Translation complete!

For those interested in a translation of the video, I added it to the end of the post below. Enjoy!


Bekah

Our first "happy" Monday

I am very pleased to announce that Veronica did not cry today - and on a Monday no less! Those are usually the hardest days! But no, we walked around town, had to make a run for the palazzo mid-walk so she could go potty (I was so proud of her!), continued on afterward to the park, played with the pigeons, then went back to the palazzo for a snack and brief visit with Alessandra before finally heading back home to meet up with a nonna. I was thrilled.

I was probably even more thrilled because the way the morning began seemed to imply that a tempest was imminent. Here's what happened ...

I left the Palazzo a tiny bit in ritardo (late!), but knew that a quicker pace would get me there in time. (As a side note, it is funny to me that I still "worry" about being late, when I am in Italy and the people I am running "late" to are Sara and Patrizio, who are not high-strung or worried about such a thing ... ever. ) Anyway, there I was, beginning my morning climb up the mountain, when I noticed that the woman walking her dog in front of me looked like ... Patrizio's mother! Nonna Graziella! And it was her! (Another side note: This is the nonna that got all of the bloodstains out of my beloved aqua sweater after Ginevra's tumble down the palazzo steps. It was amazing! I didn't think such stains were possible to be rid of - but I digress, again!) So I called out a cheerful "Buongiorno!" to get her attention, we exchanged pleasantries, and then she offered to walk with me and stop in to see the kids. On the way up, we talked about Veronica first, then cycled through discussing Leonardo and Ginevra as well. It was interesting to hear her take on the kids, and to even get the chance to talk with her for longer than 30 seconds without interruption!

When we reached the house Nonna Manuela (Sara's mom) was there with the kids and they were working their way towards the door. Each one seemed in their own state of uproar: Veronica, who was on her hip, took one look at me and, grabbing her shoulder, said, "No!", Ginevra was saying over and over, "I don't want to do to school today," and Leonardo too was expressing a distaste for leaving home - "Why can't I go play at (the other) Grandma's house instead of school?" Oh dear! It was quite the picture of chaos. Each of the grandmothers kept exchanging glances with me and each other as if to say, "What is wrong with them today???"

We finally got them out the door by the divide and conquer method: Manuela coaxed Leonardo out the door, Graziella had Veronica and puppy, and I took Ginevra to my hip and cuddled her in the nook of my neck to try and calm the crying. We were quite the parade! The comical procession got even more ridiculous when Veronica refused to get into her stroller and wanted to walk the dog ...

Needless to say, with this as my introduction to the morning, I was certain the parting at the bottom of the hill (when Nonna Manuela and I trade places and I secretly take over the pushing of the stroller without Veronica's immediate knowledge) was going to be ... eventful. But it wasn't! She was tearless and amiable and quite playful all morning long - it was lovely!

And to top it off, I got a great video of her chatting away:

TRANSLATION ...

Me: Veronica, do you like the "caccia" (Foccaccia bread)?
V: Yes.
Me: Yes. Yes a lot, or yes a little?
V: (No answer)
Me: A lot, right?
V: (Points) GINEVRA!
Me: Where is Ginevra?
V: (Baby mumble)
Me: Ginevra’s going … to school!

V: School …

Me: And Leonardo? He’s where?

V: At school.

Me: At school! Good girl! And Veronica, where is she?

V: I …

Me: You?

V: Stroller …

Me: Stroller, yes! You are in the stroller.

V: I want to get down …

Me: You want to get down?

V: Yes!

Me: You don’t … don’t you want more bread?

V: Yes …

Me: Yes, ok, but how do you ask?

V: VORAY! (her way of saying per favore, which means please!)

Me: Please! Good girl!

V: Please …

Me: Say bye!

V: Bye …

Me: Bye!

Pesto alla Genovese

This is a pesto recipe Sara's father got for me - he heard me mention wanting one at dinner Thursday night and found one for me! Such a sweet man ...

I've translated it below - enjoy!


Ingredienti:

- 160 medium basil leaves
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 100 grams of shelled pine nuts
- 10 pinches of granulated salt
- 10 tablespoons of grated Pecorino cheese
- 10 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and mix until well blended; add more olive oil as needed. Serves 20 normal people (17 if I am one of the dinner party).

Buon appetito!

