One of my friends did a survery for the year 2007 and I decided it would be a cool thing to do so here it is:
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? hmm, graduated college, became a registered nurse, moved to Italy, spoke a new language, became a full time nanny (twice), traveled Italian trains (ALOT!), flew on Ryanair!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I dont really make them, but maybe I will make some for next year...
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? unfortunately no
4. Did anyone close to you die? actually no, and that is a really big deal for me lately. I think it is the first year in about 5 years...
5. What countries did you visit? Italy
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? the ability to speak two languages
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? February 10th, March 5th, May 21st, August 20th, September 28th, December 6th (all for their own different reasons)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? moving to Italy on my own and surviving, as well as going through a tough first month all alone and still deciding to stay in Italy, instead of giving up and coming home. Traveling almost all of Italy by train all alone with two massive suitcases.
9. What was your biggest failure? I dont think I had many, but I was pretty disapointed when I had to leave my first family in Italy because things werent working out.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Just my usual minor cuts and scrapes and bruises because I am extremely clumsy, but thats all.
11. What was the best thing you bought? I would probably have to say my train ticket to Montebelluna to meet the family, turned out pretty well :)
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? i think my mom, she had a tough year, with her oldest graduating college and then moving to Italy...
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? cant think of anyone
14. Where did most of your money go? phone calls and internet cafes in the beginning, communication in general, but it is the best way to spend money :)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? both leaving for Italy and coming home for Christmas
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Time of your Life - Greenday
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? I think I am a) happier b) maybe a little fatter (I am also writing this after the holidays...c)im pretty sure im poorer since I have spent a lot of money!
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? nothing really, I want to do more traveling around Europe but I did a lot and plan on doing a lot more
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? being lazy, but I really dont regret that either, because I have to live my relaxing life now while i can
20. How did you spend Christmas? at home in America with my family like we do every year, for details look at my recent blog post
21. Did you fall in love in 2007? i think possibly twice....
22. What was your favorite TV program? Grey's Anatomy by far
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? i dont think so
24. What was the best book you read? too many to think of on the spot
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? i will say Taylor Swift since she is my newest favorite
26. What did you want and get? the experience of a lifetime, living in Italy
27. What did you want and not get? i think i got everything i wanted...
28. What was your favorite film of this year? movies and books are very hard for me to pick just one
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 23 and I had a very special Italian birthday: breakfast and presents in my pjs at Manuela and Lucas house with them and Chicco and then the afternoon spent talking to family and friends from America, then out to dinner with Andrea and Mattea and then out to a party at a disco, at the end of the night recieving the best present I could ever ask for....
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? not too much, I am starting to realize that I had a pretty amazing year!
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? comfortable and unstylish as always
32. What kept you sane? my family and my ipod did a pretty good job, acting as my best friend for the first few lonely months in Italy
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? i lost track of celebrities when I moved
34. What political issue stirred you the most? i hate politics so all of them
35. Who did you miss? everyone back home in America
36. Who was the best new person you met? Andrea, he also has helped me so much
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. Sometimes things happen when you least expect them to.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. sorry cant do that one either. I think I have a song lyric for everyday of my life...
Turns out 2007 was a pretty amazing year for me, even though New Years is kind of depressing right now, but because of this I am going to bed happy :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! :)
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
America
I AM HOME IN AMERICA!!!! I am soo happy and just had to share my happiness here but I only have 10 days here and need to suck it all up as much as possible so I probably wont be writing until I return to Italy. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! :)
Friday, December 21, 2007
Christmas
Now that I am all ready for my flight to Rome this afternoon, and then to return to America on Sunday, I am getting really excited for Christmas at home. One of my fellow expat friends is writing about her 12 favorite Christmas memories and it made me want to write about mine. But instead, since my memories aren't quite as poetic as hers and it would be very difficult, I decided to write about my family's Christmas traditions that I love so much and look forward to every year. I am so happy I was able to go home because I don't know what Christmas would be like without my family and our traditions.
First of all, we usually have a dinner with our cousins, sometime in the week before Christmas when we usually order Chinese food and exchange gifts. It is a very casual relaxed dinner and very nice. This year we are doing it the night I get home so I am excited.
Then, on Christmas Eve, we go to the early mass at church (I think it is at 6). We always go there with our cousins too and some more of their family. Then we go home to light the lumineria (the candlelit bags that line our yard and our street). We get ready and then we head over to our cousins house where they have a big Christmas Eve party every year. This is the only part of our Christmas that is really even remotely formal, which I really like because I don't like formal things. We get slightly dressed up for church and for the party and that's all. It is a really good party with mostly family and some close friends too. We always have a really good time there. Santa even pays a visit too.
