Abituale (ah – bit- too –al – eh) - Routine

this isnt my friend, but the same park...
...these people meet on this bench every Wednesday im pretty sure...

            ….so today wasn’t really an exciting day, I worked at the kindergarten but I was making a presentation movie for the American teacher to use for the directors of the school, to show her teaching them English but about “Around the World”….afterwards I came home to do homework and just relax….

            …however, the word for today it routine….because Italians are total creatures of habit…they go to the same bars for their caffe…same gelato shops….and most people have a routine of their day no matter what country they live in….so maybe  I just notice it a lot because I live in a neighborhood away from the center of town, so I see the same lady walking her dog at 8:51am passing my gate, on my way to class in the morning…..and the same couple walking around after dinner, passing my building a bit after 8:30 every night….or the man walking to his apartment around the corner, coming back from getting his caffe at the bar, while on my way to the metro on Tuesday mornings….or Giovanni opening the gelato shop saying hello every Tuesday…..everyday its all the same….im sure, I was the exciting sight when I moved into the neighborhood….

            ….but the most adorable routine that I see every day on my way to school is the little old man and his dog sitting on the same park bench….i walk by and he nods towards me and smiles (also, Italy is not like the states, people don’t say hello to those they don’t know on the street…if you do the other person will spend the next half hour trying to figure out how they know you or what you were trying to sell them…..so his nod is a super kind step!)….but every day I pass, tell him good morning and he nods to me with the cutest little smile….rain, snow, or shine….he is there….most days I see one of the school receptionists come out and hand him something, but I don’t know what it is…..

            …I am hoping that one day he will return my good morning and start talking to me….unfortunately by Italy’s standards im doing more than I really should be haha….now I am supposed to just stay at this much interaction…id love to be his friend….im sure he has the best stories (after all I think he is just “sitting and watching the belly buttons go by”…don’t you think momma) ….but for now he is a great part of my morning routine….no matter how tired I am in the morning, stressed about school, homesick or just don’t want to be going to school…..he looks up as I pass and smiles and nods, and I cant help but feel myself start to smile as I say good morning….maybe this wont be a large enough memory to be something that I tell my kids about…but for now, it’s a pretty neat memory for me to have….

…ill do my best to become his friend so that you can see him my faithful blog readers (btw thank you very much, Im so blessed that you care to hear about my journeys)….but if that doesn’t happen soon, Ill just sneak you a pic J…..until tomorrow have a great day J