One more shout out to B-G-O

Many of you might be tired of me writing about Craig Biggio in my blogs, but hey he's my favorite player & I'm missing a lot of his 'big moments' and last moments as an Astros player & this is my only way to kind of be a part of it.

Yesterday was the celebration for his 3000 hits. My sister had tickets to the game & sent me pictures - it's great looking at them, but at the same time it makes me wish I could have been there!!

Below is an article about the festivities. Especially read the part from his son's speech - wow I can't imagine what an honor it must be for a dad to have a teenage son say that about you!

08/12/2007 3:33 PM ET
Biggio bat presented to Hall of Fame
Friends, family, fans gather to pay tribute to Astros great

HOUSTON -- Craig Biggio already experienced the peak of his legendary career on June 28, when he slapped a 2-0 pitch from Colorado's Aaron Cook into center field for his 3,000th career hit in front of a deafening sold-out crowd at Minute Maid Park.
But when he has time to reflect, Sunday might come a close second.
Before Sunday's game, Biggio and the Astros took part in an official day of celebration for the milestone, presenting the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the bat, jersey, batting gloves and cap used by Biggio on that historic night. The Hall of Fame only requested the bat, but Biggio, in typical charitable fashion, donated them all.
Brad Horn, director of communications for the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., attended the presentation and accepted the items on the organization's behalf.
"We put in a request [that] we'd like to have something," Horn said. "We particularly wanted the bat. Craig has been particularly generous with us throughout his career. He's given us the spikes he wore in the World Series, the elbow guard when he set the modern record [for being hit by pitches], [and] the jersey from when the Astros commemorated the Columbia Space Shuttle.
"The bat was something of Craig's we did not have. On a number of levels, the bat signifies the best memory of the 3,000th hit. It was his decision to donate the jersey and gloves. It just helps us tell the story."
Astros radio broadcaster Milo Hamilton directed the ceremony and had words for Horn upon his receiving of the artifacts.
"We trust that you and our friends at the Hall will take good care of these items as you prepare for that display case that will go up in five years to honor our very own Hall of Famer," Hamilton said.
The ceremony lasted approximately 45 minutes, with numerous Astros and Biggio representatives on hand to take part and testify about the greatness of Biggio's accomplishment and his career.
The baseball notables taking part in the presentation included Horn, Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr., Astros president of baseball operations Tal Smith, Astros general manager Tim Purpura, Biggio's agent Barry Axelrod, Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan and former teammate Jeff Bagwell.
Nancy Caminiti, wife of the late former Astro Ken Caminiti and a close friend of the Biggio family, also attended along with the couple's three daughters.
After the participants were introduced, Biggio was driven onto the field through the right-field gate with his wife, Patty, as well as his daughter Quinn and sons Conor and Cavan. All were greeted with a rousing standing ovation and loud chants of 'B-G-O' from the standing room-only crowd at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros welcomed Biggio with an eight-minute tribute video that featured highlights of Biggio's Houston career along with a montage of all 27 members of the exclusive 3,000 hit club, with words of congratulations from Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, George Brett, Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr.
Following that, Bagwell, Conor Biggio, Hamilton, Sunshine Kids member Frankie Velazquez, McLane, and Biggio all gave brief speeches to honor the occasion.
"As I watched that video, it brought back tremendous memories of that night," Bagwell said. "Truly, it was one of the most special days in which I've been associated with the game of baseball. I was really moved.
"The thing that's important is that there's only one Astro [with 3,000 hits]. To spend his entire career with one organization, to get to 3,028 with one team, that is great. I'm very privileged to have had the opportunity to play with [Biggio] for 15 years."
Perhaps the most touching tribute came from Biggio's 14-year-old son, Conor.
"My father is simply amazing," he said. "He may not have been there at every Little League game or every birthday, but we always knew in his heart he was there. He taught us respect, hard work, integrity, loyalty and courage. He taught us about charity and kindness to the Sunshine Kids.
"Most of us, he taught us all about love. It's in how he loves the city of Houston and how he loves the game of baseball. We see it in his eyes, and we feel it in our hearts. I love you, and you're my best friend. Dad, I am so proud of you."
Conor embraced his father for several moments following his emotional speech.
In addition to the kind words honoring his on-field greatness, Biggio has always been known for his dedication to the community, even when away from the clubhouse. On that front, Sunday was no exception, with Sunshine Kids executive director G.W. Bailey and long-time member Velazquez on the field to give Biggio specific praise for his dedication to the group.
"You have shown me a love for baseball and a love for life," Velazquez said to Biggio. "I hope there will be others that follow in your footsteps and give what you have given to me. You are, without a doubt, the heart and soul of the Houston Astros."
After Velazquez spoke, he and Bailey presented Biggio with a card of congratulations signed by all of the kids from the Sunshine Kids House in Houston.
"It's no secret that Craig Biggio has played the game right," Hamilton said. "He hustles and he grinds, always leaving it all out on the field. This passion and drive follows Craig outside the lines of the diamond, as he spends countless hours with his charitable work. Where Craig really shines in the community is his work with the Sunshine Kids organization."
McLane followed Hamilton, presenting Biggio with a crystal 3,000th-hit bat and a commemorative 3,000 sign on the left-center field brick facade at Minute Maid Park. From there, it was finally time for Biggio to come to the podium.
"I thought this was going to be easy, but I don't think so," Biggio said in addressing the crowd. "It's a very overwhelming experience for a player. I just love to play the game. To have this many people come out and honor you is one of the ultimate compliments you can have. Getting your respect is the most important thing to any player. It's beyond words."
Biggio never was the most physically talented or imposing player, but he made up for that with incredible drive and passion. On a day honoring his incredible career, that was the message he chose to send to his fans.
"I know all the kids in Little League fields across the world have big dreams," Biggio said. "You should go for it. I am a person that can vouch for that. I wasn't the biggest kid, and I wasn't the strongest kid. But if you've got a big heart and a big dream, you've got to go for it. Don't let anyone crush your dreams at all. If you want to be a big-league baseball player, go for it."
Biggio's daughter, Quinn, delivered the game's ceremonial first pitch to Biggio, and Biggio concluded the presentation by taking a lap around Minute Maid Park just minutes before the start of Sunday's series finale between the Astros and Brewers.
Biggio played second base and led off in Sunday's game.

