This will be a blanket blog for Wendesday (January 26th), Thursday (27th), and Friday (29th). These were primarily days to relax, write, clean, pack, and lesson plan a bit.
Wednesday 26th...Boxing Day...what is Boxing day anyway???
Wednesday started with breakfast, and then I went out for a long walk. It was so warm outside that I was able to wear Alabama Yoga pants, very thin long-sleeve Alabama shirt, and Alabama Columbia fleece; YES, I was feeling very American today...so shoot me! It was so warm outside that I was SWEATING in this outfit after the hour and a half walk. I just walked and enjoyed the silence of the city because it is Boxing Day here, and this means that Italy is SHUT DOWN! THere were a few bars open, and when I made it to Corso Mazzini, there were some people out and the speakers were playing Christmas music. It was nice, and was a nice contrast to the silence of the other parts of the town. I decided that at this point I needed some caffeine, which is rare. So, I went in this bar (the one that I've talked about before that always has groups of sweet older men sitting outside, and crowded inside these days. I braved the small crowd, asked if I needed to pay first (in Florence I felt like you ALWAYS had to pay first), but they said that it was uguale (equal) to them. So, I ordered my cappuccino and stood at the bar to enjoy it. The bartender offered to put cocoa in it, and so I said yes; it was just the sprinkle stuff, and I figured that I had been climbing hills and such for so long, that it would not hurt me!
Oooh...I have to share this picture. Let's hear it for trash pick up here in Italy...or lack thereof:
Thursday was just a slight variation on Wednesday. I ate breakfast, eggs, stayed in bed a bit longer because I felt like it, and then went on a walk. Again it was warm enough outside for light layers, and again I was sweating. This time I started my walk with a cappuccino (I love that every time I say this word or hear it, I think of my \a...I cannot wait for her to get here and for her to say it to a barista). When I walked in the bar, the same as yesterday, the barista said, "cappuccino?? Lo stesso da ieri??" That last part might not be EXACTLY right, but it is close enough! Basically he said, "cappuccino? THe same as yesterday??" I am THAT recognizable...yes, let's hear it for the foreigner! Haha...As I left the bar, I saw one of my students and his girlfriend! Always good to see smiling faces! SO then I took a different path around the town. I went in this bookstore, that I do not remember ever noticing. It was mostly a Christian, and specifically Catholic, bookstore. It had other books as well, but I had a wonderful time looking around. I have now decided that I also need a children's Bible in Italian...that would make me happy! How am I going to get all of these things home though?? Hmm...I'll have to work on it! I bought a few bookmarks, and the most exciting thing was that I found Gary Chapman's books. I was so excited to see that The Five Languages of Love have reached Italy!
I love this book. It is so relevant to all relationships!! If you have not read it, I highly suggest that you do! THere is a version for married couples (the original), singles, teenagers, and even children now.
So, I spent some more time in the bookstore, and then decided to keep walking. I went to the big grocery store towards the end of the Corso to buy some turkey, cheese, and I ended up getting some pasta that was on sale. As I carried my stuff home from the store, I saw another student.
I came home, ate my usual lunch, worked on blogs for a while, and one of my favorite parts of the day was talking to Nick on Skype and then being able to conference call (without videos though) with Nick and my Avery girls! Yay!!! :) First however, I talked to Nick for a while, cooked dinner while he was on skype with me, and he also helped me look at trains for Lecce. The Fulbright ETA's are going to Lecce for a weekend to do an "American Day" party for Mattea's students. I was STRESSING out because the trains were crazy...and no trains to return on Sunday. This meant I was going to have to ask Virginia to take that Monday off, which meant I would be missing 3 Mondays without about 4 weeks...I felt terrible, but I also HATED the idea of not getting to go to Lecce (for many reasons...1. See Mattea 2. See Lecce 3. See Nick 4. See all my ETAs 5. Travel to anywhere
So, Nick looked with me, and encouraged me to just talk to Virginia. So then I got to skype with him and the girls...and then when he had to leave I got to talk to the girls a bit longer with Skype video! I wonder if they know how much I love them?? Well, I'll say it here: VERY MUCH!!! These girls are so sweet, amazing, talented, kind, loving, and just incredible.
Then I was able to talk to April, pack some, do laundry (will have to call Lila and Ernesto about the washing machine acting a fool...), talked to my daddy (yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and talked to Nick on skype from his cell phone while he waited on his dad to leave the gym. I love that America loves technology...I hate that there are 2 year olds who know how to work an iPad better than I do..give them a cardboard box or pay attention to your child yourself...BUT, it does have its advantages.
I spent the later part of the evening sending emails to teachers about the time I will miss in February for Reggio and for visiting Gubbio to meet Anna Paola and visit the Montessori schools...it will be a week and a half of Early Childhood HEAVEN!! I also worked on a few minor surprises....
