Friday morning we woke up, packed, and then hopped on a train to Roma, Italy. I didn't have the best window seat, but I was able to look at some of the countryside. At one point it became quite mountainous. Some of the train ride was spent speeding through underground tunnels beneath the mountains. Approximately 4 hours later we arrived in Rome. After walking all the way out I realized I had left my battery charger for my camera on the train. Thomas and I sped back, but we must have been too late. There was a train there but we went to our car and Thomas said it looked nothing like the train we had been on before. Well, I was pretty upset and "butt hurt" as Thomas likes to call it. I eventually bounced back and enjoyed the trip. We found a little hotel right outside the train station. Overall, not too the bad. The bathroom made me a bit nervous, but other than that it was fine. On our first afternoon we looked around one portion of Rome. We saw the Pantheon, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, and Fontana di Trevi, as well as, numerous shops. We did the traditional act of throwing a coin into the Fontana di Trevi to ensure our return to Rome. All of the architecture in the city was amazing. That evening we had some gelato and ate a little restaurant near the Pantheon. It was pretty good, but still not as good as some of the food near our town. Maybe we just didn't hit the right place to eat. It wasn't bad by any means; I have just enjoyed the food near our home better.
Before I begin, I do actually have an air conditioner. A lot of people don't. However, the bills here can get very high when using it so most try to use it at a minimum. We are trying to survive with just having windows and doors open. In the beginning it really was fine. But now, with the temperatures rising and rising. It is awful! I sit, yes sit, not doing housework or any kind of physical labor, and I have stickiness. Ew, gross! And at night, its the worst. I like to sleep under the covers, but a few times I have had to resort to being outside the covers. I have even been taking cooler showers before bed and ending my shower with about 15 seconds of freezing water so I can feel cool when going to bed. But, let me tell you, even that doesn't always work. Last night I kept slowly decreasing the temperature of the water waiting second by second to feel that instant, somewhat pain you can feel when being hit with a shot of really cold water. Hm, the pain never came. The shower felt good the entire time. Finally, I look at the knob and realize it looks very far to the right. So, I try to turn it one last time and nothing. I literally took a cold shower last night. Not just cool, COLD! All the way cold and I never noticed it. On a happier note, Thomas surprised me with a fan. I was so excited you would have thought I had been given diamonds and a brand new car. I slept so...comfortably..last night. No sickiness, just nice cool air. The fan is currently cooling my living room. I look forward to not being as hot as a tea kettle today while inside. Ciao!
Thomas has won the heart of a little 7-year old Italian girl. This little girl is Walter's daughter. Before I came, Thomas would speak of this girl performing magic tricks for him, etc. Now, I have been around her a few times. She would smile, but that's about it. She also hasn't really come around us very much when we've been around the family. I thought it was maybe because her friend was with her during our visit to Walter's home. However, tonight I came to the conclusion that Walter's daughter does not like me. I think her little heart is broken that Thomas has a wife. Tonight she came into the resturaunt and she did not come to our table, she said hello to Thomas but barely looked at us. During our meal, she never came over, which surprised me because Thomas spoke of her coming to his table all the time...before I came along. Then as we were waiting to pay he threw a ball back and forth to her. She smiled, but still didnt say much. Then she was about to leave yelling "Ciao Momma." Then Walter spoke to her in Italian and she looked at me and said "Ciao." Then she was off. As we walked to our car, she yelled "Ciao Tomas!" I kind of laughed and said well I guess she doesnt like me and Thomas said nope and started laughing. He noticed it too! And he said, "you know what Walter said to her, right?" "No" I say. "He told his daughter to "speak to Tomas's wife." That was the point where she had finally spoke to me. Thomas said he could relate because everytime he ever met one of his babysitters boyfriends he hated them. And yes, Melissa, if your reading this, that includes YOU! Hahaha!! Well, hopefully she will warm up to me. I think it's adorable the crush she has on Thomas. It tickles me. Ciao!
8:00 am- Worker's Arrive. "Bonjourno!" This is about the only Italian I was able to understand and/or speak to these Italian workers with the occasional "si" and "gratia." One worker asked me something, but all I understood was bathroom so I pointed to the bathroom. I was able to figure out that one of them needed water for his bucket. The workers quickly get to work, then quickly finish. However, the do not finish the job.
9:00 am- Worker's Leave. The Italian workers say they will come back tomorrow to finish the job. But, oh no. The neighbor will not have that. She calls the architect for the building who come by and is outraged that the workers have done such little worker. He is a very stylish looking Italian. He has on fancy shoes with tight jeans and D&G belt and glasses. ;) Thank goodness he speaks English.
11:00 am- Workers return with full smiles. Workers begin to work again. They take their time and no offense but it seems like they are getting nothing done. They go from my apartment to our neighbors and then to the lady across the hall. Back and forth.
