Which Country Are We In Again??

We've been back in Italy for one month now.  How is that possible?  I feel like we just got here yesterday, and yet we've been here for ages!  It's been an awfully busy week, with a few lazy days thrown in here and there for recovery purposes.  The major event which happened last week was the150th anniversary of Italy being an united country.  Before that time, the peninsula was completely divided and it took a lot of work for everyone to join into one nation.  So on March 17th Italy had a national holiday celebrating this occasion!  As if Italy needed yet another holiday to add to the calendar, many businesses were closed, school was out, and everyone seemed to flock to the center of Firenze to have a walk and see all the flags hanging around the city.  In the evening there were fireworks and the buildings were lit in the colors of basil, mozzarella, and tomato!  It certainly was a lovely sight.

Ava painted this flag at her school

On that same day as the 150th celebration I was also fighting a cold, and trying to remember my Irish heritage since it was St. Patty's Day too!  The night before I was able to drag Francesco to see the Irish Fesival that is held annually in Firenze to hear some good ol' celtic music, watch a lil' Irish step-dancing, and of course enjoy a lovely dark stout beer on tap!  The theatre was decorated with huge cardboard cutouts of Irish buildings and castles.  Small booths were set up to sell some things that they tried to pass off as authentically Irish, but I saved my pennies for when I will actually go to Ireland someday!  One couldn't help but crave some fish and chips and carrot cake while tapping our toes.  As an interesting twist to the evening, we ended up going to hear some friends play tango music in a tiny bar, dancing a little tango, and even a bit of salsa.  Such is life in a European city I suppose!  You never know which country you'll find yourself in at the end of the night!



The Irish flag of green, white and orange...funny how similar it is to the Italian flag!

Friday I continued to fight my cold, and prepared for some guests who were coming to visit.  We had our usual family lunch on Saturday, a birthday party to attend in a gorgeous house in the hills of Fiesole, and then we had another large party at our house just for the fun of it at night!  As the musicians were setting up (we always seem to have someone playing music in the house) Ava grabbed the microphone and sang an incredible rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in front of about 25 people while accompanied by Francesco's guitar.  The house went wild, and everyone had to comment on what a little star she is! 

In the hills of Fiesole, we find a little star statue

Unfortunately the little star woke up with the stomach flu on Sunday, and so we watched kid shows all day long inbetween taking her temperature and dosing out tylenol for the fever...yuck-o.  She's recovering quickly, so that's always a big help.  We have another busy week ahead of us, and I'm totally looking forward to it!  After all the rain the past week, this one is promising to be full of sunshine and rising Spring temperatures!  I'm inspired to go shopping for some flowery dresses and peep-toed heels..and I'm sure I can squeeze that into our schedule at some time...

Firsts: Part C

Our backyard

FIRST visit from a friend:  My friend from college informed me a month ago that she was coming to visit Florence, and I was so happy I could play the hostess here one evening for her and her mother.  We shared a lovely dinner with them and a few of our Italian friends and we were all treated to a little rehearsal by the Frenesi trio before a bit of jet-lag kicked in (and probably a bit of the wine too!) and we took them back to their hotel.  It's a treat to get to share a little bit of what I experience first-hand with other Americans who have never been here before.  Especially when it's an evening that most tourists don't get to really enjoy: actually being in the home of an Italian, surrounded by the authentic language, food, wine, and music that I've become so accustomed to!

Pizza Bliss

FIRST taste of my favorite pizza:  I think it was the second or third trip to Firenze when I found my favorite pizza place to date!  It's a lovely restaurant near Sant'Ambrogio market called Sancho Panza.  They served me the first pizza I ever ate in my life which prompted me to say, "OK, this is seriously the best thing I have ever eatten in my life."  And that's a lot, coming from a girl who isn't that into food!  What also makes this place enjoyable is the atmosphere, lovely modern/old decor and the super friendly wait-staff and owner who makes it a point to come over and chat for a bit.  I like to get the prosciutto and mozzarella on a very, very thin crust.  You can taste the freshness of the ingredients, and there's just a bit of charred edges that crunch perfectly.  I enjoy a good Italian beer on tap to go with my pizza, and that's it...nothing else is necessary!  In the summer you can sit outside on a little patio by the street with umbrellas overhead that shield from the warm Italian sun.     

I think Ava liked her pizza too!

FIRST Milonga in Masquerade: So the past few Wednesdays, Frankie and I have been going taking tango lessons together.  It's a bit tricky since I can't understand everything they are explaining in Italian, but as a dancer, I can usually pick up the gist by observation and practice.  It's certainly tricky changing partners, and having to explain that I'm just beginning, but most of the men are pretty patient and try to give me tips if they're more experienced.  It's a really beautiful group of people who attend in this tiny room in the Oltrarno area (other side of the Arno river, away from the historic center).  We have people of all ages (though I'm pretty sure I'm the only twenty-something in the group), from differing walks of life, and all levels of dance backgrounds.  The whole experience is "really bohemian" as Frankie puts it...and I totally dig it. 

The floor soon was filled with dancers, many in fun costumes!

Saturday they held a Milonga which is the name given when a group of tango dancers get together to dance!  The masquerade was held in beautiful building located at the Limonaia di Villa Strozzi, up in the hills of the Oltrarno.  One of my classmates asked me to dance, but for the most part I was perfectly content watching all the other more advanced "tangueri" work their magic on the floor.  There was even a trio of live musicians who played beautiful tango songs while everyone danced...I was in heaven and can't wait to learn more about this beautiful form of dance while I'm here in Italy!   

