SPRING

I’ve been kinda lazy about the blog this week. Though to be honest not to much has happened. It finally stopped raining and feels like spring here. One day I picnicked with my friends in a park. We had some left over food so I tried to give it to this homeless man right by my house. I always pass him every morning. He never begs, just paces. I’ve seen other people try to help him. In particular, this one older woman comes once a week and I see her washing his hands. When I approached him it was like he was frightened and he just kept walking away from me. I ended up leaving the bag of bread and cheese on the sidewalk beside him.

On Friday I went to Milan for the day with two of my friends. We had a great time. The Duomo in Milan is one of the best churches I have seen. I think I still prefer the church in Ravenna, but this one is definitely second. We also found this great art gallery. It was in our guide book, but nobody seemed to have heard of it before. In fact, I asked a policeman where it was, and he told me I was confused and that there was no museum by that name or in that location. We went anyway and found a rather large museum with quite an expressive collection. Most of it Kelcey and I had just studied in our art history class that week. Again, I love moments like that! Then of course we went shopping cause hey its Milan! We got yelled at by an old man for crossing the street without the walking signal. Im such a New Yorker and constantly jaywalk in Europe. Its something that’s just not really done in the major cities here. They were really serious about it in Germany. Nadia gave me warning. One time she had crossed before me and I got stuck at the light. Nobody was coming and I was just thinking I might walk anyway, and no joke, this older man beside me literally looks at me and starts shaking his finger. I hadn’t even stepped towards the street!

Last night I went out to a club. My friend Henry is obsessed with the dj label Headkandi and this label is currently traveling around the world throwing “free” parties until dawn. Their Italian debut was in Padova and a few of us went. I put “free” in quotes cause although theres no cover charge, you are obligated to have a drink… a 20 euro drink. It was worth it. Plus I had several groups of men who kept sending me drinks from across the room. These two guys literally spend about ten minutes pretending to throw out a fishing line to me and reel me in. I was trying so hard not to laugh. The music was great and of course before long the 5 of us are one of the tables. I was out until 4 am. This morning was rough. My host dad knocked around noon to ask if I wanted to join them for lunch. I just wanted to stay in bed but I was not interested in going out later on Sunday when everything is closed and searching for food. Of course Im not in my own house so I can’t go downstairs with my eye makeup smudged to my checks and in my pajama pants. Lunch was excellent but its not like the typical Italian lunch makes the best “morning after” meal. Fish and purscecco with fresh strawberries at the bottom. I don’t buy the concept of having hair of the dog that bit you.
Desert will take some explanation. Europe puts our Easter candy to shame. You think you know chocolate eggs… but you don’t. I’m talking about chocolate eggs the size of two soccer balls. Inside there is a toy. Today we got to crack into one of the “small” ones. Then mom and dad started whispering and the moms like hey kids, do you all want more chocolate? Were all like YES! She says she has a surprise and runs into the other room. She returns with the golden egg…Ferro Roche! (She knows this is my all time favorite candy). The kids start screaming and get up to grab it from her. It turns into monkey in the middle with mom, dad and me throwing the egg back and forth across the dining room as the kids scramble to take it from us. The toy inside was a bracelet with a Ferro Roche charm which was gifted to me.

So Allie, besides going out dancing and drinking do you still go to class? Why yes parents and grandparents I do! I actually have a presentation tomorrow that I need to do. You can present on any Italian article you find. The mom helped me find one this morning. Its about teenagers (particularly girls) who have mothers who are more like friends than mothers and the tension that causes. It will be good for class cause you have to ask questions, start discussion, and make opinions. I always have the best conversations with my host mom about child rearing. She has very interesting perspectives on everything. I’ve already said that I really love the way the household is run, so its great to get the theory behind it too.