Ciao, bella gente! I'm supposed to be getting ready to go play a round of golf right now, but I have to write this down really quickly because it's weighing on my heart and mind... As always, there are so many things going on in the world today, so many headlines, so much to process. I'm not going to go into everything that I've read in the past 24 hours because I don't have the time, and you all probably won't have the patience.
That being said, I look at the world I live in today and find it, in some ways, monumentally better than it was when I was a child, and in other ways, tragically worse. Nothing can be said that truly describes how sad I feel when I see acts of true evil and hatred making the headlines. No words can express how happy it made me to see that the belief that love is love no matter what now prevails as law.
While I am not a member of the LBGT community, my life has been, and continues to be, directly affected, influenced, and made better by people that I love who are a part of this community. That brings me to my first thought...why do they have to be a "separate" community? And really, isn't that part of the problems we have in today's society? Separatism... I understand that we use labels to identify who we are, what we stand for, what we believe in every day of our lives. We do it to ourselves and we do it to those around us. "Weird", "fat", "republican", "Christian", "gay", "Asian"... You get my point... What about human? For really and truly....we are all at the simplest, most fundamental level...human. We all feel emotions (regardless of the nature of those emotions), we all believe in something, we all have goals, hopes, and dreams. My point? What makes one man or woman's emotions, beliefs, goals, hopes, and dreams more important than another's? Nothing.
If we could all look for what ties us together, what makes us similar, instead of looking for differences to label, maybe this world would be a more peaceful, loving place. You don't have to personally believe that what another person believes is correct-you can even disagree with it and be ok as long as when you do so it's done in a respectful manner. We will never, collectively, all agree on everything. Our individuality that makes us so unique and beautiful makes that impossible. But instead of judging or lashing out in anger because of this uniqueness, shouldn't we strive to find common ground? I have yet to encounter another human being that I had absolutely NOTHING in common with... Maybe we have to go pretty generic to find it (I love my family & you love your family=common ground); maybe it turns out to be something inconsequential (like we both love ice cream and dislike the way certain birds screech at an inconveniently early hour on the weekend). It's there, people...no matter who you are, where you come from, how much money you have.
I don't think it matters who you are today, how you were raised, what the voice of your mother is telling you in your head (believe me, I didn't get these ideas from my folks). What matters is what you do from here moving forward. All these horrible things happening in the world today? Violence, murders, hate, racism, injustice & inequality? You can take away every weapon known to man, you can make laws with good or bad intentions/results, you can ban things that are offensive, you can wage war, you can put your head in the sand and ignore it all... Ultimately, though, I believe with every fiber that until humanity starts figuring out how to RESPECT instead of fight, how to LOVE instead of hate, and how to be KIND to one another simply because we are all humans at the end of the day, nothing will truly change.
I hope that everyone reading this understands that this is, for better or worse, just a simple message summing up how I feel. Do what you will with it-I respect that not everyone feels this way... Until next time...
17.6.15
Market Day!
Buonasera! Today was the weekly village market day. There is a large traveling outdoor market here that moves from town to town every day, and every Wednesday it is our turn. Normally set up one block down, for the next month due to the month-long annual Festeggiamenti di Maron, the market will be held right in front of my house!
We woke up early today so that we could get to the market bright and early for the best quality things. As soon as we stepped out of our footgate we were right in the market. Vendors lined both sides of the road and carried everything from clothes and shoes to fresh fish and cheese. I was promptly enamored with the wide and colorful displays of fresh fruits and vegetables. My only saving grace today was the fear of the unknown and the language barrier...I might have gone way overboard if I felt more confident in what I was doing and spending. Trying to convert kilograms to pounds in my head, calculate the euro to dollar difference, and then figure out how to request it all in Italian proved to be quite daunting.
Don't worry, though! I still walked away with plenty of goodies. At one stand, Ashton and I picked up two containers of strawberries and some white peaches, and the kind purveyor threw in a large handful of bing cherries for free. At another stand, we picked up fresh figs, apricots, and melon. We acquired a large bouquet of flowers for the kitchen table with a most unusual center flower (it's gorgeous, but I told Ashton we probably just spent 6€ on weeds hehehe). Finally, we stopped by a stand attended by a cheerful, rotund Italian man selling all sorts of cheeses and cured meats. If you are a fan of cheese, it would be a small slice of nirvana to be standing there. I'm not the biggest cheese eater, and still managed to feel pleased down to my toes! Communication proved to be quite challenging here, and finally, we both gave up trying to speak and communicated through gestures. I ended up with a gorgeous wedge of fresh Asiago and a large wedge of the king of cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano.