2 Reasons why Houston will never be the same

I've only been gone for about a month & a half now and already 2 things have happen in Houston in which I know already when I return it will not be the same.

July 24, 2007 - Craig Biggio, who has played his entire 20-year career with the Astros, announces that he will retire after this season

Before I left I knew that Biggio would probably retire before I returned to Houston, but getting the official word made me a little sad. I was sad because I realized I will never get to see him play again and shout B-G-O, B-G-O. As long as I can remember watching the Houston Astros, I remember watching Craig Biggio. I've had a crush on him since I was about 9 years old and still think he's very cute! (Even though my friends give me a hard time about it since he's one of the 'older' players.) I always enjoyed watching him play because he always looked like a little boy out there getting dirty & just enjoying the game and playing the game!

The other thing about Biggio is that he just seemed to be such a great guy on & off the field. When other players almost seem to be in it for the glory of the game or will try anything possible to try to beat the other guy (legal or illegal), Biggio just played the game like the game was meant to be played! Yeah sometimes he had hitting slumps or in the later years he couldn't steal bases as well as in his younger days, but he was a player out there with integrity. I'm so happy for him that he reached 3,000 hits because he is a guy who deserves it.

Off the field he always helped with charities like the Sunshine Kids and never did you hear of him getting arrested any of that other nonsense that goes on with other players. He had his family & was proud of his family (his own family & baseball family) and I am happy for him that now he can spend more time with his own family. And I also have to give it to the guy for sticking with the same club for 20 years, even when at times he probably could have gone to other clubs for more money. That is loyalty you really don't find these days!

So thank you Craig Biggio for the 20 great years of baseball and for being loyal to the fans!

B-G-O B-G-O B-G-O

July 29, 2007 - Marvin Zindler dies of pancreatic cancer

Growing up my parents always watched channel 13 news and in my lifetime there has not been a time when Marvin Zindler was not on the TV. I would go around the house saying 'and have a good weekend - good golf, good tennis or whatever makes you happy! Marvin Zindler Eyewitness news!' Of course followed by the 'Thank you Marvin.' Or 'Slim in the ice machine' or 'It's hell to be poor!'

