My Heaven!

I have decided that when I go to heaven it will be JUST like Italy!
I am so happy here.

The flight in was horrible for me, I was very uncomfortable and couldn't sleep very well during the whole 14 hours. By the time our bus finally approached Carpi I had so many different emotions flying through my head... I was sooo nervous to meet my family but also very excited because we had already created a bond emailing back and forth for a month prior to my arrival.

It was only awkward for the first couple minutes, because my family is incredibly genuine and loving- I am in very good hands here.

Grandpa (Nonno), Umberto, lives next door., but comes over for every meal. He is sooo sweet, I love him to death. He cannot speak much English... but he always says, "CIAO BELLISSIMO!!!!" when he sees me! and during the meal he will say very goodissimo and laugh. :) It's so cute.

They are teaching me Italian and I am teaching them English!

For my first lunch my Italian Dad, Maurizio, made pasta (penne) with tuna and green olives and homemade bread. It was SOOO good. They also offered me both sparkling water and natural spring water from giant glass bottles. I told them that I would try the carbonated water, and I didn't really care for it... They thought that it was so funny. :)

After lunch I gave them their gifts, they love everything so much. They are so affectionate so I got LOTS of kisses.

I think what I find so special here, is that they are so pure-hearted and happy. They love each other so purely and they always want to be together.

After lunch I helped Camilla, my little sister, with her English homework... it amazes me how smart she is at only 12 years old. She already knows English, French, and Italian. (I would say that her English is almost fluent.) She also showed me her art work and it is beautiful she is so proud of her work and I took some pictures. :)

and my favorite!

My family then took me to the main piazza to get some gelato! The buildings are so historic and beautiful.

Then, we went home and Maurizio started to make dinner while Camilla and I played with her smurfs! (She collects smurfs!)

For dinner we had homemade bread and sandwiches. All of the food is so much more fresh here. I have never enjoyed tomatoes but I was eating them up! Also, the mozzarella is not like our mozzarella at all, it's a lot more plain and

Then, it was time for me to sleep, I tried to stay awake with Camilla to watch a Disney princess movie but I couldn't fight it, and I feel asleep on the couch! :)

This morning I woke up, and automatically smiled. I cant remember the last time that I did that :)
I only knew what time it was by my phone alarm... I probably could have slept all day, my room was so dark because Maurizio pulled my window shutters last night.

For breakfast we had these little biscuit pastries with powdered sugar on them and strawberries with tea.

After breakfast I came back upstairs to my room and started to write in my diary and fell alseep. I woke up to Camilla telling me that it was time to get ready to go her grandma's (Nonna) house for lunch. My Italian dad Maurizio is always messing around with me. While I was getting ready he came walked by my door and asked me if he should wear his rock chalk Jayhawk shirt (they hosted a KU girl a couple of years ago).

Nonna is an amazing cook!! She made a feast for us. She individually wrapped each little tortellini noodle. This was the best meal that I had had yet. She served it with a white sparkling wine and homemade bread. I was stuffed after I ate one bowl. But little did I know, there were TWO more courses. The second meal was some kind of seasoned (YUM) pork and rosemary potatos (that she cooked outside in a brick grill by her garden). The third meal was some sausage ( that she stuffed herself) even though I was force feeding myself the last two meals it was still amazing. THEN, FOR DESERT we had strawberries and whipped cream and a chocolate pudding bunt cake of some sort.
Nonna has a beautiful garden.

Camilla and Daniella showed me around. They enjoy gardens by touching the leaves.. rubbing their fingers together and then smelling them. I thought it was odd at first but then they told me to. The first one I smelled was a lemon plant.... THE LEAVES ACTUALLY SMELLED LIKE LEMON... and a MINT plant...  rosemary and oregano.
The others were blooming plants. They were beautiful!

After Nonna's we went back to the piazza for a Camilla's school music concert!


First up was the Saltini Elementary School (where I will be teaching) singing.

Then, Camilla played her recorder (flute) with her friends.

Camilla told me that they learn the solfedge and sing the song before they even learn how to play it!

It was very cold today(50's)... I was not expecting this because yesterday it was in the high 80's and it was too hot to be outside for too long.

After Camilla's concert we came back home and all went to do our own thing, Camilla is working on her homework with Daniella, Maurizio is watching a race on TV and I am in my room writing this blog and uploading pictures.

I was just called downstairs for a snack. Maurizio prepared these beautiful pastries and orange tea for us.
We will have dinner in two hours. (I will never go hungry here)

 

They are so much fun, I love them so much.

I will update more later... I love you all.
Missy