We came back to the house, and I prepared a little bit of everything for us to have for breakfast. Fresh fruit and cheeses makes for a mighty fine repast. I have heard that simple meals made from high quality, fresh ingredients are sometimes the best meals...that was certainly true this morning! Ashton and I enjoyed our familiar favorites (melons, cherries, etc.) as well as the new items (figs, fresh (not aged) Asiago, etc.). I'm very thankful that she has a well-developed palate and an adventurous attitude when it comes to food!
We are already counting the days until next week's market. Hopefully I will know more Italian by then - we may even try to make a purchase at the fish monger's stand next time. Festeggiamenti starts tomorrow so I'm sure I'll have a lot to share! Until next time...ciao, ciao!
Here are just a few pictures of the stash from my first market excursion including the flowers!
We woke up early today so that we could get to the market bright and early for the best quality things. As soon as we stepped out of our footgate we were right in the market. Vendors lined both sides of the road and carried everything from clothes and shoes to fresh fish and cheese. I was promptly enamored with the wide and colorful displays of fresh fruits and vegetables. My only saving grace today was the fear of the unknown and the language barrier...I might have gone way overboard if I felt more confident in what I was doing and spending. Trying to convert kilograms to pounds in my head, calculate the euro to dollar difference, and then figure out how to request it all in Italian proved to be quite daunting.
Don't worry, though! I still walked away with plenty of goodies. At one stand, Ashton and I picked up two containers of strawberries and some white peaches, and the kind purveyor threw in a large handful of bing cherries for free. At another stand, we picked up fresh figs, apricots, and melon. We acquired a large bouquet of flowers for the kitchen table with a most unusual center flower (it's gorgeous, but I told Ashton we probably just spent 6€ on weeds hehehe). Finally, we stopped by a stand attended by a cheerful, rotund Italian man selling all sorts of cheeses and cured meats. If you are a fan of cheese, it would be a small slice of nirvana to be standing there. I'm not the biggest cheese eater, and still managed to feel pleased down to my toes! Communication proved to be quite challenging here, and finally, we both gave up trying to speak and communicated through gestures. I ended up with a gorgeous wedge of fresh Asiago and a large wedge of the king of cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano.
We came back to the house, and I prepared a little bit of everything for us to have for breakfast. Fresh fruit and cheeses makes for a mighty fine repast. I have heard that simple meals made from high quality, fresh ingredients are sometimes the best meals...that was certainly true this morning! Ashton and I enjoyed our familiar favorites (melons, cherries, etc.) as well as the new items (figs, fresh (not aged) Asiago, etc.). I'm very thankful that she has a well-developed palate and an adventurous attitude when it comes to food!
We are already counting the days until next week's market. Hopefully I will know more Italian by then - we may even try to make a purchase at the fish monger's stand next time. Festeggiamenti starts tomorrow so I'm sure I'll have a lot to share! Until next time...ciao, ciao!
Here are just a few pictures of the stash from my first market excursion including the flowers!
16.6.15
The Flight...
So today I thought we could go back in time and talk a little bit about international travel. For those of you who have never ventured far from home, let me fill you in on some of the finer points. Let me be upfront and tell you I am by no means an expert, but I can share with you what little I have learned so far.
As some of you may know, I have made the flight over to Italy twice in a few short months. Rest assured, it is a fairly simple and straightforward process, much like traveling domestically with a few exceptions. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) January (after the holidays) seems to be the best (i.e. Cheapest) time to purchase plane tickets. I was able to go round trip in March for less than $800.
2) You only need a tourist passport to come here unless you plan on being in the country for more than 90 days. If you are visiting me, trust me when I say you won't need that visa because your free room and board will not last that long-89 days, maybe, but definitely not 90 ;-) I do not know if this is the same everywhere in Europe, but this is the case in Italy.
