest was cool, he had a New England accent. We went back to the casa and took pictures.
This is their family.
And this is me with the kids.
This is me with Lourdes.
And this is the kids taking a funny picture.
After we were done taking pictures, Vicky and I made a bunny cake, which was followed by playing games. We played Taboo, 1313 Dead End Drive, Apples for Apples, Twister, and then we had a dance party. For dinner we had oven baked ham with a side of rice and beans. When everyone had gone to sleep I called my family to tell them Happy Easter. When I finished with them I called my Uncle Stevie and my Uncle Rich to wish them Happy Easter as well. then I called Jeff, Jesse, Matt, Tran, and Lauren. I stayed up on the phone until about 4 AM because Lauren wouldn’t let me get off. I paid for it the next day.
Monday
I was so tired today I thought I was going to die. I watched the Passion of the Christ movie and cried a little. I read some Harry Potter; I wanted to be done with it before going back to Rome, no such luck. I was taking a late train back to Rome so I was able to have dinner with them. We had leftover ham with a green bean casserole and mashed potatoes. It was a perfect last meal. We headed to the train station and I was off. On the trip back to Roma, I had the pleasure of picking the car full of hott Carabinieri men. Grazie Dio.
The day started off pretty rough for me. I stayed up really late reading Harry Potter and I had to get up at 6:45 to catch my train. Just before leaving the flat, Nicole asked me where the red umbrella was so that these people that neither one of us knows could use it while they are in town for a few days. This just happened to be the umbrella I was taking with me to Gricignano, I needed it to match my Easter outfit, a concept I don’t think she understands. I mean that to say she doesn’t get how important Easter is to me or how hard I have always tried to make sure everything I have on that day matches. Whatev. Not the point. So I left with my turquoise umbrella instead, the brand new one I had just purchased for a whopping $12. Trust me, I never would have spent so much on it in the states but things are pricier here and I needed an umbrella. The rain wasn’t that bad, thank God, as I was wheeling my suitcase down the narrow streets. That is, until I got about two blocks from being inside and a huge gush of wind swept by, turning my umbrella inside out. I must admit, I have always wanted that to happen to me, just cause it looks cool, but I would have preferred it on a day when I wasn’t trying to get somewhere. I closed the umbrella to turn it right again and then, BAM! I was hit again. Needless to say I walked in the rain for the remainer of the two blocks.
When I got to the train station I had no idea what number my train was or where I was going so I looked on a board and then headed in a general direction of where it said some train going to Napoli was. I figured there was a good chance my train would be over there.
I always ask questions when I don’t know something and the language barrier hasn’t stopped me from doing that so I walked up to a man and asked if the train was going to Aversa. He had no idea so he turns to this very handsome man with salt and pepper hair and a face like it was chiseled from marble (not stone). He said he didn’t know either and pointed me in the direction of someone who might. He then walked with me to this all-knowing person and asked him for me if it was the right train. It was not. The salt and pepper man of my dreams then walked me to a board that had the updated arrivals and platforms and departure times. He said to just wait and look and go to whatever number shows up next to the train I was supposed to be taking. I thanked him and he walked away.
I stood there looking up at that board for a good 5 minutes and nothing had changed, at least not for my train. It was just as I started to worry that the beautiful number 7 appeared. Grazie Dio!
In the midst of me turning around to head toward my train, the original man whom I had asked if I was going the right way was standing right in front of me. He asked me if I found the right train. I smiled and said yes. Then the salt and pepper man approached. He said with a smile, “You’re number is here, seven” in Italian, of course. I thanked them both, smiling. As I walked away I couldn’t help but keep looking in their direction instead of my own, saying “Grazie mille.” I must say that immediately after saying it I felt like I had the whole Audrey Hepburn sound in my Italian accent as she had in Roman Holiday.