11:30 am- Invitation for coffee with our Romanian neighbor. One of our neighbors in from Romania but married to an American soldier. She came to "properly" introduce herself to me. She apologized for not coming sooner but she is very busy working Wed-Sunday. We chatted for a bit then she invited me over for a cup of coffee. She was very sweet and has offered to take me shopping at the local mall on a Monday or Tuesday. I ended up staying with her until around 2:30.
2:30 pm.- The workers finally finished...for the day. They must come back to finish their work. After all that and an angry architect they still are not finished.
So they will have to come back another day. We will see if it gets done next time.
I had my very first IKEA experience today. I will say some of the stuff there is a bit too modern for my taste; however, there were a lot of really cute things in there! In fact, we were able to get a few things. We got some rugs, which was a horrible experience for poor Thomas. I have never been able to find a rug anywhere. It's like I have something in my head that does not exist. After several several several minutes I finally settled on two rugs. Thomas survived, but barely. We were able to find a tv stand and some other odds and ends.
IKEA is this huge store. It's an extremely bizarre shopping experience. There's this whole routine. You walk in and grab a shopping bag, not a cart. Plus tape measures, pencil, and ordering sheets. You walk around and admire all that is IKEA. It's really probably a shopping girl's dream. There is so much stuff! I know I missed some things. But anyway, you take your little piece of paper and pencil and when you see an item you like you write down the corresponding numbers. Then you keep on browsing. The shopping bag is for the many little do-dads you may find while your writing your numbers down. After finally getting out of the second floor we make our way down to the first floor. There you are greeted with many shopping carts and a basket to put your bags in if you are through with them. This area you no longer need to write down numbers you just grab what you want, place it in your cart, and go! Once getting through all items on the first floor we make our way into a warhouse looking room filled with tons of boxes. This is where the numbers come into play. You must look at the numbers and find them in their corresponding spot. Then you will see your item, all tightly wrapped in a cardboard box. It's just sitting in there waiting for your husband to build. :) About three hours later we survived the store that is IKEA. We made several successful purchases and Thomas came out with all his sanity.
Now on to the construction stage... I sit on our couch as we speak watching my husband try to put together this piece of furniture. Every other piece he has bought from there he has put together quickly with no problems. Well, not with this piece. Maybe I am bad luck. But, he has had to take it apart and put it together several times. He says he isn't looking at the instructions anymore because they are wrong. They tell him there is a hole in a certain location when no such hole exist. Right now, I will say it looks like it is finally coming together. Maybe we will get to eat sometime before 9:00 tonight. ;) Oh no I just heard a naughty word come out of his mouth! That can't be a good sign. It may be a long night. ;) I'll be glad to have this place in order. It's nice to make this place our home. Arrivederci!
Forgot to mention. The toilets here have two flushers. One for #1 and another for #2. The one for #2 adds a bit more water for appropriate flushing I suspect. ;) Ciao.
The other day Thomas and I were invited to Walter's house for coffee. He said he was having people over. Well, this was just after he told Thomas about a friend of his who is also American. Thomas naturally assumed that the other couple coming over would be this American family. Well, we ended up walking over to Walter's house (he lives right down the road...probably about a 45 sec-1 minute walk). Thomas couldn't get him on the phone so we just walked by his house. After his little girl went running inside yelling, "Tomas Tomas is here!!" Walter invited us in. We were then introduced to a few other couples...who were Italian and spoke no English. So, there we sat, two Americans and 6 Italians. Everyone was incredibly nice. We had Italian coffee, gelato, and cake. I'm not sure which was more of the highlight of my evening...the fact that Walter and his friends were watching a music video on the computer of Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas or the fact that we sat and watch Italian TV (including Forest Gump... in Italian) with them. During the music video Walter put his hood on his head and asked Gabby to bring him something. She brought out some kind of long chain necklace and he preceded to pretend to be like the Black Eyed Peas. Most hilarious thing ever. This family has been so welcoming. I am really having so many new and interesting experiences already.
When I first arrived here there was one thing I noticed about the toilets in our apartment. The toilet seat is quite skinny. To me it resembled a toilet with it's seat already lifted up for a man to use. Thomas told me if this were the case then I would fall in. He is correct, but still the seat feels quite different than the ones back home. Now, I can officially prove this point. I sat on the toilet today and after using it I realized that I had sat down with the toilet seat UP!! Thomas had left the seat up and I didn't even notice it till after I got up. Normally, a woman would fall in at this point. I, however, did not fall in.So, this tells me that the toilets here are most definitely different. Okay, you may begin laughing at me...now.
