The three dead give always that you're an American, especially in Italy:
1. You have straight and/or white teeth
(Jess-1...Italy-0)
2. You’re fat, by Italian standards
(Jess-2...Italy-0)
3. You have crazy hair (for one of two reasons)
(Jess-3...Italy-0)
a. It’s way too hot to use any type of tool to tame your mane
(Jess-3...Italy-1)
b. You blow our your blow dryer two days after you arrive
(Jess-3...Italy-2)
Whelp folks, the stats are in and I'm pretty sure that without a debate, I look like a fish out of water here in Bologna, but I honestly don’t mind. I mean yeah, I get mean mugged most times out of the day but hey, I'm an American, and they can smell me from a mile away (ha, literally and figuratively). It’s amazing how quickly you can pick out the differences. Just by looking at someone, you can tell their European; they’ve got this thing goin’ on with their faces, but I haven’t been able to figure out just what it is.
I can’t stress enough how much better life is over here. Sure, I miss my people, but I am not homesick by any means. This is exactly what I’ve needed in life, and what I’ve always wanted. I needed a change of scenery, change of people, a change of everything. It’s amazing how change can be the best or worst thing to happen to someone. This experience, however, will be the best thing I ever do. It will make me grow and mature in ways I didn’t know I could; I can already see myself changing, for the better, in ways that I never would back home.
My days during the week are pretty much the same. I wake up between 8:30-9 and have the most delicious cup of cappuccino with Max, while Giorgio eats his ‘kiki’ (crackers/cookies). Then I freshen up and get the baby changed before we venture out. We usually spend about an hour at the park where Gio is glued to the swing or taking me on a ‘caca’ (shit) walk where he points at ever cigarette-butt on the ground, and boy are there many, while screaming caca as loud as he can. The faces people make at me are really quite interesting… Then, depending on the time, we take a little walk around before heading back to the house. Usually, the walk is more for me, so I can see things I may have missed the day before. By the time we get home, everyone is starving and Max has either started lunch or waits for me to get home so he can give me a cooking lesson, (last week, I made a zucchini sauce, all by myself, that was to die for) that usually involves a lot of watching and less doing, on my end. Then it’s naptime for Giorgio (and me…hey, I still haven’t adjusted to the time change ;)) which usually consists of him screaming babbo (dad) until Max comes and takes him from me. He hasn’t let me put him down yet, fingers crossed for this week though! The afternoons usually depend on the day and if Viky and/or Max are home. I typically have my Italian lessons with Viky and/or lessons teaching English to some friends of Viky’s.
A highlight of my week last week: getting my hair washed & blown out!
Friday, Viky and I went to her hair salon for a wash and blow dry. Let me first try to explain about Italians and their hair, hoping you can understand why this was so amazing for me…
No one and I mean no one, does their hair here. The day I asked Viky to use her blow dryer (because naturally, I blew mine out), she almost fell off her chair. She told me that even blow drying after a shower is uncommon and people usually just let their “do,” do whatever it feels like doing that day. Bizarre right? Well, I haven’t done my hair because a. I blew out my blow dryer on day two, and b. they don’t sell adapter/transmitter thingy’s that fit my hair tools, so basically, I’ve been looking like a freak from ‘Staven with this huge, frizzy, curly hairdo (sorry Acerra family<3). I have to admit though, I’m lucky enough that my hair dries pretty well naturally, but then it gets greasier quicker and I hate not being able to straighten the front pieces of my hair. God I sound like such a diva. But honestly, it’s probably the only downfall of being here. I’ve always been a freak about my hair, because I have so much of it, so not being able to tame my mane is something that I'm trying to get used to.
Back to my experience at the hairdresser; it was THEE best head/hair wash of my life. They washed and massaged and scrubbed my head for literally 20 minutes and spent at least 35 blow drying it! It’s now Sunday and I haven’t washed it yet and it still looks just as good as on Friday. I was so excited because I finally felt like a female again! Not being able to do my hair and barely doing my makeup everyday has taken a toll on my femininity. Me, Viky and our fresh do’s went for sushi Friday night (yes, there are sushi restaurants in Italy) and spent hours chatting about any and everything you can imagine. She is so easy to talk to and so smart. We literally get lost in conversation multiple times a day. I cannot say enough wonderful things about her. She makes this experience more amazing by the day.
I spent Saturday catching up on sleep then exploring Bologna all by myself. I even did some shopping! I am a directional-idiot, BUT, I didn’t get lost at all! (I did study the map for a good 20 minutes before leaving the house though)
Picture One: Entrance to the Piazza Maggiore
Picture Two: Statue of Neptune
Picture Three: Church in the Piazza
I’m sure I’ve overwhelmed all of you with my ever-so-stressful life here in Bologna, so I’ll leave the rest for another day! I have lots of exciting things coming up, so stay tuned, I will blog as much as I can!
Best wishes, God bless & lots of love…
XOXO ~ JLI
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