*Note: One ingredient I know Patrizio uses to add extra flavor is walnuts ... I will post Patrizio's version of this recipe as soon as I can get it from him!

Reflections on a quiet weekend ...

Sometimes I feel more like a eighty-something instead of a girl of twenty-two! Here I am, spending my weekend quietly at the nearly empty Palazzo in my beloved Sansepolcro while the vast majority are off seeing the beauties of Venice and Italian countryside - and I wouldn't trade it, not for a weekend of traveling anywhere else in Italy. I can hear friends back home laughing at me, or see them shaking their heads. "You're in Italy, girl - go out and enjoy it!" But I needed this little period of stillness and quiet. I was looking forward to it all week, and now that it is here, I am thankful for the time it has offered for both thought and general collection of mind.

Anyway, there I was sitting in my chair earlier - window open as usual - when I began pondering a number of things. I was enjoying the cooler breezes that arrived earlier this week, the rich blue sky, and the wide-ranging splendor of the moment. My weekend in Florence eventually floated back to the surface, and thoughts of that weekend set me to reflecting back on my travel experiences in Italy over the past few years. It makes me smile to notice the difference between Bekah in Italy 2007 and Bekah in Italy 2009: in so many ways the same girl is here still - and yet, my idea of pleasure and where to find it has shifted dramatically.

I remember how oriented to constantly doing and seeing I was the first time around, and how my go-go-go drive to do and see as much as possible took me spinning through destinations like a kid on a scavenger hunt. I've wondered sometimes how much I truly took in during those trips! This time feels so different, and my "methods" of seeing and doing seem to have changed considerably - and, I would say, for the better.

The trip to Florence last weekend really showed me where these differences lie and, although I already touched on them some, I think they are worth revisiting. I know that many of you have not been to Italy, but in the hopes that you will travel, either here or some other amazing site away from home, I want to give you an alternative to the typical way of seeing and enjoying a new place. I'm not in any way suggesting that it is the way - I've just had some new thoughts on the subject and want to share them with anyone willing to listen ...

There are two main aspects I want to highlight, two key disciplines, if you will, to this version of acquainting oneself with a new city or area - and I think it is fair to refer to each as an art form, for neither is risk-free or easy all of the time. The first is the art of observing - truly observing. It seems one thing to see a place and quite another to get to know it through keen observation of its makeup, movements, and personality.

I was so pleased with Firenze this time around because I was at leisure to actually sit down and enjoy her! Yes, there is great value in throwing yourself headlong into the beauties of the Uffizi or the wonder of Brunelleschi's dome, and one should take in as many such opportunities as possible, especially if it could be the one weekend of your life that you are in Florence. However, if you are able, save time in your day to take a break from the going and seeing and just stop ... allow yourself to sit, observe, relish. One can learn so much about a place just by sitting in the same corner for an hour, or even a half hour, and taking note of the people milling around you, the architecture above your head, the conversations filtering into your ears (even if you don't speak the language!) ... the possibilities are extensive and wonderful!

I have also found that there is great value in devoting more extended observation to a few key places (say, 3-4 main ones versus 8 or 9+) instead of overstretching and only taking in a fraction of what the sight has to offer. The experience of a museum, cathedral, garden, palace or ????? when you allow more time for each will be worth it. This method can also be far more economically friendly to your pocketbook too! Imagine paying to see a handful of sights and spending an hour or two (or in the case of a place like the Uffizi three, four, etc) on each and actually getting your money's worth out of the experience! Too often I made this mistake, paying to see a place and then not allowing for the time it deserves because I was too preoccupied with getting to the next thing - checking one more thing off of my list of to-see's.

On a similar financially-minded note, keep an eye out for beauties and enriching experiences that are free of charge. Parks, piazzas, and markets (if you can keep your hands in your pockets and out of your wallet!) are always open to be enjoyed by all, and they can often be great places to take in the lifestyles of locals too. This is especially true if you are able to enjoy them in the late afternoon or evening - by then most of the tourists have lost their steam and have either crashed back at their hotels, flooded the tourist-friendly restaurants, or better yet, left town :) And remember too that you will get a richer experience of churches if you wait to see the inside during a service. Even with the ones that usually charge for entry you will be spared that cost and, as a bonus, you will get to witness firsthand the chiesa in motion, which is the best way to observe one in full.