3) Arriving at the airport at least three hours before your scheduled flight seems to be excessive. I traveled in June with 7 checked bags and two carry-ons and did not need this much time. That being said, the busier the airport, the earlier you should be there. Also, triple check to make sure you have all of your necessary ID, passport, etc., before you leave home. I, thankfully, did not have an issue with this but I know people who have. Finally, allow for time to do whatever it is you need to do in the airport (e.g. eat lunch, buy a book, find your gate, etc.) One thing to pay attention to-they put boarding times on your boarding passes...they mean it! I was the last one on the plane at Lambert Int'l because I was lolly gagging-this is not necessarily a bad thing (no point in sitting on the plane longer than necessary)-but two minutes later to the gate and I would have missed the flight entirely.
4) When connecting in an unfamiliar airport: find your gate first before you do anything else. This gives you peace of mind and enables you to know how much time you have to do other things. I found this to be especially true in the major airports that have trams, multiple terminals, and tons of gates.
5) While on a long flight such as the one from the States to Europe you may want to do several things: a) keep your shoes on if you have problems with foot swelling-you may have trouble getting your shoes back on otherwise (I did), b) drink lots of water, and c) stand up, stretch, and walk as much as you can to help prevent foot/leg swelling and potential blood clots in the legs.
6) Be aware that once you hit Europe, the much-loved American practice of "personal space" ceases to exist. Along with this, the American practice of standing in line (queue) also goes out the window. If you want a coffee and croissant in France, for example, you may find that standing in line for it doesn't really work. You may also discover that while they will stand in line for boarding, many travelers don't really mean it. They will shove in front of you, behind you, and smack into you with all their bags and other carry on items. The best way to avoid being frustrated, I've found, is to just wait. You'll get your seat on the plane, I promise...I also promise that it will be a lot more pleasant for you if you wait until the bulk of the passengers have already boarded before you attempt to do so (unless you don't mind being banged around and cut off).
7) While the policies are forever changing, as of right now, many of the countries in the European Union have "open" borders. In the most recent days, several countries including Germany have "closed" their borders. What does this mean? When I came over in March (and June), I flew in to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Once I landed, I made my way to the appropriate terminal, and then had to go through security again (as of right now you still keep your shoes on unlike in America) and then had to stand in a very long line for France's Border Control. They stamp your passport (yay-stamps are always fun to get!), and off you go to your gate. What I didn't know back in March is that once you land in Venice, due to the EU open borders, you do not stand in another line to have your passport checked/stamped in Italy. I spent much of my two weeks here in March fearing that I was in Italy illegally and that I would get thrown into jail when I tried to get back home. I wouldn't be surprised if this policy/practice gradually changes, though, due to security and immigration issues.
8) Check with your banking/credit/financial institutions befor leaving on their policies for international transactions. Some places charge big fees for th pleasure of accessing your funds from overseas. Additionally, find out if you need to let them know that you will be using your cards from another location (notify them of travel plans) so you don't have your card(s) shut off mid-trip. You may be better off using the ATM once when you get here and pulling out a bunch of euro all in one shot. Finally, if you want to use your phone from overseas, you may need to contact your provider to have your phone unlocked for international use and/or to find out how much it will cost for you to use said phone. You may find it cheaper to get a burner, pay as you go phone while you are over here if you are planning on staying for a while!
I know that this was a lengthy blog post, but these little travel tips have been floating around in my brain for a while, and I wanted to share them before I forget everything I learned via advice and experience! Until next time...happy, safe journeys & ciao!
As some of you may know, I have made the flight over to Italy twice in a few short months. Rest assured, it is a fairly simple and straightforward process, much like traveling domestically with a few exceptions. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) January (after the holidays) seems to be the best (i.e. Cheapest) time to purchase plane tickets. I was able to go round trip in March for less than $800.
2) You only need a tourist passport to come here unless you plan on being in the country for more than 90 days. If you are visiting me, trust me when I say you won't need that visa because your free room and board will not last that long-89 days, maybe, but definitely not 90 ;-) I do not know if this is the same everywhere in Europe, but this is the case in Italy.