Dancing with my classmate, photo by Serena Guerzoni

Firsts: Part II

First SUCCESS as an Ava-toting cyclist!  As I've mentioned many, many times on this blog, we live in a beautiful house outside of the main city center.  The only problems is that the main road to get to Ava's school, our neighborhood Piazza and mercatino (small outside market) and the way into downtown is very, very old...and very, very tiny...with huge, massive trucks...and fast, whirring motorini everywhere!  I knew when we were coming back to Italy this time, that I HAD to find an alternative to walking everywhere, or relying on a cheuffer.  So we've been taking the bus, and still walking, but yesterday I finally got up the guts to ride a bike!

Now, let me just say, I'm really terrified of bikes.  I am petrified of the possibility of falling right over if a gust of wind blew me just right, or I hit a pothole at the perfect angle, or just plain run into a parked car!  Well, last week we took F.'s ancient bikes to get all fixed up and cleaned and they attached a child's seat onto the back of one.  I figured it would be one of those big plastic things that sits on the back, with like 4 seatbelts and slots for little legs to be protected.  Kinda like this:

Even if I happened to fall over, or there was a little accident, at least Ava's body would be mostly protected from hitting the road.  That would have given me more confidence as a mom, being the one responsible for her safety and well-being!  It would have blostered my confidence that I could ride this bike with Ava strapped in, helmet on head, and we'd be all over the city after 2 minutes of practice!  Hmmm..I should have known the Italian's wouldn't be so preoccupied with safety the way my American brain has been programmed since birth.  So this is what my little girl is dealing with by way of protection from all the massive trucks, speeding cars, and noisy motorini:

Now don't get me wrong.  I see tons of these little seats on the backs of bicycles that are parked all over the city!  And I'm thankful that this is a good alternative to taking 20 minutes to walk to school with Ava, since a bike ride would cut it down to maybe 5 minutes tops.  There are just 2 problems:  A, I never see people riding their bikes with actual kids IN the seats and B, I haven't been riding a bike since I was probably 12 so I don't have much experience, let alone the nerve to venture onto these dangerous roads with my precious child barely protected!

But it's just something I gotta do.  And so I did.  Yesterday it wasn't too windy, and the sun was out and happy and bright.  So F. announced it was the day for my bicycle lesson.  I just had to do it, and thankfully he'd be there if any cars came out to bite me.  So while Ava was at school, he and I rode to our mercatino...down that ominous road...thankfully after the main morning traffic had died down.  No problem!  I was doing it, white knuckles and all, but I was doing it!  We stopped in the market to make our usual "rounds" and then decided to pick up Ava on our way back home.  He would ride the bike with the child seat, and I'd take the bike without any gears.  No problem.  Except when he literally asked me "Come va?" how's it going? and I reply "Bene!!"  Good!  And then the chain came off...perfect timing.  Apparently I broke the bike somehow, but I tried not to panic as F. was riding along happily and couldn't hear me screaming behind him "Wait!  Something happened!  It broke!"  

At least we were close to Ava's school, so I walked the bike to where I knew he'd be waiting and tried to explain what happened.  He attempted to reattach that greasy chain while I brought out Ava.  I had to play it up big when I saw her, saying "Hey!  You wanna ride with F. on the big bike back home??  You don't have to walk!!  It'll be like you're flying!!" and she totally bought it, she got really excited.  So she did it!  I strapped a little old helmut on her head, buckled the one little belt around her waist, and told her to hold on to Frankie!  I think the first minute her face must have resembled something like mine did when I first started riding a bike again.  I walked the broken bike half-way home and then we switched in an area that was more quiet and uncongested.  I could tell Ava was more apprehensive when I took over with her on the back. She said "Ok mommy...be very careful!" and I replied with my motherly-yet-somewhat-forced-nonchalance "Ah, don't worry babe...I got ya...I won't let anything happen.  We can do it if we're together!" And we did it, no problem.

Firsts: Part 1

First FAIL as an Italian school mom:  Yesterday (Tuesday the 8th) was a busy day.  It was Fat Tuesday, meaning the last day of Carnivale had arrived.  I think I need a lesson on how/when/why Carnivale exisists because it seemed like it was going on for weeks!  I also needed a good lesson about this tradition because I definitely was clueless about what Italian kids do on Fat Tuesday.  Apparently, you have a half-day of school, and the 3 hours of school you DO have are celebrated as a big costume party with snacks, and popcorn, and candy and lots of playing outside!  Did anyone think to inform me of this???  That would be a big Fat NO. 

So I take Ava to school yesterday, thinking it'll be like any other day, until I see a child entering school wearing a hoop-skirt Princess dress.  No kidding, she even had that big kind of cone hat with the fabric flowing out the top.  Hmmm..that's odd..she must be in a little school play in another class room.  We enter Ava's cubby area and encounter a small boy with a Zorro mask and red and black cape!  Then another girl comes around the corner with a lavish fairy costume complete with gauzy wings!  Ohhhh man, I see Ava's eyes growing bigger with each costume she sees. 

"Mom!  Why are they all wearing costumes???"
I stutter, I try to brush it off.  "Uhm...maybe they're having a party today for some reason?"
"But mom!  I don't have a costume!  What am I gonna do???" 
And her eyes start welling up.  Kill me now.  I'm the worst mother in Italy right now. 
"Eh...don't worry about it.  I'm sure they are in a different classroom than you."