Now, talking of le activita' gratis leads me to the second ingredient of my recipe for non-traditional seeing of a place: that of wandering. Before I continue, I should say that this is one suggestion to approach with some caution, particularly if, like me, one is prone to getting lost. But there is a solution - visit a tourist office! Get a free map! Orient yourself to important places, like the train or bus station, your hotel, or even the tourist office, and mark up your map. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to look or sound stupid when asking for help. If you must ask for help and the tourist office is not an option, approach a younger person of your sex who appears friendly - they would be more likely than a middle-aged or older individual to speak English (isn't always the case, but generally speaking it's a good rule of thumb). Now, that caveat having been noted, I will continue on to the benefits of wandering ...

When people are comfortable wandering, they open up new windows of opportunity and place themselves in the way of interesting new discoveries. Leaving the beaten path of tourists is freeing and exciting, and you are also far more likely to say goodbye to the place feeling like you own a piece of it - or that it owns a piece of your heart! I can't tell you how many delightful spots I've accidentally stumbled across, or how many home away from home sensations have warmed my insides, or how many interesting locals I've had the pleasure of crossing paths and conversing with (if only for a minute, or 5) all because I took pains to throw myself into the less obvious corners of a city. I've also happened upon free jazz concerts, tasted original-to-the-site gelato flavors (and paid less for them too), found that perfect Italian alleyway to capture on camera, and exchanged pleasantries with a friendly nonna as I passed under her apartment window.

These are all things I would have missed out on had I stuck to a strict schedule that took me from one museum to another, or held fast to the main roads out of fear or insecurity. It is difficult to pull yourself away from the obvious big streets when you are new to a place and unsure of your surroundings, I know - I've experienced that too! But the rich potential for gain is completely worth it - and the freedom of time to simply meander and enjoy is priceless.

Buon weekend!

Sights seen, thoughts thought, & lessons learned …

… since I last wrote. It’s been twelve days now – yikes! So here is what happened, the unfortunate reason behind my unexpected silence: INTERNET WOES. Simple, yes, but still sad – and after I was on such a roll too!

Our network is experiencing long term difficulties and the failure has caused no end of troubles, especially since there are projects, papers, and communications that must happen despite the lack of wireless. Thankfully, all seem to be handling the situation with an appropriate amount of humor. Yes, we are all annoyed by the near constant inconveniences that come up each day, but at least we are laughing about it :)

The funny thing is, an open neighboring network was quickly discovered by Dr. Webb and me – and now we are all using her! She’s everyone’s newest best friend – Alice, we call her, for that is actually her name (although it is pronounced ah-LEE-chay). Alice is an internet provider here and last weekend I actually saw a commercial for it and pointed to the screen, squealing, “HEY! It’s Alice!” Anyway, thanks to our new friend, we can get just enough internet to check email and surf slowly, but it cuts out on a regular basis so there is still plenty of fodder for jokes/complaints regarding the situation.

Here is the truly funny thing though: since it’s a neighboring system, only one side of the palazzo gets it – as in, literally one wall. Well, it just so happens to be the back wall of Dr. Webb’s apartment, the student kitchen, and, ahem, my little bedroom (and bathroom!). Convenient for me, yes? Absolutely! But not so nice for le ragazze, so the students have been lining the kitchen counters, hanging out in my bathroom, and sitting on my floor to get some internet. I am not kidding! Guarda …

Anyway, so until a solution is reached, it seems I will be having more company than usual! It’s so cute really, and I don’t mind a bit. Right now I’m just thankful that Alice is running strong enough for me to access Blogger and post this update – I couldn’t get the page to load at all last week!

But enough about the internet. Basta! I’m sorry it has already eaten up so much space when there is this much to update you all on, but I wanted to give you an explanation so no one was under the impression that they were being neglected for gallivants around the Italy (however, there has been a bit of gallivanting going on – just this past weekend to be honest)! In the interest of time and the preservation of my fingers, I will not attempt to tell you everything … but I will do my best to remember back and jot down the highs and lows, as well as a few other odd points of interest that rest between those two extremes. Consider this entry a blog of “snippets,” for that is all I have time to attempt I’m afraid :)

The weekend before last (when the internet first failed), we were fortunate enough to attend the fall edition of the Balestra, a Robinhood-esque competition that takes place every fall and spring between Sansepolcro and another nearby city, Gubbio.