I don’t know what it is about the Italians but they have a quality about them that is matched and rivaled by no other. They have to be, by far, the nicest group of people I’ve ever encountered. Generally speaking, I usually one stereotype when its funny and I’m never quite serious about it. But in this case I really do mean to group all Italians together because they are so nice. That’s not to say there are not a few bad apples in the bunch but every group has their oddballs. All other things aside (i.e. the mafia, communists, etc) the majority of encounters I have had have proven them to be… nice, helpful, and genuine. I’m still keeping my eye out for the bad ones. You know what they say, “Prepare for the worst, live for the best”… or something like that.
I got to Aversa around noon. Jeff, Christian, and Sophie came to pick me up. When we got home the girls asked me if I would go with them to rent a movie. Titi handed me the keys to her car. Was she serious? She was going to let me drive? This would be my first time driving in a foreign country. Her car was so big and I was afraid of scratching it but everything went smoothly. We picked up some candy, tried to rent a movie, and went home. After dinner that night we went to Campania to get gelato at that amazing place.
Sunday
We woke up and went to Easter mass. It occurred to me during mass that this was the first time that I was going to a church other than Guardia Angels for Easter mass. Last year I couldn’t make it home so I had a three-way call with my mom and my best friend, Jeff, and the three of us conducted Easter mass. We each took bread and wine, gave it thanks, and ate/drank it, accepting it as Jesus. But this year was different. I was in another country, a different time zone. I did like the sermon, priest was cool, he had a New England accent. We went back to the casa and took pictures.
This is their family.
And this is me with the kids.
This is me with Lourdes.
And this is the kids taking a funny picture.
After we were done taking pictures, Vicky and I made a bunny cake, which was followed by playing games. We played Taboo, 1313 Dead End Drive, Apples for Apples, Twister, and then we had a dance party. For dinner we had oven baked ham with a side of rice and beans. When everyone had gone to sleep I called my family to tell them Happy Easter. When I finished with them I called my Uncle Stevie and my Uncle Rich to wish them Happy Easter as well. then I called Jeff, Jesse, Matt, Tran, and Lauren. I stayed up on the phone until about 4 AM because Lauren wouldn’t let me get off. I paid for it the next day.
Monday
I was so tired today I thought I was going to die. I watched the Passion of the Christ movie and cried a little. I read some Harry Potter; I wanted to be done with it before going back to Rome, no such luck. I was taking a late train back to Rome so I was able to have dinner with them. We had leftover ham with a green bean casserole and mashed potatoes. It was a perfect last meal. We headed to the train station and I was off. On the trip back to Roma, I had the pleasure of picking the car full of hott Carabinieri men. Grazie Dio.
So it almost happened…
St. Peter’s
I had such high expectations for today. It’s Good Friday and I wanted to get things done. The first thing on my list was to go to the top of St. Peter’s and check out the view. It was a sunny morning and I thought it would be perfect. But when I got there it was crazy crowded. The line looked longer than any line I had ever seen including the ones that can be found at amusement parks. The church looked nice so I took a picture of it. There was also an olive tree out front, part of the march later that night I presume.
The Beach
When our plan to climb the steps failed, we decided to go to the beach. Well that didn’t turn out too much better. We got on a bus back toward our house to catch the train by our house. It was completely deserted.
We took a seat and headed to the beach. When we got off the train we realized how freaking cold it was and headed back to the city. We went home, crawled into bed, and tried as hard as we could to shake the cold from our bones.
The Stations of the Cross
I had finished up packing and was very excited to do the Stations of the Cross. In Rome, they start at the Coliseum and walk to St. Peter’s. I had come back to Rome for this and this alone. But you know me, once I get home and get into my jammies I have no volition to go out again. And this time I told myself I was going no matter what, well, unless it started to rain. And it did. So I stayed home. The day was complete. Everything I had intended on doing did not get done. Oh well. Always next year, right?
I had such high expectations for today. It’s Good Friday and I wanted to get things done. The first thing on my list was to go to the top of St. Peter’s and check out the view. It was a sunny morning and I thought it would be perfect. But when I got there it was crazy crowded. The line looked longer than any line I had ever seen including the ones that can be found at amusement parks. The church looked nice so I took a picture of it. There was also an olive tree out front, part of the march later that night I presume.