After the party, we go home pretty early, and sometimes we decided to each open one present. So we do that all together and then if we are in the mood we try to watch a movie together as a family (which we never do). Then we go to bed early because even though we are all old now, we (usually just me) get up very early on Christmas morning still. What can I say, I am still a little kid at heart! This year will be interesting because we have my aunt Polly and her husband Steve and daughter Sadie, who is four, so it is the first time in a long time we will have an actual little kid in our house.
Anyway, Christmas morning we wake up and our stockings are on the foot of our beds. So we spend some time opening them and then we go into each others room and compare and look at what we got. When we think it is finally late enough we wake up our parents (if they haven't heard us already) and we can go downstairs to start opening presents. After the presents (we try to take our time as much as possible), we usually have a special big breakfast. During the course of the morning we also talk to our relatives from California who are always up early with their kids.
Then we spend the day relaxing in our pajamas, sometimes we play a game together, sometimes we watch a movie, but it depends on what everyone got for Christmas. We usually stay in our pajamas most of the day and for lunch/dinner my mom makes a ham and we have ham sandwiches, very casual. Then if we are in the mood and there is a good movie playing, we finally get dressed and go to the movies together.
Ok, that was a lot longer and more detailed than I thought it would be but I really love the way my family spends Christmas and it makes me happy just writing about it. Sorry if it is boring to some of you but it is nice now even if it is just for me to have in the future.
Four days until Christmas!!! :)
...the next time I write it will probably be in America! So exciting!! :)
First of all, we usually have a dinner with our cousins, sometime in the week before Christmas when we usually order Chinese food and exchange gifts. It is a very casual relaxed dinner and very nice. This year we are doing it the night I get home so I am excited.
Then, on Christmas Eve, we go to the early mass at church (I think it is at 6). We always go there with our cousins too and some more of their family. Then we go home to light the lumineria (the candlelit bags that line our yard and our street). We get ready and then we head over to our cousins house where they have a big Christmas Eve party every year. This is the only part of our Christmas that is really even remotely formal, which I really like because I don't like formal things. We get slightly dressed up for church and for the party and that's all. It is a really good party with mostly family and some close friends too. We always have a really good time there. Santa even pays a visit too.
After the party, we go home pretty early, and sometimes we decided to each open one present. So we do that all together and then if we are in the mood we try to watch a movie together as a family (which we never do). Then we go to bed early because even though we are all old now, we (usually just me) get up very early on Christmas morning still. What can I say, I am still a little kid at heart! This year will be interesting because we have my aunt Polly and her husband Steve and daughter Sadie, who is four, so it is the first time in a long time we will have an actual little kid in our house.
Anyway, Christmas morning we wake up and our stockings are on the foot of our beds. So we spend some time opening them and then we go into each others room and compare and look at what we got. When we think it is finally late enough we wake up our parents (if they haven't heard us already) and we can go downstairs to start opening presents. After the presents (we try to take our time as much as possible), we usually have a special big breakfast. During the course of the morning we also talk to our relatives from California who are always up early with their kids.
Then we spend the day relaxing in our pajamas, sometimes we play a game together, sometimes we watch a movie, but it depends on what everyone got for Christmas. We usually stay in our pajamas most of the day and for lunch/dinner my mom makes a ham and we have ham sandwiches, very casual. Then if we are in the mood and there is a good movie playing, we finally get dressed and go to the movies together.
Ok, that was a lot longer and more detailed than I thought it would be but I really love the way my family spends Christmas and it makes me happy just writing about it. Sorry if it is boring to some of you but it is nice now even if it is just for me to have in the future.
Four days until Christmas!!! :)
...the next time I write it will probably be in America! So exciting!! :)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Loving Italy
Today is Chicco's 2nd birthday and I just got back from giving him his present. He really loved it and it made me so happy. I will try to post a picture soon but I didn't have my camera so they are on Luca's camera. I got him a little lego set with a car and a truck (it is like a small mechanic shop, which he loves). Anyway, I am really going to miss him and Manuela and Luca when I am home in America for Christmas. I would really love to see him on Christmas morning because he and all of them now feel like a pary of me.
Also, I realized today that I really am falling in love with my life here in Italy now. I took an unexpected trip today to see Lake Garda and the cutest little town on the lake. And on Friday I am flying to Rome and am going to the Vatican on Saturday, (I think it sounds really cool to say that casually and I can now because I live in Italy!)