There are parades, flag throwing performances, constant drumming, pasta festivals, and a cut-throat rivalry (think UNC vs. Duke, but with everyone in medieval dress). It was incredible to witness!

And we even had great seats – thanks to Sara. I will post more pictures on picasa as soon as I can get enough bandwidth to support the videos (don’t know if Alice is up for that task). You simply have to see it to understand/believe it! Sort of like Cornhuskin’ …

Another thing you have to see (or taste, rather) to believe, is the pasta at my favorite little hole-in-the-wall trattoria, Le Mura. This is the same place I got the sage and butter ravioli at a few weeks back – remember? Well this time I went with Chelsea, the evening of the Balestra, and we both picked a different pasta dish and then split them. I got a spicy spaghetti dish, which basically consisted of long, angel-hair pasta tossed in red pepper, olive oil, and garlic … probably my favorite way to eat spaghetti! Fulvia used to make it for me a lot last semester while I was in Siena, and I was so glad to find a place that serves it. Chelsea ordered my longtime favorite dish at the trattoria – homemade gnocchi in a cheesy casserole with tiny little shrimp simply bursting with flavor – and so I got to eat some of that again, which was equally wonderful. Goodness, just writing about it makes me want to go back there tonight for dinner …

Watching the kids, eating out-of-this-world Italian cuisine, and drinking in the breathtaking scenery that surrounds me are my three favorite simple joys of life here. The fourth? Well, I’ve indulged in a bit of reorganizing … furniture reorganizing. See, my little bedroom is not a perfect square, so various pieces of furniture, such as my bed and the nightstand, will not ever be flush to the wall. This may not seem like a big deal to most, and well, it isn’t … but some of us struggle with accepting such inconsistencies more than others! The way I see it is, this is just another part of living in a palazzo that is more than twice as old as my home country. And well, there is some added personality and character to a room that isn’t “normal,” so it’s growing on me. But I have experimented with the arrangement some here and there, and am quite pleased with the current setup …

One aspect of the room I have not embraced so wholeheartedly is the frequency of visitors. Every night, around 7:30 or 8:00 without fail, little friends from the outdoors creep in from who knows where and conduct their own miniature passeggiata, making use of my walls, floors, and ceiling as if they were theirs, not ahem, mine. Now, as a child I absolutely loved rolly-polly bugs and thought they were just as cute as they could be, but now that they have become nightly drop-ins I have grown quite tired of them. I’m not sure where they come from – maybe I don’t want to know – but they appear no matter what. Whether the window is open or closed, it makes no difference! Oh well, as always, it really could be so much worse. Rolly-pollies really are amiable little creatures, and after all, I could be dealing with something like spiders instead! I’d probably retreat and let them have the room before willingly sleeping in the same space as them …

In a way though, I am glad for these little slices of reality that cut into this seemingly heavenly life in Tuscany I am leading. The sock wars, the internet woes, the lonely moments, the missing of loved ones back home … they keep my feet on the ground, spark a rush of renewed thankfulness for all the wonderful gifts I have so graciously been given, and remind me to enjoy each moment here.

That reminds me of one morning last week, when I was walking to Sara and Patrizio’s in the rain. For one reason or another, it had already been a low morning for me: I was tired, I wasn’t looking forward to the battles over socks or the third and fourth cookies that shouldn’t be eaten, and then, of course, the rain just made me even less thrilled about leaving my warm bed and our snug Palazzo apartments. I spent the walk up praying, trying to clear my head and my heart before getting to Veronica, and as I approached the last corner the turnaround swept over me like a warm hug. To my left, I saw a long row of various flowers – ones that I had often noticed and admired – but this morning they were stunning. Absolutely glorious in color! The rain, as it so often does, had taken their beauty and enhanced it tenfold. The glistening moisture dripping off the petals was leaving them wet, yes, but ever so much more beautiful that they had been the day before when surrounded by sunshine. It was like I had only just then woken up, like I’d been in a cloud until then! Because it suddenly hit me that that is exactly what the rain in our lives can be like: it drenches us, leaving us wondering what hit us, and what on earth are we going to do next … but in the end, we are more beautiful on the inside, more radiant and strong and nourished because of the storm, and that is something worth smiling about, isn’t it? So instead of feeling mopey and tired for that last minute of my trek, I felt light, invigorated, and ready for whatever was coming next, sock wars and all. I’ve never so appreciated the beauty of a rainy morning …

I’ve made other treks, longer ones, since I last wrote. The Saturday before last, a small group of us went to Citta’ di Castello, led by Dr. Webb and John Rose on a morning outing. It was quite lovely! We arrived mid-morning and walked around a bit before indulging in a delicious cappuccino at a little café in the main piazza. A little bit later we all made our way over to a restaurant for lunch, which lasted at least two hours, I think. Or so it seemed! There was some disorder about the plates because the place was pretty busy and we were a bit group, but there were no complaints and everyone handled the inconvenience beautifully.