3) Arriving at the airport at least three hours before your scheduled flight seems to be excessive. I traveled in June with 7 checked bags and two carry-ons and did not need this much time. That being said, the busier the airport, the earlier you should be there. Also, triple check to make sure you have all of your necessary ID, passport, etc., before you leave home. I, thankfully, did not have an issue with this but I know people who have. Finally, allow for time to do whatever it is you need to do in the airport (e.g. eat lunch, buy a book, find your gate, etc.) One thing to pay attention to-they put boarding times on your boarding passes...they mean it! I was the last one on the plane at Lambert Int'l because I was lolly gagging-this is not necessarily a bad thing (no point in sitting on the plane longer than necessary)-but two minutes later to the gate and I would have missed the flight entirely.
4) When connecting in an unfamiliar airport: find your gate first before you do anything else. This gives you peace of mind and enables you to know how much time you have to do other things. I found this to be especially true in the major airports that have trams, multiple terminals, and tons of gates.
5) While on a long flight such as the one from the States to Europe you may want to do several things: a) keep your shoes on if you have problems with foot swelling-you may have trouble getting your shoes back on otherwise (I did), b) drink lots of water, and c) stand up, stretch, and walk as much as you can to help prevent foot/leg swelling and potential blood clots in the legs.
6) Be aware that once you hit Europe, the much-loved American practice of "personal space" ceases to exist. Along with this, the American practice of standing in line (queue) also goes out the window. If you want a coffee and croissant in France, for example, you may find that standing in line for it doesn't really work. You may also discover that while they will stand in line for boarding, many travelers don't really mean it. They will shove in front of you, behind you, and smack into you with all their bags and other carry on items. The best way to avoid being frustrated, I've found, is to just wait. You'll get your seat on the plane, I promise...I also promise that it will be a lot more pleasant for you if you wait until the bulk of the passengers have already boarded before you attempt to do so (unless you don't mind being banged around and cut off).
7) While the policies are forever changing, as of right now, many of the countries in the European Union have "open" borders. In the most recent days, several countries including Germany have "closed" their borders. What does this mean? When I came over in March (and June), I flew in to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Once I landed, I made my way to the appropriate terminal, and then had to go through security again (as of right now you still keep your shoes on unlike in America) and then had to stand in a very long line for France's Border Control. They stamp your passport (yay-stamps are always fun to get!), and off you go to your gate. What I didn't know back in March is that once you land in Venice, due to the EU open borders, you do not stand in another line to have your passport checked/stamped in Italy. I spent much of my two weeks here in March fearing that I was in Italy illegally and that I would get thrown into jail when I tried to get back home. I wouldn't be surprised if this policy/practice gradually changes, though, due to security and immigration issues.
8) Check with your banking/credit/financial institutions befor leaving on their policies for international transactions. Some places charge big fees for th pleasure of accessing your funds from overseas. Additionally, find out if you need to let them know that you will be using your cards from another location (notify them of travel plans) so you don't have your card(s) shut off mid-trip. You may be better off using the ATM once when you get here and pulling out a bunch of euro all in one shot. Finally, if you want to use your phone from overseas, you may need to contact your provider to have your phone unlocked for international use and/or to find out how much it will cost for you to use said phone. You may find it cheaper to get a burner, pay as you go phone while you are over here if you are planning on staying for a while!
I know that this was a lengthy blog post, but these little travel tips have been floating around in my brain for a while, and I wanted to share them before I forget everything I learned via advice and experience! Until next time...happy, safe journeys & ciao!
15.6.15
Barchis Adventure
Ciao! I am sitting here at my kitchen table, listening to the thunder rolling in the distance, the fountain splashing outside of my window, and the occasional hum of a car engine passing by. All is quiet in my little village. I know I mentioned this in my previous posting, but I feel that I must repeat my sentiment and tell you that I feel very much at home here. Riposo is ending as signified by the church bells; soon the shops across the street will reopen their doors and foot traffic and chatter will increase.