Anyway, I am really excited to go home and really happy with my life here in Italy. It is a very good time in my life right now! :)
Also, I realized today that I really am falling in love with my life here in Italy now. I took an unexpected trip today to see Lake Garda and the cutest little town on the lake. And on Friday I am flying to Rome and am going to the Vatican on Saturday, (I think it sounds really cool to say that casually and I can now because I live in Italy!)
Anyway, I am really excited to go home and really happy with my life here in Italy. It is a very good time in my life right now! :)
Monday, December 17, 2007
Christmas, Snow, and new address....
Well, it's been awhile that I have been meaning to post but I have been busy. My apartment is decorated and ready for Christmas (ok, I didn't have much to work with but I did my best). I go home to America in four days and counting and I am so excited to see my family and everyone and be in America for Christmas!!
On another note, it finally snowed in Montebelluna on Saturday morning. It was a very little bit but enough to be able to see some snow on the ground and on the rooftops. It made me very happy to see it! :)
Lastly, I have a new address for packages. I can get regular mail at the old address but anything that needs to be signed for is easier to be sent to Manuela's office because there is never anybody at the house to accept packages. That address is:
Manuela Zanin
c/o Mionetto SPA
Via Colderove 2
31044 Valdobbiadene (TV) , Italy
I am working on putting up some new pictures because it has been a long time and I have a lot of new ones so check back soon.
On another note, it finally snowed in Montebelluna on Saturday morning. It was a very little bit but enough to be able to see some snow on the ground and on the rooftops. It made me very happy to see it! :)
Lastly, I have a new address for packages. I can get regular mail at the old address but anything that needs to be signed for is easier to be sent to Manuela's office because there is never anybody at the house to accept packages. That address is:
Manuela Zanin
c/o Mionetto SPA
Via Colderove 2
31044 Valdobbiadene (TV) , Italy
I am working on putting up some new pictures because it has been a long time and I have a lot of new ones so check back soon.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Caca...languages...
So I found this incredibly funny so I thought I would try to share it here even though I know no one else will find it as entertaining as I did. It is just a small insight into the daily life of someone who does not speak the local language very well.
In the local library, there is a kids section that Chicco and I go to, usually about 3 or 4 times a week if we can. It's full of toys and games and he really likes it there and it is something different from being in the house all the time. Anyway, everytime we go there, no matter what time it is or anything else, he always does caca (poop). Literally, every SINGLE time!! It is absolutely crazy. I swear there is something in the air because it literally never fails. Anyway, now I am prepared for this and bring a diaper everytime and have to take him to the bathroom to change him. Now it is just part of the experience. Haha.
So we went to the library yesterday and sure enough, even though he just had pooped not even an hour ago, he did it shortly after we got there. To go to the bathroom I have to pass the librarian at the desk so, trying to be funny (which I now see should never be attempted in a foreign language, at least not in public), I said something to her. I said, "ogni volta qui, fatto caca." Now I was trying to say, "everytime we are here he does caca," but in Italian I always cut a few words out of sentences and people usually get the point. So what I should have said (I think) is, "igni volta siamo qui, lui fatte caca." So what I said instead was that everytime we are here I do caca. She must have thought I was absolutely insane sharing with her that fact! I think she understood what I was trying to say, but when I thought about it afterwards I couldn't help but crack up. However, I didn't know the words to say to correct myself. So she could very well think I am either really stupid or a very disgusting human being!
On a more positive note, my new friend Mimi, who is American from Denver, wanted to find someone to help her speak Italian. Just really someone to talk with once a week, so that they can correct her when she is wrong and tell her what to say. I offered up Andrea for the job and we started this week. It is actually really fun because the three of us get along really well. Also, since Andrea is young and not really our teacher so much as our friend, he is honest and tells us exactly what is right or wrong and not only the polite ways to say things. He is more realistic in teaching us everyday speech. We all came to my house and I made pasta and we had a lesson for about an hour or so. It was really helpful so far. I wasn't planning on participating but it was fun and we both took a lot of notes. We are going to try to do it every Tuesday and switch off between Mimi's house and mine and maybe learn some Italian cooking from Andrea as well..
And one more thing, I am very very very very excited to go home next week! I can't believe it is finally almost here. I am so excited for Christmas as it is my favorite time of year, and I am so happy that I can spend it with my family. I can't wait to see my family and friends and spend some time soaking up as much of America as possible to remember for the next seven months that I'm here.
Although, I will really miss my family and friends over here. I have made my own life out here and I am so happy about that. I feel like a part of my new Italian family and it makes me feel very comfortable. It will be weird to be home and away from all of them too. I kinda wish I could spend Christmas in both places at once.
The only other thing I am wishing for is a white Christmas in New Jersey because it doesn't seem like we get very much here in Montebelluna and I miss it!
