It's been a really long month since we've last talked, blog and me. I travelled in two different airplanes to Reggio-Calabria (the toe of the boot of Italy), "swam" for the first time this year in the sea, danced, participated in a mock United Nations simulation, and saw the loss of a friend. Reflecting on it now, I think this was the most rocketing my emotions have ever down in a month so far this year.
Roberto
In Mamoiada, the adorable town where I live, my host sister's and my friend in the end who I had met at the beginning of the year died a couple weeks ago. He was in the last year of high school here and was always very kind and hilarious. Everyone will miss him a lot. The situation made me feel extremely sad, but I had to learn how to move on and continue having fun here.
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| Roberto, Sabrina, Matteo at a party a few weeks before his death |
Reggio-Calabria
I got to explore Reggio-Calabria for another exchange week from the 8th of April until the 13th. It was literally one of the most beautiful weeks of my life. I met some awesome people from Chile, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, China (Hong Kong, specifically), Thailand, and Mongolia (one of the two who came to Italy). My family there lived in the center of Reggio-Calabria, a minute from the beach. The street below their appartment filled every night with energy and people. I saw a different style of the Italian life, but the core of Italy doesn't seem to change too much. It remains something constant yet fluid and warm and comfortable (getting all poetical here).
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| We're international! |
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| Pentedattilo! This awesome little town in the hills! There was even a wedding at the same time we were there! |
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| Sammy from Hong Kong! |
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| We picked strawberries (fragole)! So delicious! |
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| You could even see Sicilia (Messina) from the coast in Reggio. |
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| Lungomare (long sea) in Reggio is said to be one of the most beautiful kilometers in Italy. |
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| Some typical romantic Italian graffiti, what's written means "I would like to know if I can also take part in your stories". |
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| The view from the appartment of my host family in Reggio! |
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| Frozen coffee smoothie stuff that was yummy and made me think of frappuccini at Starbucks. |
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| Mind from Thailandia (Thailand)! |
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| The gelaterie were so wonderful in Reggio! This is a brioche with three scoops of ice cream. |
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| I like photographing food way too much... |
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| Host family in Reggio! Cool kids... |
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| La Calabria... |
Cala Gonone (More information here!)
An hour from Nuoro, in pullman/bus, I discovered Cala Gonone with my spectacular friend from Bosnia. We went for the first swim of the year in aqua fredda (cold water) in April. The water was super cold, but I had been waiting to get in for six months! Che bello stare al mare!
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| NUTELLA! We are always eating this deliciously addicting substance. Kilograms later, we stand before you today... |
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| Sara's super cool! |
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| Pizza practically every day. |
United Nations
I also got the opportunity to partecipate in this United Nations simulation completely in English. I represented China with a partner from Sassari. It was strange and surprisingly difficult speaking English for three days. I kept speaking to the people from other countries who came in Italian by accident. Overall, it was a fascinating experience hearing people speak English with whom I had only spoken Italian before.
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| We went to a bar during a break! Elisa and me! |
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| Elisa and Valeria |
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| Elisa and Marce |
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| My awesome ragazze sarde! |
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| Height difference. Really! I'm wearing heels by the way! |
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| A night we went dancing! |
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| My Italian dad....He's working on a farm for a local school, and he's really very talented. |
From my time with AFS in Italy, I have come to learn how to experience beauty here. In America, everything seemed (which I would soon learn wasn't true) unappealing and unpleasant. When I came to Italy, I found beauty so much easier. The land isn't so opressively covered in houses and asphalts like where I live in America. La bellezza (beauty) seems to be surrounding me always. As human beings, it's difficult to realize the beauty of our countries and the world until we can travel and see everything with our own brains.
I always mention the trickling time at the end of my blog posts, but this time I don't want to. Two months. No. Please let me stay here.