I must catch you up on our latest adventures! I have started driving over here-it's rather terrifying as the roads here are very narrow, and often, the road signs are confusing. Roundabouts are the name of the game here (which I find quite the way to go-traffic tends to flow much better), but sometimes, the direction signs off of the roundabouts look like a plate of pasta with all of the roads shooting off of the round to different destinations. Thankfully, I'm not attempting to venture anywhere alone yet so I have someone else to tell me which spaghetti arm to take. In addition to the narrow roads which often are surrounded by houses on both sides, and the challenging navigation, one also must be aware of the speedy Italian driver (everyone is a Formula 1 racer) and all of the pedestrians, bicyclists, moped riders, tractors, live animals, and other obstacles on the way. A friend here has advised me, "don't drive like an American-you'll cause a wreck, don't drive like an Italian-you'll end up in the ditch, drive somewhere in between..." Still trying to find that happy medium, but I think I'll figure it out pretty quickly.
Saturday, after chores, we went to Barchis which is a gorgeous area in the Dolomites. There you will find turquoise-blue, ice cold water fed by the mountains and springs, beautiful mountain views, a dam, pretty little cafes, and relief from the summer heat and humidity. It was pretty chilly up there-at least 20 degrees cooler and a lot less humid. The views are stunning, and I plan on spending more time up there this summer! From Barchis, we took a seldom used, secondary road up to Piancavallo (a ski resort town). Two thirds of the way up, after an eternity of switchbacks, I had to get out and get sick all over the place. Rather embarrassing, but thankfully, my family occupied themselves with picking wild flowers and no one else was on the road to watch me lose my lunch! The valuable lesson here is two-fold: 1) don't take secondary roads up the mountains and 2) always keep Dramamine in your purse if you have trouble with motion sickness!
In spite of my rather unfortunate bout of carsickness, I thoroughly enjoyed the day. It is cooler this week than last (thank you, rain), and yesterday, we managed to get my main kitchen put together. I am thrilled with the way it turned out. One room at a time...slowly, slowly. This week...more meetings, a panel, more unpacking, and perhaps another adventure!
I must catch you up on our latest adventures! I have started driving over here-it's rather terrifying as the roads here are very narrow, and often, the road signs are confusing. Roundabouts are the name of the game here (which I find quite the way to go-traffic tends to flow much better), but sometimes, the direction signs off of the roundabouts look like a plate of pasta with all of the roads shooting off of the round to different destinations. Thankfully, I'm not attempting to venture anywhere alone yet so I have someone else to tell me which spaghetti arm to take. In addition to the narrow roads which often are surrounded by houses on both sides, and the challenging navigation, one also must be aware of the speedy Italian driver (everyone is a Formula 1 racer) and all of the pedestrians, bicyclists, moped riders, tractors, live animals, and other obstacles on the way. A friend here has advised me, "don't drive like an American-you'll cause a wreck, don't drive like an Italian-you'll end up in the ditch, drive somewhere in between..." Still trying to find that happy medium, but I think I'll figure it out pretty quickly.
Saturday, after chores, we went to Barchis which is a gorgeous area in the Dolomites. There you will find turquoise-blue, ice cold water fed by the mountains and springs, beautiful mountain views, a dam, pretty little cafes, and relief from the summer heat and humidity. It was pretty chilly up there-at least 20 degrees cooler and a lot less humid. The views are stunning, and I plan on spending more time up there this summer! From Barchis, we took a seldom used, secondary road up to Piancavallo (a ski resort town). Two thirds of the way up, after an eternity of switchbacks, I had to get out and get sick all over the place. Rather embarrassing, but thankfully, my family occupied themselves with picking wild flowers and no one else was on the road to watch me lose my lunch! The valuable lesson here is two-fold: 1) don't take secondary roads up the mountains and 2) always keep Dramamine in your purse if you have trouble with motion sickness!
In spite of my rather unfortunate bout of carsickness, I thoroughly enjoyed the day. It is cooler this week than last (thank you, rain), and yesterday, we managed to get my main kitchen put together. I am thrilled with the way it turned out. One room at a time...slowly, slowly. This week...more meetings, a panel, more unpacking, and perhaps another adventure!
12.6.15
Buongiorno!
I haven't written anything in a very long time, so I'll beg your pardon up front if I'm a little messy and a little rusty. Before I get too far along in this post, I wanted to share with the group-I went back and read my old posts and decided to remove quite a few of them. While some of the posts were pretty silly, I realized that many of them were irrelevant or just plain ridiculous-sometimes you just have to let certain things go. At any rate, I came back to my blog because I have a feeling that in the coming days, months, and years, I will have plenty to share with everyone!