And I walk her into her normal classroom, and FAIL again.  Every kid is dressed to the 9's.  I'm not positive, but since this is a private, Catholic asilo (preschool) it's kinda expensive.  So the parents who send their kids there have the dough to dish out a great Carnivale costume apparently!  Ava walks in clutching my hand, still on the verge of tears, her little lips trembling with each princess and butterfly she sees...but trying to be brave and not cry.  Her teacher comes up and says in Italian, something to the effect of "But Ava!  Where is your costume?  Did you not bring one?" And I decide not to translate that for Ava to understand.  I give her the normal hugs and kisses, and say in her ear before I leave "I'm so sorry baby...no one told me it was a costume party today.  We can have our own party when we get home later, ok?"  Like the amazing little girl she is, she just nods with some confusion and says "bye, mom". 

I know how badly she wants to fit in at school, to be able to talk to the kids, and today didn't help achieve those goals very well.  As I walked home a few minutes later, I had such a sinking feeling of how this is just one of those little things that makes living in a different country difficult.  But I also hope that it can help her see that deep down, we're still American, and still have a lot to learn about Italy and their traditions.  I prayed she would be confident in school, understanding that it's okay if we're different from other people, cause we can only be ourselves in the long run.  Maybe it's too much to expect learning such an important life-lesson at the age of 4...but having self-confidence is a necessary key to trying new things and going new places...something we're continually confronting in this kind of lifestyle!

Later on I picked up Ava from school and the kids were all outside on the playground.  I waited a minute to see how she was interacting with the other kids, or if she was just sitting in the corner feeling sorry about not having a costume.  To my surprise, there she was, hangin around with 4 little boys who all were fixed on her.  She stood before them, smiling coquettishly, and swingin her little scarf around her hand.  Who knows what they were trying to say to her, but it was clear: my little girl doesn't need any costume to get people's attention!  Her smile and sweet demeanor are more beautiful than any outfit she could ever wear! 
 
Coming up next:
First SUCCESS as an Ava-toting bicyclst:
First VISITORS from the States:

Clasping Comfort

As most parents will tell you, there is nothing like having a little child stand beside you and reach up their little hand, searching to find comfort in yours.  Ava and I have been back in Italy 2 weeks now, and I find we are doing so much better than when we first came here together over a year ago.  There is a familiarity, an understanding, a habit of doing things around our house.  This means we feel much more comfortable and at ease in such a short amount of time.

So far she and I have ventured into the Centro two times, just making our way and finding new things to see.  I'm glad when she doesn't mind waiting 15 minutes for the bus, because we just missed it pulling away from our stop!  She finds flowers to pick, or dances to create, or songs to sing.  She carries her own little bookbag on her back, asking for water or snacks when she needs them.  There is usually a game she wants to play with words and she does little half-skips down the sidewalk.  Of course, she's always on the lookout for dogs; she adores seeing them walking all around the city with their owners!  For the most part, she is a happy little companion, forever asking questions about the things we are discovering together hand-in-hand.  It's usually apparent after 2 hours of walking that she will get a little grumpy and tuckered out, but hey...most adults can't walk for 2 hours without needing at least a coffee break!

In a strange way I find it is easier for me to explore new places with Ava by my side, maybe even more so than if I was with another adult.  As a college student after the first few weeks of always walking around with one of my roomates, I started to venture around the city by myself...yet I never felt very safe or certain of straying from the main roads.  Guys would harass me, or workers would stop to stare.  But it's totally different walking around with Ava because no one really bothers me.  If anything we just get a nice smile or a "Ciao"!  Actually, it is rather strange for me to see many other mothers around my age who are out in the city with a child Ava's age.  I'm not sure of actual statistics, but it seems as though the average age of first-time mothers in Italy is somewhere around the mid-30s.  Seeing me and Ava walking down the street, might be a bit of an odd sight for the Italians, but certainly a welcome one from their kinda gazes.  As she and I clasp hands, we find comfort in each other while we explore this special city.

A Little Bit o' Bliss

Here are a few bullets of bliss I've found this Sunday...it's hard to believe these can occur on just one given day, but they are totally recognized and appreciated.

• Stayin in bed with cats, kittens, Ava and lots of cuddles until 11am.
• Opening the windows to find sunshine and a warm breeze.
• Having my first coffee in the garden, all by myself, while hearing the neighborly rooster crow, bells tolling nearby, birds chirping and our waterfall flowing



My favorite garden chair

• Drinking fresh squeezed blood orange juice that reminds me that God was so good to have created many delicious things in their most pure form.
• Wearing a hot pink sweater, bright blue scarf, and green leather jacket because sometimes we need a little more color in Italian fashion!!
• Watching Sissi's belly grow chubby because in about 20 days we might have kittens!
• Going into the center with Ava just for the purpose of riding the carousel two times.



Palazzo Vecchio and a perfectly blue sky

• Buying Ava the smallest gelato (she chose fragola--strawberry) and enjoying the 45 minutes it took her to eat it, without trying to rush her along.
• Listening to street musicians down tiny alleys where there were no tourists, Ava gave them a few coins, and did a little dance for one special guitarist.
• Taking a rest on a bench on the back side of the Duomo where it was strangely quiet and peaceful, and we could point out our favorite pieces of marble architecture.
• All the Italians are saying Spring will really start on Monday...somehow they just seem to know these things!

The first blossoms in our garden today

Waves, Bubbles and Raindrops

Waves of contentment are flowing over me these days.

Bubbles of happiness rise up in my heart and make me giggle.

Raindrops of springtime are fluttering on my eyelashes but I don't bat an eye.

On the steps of the Duomo

Our life in Italy is so unlike our lives in the States.  Not necessarily a far departure from our normal activities, but certainly different.  I think there are amazing kinds of "different" and difficult kinds of "different" and I find Italy holds both together, but not automatically in conflict.  This past week I've been reminded of how flexible one must be in this country.  Plans change, places are inevitably closed at an inconvenient time, but happy surprises appear around unexpected corners.


