Letters from Italy...3. The Adventures of Forini Softball

Where to start, Where to start... Well we played our first set of games against San Marino. (They are known as a feisty team who talk a lot of crap) So everybody really wanted to win plus our coach promised we could skip practice on a Monday so we could all go to a concert- Ben Harper and Jack Johnson are playing and its on the seaside (which is the beach area in Tuscany and I heard it was beautiful and my roommate lives there so we don’t even have to pay for a hotel and I love Jack Johnson and Ben Harper so I really really want to go!) But unfortunately we lost! Lol. Well technically we went 1-1 since we won the 2nd game on default (they played too many foreigners and not enough Italian girls) but hey a wins a win :). I did witness the oldest softball player ever though; a 47 year center fielder with neon orange hair! She was actually really good except I accidentally hit her when she was up to bat, whoops, I didn't realize it was her till after and then I felt real bad. The funny part was the umpire goes "Strike. (because she swung- probably more of self defense) Time. Ice." (maybe you had to be there but it was quite funny) I only hit 2 people though and the 2nd one was a change that bounced first, so I only count 1 person. Which means I am right on track with my normal regime. Sooo the girls give everyone a nickname and they decided to call me Pittinì which apparently means "girly girl." I don't know about the nickname yet :-/ but I guess its better than manly girl... But Saturday I did do well enough to get a high five from my team’s owner (he only speaks Italian so I think he meant good job) and a beer from my coach; I was quite nervous considering I haven't thrown in a real ball game in almost a year. So I walked off the field to a cold beer and a high five. I like these people more and more each day! I have to say its a nice alternative to college ball. Never in a million years would I imagine KL handing me a beer!

Please explain why my head manages to look big in every country I go!

Funny story. First I am learning more and more of the Italian’s norms/customs each day and I pretty much expect anything now a days. Anyways, we have all male coaches which I really enjoy. But I look over in the dugout and this girl decided she wanted to change her under armor and has got her drawers pulled down... I mean top off, pants down! So she is in her sports bra and panties basically, in the middle of the dug out. I was just sitting there like oh my girlfriend, no shame, lol. AND I am still trying to get used to the fact we are all suppose to shower together after the games. No body warned me about all this beforehand so it was an interesting occurrence when I walked into the locker room to a bunch of naked girls with no fore warning. Mmmmkay. Modesty is not an option

Friday I get to go with my roommate to her class at the University in Bologna where she studies Philosophy. And they have a nice market where I get to go shopping for EVERYTHING and its cheap : D! I went to the one in Forli and it had everything from panties,socks, to dresses you could wear to work! Literally everything!! Bologna is suppose to be even better! I am really excited I do love to shop (= Pittinì). Maybe they are right...

I truly enjoy their way of life here; it is awesome. They never rush (they're on a slow time (if you ask my mother is my kind of time) well that is unless they're driving!) but they really seem to enjoy everything and appreciate it. It’s great. Mostly I like how they are extremely family oriented. It is so funny to see how they all live in what they call a house but it's like an apartment complex with uncle/aunt downstairs, grandma & grandpa across the hall. Everyone is right there. Love it. I cannot imagine living with ALL my family in the same house!! I mean I do love y'all and I miss y'all and my cheese grits :) Ha. Well anyways I cannot wait for everyone to visit- to share all this great food with you guys! Hugs and Kisses from Italy. Ciao. Till next time.
<3

Una Casa!

My bedroom!

Waiting for the arrival of Darcy Pagnini

Balcony from our room

Living room

Kitchen

Andrea's room

Mara & Marta's room

The wonderful hallway

And of course this is how we make coffee for our tiny tea cups. Haha

Letters from Italy...2. New Found Facts About Italians!

Well Hello Family & Friends!!

Welp still having communication problems... since my roommates are gone for the week because they are traveling with the national team, I'm stuck trying to read Italian labels with not a clue as to what I am actually buying. I tried the smell technique in the grocery store picking up meats and cheese, unfortunately what I thought was turkey ended up being bologna :( Gross. But I'm excited because the weather is starting to clear up so I have gotten to walk around a bit and explore.
Anyways, I wanted to share with you a few interesting facts I have learned from my Italian friends since my arrival! (please know it hasn't even been a week.)

1. They put tomato sauce on everything! My first lunch was tuna in tomato sauce on top of some noodles; made by the house chef, Mara. Actually ... Not so bad.

