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Published: April 28th 2008
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Ciao tutti! I am so sorry I am so slack on writing on this travel blog. I remember reading one girls blog who went to Italy a few years ago, and she only had 10 or so blogs. I had said to myself, I am going to write all the time and have so many blogs. Well, as you all know that is not true. It is difficult to find the time to sit down and write one of these. So yet again, I am sorry! Anyways, things have been absolutely crazy here in Italy. I have been doing so many things, having so many amazing experiences, and getting to know so many great people. AFS says after 3 months, you really feel like the experience was worth it. I am starting to really make some great friends here. Yes, I have Meri and Jessica (the other 2 exchange students) but I am just now starting to actually have my OWN Italian friends, and not just friends of Marcos. It feels so good to be able to say that. It feels so good to be able to call up someone and say, want to go for coffee or go out with
me tonight? The only downside to that is having to buy money for my phone almost every day. They do cell phones differently here. You buy the phone and then have to buy your own credit. And trust me, you have to buy it often. It's not like America where you can constantly text an unlimited amount or call after nine for free. So basically, if you want to text or call, you pay..constantly. Anyways, like I was saying, I have made some great friends here and I know it is going to be hard to leave them. 3 of my friends; Concetta, Rosaria, and Luciano invited me over on Friday. Friday was a holiday for all of Italy. It was their independence day. There wasn't a party or anything, just a day without school, work, etc. They invited me over and we cooked a huge Italian meal and just hung out. It was nice to feel included. We made pasta with prosciutto and peas, fried peas, potatoes, and mini hot dogs. Man, can Italians eat. My host family, thank goodness, does not eat like this. My friends were telling me this is how they eat at all meals. I
Sigonella
In a Airforce plane just don't understand how they do it! Of course, not to mention 2 hours later, they brought out a huge bag of chips and ate the whole bag. They said to me that I needed to start to eat more. Crazy! Anyways, 2 weeks ago, I went to Sigonella with my class. Sigonella is an American military base here in Sicily. It is about an hour away from Niscemi. About 5000 Americans live on base. They come for 3-5 years, bring their families, and have their home there. Sigonella has American schools, restaurants, a movie theater, a hospital, and basically anything you can think of. A part of Sigonella is just for Americans with the schools, restaurants like Burger King, Taco Bell, etc. I didn't get to see this part, we stayed mostly on the Italian side, but it was still great to hear about it. Whats interesting is all of the Italians that work or live on base, MUST speak English or they cannot work there. The Americans that live and work on base do not have to speak Italian, they have translators for that. But, I walked right in, with a huge smile on my face, watching American
American :)
This American loved me! He was from Greensboro! after American walk by. All my Italian friends kept asking me to translate and kept asking me to talk to American people. Of course I did! There was this one guy who was a translator, he was Italian, but such a nice guy. He stayed with me and wanted to talk in English the whole time and wanted to introduce me to everyone. I met so many great Military guys from all over America. I even met one from Greensboro and Rocky Mount! They were so curious why I was here and it was so nice to finally talk "American" with them. They had so many questions about Italians and had so many hilarious stories to share of mistakes they have made in Italian. It felt good to be able to fix their mistakes. 😊 We all ate at an American restaurant. My class absolutely hated it. I wasn't a fan either, I guess the taste of Italian food is taking over my love of American food. I had to keep reminding them that American food is better in AMERICA. Anyways, we saw many military things and a fire station etc. It was a really great experience. I went back
last Sunday with my host family. They are part of Rotary Club and take many trips with them. So we went to Sigonella again. We basically stayed with Italians and I didn't meet very many Americans this time. They did ask me to be a translator though. This was probably one of the hardest, most difficult, thing I have ever had to do. The American I had to translate for was saying sentences like, "The submarines go under water and send missiles and vessles to attract the magnents, etc." I was like using my hands and doing stupid dramatic movements because I had absolutely NO idea how to say these things in Italian. I mean common. Anyways, we ate at another American restaurant, and this time it wasn't food like fries and hamburgers, we had scrambled eggs, frozen waffles, etc. It was absolutely horrible. I hate it because everyone thinks American food is so awful, but that food did not do it justice. What everyone hated was in the eggs, there was syrup. So I got asked so many times, "why were the eggs sweet, what was that stuff?" HAHA. I tried the sweet tea, oh dear lord, I miss
My class :)
Notice the walls in the background, writing EVERYWHERE. North Carolina sweet tea. I don't think I have ever had such bad sweet tea in my life. Bring on the Bojangles sweet tea please! Lets just say Italians do NOT know how to cook American food. Anyways, so that was fun and I really enjoyed myself. I loved seeing Americans, speaking with them, and having the challange of translating. Nothing else big has happened. I am basically just going to school everyday, not going to Italian lessons because my tutor always cancels them, going to the gym, meeting people every day, and just enjoying life here. It is getting hott, and it is almost time to go to the beach. I hear it is amazing and I am excited about that. What I am not excited for is bathing suit season! AHH. Italian food has taken over. Tomorrow, I am playing soccer with some guy friends of mine. I am SO nervous. I know I have said I am going to play soon, but tomorrow is actually the day. I haven't played in 3 months and I am scared out of my mind. No girls play at all here, so its just me. Anyways, wish me luck! Marco and
I have been betting on soccer games here and winning. Everyone bets on the games, its not like America. So far we have probably won 200 euros, which is really exciting. In a week and a half, I think I am going to Rimmany, a city in North Italy with all of school. I am really excited, I know we will have so much fun. England trip, I am not sure if it is going to work out. The teachers want me to go, but I am not sure if I want to. Marco decided he could not go with me because 2 weeks without school is a lot. I don't know, I want to go so bad, but not if Marco doesn't go! Ahh, this is tough. I just wish I had friends that were going. So, in a few days, I will only have 2 more months here. It is crazy how fast time goes. 2 more months and I will see all of you guys again, not to mention my family is coming here 😊 I am so excited to have my mom, my sister, and john meet my host family. I hope all of you guys
are doing great! Keep writing me and keeping in touch. I miss everyone so much and love getting mail etc. 😊 I will try and update earlier than this time! Ci vediamo presto! (We will see eachother soon!)
Amore di Italia Sempre!
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