Ava started school this week and she is doing fantastically well, considering the challenge that looms over her being surrounded by 20 bambini who speak only Italian and are so curious about her.  Thankfully her teachers remember her, and were so happy to welcome her back into their little herd.  I'm not sure how much she's actually learning in the 4 hours she's at school each day, but I have a feeling it's a great kind of "different" education.  Still, we've been trying to do some "American" school work each day so she doesn't forget how fun it is to read in English!


She certainly has learned this past week what it's like to have a more active lifestyle in Italy. Walking from here, to there, to everywhere, her little legs are learning how to really walk and enjoy the exercise.  I find she is eating more, and trying new things more willingly.  Her ears are learning to decipher beautiful sounds from annoying noise.  She's presently sitting at our dining room table while Francesco and Gianni practice their Cuban music, and she's longing to sing along!  Last night she even accompanied us to a tango lesson where she was able to see me attempting to learn something new in Italian too! 
 
One thing I'm loving more and more is that the Florentines accept her presence in any place, without any problem!  In fact, she is usually the center of attention rather than being placed in the corner and expected to keep quiet.  The Italians coddle and admire her, encouraging her participation no matter the activity!  What a welcome difference!  She still feins shyness for the first 5 minutes of encountering a new face, but after that she is the silly little actress who loves the attention.  
 

 
Spring is just around the corner, and I feel so many fresh and new experiences coming into our surroundings.  Even our little black cat, Sissy, has a belly full of new life and we hope to welcome some baby kittens in April!!!  Waves of contentment, bubbles of happiness, raindrops of newness...

Dreaming of Speaking

Typical view of the table after a dinner party

So this weekend we also had a rather large party at our house, partly as another birthday celebration as well as a sort of "we're baaaaaaack" get-together so I could see many more friends and aquaintences (though in all honesty, we really don't need any excuse to throw a party around here!).  I also met some awesome new friends that Francesco has welcomed into his fold, and I can't wait to get to know them all better!  But while at this party, I suddenly found myself holding REAL conversations with people!  And some of these conversations were actually in ITALIAN!  Well, obviously we weren't delving into politics or metaphysics, but I was able to truly converse without needing a translator.  Jokingly I always say that my Italian speaking abilities improve substantially after several glasses of spumante, but I really don't think this was the case the other night.  My aural comprehension seems to have picked up where it last left off when I was here in October for 10 days.  And although I haven't been studying my Rosetta Stone in the last few months, I seem to just have soaked in a little more understanding of verbs and phrases that are important in daily use.  Maybe I've finally been able to shake off most of my embarrassment for not forming a sentence correctly?  Maybe in the week we've been here, I've conciously made an effort to be responding more in Italian instead of just listening?  Maybe after all the months of loneliness in Alaska inspired me to be more socially open?  Who knows what equasion needed to be sorted out, but at our party, I felt totally at ease walking around, attempting to talk to new people and not feeling one bit of bashfullness when someone else had to help me finish what I was trying to say!  What I found so wonderful were the people who encouraged me to keep going on with my comments in Italian instead of instantly trying to switch back to English.  I've been thinking about this so much, that last night I actually had my first dream in Italian!  People were speaking to me, I was understanding, and then I was translating in my head what I needed to say in Italian...it actually was really fascinating to remember such a dream.

Ava's practicing the all-important hand gestures in Italian!

I know without a doubt that it helps having Ava around because I can try to teach her words in Italian, and it just cements the words deeper in my own brain.  This week she is starting school, so I've been trying to help her with some simple phrases in case she really needs to communicate if something is wrong (ho freddo! il bagno?).  Not many of the teachers or other children in her class will speak much English, if any, and with her being such a vocal little girl, I hope she will adjust quickly without getting frustrated!  When I've been letting her watch a little TV the past few days, most of the time we have the option to watch in either language, and thankfully she's been asking to watch in Italian so she can learn more!  Several times I've asked her a question to which she has responded "Sì!" and I can't help but feel confident that she'll learn faster than I will, and soon she'll be dreaming in Italian too!    

Celebrate Good Times!

We are alive and well in Italy, as this amazing little picture proves, although the last few days have been overwhelming and I hardly know where to begin..so beware: this is a long post!  Well, most of the hullabaloo was centered around the fact that we are back again in Firenze, and also that it was my birthday on the 25th.  I basically had 3 parties in 2 days...so we're still somewhat recovering from the eventful weekend.

Our first few days here were spent mostly lounging around, sleeping when we felt like it, and getting adjusted to being back in Italy.  Thursday I took Ava on a nice long (yet still kinda chilly) walk to her school to see how long it will take by foot.  Last time we were here, I walked her in a stroller the 1 mile to school and 1 mile back again cause her little legs couldn't make the journey!  But now, another year older, we were able to make the trip in 40 minutes roundtrip!  Today we took Francesco's old bikes to the shop to be cleaned up, and to add a child's seat on the back of one...so this way we can make the trip even shorter once I feel confident riding the bike down our tiny (but very busy) road to school.   

Friday was my actual birthday, and thankfully our jet-lag had worn off, so we woke up at a normal 8:30am local time.  Ava and I promptly dressed and headed down the road to find some bus tickets to buy.  We found a small tabacchi (kind of like a convenience store) and I was proud to get what we needed, all in my very simple Italian!  The shop owner even gave Ava a piece of "schiaciattina" (salty bread) for free, which I find is a very common occurance here, and which Ava loves!  We boarded the bus and headed to Piazza San Marco, bundled up cause it's still only in the mid-40s here.  In the sunshine it is lovely, but in the "center" (as they call downtown) it's much colder among the old stone buildings and narrow streets. 