The Beach
When our plan to climb the steps failed, we decided to go to the beach. Well that didn’t turn out too much better. We got on a bus back toward our house to catch the train by our house. It was completely deserted.
We took a seat and headed to the beach. When we got off the train we realized how freaking cold it was and headed back to the city. We went home, crawled into bed, and tried as hard as we could to shake the cold from our bones.
The Stations of the Cross
I had finished up packing and was very excited to do the Stations of the Cross. In Rome, they start at the Coliseum and walk to St. Peter’s. I had come back to Rome for this and this alone. But you know me, once I get home and get into my jammies I have no volition to go out again. And this time I told myself I was going no matter what, well, unless it started to rain. And it did. So I stayed home. The day was complete. Everything I had intended on doing did not get done. Oh well. Always next year, right?
Graf Art is EVERYWHERE in Italy!
I love all the graffiti that can be found everywhere in italy. I’m not talking about the tags thrown about everywhere but rather the real talented graf art. Check out one of my favorites. Each picture would go beside the one before it.
My first trip to see the Krauses
Day One (3-12)
This was my first time taking a train outside of Rome so I had no idea what I was doing. When you get to Termini and head to the side where the outgoing trains are things get a little crazy. It is line after line of trains. And I have no idea how you are supposed to tell which one is yours. So, me being me, I walked up to a man that worked there to ask him where I was supposed to catch my train. He said a number (in Italian, of course) and pointed me in the right direction. I jumped on my train, still not 100% sure that it was the right train. Half way through the trip I asked one of the men walking down the isle in uniform if the train was in fact the one I needed and he said yes, told me that it was the third stop, but didn’t clarify if it was the third one including the one we just made or if it was three after so I was still a little confused. I called Titi (pronounced Thi-thi) to ask her how I would know I was there and she told me to just ask. About half an hour later I asked a woman where we were and she said “Aversa”. Thank the Lord for that cause I would have completely missed my stop if it wasn’t for that woman. As I sat in the train station waiting to be picked up I couldn’t help but think about how nice it was to not have anything to do but relax.
This trip was full of “firsts” so please don’t get tired of hearing me say, “It was my first time…” With that being said, this was my first time being on a base of any kind. I had to fill out a request for permission to stay on base. It was granted (duh) but it wasn’t permanent and we had to come back the next day to get one to last for the whole week I was there. After that was taken care of I entered the base and we headed to her flat. It was really odd being on base because it was like being in America but it looked like Italy. Everyone spoke English, and dollars were the only currency accepted. It was so interesting. Jeff and Titi called it “La Piccola America” which means Little America.
They lived in one of the furthest apartment complexes on base and it was still less than a 10-minute walk from the NEX, located at the other end. I walked in and immediately felt like I was back home. One of the first things that I noticed was their bookshelf that was jam-packed with books from top to bottom. On the third shelf from the top, in the very center of the shelf was a word made out of a piece of wood in the shape of a fish. The word was “JESUS” and it looked so familiar that it was almost bone chilling. I picked it up and asked Lourdes where she had gotten it and she said “You’re grandpa gave it to me. He made it.” From that point on I knew I was at home. And the kids solidified that feeling by how absolutely sweet and attentive they were to me.
We all sat down to eat dinner, chili with white rice. I thought that my family was the only ones that put chili over rice but I guess not. It was so good. She kept saying “sorry that its not more flavorful but blah blah blah” and all I was thinking was “are you kidding me? This is amazing! I have no idea how long it’s been since I’ve had chili and this just made my day.” We also had this bomb salad that had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon juice, salt, and corn in it. Amazing.
Day Two (3-13)
Today was hella chill. I had no real plans for the day so I just went around with Titi. We took Sophie to school and picked her back up. Then we took the other kids to piano lessons. While they were doing that Titi, Sophie and I went to Jambo, a mall that is all the hype in Aversa. We got some gelato there and headed back to get the kids. As soon as we were inside the base, Titi dropped me off at the commissary so that I could go to the movies. I went to see Jumper, pretty good movie, and it only cost me $3. It was amazing. Nothing is that cheap in Rome. This happened to be the first time that I had seen a movie in italy and it was also the first time that I had seen a movie by myself. It wasn’t bad but I will say that I prefer going with other people. When I got home it was about the same time as Izzy and Vicky who had been at soccer practice. The three of us had gemelli noodles with meat sauce for dinner. So scrumptious.