After lunch I wandered about the little town with the students, peeking in on the ancient town hall and the local cathedral before settling in at a pretty little park to capture the gorgeous scenery that surrounds the walled city. More pictures to come soon! I will try to upload some this afternoon …

Then this past weekend the group made a trip to Firenze (Florence), and despite the forecast had a full weekend of sunshine (it rained buckets and buckets a few minutes after I returned to Arezzo to catch the bus home to Sansepolcro on Sunday, but I didn’t mind by that point!). Since this was my fourth time, I was a bit unsure of what to do with myself at first. There is always the option of going back and re-seeing the sights and museums I have enjoyed before (the gorgeous collection in the Uffizi, Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia, the Boboli gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti, the Bargello museum … it’s hard to say no!), but I am trying to stick to a pretty tight budget this time, and since I have had the privilege of seeing them once before, I decided to say no to re-paying entry fees and instead content myself with simply enjoying the city and its “on the house” delights.

Thus, after a truly lovely evening out with Dr. Webb, John Rose, and Mary Susan Friday night, I spend most of Saturday and Sunday either sitting in various piazzas to think, read, and journal or walking about the city in an “aimless” fashion that I quite enjoyed! I spent nearly all of Saturday morning in the Piazza della Signoria, a good little space of the afternoon wandering about with Amanda, and then a half hour or so in Santa Croce that evening. The next day I did the same sitting and relishing bit in the Piazza di Santo Spirito and the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, and it was just wonderful! I think one sees so much more that way, when there is time to do so and there’s no pressure to see this, that, or the other, and I think I got a much better idea of the personality and feel of Firenze as a city this time around – and I genuinely like her now, which is a relief of sorts, because I didn’t at first! I know that must sound funny to most people. What? You didn’t like Florence? However not?! I don’t know. The first time was rushed and hectic and in high tourist season, so I don’t think we got off to a great start. That makes me even happier to find that I truly like her now! First impressions can be so off you know. I mean, if Elizabeth had held fast to her original feelings for Mr. Darcy, where on earth would we be then? Oh Lizzy …

I still see my old man friend with the pretty dog nearly every day, or at least every other day (the one who told me to walk on the left side of the road). Little friends I’ve made like him, the lady who owns the music store across from the palazzo, and the kindly nonnas in the park have quickly become highlights of my morning walks with Veronica …

Speaking of Veronica … she is letting me kiss, tickle, and cuddle with her now. Success! Today she even curled up next to me and laid her little head against my arm while we watched Gli Aristogatti (The Aristocats) …

It’s not all cuddles and kisses though. Some mornings (especially Mondays) she still throws an all out hissy fit when Sara and Patrizio leave the house with Leo and Gigia. She has certainly got some lungs in that little body! The good thing is, the recovery time seems to be decreasing and, as I mentioned above, once the initial trauma has passed she is actually quite affectionate with me …

That takes me back to a mental breakthrough I had early last week: good parenting, and good nannying too, I believe, seems to require an absolute dying to what you want. I never viewed it this way, but now I am pretty thoroughly convinced that this is fact (perhaps even cross-stitch pillow worthy, if I could find the right phrasing). I used to think that as a nanny or a parent one needed to hold fast to what you wanted over what the child wanted, in order to relay the message that you are in charge and they must heed you (as a nanny I’ve found this to be particularly important from a safety perspective, for if they don’t listen at the wrong moment, the child’s life could be in danger). But here’s the catch – sometimes, you don’t even want what you originally wanted. I’ve found myself going from wanting Veronica to wear shoes to, mid-all out war, finding that I don’t really care whether she wears them or not … I just want the kicking, screaming, and public humiliation to stop, please! So you see, it’s not about what you want at all, it’s about what is best for the child long term, and in the case of the shoes, it was vital that I follow that battle through and win it – otherwise I’d be fighting it anew each and every time it was time to wear them. The method is not a fun one, and the carrying out is not a neat, predictable process, but I am convinced that the hard-lining technique will prove to be the most beneficial to both me and the child in question at the end of the road. Until then, I have to keep asking the good Lord to grant me extra patience in the meantime …