First we headed to Piazza Repubblica where they have Ava's favorite merry-go-round and enjoyed two rides together.  Then we walked over to my favorite panini stand called "I Due Fratellini" (the two brothers) that is quite literally a hole-in-the-wall, only big enough for 2 men to work side-by-side making simple sandwiches.  Thankfully we were there before the lunch rush, so we grabbed our mozzarella e prosciutto panini and walked to Piazza Signoria to sit and watch the tourists while we ate.  Ava made some great observations regarding the many naked statues in the loggia, and I had the opportunity to tell her again the popular Bible story as we sat viewing the famous sculpture of David. 

After this I knew her little legs were starting to get tired, so we headed back towards the Duomo when she asked to go inside.  I actually think it was colder inside the church, but Ava had never seen the amazing paintings inside Brunelleschi's incredible cupola (the actual dome).  Upon leaving the church a few minutes later, we randomly found a few friends and stopped to chat a bit.  This is something I love about Firenze..it can seem like a big city, but you are still able to bump into friends randomly!  Ava was really getting sleepy, so we headed to an American pastry shop in search of some brownies to take home (hey, it was my birthday, right?)  Taking the bus ride home was warm and quick, and soon we were making my favorite birthday cake that I had brought from the States...chocolate with lemon frosting (and Ava added the gummy alligators for some extra yummyness!)

That night I had a lovely dinner party with some of my closest friends, and with the addition of some new friends, the evening was enchanting!  A mixture of Italian and English floated around the table while wine flowed and food was happily consumed!  As is typical in my Italian home, music soon began to play, and Ava and I danced of course!  I couldn't have asked for a better Birthday to share with so many special places and people!

Ups and Downs

After being here a couple of days I am reminded that life in Italy is incredible, but no where close to being perfect as some might imagine!  Just as some idealize 'Il Bel Paese' (the beautiful country) others criticize it's current state of affairs (pun intended...anyone heard of Ruby lately?).  Today was such a day of ups and downs, as I'm sure the rest of our stay will continue in such a manner. 

It started on a negative note: mostly because of my lack of sleep.  Everyone else in the house was sleeping soundly while I was wide awake from 4 to 8am.  Once I finally fell asleep, an hour later I was awoken by jackhammer sounds.  No, it wasn't Ava snoring...I really think it was a jackhammer in the apartment next to our house.  At least they waited until 9am, but still...not the most pleasant way to be awoken after sleeping only 4 hours! The construction continued all morning, and it was actually a welcome excuse to go to the supermercato to buy some food.  This is saying A LOT, especially for me to WANT to go to an Italian supermarket, seeing as I usually have to mentally prepare myself for the upcoming chaos I know I will confront!

Well, this morning we hit the jackpot in the supermarket in more than one way.  First, it wasn't super crowded or noisy, and any pushy clientel and curt check-out ladies seemed to be missing today.  It was actually somewhat pleasant to hear Michael Buble crooning overhead while we decided what to cook for my birthday dinner!  On top of that, joy of all joys, I found peanut butter for the first time in an Esselunga!  The times are changing people!  Not only that, but I also found real, honest to goodness tortillas in the next aisle!  I was about to go into food shopping shock.  Then, to top it all off...just to make my negative feelings towards supermercatos flip into bliss, the check-out lady was actually smiling and laughing and joking with Ava!  Ahhh..I honestly thought I was nearing Nirvana.

A typical pasta aisle in Esselunga..a place close to Heaven, in my opinion

But the high couldn't last for long.  We arrived home and I realized Ava's bedroom was directly below all the jackhammering that was happening next door.  And her ceiling isn't made of plaster, but wooden beams that must be at least 600 years old, with bits of mud apparently holding it together.  There was dust and dirt ALL over her room.  Every nook and cranny was covered, as if Mt. Vesuvius personally erupted just in her room.  Awesome.  I started to clean it up after lunch, only to realize the construction would commence and more dust would cover her room.  I had to wait till 5pm when the workers left and it took almost 2 hours to get the dust contained and out of Ava's room so she could sleep without suffocating on ash all night!

How I felt after cleaning up all that dust!

Well, life in Italy can be wonderful, exciting, beautiful and I'm sure I will have so many wonderful moments here with Ava!  But it also has it's drawbacks, difficulties and distruptions, just like any other place in the world!  

Playing in Sunshine

We are here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Three in Italy has officially started again, and below is a pictorial representation offered by Ava with three flowers she picked in honor of the reunion!

Once we recover from the jet-lag and 10 hour time difference, I promise to write some more!  For now, I can say we are so happy to be back in Italy, enjoying some sunshine and temperatures that are actually above freezing!!  Spring is certainly just around the corner in Italy.  Today while Francesco was playing tennis, I took Ava to a park so she could get some wiggles out, and hopefully get to bed at a decent time!  Here's to hoping there won't be many more days of falling asleep at 9pm, waking up at 4am, falling back asleep at 5am, and sleeping until 10am!  A presto, amici!

Resting in Rain

Wow...just 3 days until we will be back in Firenze!  Can I just say I'm excited, thrilled, ecstatic, tickled, and enchanted to be flying back?  Ok...I said it.  But I'm also trying to conserve a bit of the delight so that we can rest up for the next week which will be crrrrazy.  We flew into Seattle this past Monday and spent the day with my sister and her kiddos.  How strange it is to be out of the Alaskan snow, and back into traffic jams!  So it's here Ava and I have been resting in the rain, watching movies, chillin out for the last few days in the States, enjoying all the joys that the 'lower 48' offers us.  We're also saying last goodbyes to our friends in the Pacific Northwest, getting to spend a little time with our favorite girl from Oregon, and heading up to Seattle to make some good memories together!   

new Kitty rain gear!

