Preparation..... 4 days!!

I will be on the plane to Italy in less than 4 days!!! It crazy how fast the time has flown by!

I am freaking out, the packing is the most stressful thing so far. I am making lists after lists of things to buy! I find myself jotting things down throughout the day when I think of something to add! :)
I am so scared of getting there and not having something.

I think I have decided on some of my "American" meals (treats)
Baked Potato Soup
Paula Dean's Chicken Georgia, mashed potatoes, and some kind of vegetable (props to Linley ans Susan)
Brownies
Popcorn
Hershey's Chocolate
Twizlers... and whatever else I can find.


I was also thinking maybe grilled cheese or chili (and cornbread)
Ill be going to the grocery store Thursday so I will know for sure what Im making by then! I want to get as much packaged American things as possible, so the seasonings or ingredients work out.

Please comment if you have any ideas.

I have been reading a book called Italinisimo by Louise Fili and Lise Apatoff, about "What Italians do Best"
One of the things that I found very interesting was the use of Hand Gestures.

One of the excerpts says "A father can give his son a emphatic, "NO!" to his request to use the car by tapping his front tooth with his index finger. The son will implore by pressing his palms together at his chest level, rocking them back and forth, while the exasperated mother cuts the air with two fingers in a scissors motion to the them to cease-all in crystal clear, silent exchange."

If you guys are curious Ill list what each of these mean:

1.Agreed/Beware (Intesa)
2. Crowded (Pieno di Gente)
3. O.K. (Tutto Bene)
4. I insist (Inisisto)
5. Hunger (Fame)
6. Finished (Finito)
7. No Good!! (Niente)
8. It has nothing to do with me (Io non so niente)
9. Secret Liason (L'intendono)
10. Cuckold (Le corna)
11. I don't care (Non me ne importa)
12. What do you want? (Che Vuoi?)

The next thing I want to share is Il Mercato or The Market. I am especially interested in this because, among many other things, Italy is known for its good food!

In the book, it says that the Market is open "Rain or shine, steaming freezing".
The vendor, like the one in the picture, put up stands int he center of town and offer goods from a wide range, such as suckling pigs to women's corsetry.
The vendors are not only your typical cashier but also an associate of sorts. They help their customers with any questions of quantity or recipes!
I can't wait to shop at the market.

The last thing I'm going to share with you about the book was maybe my favorite page!

 THE ITALIAN OPERA!
I will be living very close Venice, and I will also get to spend a weekend. I will hopefully get to see the Venice Opera House (La Fenice) which held the premieres of so many great works by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. I just know that it's going to be surreal to be where so much of musical history was made (and is still very alive).

In other preperations, I have decided to make a list of words or phrases that I want to have down before I get there.
 So I'll share a few with you!

mom-mamma
dad-papa
sister-sorella
brother-fratello
grandpa- nonno
grandma-nonna
dog-cane
cat-gatto
teacher-insegnante
student- studenti
bathroom-bagno
quiet, please-piuttosto, si prega di
lunch- pranzo
breakfast- prima colazione
dinner- cena
cook- cucinare
water- acqua
shower-doccia
toilet- toilette
sleep-dormire
goodnight- buonanotte
hello-ciao
goodbye- addio/ciao
class-classe
school-scuola
friends-amici
thank you-grazie
please- per favore
What time is it?-Che ore sono?
My name is- Il mio nome e
How much does this cost- Quanto costa?
What time? a che ora?
It''s nice to meet you- il suo piacere di consoscerti

I am diligently studying my Italian lately.. its amazing all of the things that I found at the Public Library alone!
:)

I just finally went shopping for some gifts for my family. I promised that I would deck them out in Mizzou merch so I bought each of them a MU shirt.
I got my host mother a pretty necklace with a charm that says, "Embrace the Moment" I thought it was pretty and a sweet phrase in english that she can remember me by.
I got Camilla LOTS of things.
So far I got her the same necklace as her mom, except I got her two interchangable charges... one is a really cute "c"-for Camilla, and the other is a phrase one like her mom's that says "Do what you love"--- becuase that's how I try to live my life.
I also got Camilla a "Where's Waldo" book, and my friend, Erin, got her a "Hank the Cowdog" book and audio CD reader.
Im going to bring her some American Candy and Im still looking for stickers, becuase her mom says she loes stickers.
Its really hard for me to shop for the men... so far Ive just gotten a deck of cards from Shakespeare's that has a different picture of the Mizzou campus on each.
For Didono, the puppyy dog, I got her a bone that has Mizzou print on it... It looks really cute and I'm going to also buy her a package of yummy American dog treats.

Again, If you have any suggestions of cool gifts that I can take them or my classroom PLEASE comment!!

OKAY so, this is it..... I'm doing it.

STAY TUNED!!
Love you all.

Missy