You may remember Marvin for his white suits or his famous sayings or his white toupees and blue glasses...or for the infamous chicken ranch in LaGrange that lead to the broadway musical 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'. Yes all those were Marvin, but was even more 'Marvin' was helping those that needed help most. One of the news clips I watched had someone saying that Marvin solved more problems before breakfast than most consumer reports did in their career. He did help thousands and thousands of Houstonians and other people all over the world.

I knew he did a lot, but forgot how much until I was watching some of the news stories and clips they had about him on the channel 13 website. And what was shown on TV was just a small bit of what he did. They said there was no letter that was sent to his office that was not address in some form or fashion & most by Marvin himself. I mean just mention that you write Marvin to anyone in the Houston viewing area & most people would quickly solve your problem because he was one person they did NOT watch to have to be on the opposing side of.

He could get away with so much stuff other people couldn't - his fashion, being loud, in the way he was just straight to the point...but it all worked for him. He definitely was one of a kind & very unique and there will be NO ONE that can ever replace him! He's also definitely one that left his mark in this world & made this world a better place! If only each Houstonian could do just 1/50 of what Marvin did for the poor and the down & out, then the world would be a better place & his legacy will live.

So there is nothing else to say other than 'Thank you Marvin'.

Tidbits (Aug 7th blog part V)