Sunday we depart for the non-stop 10 hour flight over to Paris, then we'll hop down to Firenze where the jetlag and 9 hour time adjustment will commence! I already know our first week back in Italy will be a busy but very fun one!  Besides the task of unpacking and settling in the first few days, we'll have a dinner party, lunch with my adopted Italian 'family', and my birthday party with dancing, music, and lots of fun!  Then, on top of the plans we've already made, I just realized there will be a Dance Fair in Firenze the first weekend we're around!  It's 4 days of workshops, performances and auditions for all kinds of dance in Italy...you can check it all out here!   Seriously, could a girl like me ask for anything more?  It makes one just want to faint with elation!  So I better go rest a little bit more before I overexert myself from the anticipation of it all...

A presto, Firenze!

Soon I'll be taking in this view, listening to these familiar sounds, feeling that I've come home again!

Look Both Ways

In about two weeks I'll be turning 26.  Growing up in a big family, us kids were only allowed BIG birthday parties (with all the crazy decorations, friends, games, party favors, etc.) when we each turned 6 and 16.  Funny enough, I vivdly remember my 6th birthday just because of this!  Then when I was 16 I wasn't much of a social butterfly and decided to forego all the hullabuloo and just had some church family over to celebrate.

Favorite pic of my 6th birthday, huggin my dad!



20th Birthday in Italia

This year is going to be totally different.  It will be the second time that I'm having a birthday party in Italy...and for me, that's a big deal!  I'm already having fun planning the party I'll be having there, making it a big celebration.  Kind of fitting with the every 10 year big blowout theme my parents started, huh?  Though, with all the silliness, I have to stop and reflect a little bit..after all, it's supposed to be "Another year older, another year wiser"...right?

I took this picture on my 20th birthday in London. I was living in Italy for the first time, and decided to take a weekend trip to England to celebrate my birthday with a few of my roommates. I loved the excitement of going to a city I dreamed of seeing most of my life! Maybe I watched too many Shakespearean plays when I was a teenager, or maybe it's some of my British blood vying for attention, but I love pretty much everything about the British culture. The wry humor, the varied accents, the Royal family. Smashing! When I was celebrating my ascent into my 20s, I was living so completely in the moment, convinced that weekend I would find a strapping British man who would insist that we marry immediately and soon have little babies running around the countryside yelling "Mummy! Mummy! Is it time for tea??" Uh...yeah...that was the kind of happy dream I had for the future! Hard to believe it didn't turn out that way, huh?

I  found the photo in London rather fitting for where I seem to be standing yet again in life.  It seems to be directing me to be conscious and  aware of the varied directions in life, while still living in the moment.  There's no problem lookin to the left and taking a glance at the past.  No big deal if I want to look right and consider my options for the future.  Sure, looking both ways has benefits and helps protect me from repeating mistakes or leaping into things too quickly.  But it's also really important to be standing in the present, aware of what I'm doing right now before I cross into the madness of the busy traffic I could call Life.   

Too Late to Apologize?

I had a revelation today.  And dear lord, please don't think it was inspired at all by Bieber's movie "Never Say Never".  The fact that I now know who this kid is, and the fact that he's made a movie with such a title, is evidence enough that I've been watching too much TV lately.  That disclaimer out of the way, I really should never say never again.  You know what happens when I say it?  Scary enough "never" actually happens to me!!  Just a few examples:  I said multiple times throughout my early adulthood "I'm never moving back in with my parents!"  and Life says WRONG!  "I'm never going to have kids!"  GUESS AGAIN!  "I'll never move to Alaska!"  MWAHAHA (evil laugh)!!  Whenever I think of the most appalling, ridiculous, undesirable thing that I would not want in my life, ooooooooh yes...it comes into my reality.  I have plenty other instances of these things happening...so you would think I would have learned the lesson by now! 

Me, learning my lesson?

On a more serious note, my revelation today was this: when I make these outrageous claims, I inevitably end up offending people who actually enjoy and love the things I am rebelling against.  I love my parents, and as difficult as it is to gain independence and have to move back in with them, it's not the end of the world.  It's always been a blessing to have a home where I can return.  Not everyone is given that blessing.  And I wouldn't have been able to survive many, many life situations without moving back in with my parents (several times!!).  Just like my idea of having children drastically changed the minute I found out I was going to be a mother!  I thought I'd be losing my self identity, that I'd constantly be plagued by another person's wants and needs 24/7 and my life would be over.  Obviously, for anyone who knows me, or has read this blog, my tune has changed and Ava is the love of my life. 

After our first week getting to know eachother

As for moving to Alaska, it's been a strange period in my life, but a necessary one.  I've done some Alaska-bashing that wasn't really directed towards anyone or anything, but just spurred on by my own uncontentedness.  I could blame it on the 24-hour daylight, or 24-hour darkness.  Or the snow that started in October and the -40 temperatures.  These weren't my real reasons for unhappiness when I first came here.  Yet I now can see that many good things have come from moving here, and I've slowly grown to love some incredible people here.  Finding new people to love (and who love me and Ava) will always be at the top of my favorite things in life!  There are friends I made here who I will never forget, and if I never came to Alaska, they'd be lost to me in the universe.  How sad to think of that possiblity!

Ava was even more sad when I made her wear these bunny ears!