Day Three (3/14)
Today we went to Napoli. Titi, Sophie and I drove to JFC. This is the NATO base where Titi’s husband, Jeff, works. I was not permitted on this base. I waited outside the base while Titi parked the car. The three of us caught a train to downtown Napoli. We walked around a few streets, stopped in some cute shops, bought 4 pairs of shoes and a purse. The first thing that we went to see was the Duomo.
The Duomo is a church and there is a Duomo in almost every city. They are all very different and by no means are they affiliated with each other. After the Duomo we went to what is called the Spaccanapoli. The literal translation for that is Napoli’s bellybutton. It’s a street that goes straight through the middle of Napoli and you can see from one end of the street clear to the other. Then we went to a piazza that had a building that looked like a mixture of the pantheon and the collonade of St. Peter’s. It was interesting but nothing too grand.
We walked to the edge of the shore and on the way we saw this graffiti. It made me smile.
This was the Cesar statue.
Sophie and Titi.
After the shore we headed to the Galleria Umberto Primo, which is a mall but more importantly it is a beautiful structure.
This is a side view of the dome of Galleria Umberto Primo. The gray building on the right is the opera house. I was told that this is the nicest opera house in all of Europe.
Front of the Umberto Primo.
Inside the Umberto Primo.
After walking through the Umberto, we headed to the fonicolare (picture above). We took the fonicolare up and down a hill to catch the metro again to go back to JFC. Sophie had to pee so Titi called Jeff to come get her and take her. He came to the front gate and told all of us to come in. We had to go through this checkpoint thing and after they buzzed us in he pointed to the three of us and said we were with him so they didn’t even bother looking at our IDs. My permission thing said that I was no allowed on that base but I guess it doesn’t matter when the man tells them you’re with him. Funny thing power is.
This is the base that I was not allowed on.
As we drove back home this is what I got to see. If you look at the upper half of the picture you will see mountain ranges. Beautiful. If you look at the lower half you will see trash. No, you did not miss read. That is trash. Napoli is on a trash strike so they aren’t picking it up and it is piling everywhere. It’s so gross. Glad I didn’t see any up close and personal. Fa schifo.
We got back home and had frozen pizzas for dinner. Now, for all of you still dwelling in America, frozen pizza might not sound like all that exciting but when you live in italy and all you ever have is super thin pizza made fresh on a brick or wood oven you start to long for the pizza of America with the thick crust and solid cheese. I don’t dislike the pizza here and I’m not complaining about how fresh it is but I’m also not complaining about having the privilege of having a frozen pizza. After eating I went to the movies again to see 10,000 BC with Izzy. Pretty good movie. Main character was super cute.
Day Four (3/15)
We went to Carney Park today, a park located inside a volcano crater.
Christian was camping with the cub scouts last night. When we met up with him he was shooting a BB gun to earn a belt loop. While he was doing that, Vicky and Izzy were at tryouts for softball. I swear, I have never met kids who were so involved, always doing something. Titi went to watch the girls tryout and I took Sophie to the moon bounce. I saw Winnie the Pooh and got a picture. It reminded me of my best friend and I pretended that I was actually taking a picture with him (miss you Pooh Bear).
Afterwards the kids went rock climbing. This is them:
A few other things happened at Carney Park. 1) Mr. Steve told me that I looked like I was 16 and Mr. Jamie said I looked like I was 14. Yea for me. I also bought Pocahontas for $10, deal of the day.
When we were finished, we went home to clean up and go to church. I have to be very honest, it made me very happy to see a mass in English. In addition, I got super excited because the church on base uses the same hymn books that we use back at Guardian Angels.