Another testing of my patience is less concrete – literally. The trying element hangs over my head, drifts into my breathing passages, and floats in and out of my path unexpectedly, never content to let me be! I speak, of course, of smoke. It’s everywhere. You wouldn’t believe how prominent it is in Italy. Someone said yesterday that if smoking were suddenly banned in North Carolina, our tobacco industry could still make out like bandits off the demand for cigarettes over here. It’s incredibly sad, but also difficult and potentially quite disastrous for individuals like me who are particularly sensitive to the fumes. I’ve already had a few of those terrible headaches over here – two of which I’m certain were migraines – and each of them I could trace back to either extended or concentrated exposure to cigarette smoke. I wish folks would realize that their choice to smoke carelessly around other people can have serious consequences …

As can talking in Italian too quickly. One day at lunch last week, I was telling Sara about one particular sock war I had just had with Veronica that morning and I slipped up on a word, saying something dirty and rude instead. Why do the crude ones have to be so close to the normal, nice ones???? I guess it could have been much worse though. At least I said it to Sara! She just said, “What? No, no … no, no, no … you mean _____, don’t say ______!!! Non e’ una parola carina!” Ah, bless you, Sara …

My Italian in general does appear to be consistently improving though! I cannot express enough how grateful I am for this third opportunity to practice and learn and refine my language skills in the country of origin. Now if I could just expand my knowledge of Italian idioms …

Another thing that has improved significantly since last time (and especially since the first time) is my budgeting. I have been quite frugal and prodigiously careful with where and how I spend my money, and that too has been a good thing for me to practice. Frugality and financial planning are art forms, you know, and while I might not be a Michelangelo by the time I leave here, I might manage to enter the States in the black instead of leaving Italia with my pocketbook redlining …

Oh! Speaking of planning: I have some fun plans coming up next month! First, my sister, Sarah, and my lifelong friend, Jamie, are coming to spend ten wonderful days with me the second week of October – too exciting! And then, a week after they leave my roommate from college, Cassie (who is teaching English in Angers, France for the next year), is coming over to spend her fall break with me. Yippee! Did I mention that both of these trips involve/include me visiting or being visited by Amber, my dear, dear friend who happens to be living in Milan just now? Wow. Just writing it all out makes me smile!

After Cassie leaves November will be here and I’ll be home in only twenty-two days, which is unbelievable. How time speeds past one in a country like Italy, where the lifestyle and postal service are known for being somewhere between slow-paced and snail-paced, is a wonder!

I guess I better do my absolute best to enjoy each and every moment then, hadn’t I? I’ll be home before I know it! You know though, I am really excited about that too. I missed Thanksgiving last year, when I was in Siena, and I was actually sick at the time too, so I am really looking forward to being a part of it this year. But that is neither here or now, so until then, I leave you with molti bacini e tante buone cose!

a presto (I hope!),

Bekah

P.S. Did I mention that the food continues to be delectable at every turn? I’ve begun a list of things I want Patrizio to teach me how to make before I leave. His pesto recipe is at the top :)

P.S.

Forgive the lack of photos ... my camera lens is not cooperating so I am in the middle of trying to decide what to do next. I'm hoping it will work again, at least to get me through until the end of this semester, but we shall see. Until then, excuse the boring prospect! IF you need help wading through the flood of words, there are life jackets available ...

Well-Behaved Wednesday and Thankful Thursday

After Tuesday's public outburst, my embarrassed and exhausted little self decided to spend Wednesday with Veronica a casa - under the radar and safe from any judgmental nonnas! Sara and I both thought it might be better if the "transition" (read: meltdown) from five Falaschi's in the house to one took place behind closed doors ...

So when the others left the house for the morning, Veronica and I stayed home, and while the screaming lasted a bit longer, the only person exposed to it was me, a seasoned veteran to this type of auditory assault. Every now and then I'm impressed by a particular set of toddler lungs, but for the most part it's just a matter of finding something to do while waiting for the waves of noise to pass.