So, should we forget about One Republic's beautiful song that says "It's too late to apologiiiiiiiize"?  Now that I really think about it, it's honestly never too late to apologize.  Even if the other party has long forgotten the issue, isn't an apology really for both people?  So...I'm looking these "nevers" right in the eye and I'm saying I'm really sorry.  I've been close-minded and felt too sure of all the things that I didn't want in my life, that I've almost missed out on the things I really needed in my life.  I'm sorry that I tend to think I know what's best for myself, as my confidence and independent nature swell up.  The truth is I'm really just a girl trying to figure stuff out.  And all I can do is try to never say never again...

Finding Her Way

"She wasn't where she had been.  She wasn't where she was going... but she was on her way."

We Have Each Other

With three weeks to prepare for our departure, I'm taking inventory of what Ava and I will both need for the next 3 months.  It's exciting to think of our next adventure, and I get so happy thinking of seeing all my Italian friends and adopted family again!  I am searching for new art exhibits that will be on display during our time in Firenze, wanting to find new places to discover with Ava and fun activities for us to do together when she isn't in school. But deep in my heart, I am also trying to prepare for the big change she and I will be experiencing again.  We've been settled in Alaska for 7 months, and it's always a struggle to pack up and move, let alone move to another country with a different language and customs.  In a way, I love that Ava and I have been able to see so many new places, and meet new people.  On the other hand, it is tricky not having any roots in one area.  She and I don't have much in this world...we really just have each other and our suitcases as we move from here to there and everywhere.  And I don't think we'd be able to do it any other way, except by having one another...



I found this song the other day, and it made me realize how much she and I need each other as we transition yet again.  The few weeks leading up to our moves, Ava recognizes change is on it's way.  She will get a little more clingy, needing more attention and affection.  Sometimes her sleep becomes disrupted, and I find her in my bed early in the morning, needing my arms around her as a comfort.  Change can be intimidating to anyone, let alone a 4 year old, and I won't deny that it's hard for her to say goodbye to people so often.  But in all the times we have relocated, Ava is my little side-kick who accepts our vagrant lifestyle, taking it in stride with the grace not many adults could even grasp.  I thank God that he has blessed me with the most amazing little girl who has an excitement and curiosity for life. She can be a little timid in new situations, but usually after 5 minutes she's ready to explore a new environment as twenty questions pop into her head, wanting to know and understand everything around her.  I love that about her.  And so, when she wakes up at 2am in Italy from our crazy jetlag and 10 hour difference in timezones, I can sing her this song...   

Pack Mule

24 days until I leave Alaska, 30 days till I leave for Italy. I keep asking myself, is it too early to start packing? I'm one of those ridiculous people who loves being prepared and organized when it comes to traveling. No waiting for the last minute to pack bags and make decisions about what to bring or else it totally stresses me out and I lose all excitement for the trip ahead! I remember heading over to Italy with Ava for the first time.  I don't think I'll ever forget F's face when he saw I brought 4 huge suitcases...because I honestly must have looked like a pack mule with my huge cart!  The customs person stopped me and Ava on the way out with our load and asked "Uhm...how long are you staying?"  I replied 3 months.  And she gave me this "Ahhh...well....enjoy your time in Italy" while mockingly sniggering at my over-preparedness.  It would probably be best to avoid such a situation again, cause who likes to be sniggered at??  And besides the mocking, AirFrance has changed their luggage policy yet again.  So Ava and I can only bring 1 suitcase each if we want to avoid paying out the nose for extra bags.  We'll see if this miracle can occur...I'm aiming for just 3...but if I really work my magic, I could possibly keep it to 2 with some stratgic weight-distribution tactics and the clever use of carry-on luggage!!

 

 I think this time around it will be a little easier to leave stuff here in the States because I have a better idea of the things I'll still be able to find in Italy. Our last time in Italy I packed everything but the kitchen sink..because I knew that at least we'd have a kitchen sink over there. This time I know where I can get most anything we really need and it's a comfort being more familiar with a foreign city, even though I still have so much to discover over there! 

 

With that said, I know there are a few thing I'll still want to bring from America. For example, within the week of my arrival, it will be my 26th birthday.  And you better believe I want my own American boxed cake mix and frosting for my birthday!  All-time favorite birthday cake is dark chocolate cake with lemon frosting. It just wouldn't be my birthday without it! I'll also throw in my suitcase a nice big box of ziplock baggies of varrying sizes...does that sound strange?  Hmm..well, I haven't scoured Firenze for this small item, but I've never really seen them in the stores either. They are cheap here in the States and light to pack, and Ava and I use a million of them for so many things. I also will bring a good stash of taco seasoning mix...silly, I know...but it just makes us feel happy to have Taco Tuesdays, even in Italy (yet I still need to find a good tortilla in that city).  Obviously I'm a huge supporter of trying to meld into the Italian culture and do things their way, but sometimes you just gotta take a break and enjoy your American-ality when a little homesickness sets in!  For now, I'm itchin to leave this ridiculous coldness in Alaska and look towards the relative warmth in Firenze...I might even pack a swimsuit if I have room! 

Swimsuit Insanity

Yesterday was a holiday, so Ava and my dad had the day off.  When waking up and it's -35, you don't particularly feel like getting out of bed, let alone doing anything outside.  So, what did my family do?  We headed up to Chena Hot Springs Resort to put on our bathing suits and go swimming outside!  Seriously.  We did that.  It looked kinda like this, except when it's -35 there is a ridiculous amount of fog over the water and you can't see anything!

