Acqua – (ah-coo-wa) – Water (or lack there of)

            ….i truly meant to write this last night but I was so so tired after our dinner that it had to wait until today…yesterday was a truly wonderful day as well J….it started off early for me, 8am I had to be at the school to take part in the USAC Board of Directors Meeting…all of the Directors from all of the programs around the world and all of the partner universities in the states were here in torino to see our program, before then heading to the sight of the newest program starting in the fall in Reggio Emilia, and then to the final USAC program in Vieterbo….i was asked to show up and speak to the group about living with an Italian family and then also about my intership at the kindergarten….it was really fun to talk about what an amazing experience that this whole thing has been for me J im so truly thankful for all of the opportunities that I have gained from being here….

            …when I was done helping with the group at about 12…it was back home, to meet Josh, and then we met up with Natalie and Rebecca to go to lunch at our favorite pizza place J…josh had to eat his first whole Italian pizza and it was so much fun….so awesome for him to meet my friends and for me to get to see them all hang out together and get along….it made me so so happy J….after we had been there for probably an hour and a half, we of course, moved next door to get gelato from Gianni J naturally…

            …then josh and I were off on an adventure….and well I have no made a new decision, im never ever ever ever ever trying to take someone to Superga again….well we all remember the fiasco with mom and dad….and well, long drawn out story short, we got on the bus to head to where the Sassi tram picked up at the base of the mountain, (and I checked online this time to find our when it was running) but when we got there it had just barely taken off a few minutes early….so I figured, that’s fine we can take the bus, and after we found what time it picked up….we waited…..20 minutes later, still nothing….so I was bummed, but we decided we should waste the nice day, so we thought we would just go to the Mole J….so we bussed over to Gran Madre, and then took our time, walking through a few piazzas and up the Via Po….to the mole J ….to just find out that it was closed L…..soooo well, both efforts proved unfruitful….and after all of this walking and sun and time, little jet lagged boy could use a nap….so we took off for Eataly J…we had to pick up some things for tonights dinner at natalie’s house, and I wanted to show it all to him too….

            …then it was home, for me to work on homework and study, and a catnap for Josh…then it was dinner time with my host family, Valentina and Marco, and Eliana’s cousin, Roberta (but they call her Robbie! J mom I was elated, especially cuz I loved her!)…it was so much fun J poor josh didn’t understand a word of the conversation, but he was a good sport and hit it off really well with Marco which was really fun J….dinner was absolutely delish, Ely really outdid herself!....even made homemade bread and tiramisu! J and then of course, simone played the “lets make you try all the different digestives” game, so poor josh had to deal with that too….but we had a blast and josh got to see what Italian life is all about and how it is run, food and family J…..we had an amazing night!

            …this morning we were supposed to get up and get on a train for genova, but josh woke up with a really bad fever and sick to his stomach….which we later realized was probably dehydration, as opposed to flu, because well, im not sure past dinner what water he had drank…..but his fever was so bad I didn’t feel like letting him rally, so we stayed home….he slept the day and I worked on studying for an upcoming test…..but early afternoon he woke up and the fever had broken, and his stomach felt better so we went off for just a small outing…..

            …we ended up going up the Mole today and that was so much fun….especially because by the time we got up to the top, the sun was just starting to go down, so the lighting was just beautiful J….it was the perfect little thing to do today….afterwards we had a couple more things to pick up for dinner at the store….then we came home just for an hour or so…..but Paula (Ely’s mom) was home and was so tickled to be able to meet Josh, she even had “I am pleased to meet you” written on her hand in English so she would remember what to say correctly J…it was so adorable J J…

            …then tonight we were off at about 8 for Natalie’s house for dinner…it was perfect….we brought over the pasta and wine, and she put it all together and made dinner…it was so delish and so much fun….i love dinners at Nat’s….it was a nice quiet ending to today….but everyone really was just exhausted tonight for some reason, so we got home at about 10 which was perfect….just enough time to write my post and do a little studying for my test on Thursday and then off to the sleep I am fighting so badly right now….tomorrow is a lot of school, a few last torino biggies, studying, and dinner out together for josh’s last day in torino before we go to venice on Thursday afternoon J….well goodnight all, until tomorrow!!

Cena in Famiglia (ch-e-na – in – fam – eel – ya) – Family Dinner

             ….okay so a family dinner wasn’t the only thing that happened today but it was my most favorite thing J….the day started with church in Italian….which I think made my parents very happy ….we went to the one that I had been to the very first weekend, the one that is also connected to Giacomo’s school, so it is very close to our house J…..