And pass they did, about five minutes or so after the others had left. In the meantime, I had made myself master of the childlock on the movie drawer (a new edition to the decor that Sara had forgotten to tell me about!) and pulled out La Spada nella Roccia (The Sword in the Stone) to use as a source of distraction for Veronica and education/entertainment for me. Before long the little munchkin had joined me and we played with blocks, dolls, and borse (purses) while the movie was running. I was so encouraged ... because I understood everything! I had Italian subtitles on, which really helped. My next goal is to get to the point where even those are unnecessary, and my ultimate goal is to be able to follow the evening news (!), but until then I'm quite happy to have had yet another instance show me that my knowledge of the language is improving!

The rest of that morning was easy. I watched Lolo until 11:30 or so when Patrizio got back and then the three of us went to get Ginevra from her morning school. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, which completely made my morning!

At lunch we were visited by a couple from the Netherlands that Dr. Webb had met and invited, as well as the Bankers (who were taking their art history class to Arezzo post-meal) and Lucia Bini, a twenty-something Italian girl Dr. Webb and John Rose have known for years. The frequency (as in, almost daily) and variety of visitors make our lunch table a very special time and place here at the Palazzo. Today, for instance, we had the two Italian girls (in their early 20s) from a favorite gelateria come for lunch - it's been a great way for us to meet new people and an equally nice way for them to see us in the flesh (after hearing about le studentesse americane for so long) and get a good sense of our pleasure at being here. I think it does them good to see how glad we are to be here, and how much we enjoy meeting various individuals of Sansepolcro. It is certainly furthering the Italian perception of Americans as being friendly, open, relaxed, and well, financially "comfortable." I can't help but wonder what our life in the Palazzo, from the beautiful living quarters to our abundance of electronics, clothes, etc., looks like to an Italian outsider. I'd give a lot to transpose myself into that perspective for an hour or so! Then I could write a bestselling expo on Americans in Italy and travel on a whim for the rest of my life :)

Ok, back to reality! Sort of. I mean, how much reality am I truly living right now, really? Not much in my opinion. When I titled my blog, I had only an idea of it being a "charmed" time of my life, but now I am convinced. Getting to live in Italy for a third time, work on my language skills, spend time with my dear Italian family and the likes of Dr. Webb, John Rose, and these lovely young women, AND get my own bathroom out of the deal? Oh, and there's a gelateria across the way ... is that a SHOWER of blessings or what?! So in actuality, it has nothing to do with being charmed and everything to do with being positively drenched with graces from above!

Backing up out of bunny trail ... yesterday afternoon I spent some time at the Happy Bar (main cafe in the piazza) with Nicole and Chelsea as we shared a lovely little reading hour over coffee. We all got some reading done and it's also the perfect setup for people watching, which I love. One can look on a good many interesting conversations and non-verbal interactions while tuning in on all sorts of cultural differences as well. I'm reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court right now, and while it hardly "matches" my current location (can one get much more American in literary makeup?), I am thoroughly enjoying Twain again.

Today was another better day with Veronica - a very good day in fact. We took off shortly after Sara left with the kids and made our usual grand sweep through the town. On the way down the mountain into the walled city centre, I made friends with an older man walking his dog (un bel cane, I said with a smile). He then proceeded to tell me that I was walking on the wrong side of the road, and that it was molto pericoloso (very dangerous) to walk on the right side instead of the left. Now, for my own parents and all other parents reading this who may be thinking, "She graduated from college and never learned to walk opposite of traffic!?!" give me a minute to explain ...

See, I realize that the left side is supposed to be safer ... but from my perspective, as a stroller-pushing pedestrian in Italy, I have to disagree. The way I see it, I would rather the car hit me first, with my body and the major part of the stroller shielding the munchkin, than have Veronica's little feetsies be the first thing to come into contact with a macchina that whips around those tight, hard-to-see-around corners too fast. I have just never felt good about that supposedly "safer" position when in Italy - the roads and even the small streets in neighborhoods are just different here.

