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!