This was me delusional and in full introvert, four-eyes, nerdy mode...it was getting close to midnight...the thing about introvert mode for me is that it usually means that I only want to talk to the people that I want to talk to!
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| Attractive...I know... |
Friday 28th
Friday was an okay day. It rained most of the day, which automatically brought the day down a little bit. The last two days have been so beautiful that it was a major disappointment to wake up to rain. I had breakfast, got dressed, and headed out while it was still a light rain. I was in search of a Pannettone or Pandoro for when my momma and Barbara arrive; I want them to be able to try as many traditional Italian things as possible. I walked into a lot of grocery stores, found one I thought that I wanted, but decided to walk to the "far away" grocery store just to double check. I did not see anything there, and then as luck would have it, on my way back to get the one I wanted, I ran into Lila, my landlady! It was rather strange to literally bump into her. She was on her way to the lawyer, accountant, and someone else. We talked a little bit about Christmas, but hers was rough because she has a brother-in-law that had an aneurism a few months ago, and her parents are sick. So, that was depressing. However, it was nice to see her. So, then we went our separate ways, and I went to find my Pandoro. I grabbed one, got in line to pay, and when it was almost my turn, I reached in my pocket to get my 10 euros that I brought with me. What did I find??? I found that I had apparently dropped the money earlier when I pulled out my phone. I was so bummed, and so I put my Pandoro back and walked home. I retraced my steps somewhat, but I knew that it would not be found. Therefore, I said a little prayer that the person who found it, really needed it, and did NOT go gamble it away!
So, I came home...killed some time cleaning and such...and then ate lunch. I worked on blogs...it rained...I put laundry on the radiators/near the radiators to dry...skyped with Nick...tried to work on Microsoft Office again...and was just feeling some random frustrations. I felt like I had soooo many things to do, and not enough time to do them. I was also working on some lesson plans. I eventually, after the stores were open again, went back for the Pandoro and got some more turkey for tomorrow. I skyped with my daddy to try and fix Office, but we discovered that it was actually just a miscommunication. I was then ready to go to the Living Nativity (Presepe Vivente), only to look at the picture one last time as I was getting ready to walk out of the door, and discovered that I had the wrong night...so, I got back into my shorts and t-shirt, and began writing and such again. I had already eaten a light dinner....I was able to talk/skype with Nick some more...I got to talk to April on Skype phone...and then Erin on facebook.
Erin told me that she is considering doing a mission trip to Naples with her friend Morgan's church. It would be in May! I am excited that she will be doing mission work in Italy. Naples is only 3 hours away from me by train, but I am not sure how much I would actually get to see her though. I'd definitely take a Monday or Friday off to make it a long weekend that I could go, but mission trips are usually so full of work, and I dont know how much time I would get to spend with her. Also, I think there are some others coming to Cosenza that same week. Well, we'll see what happens. I wish Erin could come a week earlier...or stay a week after. I was hoping she could come and see Italy with me! We'll see though...
"Mad Money", a Diane Keaton movie, though not her best, was on tv. So, I left the tv on that because I LOVE Diane Keaton. I talked to Nick some more on facebook chat and I shared the website, "Dearphotograph" with him, and showed him some of the ones I've made. We also talked to Mattea, and she and her family are going to be in Rome for NYE, so we are going to have dinner with them at a place that a friend of Mattea's suggested!! YAY FOR NYE IN ROME WITH TWO OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN ITALY!! :) So, I also did a lot of packing during this time, and I am getting SO SO SO SO excited about meeting Nick in Rome, getting to see Gubbio, NYE in Rome with Nick and Mattea, and THEN...THEN...WAIT FOR IT....MY MOMMA COMES TO ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What?? Is it real?? It is...I do wish my daddy could see Italy too! He would hate the driving..speed bumps...rough roads...but he would love the food...Rome...the fact that smoking is completely acceptable no matter where you go...and of course, ME!!! :)
So, goodnight for now...tomorrow will be full of getting ready for Rome and such!
**I forgot to tell the story about a guy from church talking to me on facebook the other day. So first, this sweet little girl from church was talking to me and wants help learning English, so I told her of course I would help. Then this older guy (my ageish) started talking to me, and asked the same thing. Then he asked when the first lesson could be. I was talking to Nick this whole time and telling him about how they were asking for lessons. Then the guy asked (in Italian), if my boyfriend would mind...or something. I did not fully understand his slang, so Nick was having to help me out with the non-literal translations! Then, the guy started giving me frowny faces when he asked for me to confirm that I had a "fidanzata". I said yes, but that was not important. Nick started saying, "Elyse, he's hitting on you!!" Umm...nooo...then the guy sent another frowny face and said, "Ho capito....." and stopped talking to me! Umm...oops...he was...and the worst part was that I was having Nick translate this, and I was completely unaware of it! Thanks Nick for translating the guy hitting on me....**
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