In the local library, there is a kids section that Chicco and I go to, usually about 3 or 4 times a week if we can. It's full of toys and games and he really likes it there and it is something different from being in the house all the time. Anyway, everytime we go there, no matter what time it is or anything else, he always does caca (poop). Literally, every SINGLE time!! It is absolutely crazy. I swear there is something in the air because it literally never fails. Anyway, now I am prepared for this and bring a diaper everytime and have to take him to the bathroom to change him. Now it is just part of the experience. Haha.
So we went to the library yesterday and sure enough, even though he just had pooped not even an hour ago, he did it shortly after we got there. To go to the bathroom I have to pass the librarian at the desk so, trying to be funny (which I now see should never be attempted in a foreign language, at least not in public), I said something to her. I said, "ogni volta qui, fatto caca." Now I was trying to say, "everytime we are here he does caca," but in Italian I always cut a few words out of sentences and people usually get the point. So what I should have said (I think) is, "igni volta siamo qui, lui fatte caca." So what I said instead was that everytime we are here I do caca. She must have thought I was absolutely insane sharing with her that fact! I think she understood what I was trying to say, but when I thought about it afterwards I couldn't help but crack up. However, I didn't know the words to say to correct myself. So she could very well think I am either really stupid or a very disgusting human being!
On a more positive note, my new friend Mimi, who is American from Denver, wanted to find someone to help her speak Italian. Just really someone to talk with once a week, so that they can correct her when she is wrong and tell her what to say. I offered up Andrea for the job and we started this week. It is actually really fun because the three of us get along really well. Also, since Andrea is young and not really our teacher so much as our friend, he is honest and tells us exactly what is right or wrong and not only the polite ways to say things. He is more realistic in teaching us everyday speech. We all came to my house and I made pasta and we had a lesson for about an hour or so. It was really helpful so far. I wasn't planning on participating but it was fun and we both took a lot of notes. We are going to try to do it every Tuesday and switch off between Mimi's house and mine and maybe learn some Italian cooking from Andrea as well..
And one more thing, I am very very very very excited to go home next week! I can't believe it is finally almost here. I am so excited for Christmas as it is my favorite time of year, and I am so happy that I can spend it with my family. I can't wait to see my family and friends and spend some time soaking up as much of America as possible to remember for the next seven months that I'm here.
Although, I will really miss my family and friends over here. I have made my own life out here and I am so happy about that. I feel like a part of my new Italian family and it makes me feel very comfortable. It will be weird to be home and away from all of them too. I kinda wish I could spend Christmas in both places at once.
The only other thing I am wishing for is a white Christmas in New Jersey because it doesn't seem like we get very much here in Montebelluna and I miss it!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Mexican and Vicenza
Wednesday night I went out for Mexican food in Italy. It wasn't anything special. We were going to try to go to another place, but apparently it is a little expensive and kinda far away so we settled and a tex-mex pub. I was still excited just to eat something other than pizza and pasta (not that I am complaining!). Anyway, it was okay. They didn't have nachos which is what I really wanted but instead they just had chips and salsa. Anyway, I had two tortillas (soft tacos basically) with chili and beans. It was good, but I also hope to be able to go to the other one soon because maybe it will be more authentic. It was a good time though.
Yesterday (Thursday) was also a really fun day. I had planned a day trip with a few friends into Vicenza. There were five of us total, three Americans, one Italian, and a German. It was a good day. None of us really knew what we wanted to see but it was nice because it was a relaxed day for the most part. We walked around a lot and went into a few museums and palaces, and we all had lunch together. It was really nice to spend the day with some different people and I hope that we can do something like this every week. Maybe not with everyone but at least with a few of us, because it is such a better way to see different places than by yourself. This weekend, we will all work on planning our outing for this week! Here are a few pictures from the day:
Yesterday (Thursday) was also a really fun day. I had planned a day trip with a few friends into Vicenza. There were five of us total, three Americans, one Italian, and a German. It was a good day. None of us really knew what we wanted to see but it was nice because it was a relaxed day for the most part. We walked around a lot and went into a few museums and palaces, and we all had lunch together. It was really nice to spend the day with some different people and I hope that we can do something like this every week. Maybe not with everyone but at least with a few of us, because it is such a better way to see different places than by yourself. This weekend, we will all work on planning our outing for this week! Here are a few pictures from the day:
this is the Teatro, the only thing we knew we wanted to see, so we started there. It worked out pretty well.
this is almost everyone at lunch, left to right is Mimi (American), Andrea (Italian), Me (American), and Jenny (German). Susan is American also and was taking the picture.
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