For dinner we went to a pizzaria, Captain Morgan, and got three things of ½ a meter of pizza, 5 suppli, 2 crochette, and 2 of something that tasted like salty bread. After dinner, Jeff and I went to see Sweeney Todd and it was amazing. I am so happy that I got to see it. I have to buy that movie when it comes out on DVD in addition to getting the soundtrack. I loved every minute of all the weird things that went down.
Day Five (3/16)
Today I woke up and went to the Campania mall with Jeff, Izzy and Vicky. They were on strict orders to not let me buy shoes, so I didn’t. Instead I had gelato at what I was told is the best gelato shop in all of Europe. And by george I believe it just may be. When we got back to base, I went to see 27 Dresses with Lourdes. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing that movie before I left and I had no complaints about seeing it again. When we got back home she started cooking and I started playing with the kids. We had tri-tip on the grill for dinner with potato wedges covered in thyme and olive oil in the oven and zucchini covered in olive oil cooked on stovetop. It was amazing.
After dinner we dyed Easter eggs. I think we did 2 dozen. They’re gonna be eating hardboiled eggs for a little while.
They told Sophie that she had to go to bed and she started to cry. She has got to be the cutest child in the world because even when she cries she’s cute. Who does that?
When the kids were in bed, we watched the Talented Mr. Ripley. A good portion of it was filmed off the shore of Sicily and in Napoli. They even had a scene in the Umberto Primo. I was like, “Hey, I’ve been there!” Jeff and Titi looked at me with a face that read “Yea, we know, we took you there.”
Day Six (3/18)
I went back to the Campania mall with Titi and bought three really cute outfits. It was fun but we had to rush back to Succivo to pick up Sohpie at school and then get to the house for when the kids got back home. Izzy and Titi left for trumpet lessons and I stayed home to make sure the kids did their homework. It was like pulling teeth to get Christian to take care of his homework. After Titi got back, Izzy and I rode the bikes around for a little bit. Then she traded with Vicky and she and I raced bikes. This was my first time being on a bike in about 7 years and I beat the crap out of her 3 times racing. Needless to say, it was the highlight of my day. For dinner we had lasagna and salad. I never realized how much I missed salads until I was having them every night, funny how that works. When everyone was asleep I got on the phone and played the Sims. I didn’t go to bed until about 3:30 AM.
Day Seven (3/18)
Today was my last day and we didn’t do much. I went to Capodichino (another base in the area) with Titi so that she could meet up with her student advisor. We went back home and packed. We left to go to the train station. Jeff had sent Titi an email with the map he drew up on it. She always gets lost so she has all these maps in the glove box that take her from point A to point B. Pretty funny.
This was my first time taking a train outside of Rome so I had no idea what I was doing. When you get to Termini and head to the side where the outgoing trains are things get a little crazy. It is line after line of trains. And I have no idea how you are supposed to tell which one is yours. So, me being me, I walked up to a man that worked there to ask him where I was supposed to catch my train. He said a number (in Italian, of course) and pointed me in the right direction. I jumped on my train, still not 100% sure that it was the right train. Half way through the trip I asked one of the men walking down the isle in uniform if the train was in fact the one I needed and he said yes, told me that it was the third stop, but didn’t clarify if it was the third one including the one we just made or if it was three after so I was still a little confused. I called Titi (pronounced Thi-thi) to ask her how I would know I was there and she told me to just ask. About half an hour later I asked a woman where we were and she said “Aversa”. Thank the Lord for that cause I would have completely missed my stop if it wasn’t for that woman. As I sat in the train station waiting to be picked up I couldn’t help but think about how nice it was to not have anything to do but relax.
This trip was full of “firsts” so please don’t get tired of hearing me say, “It was my first time…” With that being said, this was my first time being on a base of any kind. I had to fill out a request for permission to stay on base. It was granted (duh) but it wasn’t permanent and we had to come back the next day to get one to last for the whole week I was there. After that was taken care of I entered the base and we headed to her flat. It was really odd being on base because it was like being in America but it looked like Italy. Everyone spoke English, and dollars were the only currency accepted. It was so interesting. Jeff and Titi called it “La Piccola America” which means Little America.