I explained this to him, saying I was scared for her and afraid of a car hitting her first, but he kept arguing for the other side ... so I humored him out of respect and silently decided to try his way for awhile and see if I could convince myself that it truly was safer for Veronica. It may be a semester-long argument! After I took his advice, the old gentleman and I proceeded to talk a bit more, which was fun. I love making the odd friend here and there on my morning walks because the odds are I already "know" them (by sight at least) and will likely keep bumping into them again. Even if it's just a passing "buongiorno" or "come stai oggi?" as I pass through with Lolo, little things like that take me deeper into the heart of this community and make me feel even more local and permanent and "at home," or essentially, more italiana!

No worries on that front though - I remember last year around this time I was already sad to think about leaving at the end of the semester, and my family was beginning to feel like they'd lost me to Italia forever! But there is no need to fear :) I think I've finally reached a good medium between the two countries I formerly felt so caught between. A very wise woman (one I happen to be privileged enough to see on a daily basis these days!) once explained to me very well the traveler's dilemma: once you live somewhere new for awhile, and make new friends, and fall in love with new things, and find yourself captivated by new sights and beautiful places, you can't ever go back to the person you were before. From then on, your heart will be divided between these places (be they two or three or many, many!) and, most particularly when there are good friends and/or adopted family involved, you will always be missing something or someone. Because one cannot be in two or more places at once, there will always be events missed out on or people that are temporarily out of one's life. It's just the way it works!

So the moral of the lesson is, accept these facts. Live where you are at the moment, but don't forget or take for granted the other place(s) or person(s) either. It's yet another example of how life is a series of choices - I know I've made a good one in coming here, but that doesn't mean I've lost my heart and soul completely to Italy (quite the contrary!) either. I love both places, and I have people who are very dear to me in both, so yes, wherever I am, I'll be missing someone. But I wouldn't trade this "torn" feeling, for if I'd never traveled in the first place, I would never have met the newer ones at all - and how different my life would be!

All that to say, I think I've settled happily into this forever divided state of mine. I'm happy to be back in Italy and loving each day here, but at the same time, I'm looking forward to returning home again as well. It's a strange thing to hear I'm sure - the Bekah of last fall wouldn't believe her eyes and would probably lay a hand on current Bekah's forehead to check for a fever - but it's where I am now, and I'm content in it.

Whew, didn't see all of that coming! Back to today ... Veronica and I had a nice tantrum-less morning passeggiata-ing about Sansepolcro before heading back to the house for water and biscotti. Oh! Did I mention that I have become competent in my third language? Cookie-se. Veronica make be Italian, but she is fluent in Cookie-se (or as she calls her favorite treat, "toh-toh"). How does one speak Cookie-se? Well, it goes something like this (I have translated from the Italian dialect of Cookie-se to English, for your convience):

(Scene. Veronica, not wanting sit still in stroller, leans back to look up at me and starts spitting between her intervals of "no" and the occasional angry "Bekah!")

Me: Lolo, you may not do that.
Lolo: NO! (Spits again.)
Me: Listen. And look at me, please (she spits again) - no! Do not do that ... if you do that again, you will not get your cookies when we get home. Do you want to have cookies when we go back?
Lolo: (Eyes soften. Tongue returns to proper location.) Yesh ...
Me: Ok. Then do not spit again, ok? Do you understand?
Lolo: Yesh.
Me: Ok, good girl! Let's go to the park now, ok? You like the park, don't you?
Lolo: Yesh!

Total transformation. Now, it is not lost on me that I am walking the fine line between using loss of privilege as an enforcer/incentive for obedient behavior and, well, gross bribery. But I do not think I am abusing the previous method, and my fluency in cookie is even teaching the bambina please and thank you (in Italian though, of course)! I am quite pleased with her progress ...

The rest of my day went rather quickly. I walked back to the Palazzo around noon and enjoyed another wonderful lunch in the "great hall" shortly thereafter. Then I was very Italian and took a nice nap after lunch, something I've found that I actually really enjoy after my mornings with a kid or two! After that I made use of my lovely, striped shower and then met John Rose a bit later for another computer lesson (he too is making very good progress, so we are able to cover more and more ground as we continue on into the world of computers). After that I started this post, but was interrupted a couple times (first by the entire Falaschi clan, then to help translate for Dr. Webb when the water heater guy came to look at a faulty part in some of the wiring, and lastly to eat some dinner), but now that I have finished, I am off to read some more Twain and enjoy this amazing period of my life to the fullest.

A presto, tutti! Ciao ciao!