2. Although they do eat and drink a lot slower here (which is obviously my biggest challenge since I'm a fat kid at heart) They don't waste any time with their tiny ass coffee. I understand the amount you get isn't very large but they take it like a shot. (I do miss my big coffee mugs)

3. The Godfather still exists- "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." According to my sources the North and South are still very different and don't see eye to eye. The Southern people are thought of as untrustworthy and the two areas have completely different dialects, so they often don't even understand each other. Anyhow apparently southern Italy is filled with mafia families and going outside of the touristy towns isn't very safe. So yes the Godfather is still alive :)

4. Their wine comes in a box. Thought my days of drinking boxed wine were done but hey I'm in Italy and if that is how they sell it then allright. AAAANND one of my teammates lives in Forli so a team tradition is to go cut grapes at their Vineyard. I'm pretty excited! I’m going to be such an Italian come September J

5. Their driving is well interesting... Think tiny cars, tiny roads- lots of circles, cars going in and out like crazy. My room sits overlooking one of the circles and I hear car crashes daily. They are providing me with a car but I am not having any part of it! They take parallel parking to a whole other level. My roommate stole bicycles from the train station last year and is giving me one of them (una bicicletta) apparently she said she spray painted them so I shouldn't have anyone yelling after me about a stolen bike... grrrreat haha.

6. My Italian name Ki-yee. Or at least that is how they pronounce it. It is pretty funny to see the name translation (Steph as in Stephanie is Stefie and Michelle is Mickel ) they’ll correct you if you say otherwise.

7. You have to buy your own grocery bags, .70 cents a bag! Guess going green here is no joke.

8. And lastly...They don't usually eat pasta for dinner!! I was baffled by this comment and I told her I was under the assumption Italians ate pasta for every meal. Apparently it’s a lunch only thing. Bummer. And I was told before I got here, they don't actually serve spaghetti and meatballs or chicken parm, this was confirmed. Again kind of upset that my favorite Italian meal (spaghetti and meatballs) isn’t in fact Italian!

9. OOOH yeh I almost forgot. They do the double kiss greet. Which I love!! But please know it's left then right cheek. I'm retarded and forgot and it got real awkward with my coach haha.

Hopefully this was helpful to those of you who are coming over to visit! It is an interesting place, like no where else I have ever been. But the people I have met so far have been worth the journey. They are so fun, caring, and welcoming to everyone. I hope to see some of your pretty faces soon. Till then ciao!

Letters from Italy...1. Welcome!

I'll have to admit it has been quite the adventure and I have only been here for a couple days. I was expecting a little bit of a culture shock but it is certainly different once you're here and living it. The people here are unbelievably kind I have never met so many welcoming individuals. I have four roommates, all Italians (2 from Tuscany-Marta & Mara, 1 lives north of here whose family owns a farm- Andrea, and the other is somewhere near Bologna -Sara). This is only the living situation for a couple weeks till the other foreign girls come in- Darcy from Los Angeles and Katrina from New Zealand. 

Stories from Day 1:

I get up the next day recovering from my jet lag and craving coffee (del caffe). What I got was a glass the size of a thimble. Espresso shots are what they serve here! My roommates found this was hilarious- my expression to Italian coffee was something quite unexpected.  Apparently I didn’t Google enough about the Italian lifestyle… It was yummy but after adding lots of sugar; it’s so strong!

During lunch we are all sitting around the table and three of the girls speak fluent English the other one seems to understand me but it’s difficult to carry conversation. Anyways they found out I liked red wine and two minutes later I have homemade wine cracked open in front of me and we’re all drinking a glass, even with practice in a couple hours (totally against KL’s rules, haha KSUSB)! It was great; they don't seem to have a care in the world. Next comes homemade salami from my Andrea’s farm for me to try. Her family makes a lot of homemade stuff, cheese, wine, meats… her house is an hour from here and I’ve already been invited, definitely going there!! Day one and I've already had homemade wine and salami. I could get used to this hospitality.

So practice was an adventure in itself! It’s definitely more relaxed than playing college ball in the U.S., with coffee shots being served during practice to whoever wants them and the coach cracking open a 40 oz. beer once practice is done. I was very amused to say the least. There are several different coaches, all three Italian coaches were there today, although the head coach doesn’t come till next week because of the earthquakes in New Zealand he is home attending to his wife and kids. So I was practicing not understanding a word being said and balls being hit every which direction! The girls were trying to translate everything to me but it was truly chaos. I was told the practices will be getting better once the head coach shows up and we start playing games. Dear Lord lets hope J

I went to dinner with two locals from Forli who play on the team (they’re sisters), the owner, some of and their friends and families. It was quite the experience; I had my first Italian pizza! YUM! And I couldn’t finish it because it was huge. I mean really big (GRANDE). But of course everyone finished their meals, really way to stand out like an American! I immediately realize I’m going to get crap. And when I said no to dessert, oh my, they acted like I just shot them in the foot. It was actually quite funny, and they were very kind about it. Although they did tell me "I must gain weight… eat more like an Italian!” So I do know I have come to the right place!

Well I must be going heading to the grocery store now so I am sure this will hold more stories since I'll have no idea what exactly the packages are saying :-/  Well looks like I need to be spending more time on Rosetta Stone! Miss you all and love you!

Ciao!