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Published: November 14th 2011
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This whole blog thing is a weird one. Its completely selfish and you hope that people care enough to read about your thoughts, your whereabouts, and your adventures. You also hope that it’s good enough that not only will people finish reading but people will also read the next one. But for me, there is more something that makes this even more interesting. And that’s the people that actually read my blog or at least those on my “subscribers list.” The interesting part of this list is the fact that in the 16 people that receive emails every time I write a blog, and three of them happen to be three of my favorite writers: Paul Gatling, The Rev. Roger Joslin, and my Mom. It is an honor to have your favorite writers read your writings. That's pretty cool.
I am asked the same silly questions over and over. Why Italy? Why South Korea? Why South Africa? Why do you travel? Why don’t you stay in America? I am sure these may be reasonable questions to some. But for me they are all pretty foolish. Now if they come from a family member I am more likely to understand there
reasoning behind asking them because they are more or less asking, why aren’t you here, with me? But of course I have a difficult time answering these questions because mainly the people that ask me would never understand my answers. Just them asking the question means they don’t get it. And that is fine, not everyone has to. But there are too many reasons to pull one out right on the spot. It is easier to do after one of those reasons happens to you. Over the next two blogs I will try to explain two reasons that I experienced this weekend. The first would be to find culture and then to immerse yourself into it.
This weekend Laura and Max invited me to an annual dinner that the people of San Pancrazio put on. San Pancrazio of course is the area of Pianezza in which I live. The population is estimated around 2,000 or so. A small group of people. A cultural group that might not be easy for an outsider, like myself, to find themselves in, but yet there I was. It was held in the church of San Pancrazio. The church itself has an interesting story that dates back to the 15th century. The story goes that a farmer was harvesting his land when his wife brought him a meal and was accidently sliced by her husband and his hoe (farm equipment). As her foot was bleeding uncontrollably he pleaded with God that if she were to survive he would build a church on that very spot. She lived and he built a monument that would later be turned into the church that I found myself in on Saturday night. Italians eat late. Italians eat for a long time. And they eat a lot, as there are 8 courses at a traditional Italian meal. We arrived at 8:00pm and the first course (antipasto, skipping the aperitivo) was served at 8:30 (cold ham and something that resembled turkey). The second course (primo) was the most anticipated part of the whole night, and was served a quarter to 9:00pm. It was a soup (name to be included at a later date) that is intended to be eaten with raw vegetables. You simply dip the veggies into the thick soup like substance. Did I mention the soup is primarily made of garlic and anchovies? Raw vegetables (cold potatoes, celery, cauliflower to name a few of the more appetizing options) aren’t easy for me as it is, but throw in garlic and anchovies into the mix and it was more a less a struggle. I did my best. The third course (an additional antipasto) came out around 9:45pm and was a pasta soup. The fourth course (secondo) was on the table around 10:30pm and was some sort of meet. There was also the tasty cheek fat that I mentioned in an early blog. You know, the one that had hair on it and looked like a slab of fat. I skipped the secondo. The fifth portion of food (formaggio e frutta, skipping the contorno) was served at 11:00pm and consisted of a less stinky cheese than normal. In other words, it was pretty good. The fruit came out a little later and closer to 11:20 (oranges and some sort of melon). Finally the espresso at 11:45pm.
Yes I had a shot of espresso at 11:45pm. I looked around to make sure this was only crazy to me. It was. We had just had a meal of food that took nearly 4 hours to consume and I was now drinking coffee at a quarter till midnight. I looked at Laura and said, “I’ve never had a shot of espresso at 11:45 at night.” She said, “a first time for everything.” In that moment I answered that silly question. And replied, “I feel that I have experienced more ‘first times’ than most.”
Among the attendees was the night’s coordinator and local retired entrepreneur, Sandra (think Italian Nita Larimore). She had all the energy in the world and was, naturally, dressed in 17th century garb. She, along with Max, was the night’s entertainment and MC. Somewhere in the madness that was a four-hour meal there was a raffle for some donated items (I stress the word donated). It cost 1 euro per raffle ticket with the proceeds going back into the community. I’d say 90% of the things given away that night ended up being re-donated to someone else. But that was part of it. Grown men and women acting like children hoping their number was called so they could win a 4-foot long pumpkin. It was quite the scene.
But behind the scenes and in the kitchen was another San Pancrazio’s living legend. This seventy-something year old women had recently arrived back from a trip to Tibet and a little hill named Everest. She climbed to the first advanced base camp. She was also the one behind the soup with anchovies. She also stitched Sandra’s 17th century dress and was behind San Pancrazio’s recent victory in a local 17th century clothing competition. She also is an alpine off-trail skier. She also raised two euro-fighter pilots (one who was tragically killed in a helicopter accident). She of course denied all of the praise she was given while I was being introduced to her.
“How did I end up here?” I asked myself about 20 times that night. It’s these moments that make those questions silly and the answer seem easy.
jake
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Mom
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Love it!! I am so excited that you are having such exciting and stimulating adventures!! And so thankful that Laura and Max are taking such good care of you!! ILYMTLIS!!