As you may have noticed by the title, I am studying Italiano. Why? Because we have moved to Italy! I feel like I won the jackpot in a "live anywhere in the world" sweepstakes right now. Yes, I'm surrounded by moving boxes that keep me in a nearly constant state of sadness, exhaustion, and confusion, but the underlying "pinch me because I'm still so excited to be here" remains ever-present (even if momentarily ignored because I can't find my favorite blouse, my good knives, or because I have just given myself yet another vicious cardboard cut).
We have been in country for one week. Jet lag didn't hit me too horribly bad as far as sleeping goes, but it definitely altered my mood (not in a good way) and caused me to spout things off from time to time that were nonsensical and perhaps a bit insane. In a nutshell, I have been struggling to 'human'. On a good note, my general mood is improving and it would appear that the grey matter is finally clearing. So far, my bonus daughter and I have managed to stay pretty busy with classes, orientations, meetings, unpacking, etc. I guess I should mention that she just graduated from high school (so proud) and has decided to live with us here in Italy for a while. I am very excited to have someone to explore and learn with since her dad stays pretty busy with work.
Let me just say, the Italian life is fantasticò! The people, the land, the little house we call home, the food, the coffee, the church bells... I could wax poetic about all of the things I've experienced in my short time here for days and days, but I must remind myself this is a blog, not a novel. Contrary to some of the reports I had prior to coming to live here, the Italian people thus far have been charming, helpful, and oh so kind! The food has been sheer magic for a self-proclaimed foodie like myself. I cannot even begin to describe how a they make a simple plate of pasta so bellissimo or a small cup of gelato taste so molto bene that it is the stuff of dreams.
When I was here back in March searching for a house, I was able to explore and experience quite a bit. I felt so at home in a strange country, in a place I couldn't speak the language, that I was pretty sure it must have been an anomaly or my imagination. Coming back here a week ago to finally stay and live, though, felt like coming home...
I cannot wait to share all of our adventures in the coming years with you! Ciao, ciao, ciao....
As you may have noticed by the title, I am studying Italiano. Why? Because we have moved to Italy! I feel like I won the jackpot in a "live anywhere in the world" sweepstakes right now. Yes, I'm surrounded by moving boxes that keep me in a nearly constant state of sadness, exhaustion, and confusion, but the underlying "pinch me because I'm still so excited to be here" remains ever-present (even if momentarily ignored because I can't find my favorite blouse, my good knives, or because I have just given myself yet another vicious cardboard cut).
We have been in country for one week. Jet lag didn't hit me too horribly bad as far as sleeping goes, but it definitely altered my mood (not in a good way) and caused me to spout things off from time to time that were nonsensical and perhaps a bit insane. In a nutshell, I have been struggling to 'human'. On a good note, my general mood is improving and it would appear that the grey matter is finally clearing. So far, my bonus daughter and I have managed to stay pretty busy with classes, orientations, meetings, unpacking, etc. I guess I should mention that she just graduated from high school (so proud) and has decided to live with us here in Italy for a while. I am very excited to have someone to explore and learn with since her dad stays pretty busy with work.
Let me just say, the Italian life is fantasticò! The people, the land, the little house we call home, the food, the coffee, the church bells... I could wax poetic about all of the things I've experienced in my short time here for days and days, but I must remind myself this is a blog, not a novel. Contrary to some of the reports I had prior to coming to live here, the Italian people thus far have been charming, helpful, and oh so kind! The food has been sheer magic for a self-proclaimed foodie like myself. I cannot even begin to describe how a they make a simple plate of pasta so bellissimo or a small cup of gelato taste so molto bene that it is the stuff of dreams.
When I was here back in March searching for a house, I was able to explore and experience quite a bit. I felt so at home in a strange country, in a place I couldn't speak the language, that I was pretty sure it must have been an anomaly or my imagination. Coming back here a week ago to finally stay and live, though, felt like coming home...
I cannot wait to share all of our adventures in the coming years with you! Ciao, ciao, ciao....
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