They lived in one of the furthest apartment complexes on base and it was still less than a 10-minute walk from the NEX, located at the other end. I walked in and immediately felt like I was back home. One of the first things that I noticed was their bookshelf that was jam-packed with books from top to bottom. On the third shelf from the top, in the very center of the shelf was a word made out of a piece of wood in the shape of a fish. The word was “JESUS” and it looked so familiar that it was almost bone chilling. I picked it up and asked Lourdes where she had gotten it and she said “You’re grandpa gave it to me. He made it.” From that point on I knew I was at home. And the kids solidified that feeling by how absolutely sweet and attentive they were to me.
We all sat down to eat dinner, chili with white rice. I thought that my family was the only ones that put chili over rice but I guess not. It was so good. She kept saying “sorry that its not more flavorful but blah blah blah” and all I was thinking was “are you kidding me? This is amazing! I have no idea how long it’s been since I’ve had chili and this just made my day.” We also had this bomb salad that had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon juice, salt, and corn in it. Amazing.
Day Two (3-13)
Today was hella chill. I had no real plans for the day so I just went around with Titi. We took Sophie to school and picked her back up. Then we took the other kids to piano lessons. While they were doing that Titi, Sophie and I went to Jambo, a mall that is all the hype in Aversa. We got some gelato there and headed back to get the kids. As soon as we were inside the base, Titi dropped me off at the commissary so that I could go to the movies. I went to see Jumper, pretty good movie, and it only cost me $3. It was amazing. Nothing is that cheap in Rome. This happened to be the first time that I had seen a movie in italy and it was also the first time that I had seen a movie by myself. It wasn’t bad but I will say that I prefer going with other people. When I got home it was about the same time as Izzy and Vicky who had been at soccer practice. The three of us had gemelli noodles with meat sauce for dinner. So scrumptious.
Day Three (3/14)
Today we went to Napoli. Titi, Sophie and I drove to JFC. This is the NATO base where Titi’s husband, Jeff, works. I was not permitted on this base. I waited outside the base while Titi parked the car. The three of us caught a train to downtown Napoli. We walked around a few streets, stopped in some cute shops, bought 4 pairs of shoes and a purse. The first thing that we went to see was the Duomo.
The Duomo is a church and there is a Duomo in almost every city. They are all very different and by no means are they affiliated with each other. After the Duomo we went to what is called the Spaccanapoli. The literal translation for that is Napoli’s bellybutton. It’s a street that goes straight through the middle of Napoli and you can see from one end of the street clear to the other. Then we went to a piazza that had a building that looked like a mixture of the pantheon and the collonade of St. Peter’s. It was interesting but nothing too grand.
We walked to the edge of the shore and on the way we saw this graffiti. It made me smile.
This was the Cesar statue.
Sophie and Titi.
After the shore we headed to the Galleria Umberto Primo, which is a mall but more importantly it is a beautiful structure.
This is a side view of the dome of Galleria Umberto Primo. The gray building on the right is the opera house. I was told that this is the nicest opera house in all of Europe.
Front of the Umberto Primo.
Inside the Umberto Primo.
After walking through the Umberto, we headed to the fonicolare (picture above). We took the fonicolare up and down a hill to catch the metro again to go back to JFC. Sophie had to pee so Titi called Jeff to come get her and take her. He came to the front gate and told all of us to come in. We had to go through this checkpoint thing and after they buzzed us in he pointed to the three of us and said we were with him so they didn’t even bother looking at our IDs. My permission thing said that I was no allowed on that base but I guess it doesn’t matter when the man tells them you’re with him. Funny thing power is.
This is the base that I was not allowed on.
As we drove back home this is what I got to see. If you look at the upper half of the picture you will see mountain ranges. Beautiful. If you look at the lower half you will see trash. No, you did not miss read. That is trash. Napoli is on a trash strike so they aren’t picking it up and it is piling everywhere. It’s so gross. Glad I didn’t see any up close and personal. Fa schifo.