            ….after church we were off on adventures….i had planned to take mom and dad around the Olympic Arch, where the village was, and to the Stadio Olympico, where the opening ceremonies and the torch were….which we definently found,…..J…..

after I led them in the complete opposite direction of the stadium and dad somehow found our way back….thank god for surveyors being everywhere first….but we eventually found the stadium and I think momma was happy to be able to see it, and daddy, well, I think he was just happy to sit down haha….(poor guy and his shin splints)….but then when we were heading home, I thought I would just lead them to the same metro station that we went to when the USAC group were heading back home after the FC Torino game that we went to…..weeeellllllll apparently I didn’t realize just how far away that metro stop was….because well, I think we walked for a good hour or so (while I taught daddy some Italian, which was really fun) before we got to the stop that I thought was only a 5-10 minute walk from the stadium, when dad knew of a metro station that was a REAL 5-10 minute walk away…..needless to say, I am pretty sure that after this visit to me, here in Torino, I am never going to be in charge of directions to or from a place, which I think I am ok with

 J

           ….after that extravaganza, it was the decision of what do we do with the rest of our day….since most places are not open on Sundays here in Italy, that can be kind of hard…..however, today Juventus was playing (I tried my hardest to get tickets to take my dad, but unfortunately that is a dream that has to wait for another trip) so we were trying to find a place to watch the game….we were hoping to find a bar with a bunch of fans, but since the one we wanted to go to wasn’t open and we were hungry after all the walking, we settled on a pizzeria open in the neighborhood of their residence to watch a game…..however, we ended up watching the Naples game because the owner was Neapolitan and the Juventus game was only pay-per-view Im pretty sure….anyways it was a great time, with really good pizza

            …after we ate, dad went back to their flat to see if he could find the Juventus game (which he couldn’t)….mom and I were off to the Lingotto mall (by my house) to visit another Zara…..seriously, mom is to Zara what I am to H&M…..its pretty fun….we window shopped….then left to pick up a few things from Eataly and Pam (Pam is a plain grocery store near my home, only major one open on Sundays)….and then we headed to my home….dad came over, and it was so nice to just hang out, let mom and dad use the internet, and watch some Olympics with them…..this is all while we waited for my host family to come back home from the mountains…..

            ….when they got back, we all went out together for dinner….to the delicious pizza place in our neighborhood J….oh my goodness it was so. Much. Fun…..I totally loved it….thats why my word for today, is what it is…..because today was a dinner that truly merged these two families that I am so thankful and blessed to have…..dad and Simone are getting along just amazing…..and Mom and Eliana I think are new best friends….mom even said today that she thinks that Aunt Suez left her this year but also gave her Eliana, (which if you know my mom and Suez, and the story, that means A LOT….like that means THE WORLD!!)….they are truly these adorable kindred spirits, I am so lucky….        

            …dinner was so freakin great too….love that pizza (unfortunately I was so full from the pizza at lunch, I could barely eat because I was so sure I would get sick if I ate any more L )….but it was just so much fun!....eating and enjoying, especially with mom and dad, at a place that I have been to multiple times,….eating, then coffee, then limoncello (my new love)….it truly was just great….so nice to just watch and listen to my parents speak and love my host parents….and then to see dad playing the “mmmmmmmmmm deLICIOUS!!!” game with Giacomo, that he plays with Eliott…. It was just plain perfect… 

       

            ….I am so blessed and such a happy girl….i mean I definently have my moments when I am missing people from home and wishing that I was there….but then I just think about where I am and what I am doing, and I remember how blessed I am….that I am living something that most people only ever dream of….I have the most amazing parents and family….and similarly an incredible host family taking care of, and protecting and loving me….and a crazy supportive set of friends, and boyfriend, back home that no matter how sad or homesick I get, simply continue to remind me that what I am doing will be one of the most important memories of my life, that this is what most only dream of, and that I am on the adventure of a lifetime, supporting every move I make…….im not sure what more I could ask for…..I am truly so grateful…  

            …..tomorrow mom and dad leave, and although I am so sad to see them go…this has been the best visit ever….I joke that this is my study abroad parents weekend….but it really is….im so glad we were able to do so much and I could so them everything that I have discovered so far J….this has been the best weekend ever….im so thankful that they were able to come here at all J…..one more day (or part of a day) left, and this has truly been….a great game J