From chenahotsprings.com

It was so foggy, there was no way to get any kind of pictures.  But let me see if I can paint you a picture with words.  Basically, you remove your 10 layers of normal Alaskan outerwear in the locker rooms.  Blinded by your own paleness, you proceed to don your swimsuit that hasn't been out of your closet since July.  Entering the indoor swimming pool area, you quickly head into a warm pool, embarassingly trying to cover your "winter warmth" layer of flubb that you've been able to hide so stealthily for the past 4 months since it first snowed.  After that warm water starts to feel chilly (after all, it's indoors, but still not hot by any means) then you go to hot tubs nearby.  These are hotter still, making you get goosebumps while your body adjusts to the temperature.

It is at this time you sit for a good 5 minutes, raising your body temperature, as well as your courage.  You see...it is at this point that you realize what the ultimate goal of this journey was...driving 1 1/2 hours outside of Fairbanks...in the middle of nowhere, quite literally where the road ends.  And the ultimate experience is to do the most stupid thing you can do in an Alaskan winter: walk outside in your  wet swimsuit in -35 degrees.  But I did it.  All for the sake of enjoying the therapeutic waters of the Chena Hot Spring...an area that has been hot since it was first discovered in 1905 by some Swedish brothers who obviously were lost in the wilderness and stumbled upon the best thing they could find...a hot bath!

So, before I passed out from the super hot tub inside, I worked up my nerves and told myself "You can do this...it can't be too bad...people do this all the time...and it'll all be over soon...and you probably won't lose an ear or anything!"  My dad gave me the "you ready for this???" look and I knew it was time.  I waved goodbye to Ava who was happily swimming in the pool, bidding farewell to my sweet girl, hoping I'd see her again soon with all my skin still attached to my body.  We opened the door to go outside and I was smacked by a wave of needles.  Then we walked quickly through fog, down a ramp, barefeet on the ice, getting poked by the hard salt they laid down so we wouldn't fall.  Ouch!  I could hardly see my dad leading the way because of the steam, but all I heard his saying was "Almost there!  Almost there! Almost there!"  And finally I heard him sloshing into the warm water ahead of me.  I would have gladly laid down in 2 inches of that warm water if that's all I had..but thankfully it lowered into a nice 4 feet of hot water.

It was such a surreal experience.  Snow covered the rocks on the perimeter, fog and steam inhibited viewing anything more than 2 feet away, it was quiet and relaxing.  Informed not to get my head wet or else my hair would freeze and break off, I kept my head up above the mineral water.  Soon icicles were on my eyelashes, and my dark hair frosted into white, snowy cobwebs.  But it felt lovely.  We waded around the pool in quiet relaxation, happy to have made the journey.  As I walked around, I'd feel random pockets of scalding water, almost hot enough to feel like my skin was burning.  Besides coming upon various "amorous" couples enjoying the water, I could have probably stayed in the water all day. 

Thankfully I didn't bump into this guy!

For a while I considered the possibility of just permanently staying in the hot spring...besides prune fingers, would it really be so bad to try and construct an abode in these waters?  That way I wouldn't have to feel that cold air all over my body again.  Adjusting to the reality that I would eventually have to see Ava again and not shirk the responsibilities of motherhood, I started working up my nerve to exit the pool.  It honestly wasn't as bad walking back up out of the water, because I was more prepared for the extreme pain and knew what to expect...kinda like getting your second tattoo..it's not as scary as the first time!  In the end, I'm happy I experienced such a unique kind of swimsuit insanity.  I can say I've been there, done that, and don't intend on doing it again.  Here's to living life and having the courage to freeze your booty in an Alaskan winter!

Cheddar Busses

My dream car...

Alright, I'm about to bite my own cheek while I've been chomping at the bit this week.  I am soooooo ready to pack my bags and head off.  Ready to set sail and hit the high seas!  Alas, 5 more weeks till I go to Seattle, my first stop on my way to Firenze.  So, what can I do while I count down the hours, days, minutes until I depart?  Hmmm....well, I turned to cheddar cheese and bus maps today.

Yummmmmmmmmy

1. Cheddar cheese.  Seriously, I am not a foodie...I'm probably the one person who wants to move to Italy, yet does not have "Italian food" at the top of my list for reasons to go there!  But for anyone who knows me, they all understand cheddar cheese is a big part of my life.  A large portion of my very specific diet consists of this dairy product....mmm...orange colored calcium!  And so what is a difficult item to find in Italy?  Cheddar chesse, of course!  Don't get me wrong, I've come to appreciate a good pecorino and parmigiano...I enjoy it, but there's always something left to be desired in my opinion.  Maybe the lack of orange color?  I don't know.  But I will surely miss my Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese while I'm away...so I better indulge in it these next 5 weeks while I can!  (Can we say I'll leave America 10 pounds heavier?  Yes, indeed!)




Huh?

  2. Bus map of Firenze.  This is another thing I will terribly miss while I'm in Italy: the ability to drive my (automatic...no stick!) car, arrive at the place I intend, and park wherever I want.  In Italy, that isn't an option.  So, I turn to public transportation!  Which I am very happy to partake of, and love the fact that I can get anywhere in the city during a 70 minute interval for just 1.20euro.  Yet, my spoiled childhood of having my mother as a chauffeur, and then the access to a car when I was 16, has led me to have a major lack of bus-map-reading-skills.  Seriously, I think I'm great at getting around places, give me a map, and I can get there!  But busses just throw me off completely.  It doesn't help much that the ATAF website for the city of Firenze's bus system is lacking in clarity.  It looks like it should make sense, but it's kind of like trying to read heiroglyphics.  I definitely need someone to help me translate this map so Ava and I can get around the city independently and have some new adventures!  I'll pay good money for a tutor....any takers?  Anyone?  Well, I think the only thing better than figuring out this map, would be if I could drive that cheddar bus around the city!  Now THAT would turn some Italian heads!