We got back home and had frozen pizzas for dinner. Now, for all of you still dwelling in America, frozen pizza might not sound like all that exciting but when you live in italy and all you ever have is super thin pizza made fresh on a brick or wood oven you start to long for the pizza of America with the thick crust and solid cheese. I don’t dislike the pizza here and I’m not complaining about how fresh it is but I’m also not complaining about having the privilege of having a frozen pizza. After eating I went to the movies again to see 10,000 BC with Izzy. Pretty good movie. Main character was super cute.
Day Four (3/15)
We went to Carney Park today, a park located inside a volcano crater.
Christian was camping with the cub scouts last night. When we met up with him he was shooting a BB gun to earn a belt loop. While he was doing that, Vicky and Izzy were at tryouts for softball. I swear, I have never met kids who were so involved, always doing something. Titi went to watch the girls tryout and I took Sophie to the moon bounce. I saw Winnie the Pooh and got a picture. It reminded me of my best friend and I pretended that I was actually taking a picture with him (miss you Pooh Bear).
Afterwards the kids went rock climbing. This is them:
A few other things happened at Carney Park. 1) Mr. Steve told me that I looked like I was 16 and Mr. Jamie said I looked like I was 14. Yea for me. I also bought Pocahontas for $10, deal of the day.
When we were finished, we went home to clean up and go to church. I have to be very honest, it made me very happy to see a mass in English. In addition, I got super excited because the church on base uses the same hymn books that we use back at Guardian Angels.
For dinner we went to a pizzaria, Captain Morgan, and got three things of ½ a meter of pizza, 5 suppli, 2 crochette, and 2 of something that tasted like salty bread. After dinner, Jeff and I went to see Sweeney Todd and it was amazing. I am so happy that I got to see it. I have to buy that movie when it comes out on DVD in addition to getting the soundtrack. I loved every minute of all the weird things that went down.
Day Five (3/16)
Today I woke up and went to the Campania mall with Jeff, Izzy and Vicky. They were on strict orders to not let me buy shoes, so I didn’t. Instead I had gelato at what I was told is the best gelato shop in all of Europe. And by george I believe it just may be. When we got back to base, I went to see 27 Dresses with Lourdes. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing that movie before I left and I had no complaints about seeing it again. When we got back home she started cooking and I started playing with the kids. We had tri-tip on the grill for dinner with potato wedges covered in thyme and olive oil in the oven and zucchini covered in olive oil cooked on stovetop. It was amazing.
After dinner we dyed Easter eggs. I think we did 2 dozen. They’re gonna be eating hardboiled eggs for a little while.
They told Sophie that she had to go to bed and she started to cry. She has got to be the cutest child in the world because even when she cries she’s cute. Who does that?
When the kids were in bed, we watched the Talented Mr. Ripley. A good portion of it was filmed off the shore of Sicily and in Napoli. They even had a scene in the Umberto Primo. I was like, “Hey, I’ve been there!” Jeff and Titi looked at me with a face that read “Yea, we know, we took you there.”
Day Six (3/18)
I went back to the Campania mall with Titi and bought three really cute outfits. It was fun but we had to rush back to Succivo to pick up Sohpie at school and then get to the house for when the kids got back home. Izzy and Titi left for trumpet lessons and I stayed home to make sure the kids did their homework. It was like pulling teeth to get Christian to take care of his homework. After Titi got back, Izzy and I rode the bikes around for a little bit. Then she traded with Vicky and she and I raced bikes. This was my first time being on a bike in about 7 years and I beat the crap out of her 3 times racing. Needless to say, it was the highlight of my day. For dinner we had lasagna and salad. I never realized how much I missed salads until I was having them every night, funny how that works. When everyone was asleep I got on the phone and played the Sims. I didn’t go to bed until about 3:30 AM.
Day Seven (3/18)
Today was my last day and we didn’t do much. I went to Capodichino (another base in the area) with Titi so that she could meet up with her student advisor. We went back home and packed. We left to go to the train station. Jeff had sent Titi an email with the map he drew up on it. She always gets lost so she has all these maps in the glove box that take her from point A to point B. Pretty funny.
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