Flight:
I will say my first overseas flight was not half bad. I slept about 5-6 hours and the food they served I actually found edible. Now, the French airport annoyed me. It was so crowded!! I waited in a line that seemed 10 miles long just to get my passport checked. Plus I had to go through security which consisted of a line about 20 miles long. I left security with only 5 minutes till my plane was supposed to leave. I ran and ran till I finally got there. The kiosk sign said, "Boarding closed." But, they let me and two others on. I was literally the last person on the plane. I finally arrived at Italy with all of my sanity and all of my luggage.
Day 1:
Flying into Venezia was unreal. It looked like roadways made out of water. Of course, Thomas just reminded me as I write this that that's exactly what they are. I just told him, "oh, whatever." ;) My first meal was authentic Italian pizza. Yummy!!! It was delicious and very light tasting compared to American pizza. It even had fresh tomatoes on it. We ate our lunch out on our porch. While on the porch enjoying our food we have the pleasure of hearing church bells ringing in the background. The apartments around us have flower boxes which I will have on my porch next week. ;) We walked down the street to have a gelato. It was so yummy and refreshing. Later that night we went to Walter's to eat (remember, the guy who owns the restaurant and absolutely loves 'Tomas.'). We had bread with olive oil, vinegar, and some red stuff that we have no idea what is in it but it is soooo good. We also had gnocchi with four cheeses, chicken with some kind of tomato sauce, and bruchetta. Of course, there was also wine with the meal. I actually tried some of Thomas's red wine and I will say it really wasn't bad. I actually liked it! Walter's wife Gabby gave us the bruchetta for FREE and even gave us some kind of drink for FREE which she called a "pre-wine drink." They are both so incredibly sweet. Walter's mother tries to talk to Thomas, but she only speaks Italian so Thomas only understands half of what she says. At the end of the night, Thomas and I met new friends Gretchen and her husband Johnny for some more..yes..gelato. Hahaha! This time Thomas abandoned me and I was forced to order it. I said, "I need one limone in a cone and one limone in a cup." The guy looks at me like I am crazy. The only word he understood was limone. Then Gretchen saved the day by throwing out some Italian. I can't imagine ever being able to do that, but then again she has been here for more than two days, haha! :)
Day 2:
After buying bus tickets to get to the train station we went by Walter's to just say hey. He and his wife gave us a cappuciano for FREE! And actually I loved it. He's also told us he wants to take us to some different lakes to go swimming. He said now that its getting warm he will start taking his daughter Rebecca on bike rides through town and that we should join them. They have invited us to come over any evening we would like to have coffee. He actually told us to come tomorrow night and he even offered to close down early, but we told him we'd have to do it another night because tomorrow we are going out to eat with Gretchen and Johnny. He just said, "oh well I just wanted you to know that any time you come to our house." They live right down the street. You can practically see their house from ours. That family is so unbelievably nice. It makes me feel good to know that some foreigners actually like Americans. And then we to the train station where the ticket we bought was messed up and after getting an Italian who spoke English to fix it we had to talk to an Italian who didn't speak english to exhange our ticket. It was pretty frustrating. He couldn't understand us and we couldn't understand him. But, eventually, we got the right ticket in the end. Finally we made it to Venezia. It was so pretty with all the water everywhere. I will eventually take a gondola ride. Im not in a big hurry though because it's like 80 Euro. I bought a necklace made of morona glass and I bought something in Venezia for someone else but I won't say who yet. ;) I want to buy other people presents and then maybe send them in one big package. Okay, hint #1...it's a family member. Hahaha! Im just trying to pick up little things as I see them. The views were amazing. Some of the squares were so open and the buildings so big. I know it's touristy, but I really did enjoy it.
Although, this is so far a wonderful experience, I will say part of me is overwhelmed. I feel like a martian. I have told Thomas this several times. I laugh about it at least. I can't imagine really fitting in here. I mean I can't even order gelato by myself. I hear how Thomas can speak to the Italians and I can barely remember to say gratia instead of thank you. It is a culture shock. I know that with time it will get easier and I will pick up on the language and everything. It's also hard to imagine that this is my home. Right now, I feel I'm on vacation. Our stuff still isn't here yet so we don't have much and I am having to live out of suitcases. I want to start getting this place together badly. OH and I keep walking into the bathroom thinking it's the KITCHEN!! BAHAHAAHA! When Thomas showed me the house on skype I thought the kitchen had two doorways...one leading into the living room and one towards the door. Well, the bathroom is near the living room..and yeah, like I said, I keep walking into the bathroom looking for food and drink.
Well, I hope I remembered everything. It has been an exciting and eventful two first days. Tomorrow we will go to Verona for the day and have dinner with friends that evening. On Sunday we will probably go get me some flowers and window boxes. :)
Until next time, Ciao!