Here are a couple other tidbits of things I’ve observed that I’ve found interesting:
· Italians really can live on pasta, pizza & gelato! Yes they do eat other things including all types of meat (lots of veal & seafood), salads, and veggies, but for instance when you go to lunch with colleagues, they will typically ask ‘What are you hungry for pizza, pasta, fruit with gelato?’. I thought maybe it was a misconception about how much pizza and pasta they eat, but they do eat a lot.
And gelato…oh gelato…I still LOVE gelato! When I came here on vacation, I thought maybe gelato was something mostly just tourist ate all the time…but from my observation it isn’t. You will see kids eating gelato, teens going to get gelato together, families getting gelato, a guy in a business suit walking around with gelato, older people eating gelato…and they are not all tourists! And you know how in Houston it seems there is a Starbucks on every corner…in most places in Rome I think there is a gelateria on every corner! Last night I realized that the restaurant 2 doors down from my apartment building sells gelato…only about 20 steps away…that could be dangerous!
· Italian drivers get impatient with a lot of things – one being when the light turns green and the car in front doesn’t move (I hear them honking all the time since there is a light right in front of my apartment building.). But what they don’t get impatient with are people who walk out in front of them in the street or motor scooters who zoom past them to get to the front of the light or just go in between lanes just to get through. It’s quiet amazing! And people walking in the street or crossing the street wherever – I’ve quickly adapted to that one. No more waiting on the street corners for me – I just start walking & assume they will stop (there are some streets you can’t do that on, but most you can)…and amazingly they do with no horns honking! Anyone who walks around with me in the US when I’m ever visiting, please watch out for me there because I’m liable to just starting walking in the street and get run over!
· Rome, despite it’s size, is a very safe city. Yes of course you have your pickpocketers and stuff like that, but on the news and in the newspapers you really don’t see the murders, stabbings, kidnappings and stuff like that like you do in the US. Maybe they do have more than I think & since I don’t read/understand Italian well I just don’t get it all, but even the Italians have told me it’s very safe here. Walking around late at night, you don’t have to feel like you are watching your back all the time and people really do leave you alone (haven’t had any guys trying to hit on me because I’m walking alone at night or anything like that). Of course you have to be safe & smart and don’t do things like walk with your purse open or go in very dark areas etc., but for the most part it is very safe. And yes sometimes you see people yelling at each other in the street and they seem quite heated (the other day I saw a man on a bike & a taxi cab driving yelling at each other while they were stopped in the middle of the street), but they yell and then move on – that’s it.
· Just visiting the Italians seem so friendly that I thought it would be no problem making friends, but I’ve been told it is difficult to make Italian friends. They also said that once you do they are the kind of friends that stick by you through thick and thin and are always by your side when you need, but that it can take years before you find that friend.
One of the other expats in our office told me that in Italy you typically don’t hang out with co-workers outside the office. Working at a public accounting firm, what is nice is that your peers are usually all around your age, many still single (okay at my level more are probably married, but I don’t want to face the fact yet that I’m getting older and marriage is no where even near in sight, so I’ll make myself believe most are still single! ;-) ) and so it’s very common…at least in the US…for you to hang out with coworkers after work to grab a drink or a bite to eat. But I’ve been told here that usually doesn’t happen and if it does it’s probably mostly expats. Many Italians live at home until they are married and family is very important, so maybe it’s because they always go to eat with there family – I’m still not really sure why.
There are some Italians in the office I talk to and have been to dinner with a couple (a non-Italian colleague invited us all), but mostly I have had dinner with people from various countries. Some of the ones I’ve talked work at PwC and have moved here indefinitely from other countries, some are Americans that have moved here, some are others working in Rome for a short or long period of time that I happen to run into from various countries – really sometimes I have just met people in random places and start talking to them. When you are alone and have no friends, you find yourself just talking to anyone else who speaks English too. Before coming here I said I didn’t plan on joining any of the ‘American’ or ‘English speaking’ groups here, but now that I have learned how difficult it can be to get into the Italian ‘circles’, I’ve changed my mind about that and plan to join some. I have to be able to network and socialize somehow! I do have several people (Italian & non-Italians) that are friends of friends or from online discussion groups that I’ve been corresponding with that I plan to met up with in person after the August holidays, so that will be nice to at least have people to visit with.
· There are a lot of priest and nuns here – I probably see at least 10 priests/nuns a day. At this point I’m not sure how many are tourists and how many live here, but in a couple months I will know. Also I’ve found that the more nuns here wear their habits compared to back home. In the US it’s actually hard to pick out nuns because many dress in normal clothes, but here even when it’s really, really hot they will wear their full dress…habit & all.
· It gets hot here and although not as hot as Houston, there are less places with AC and you walk a lot more – thus there is no way around it, you’re going to sweat! Many buses/ metros don’t have AC’s in them, most places the AC isn’t as low as in the US, you will eat outside, wait for the bus outside in the sun – yes no way around it you will sweat!
· Tattoos and piercing seem as common here as in the US. Even models in some of the ads have arm tattoos that aren’t airbrushed out.
· There is more American music and movies played here than I ever thought would be. The movies and TV shows are dubbed in Italian, but the music is in English. I will be in a store and start signing along (yes I do have a habit of people one of the annoying people who starts singing to music and not even realizing it) and then it hits me…oh wait I’m in Italy and this is a song in English!
· Not all Italian men are Italian models! I’m not walking around with my jaw dropped drooling over men all the time! Now they do have some very nice ads I have to say, but again those are models.
I have to throw this one in because of all the comments I received about me coming to Rome to find an Italian husbands or that I’m definitely going to come back married…or those of you who have asked me to find an Italian stallion for you! ;-) Now yes, there are some very attractive men here & the dark skin, dark hair, sense of fashion, etc. are very attractive, but again just like everywhere not all are hot Italian men! The men are of every shape, size, personality, etc. – not all tall, dark, handsome with a six pack and gorgeous hair. And most of the time when you do see that very attractive man, he has a very beautiful Italian girl on his arm! And yes it is tourist season, so sometimes it is hard for me to pick the Italian men out from afar compared to tourists (at least for me right now), so maybe when the tourists are gone I’ll say there are more attractive Italian men!
Anyway I have found that now what I see as ‘attractive’ has changed a bit already. I was never one for the ‘metro’ guys, but here all guys seem a bit ‘metro’ - men to seem to have a very good sense of fashion & it seems that there might be just as many clothing stores for them as there are for women and they flock to them. Maybe it’s that the men here also typically wear suits to the office, which to me a man in a suit always seems a lot more handsome. As a side note, I haven’t really figured out the dress code at PwC for us females. It’s supposedly business, but most wear knit sleeveless shirts with no jacket, etc. – so I’ve started doing the same since it’s so hot here & all I’m doing is sitting in the office. I bought a black blazer I have in the office if need be, but don’t typically wear it.
The other thing is finally it’s not odd for me to see guys hugging…or most of the time greeting each other with a kiss on each cheek or calling each other ‘bello’ (beautiful in English)…that’s just normal here. Italian men seem to show there emotions more…towards females & towards other males, that’s just how it is!
Oh and also found out that most Italians are very much into astrology and even before they will date you some will want to know your sign and even the date and time you were born to see if you are compatible before they will go out on a date with you! (A non-Italian told me they did indeed have this happen to them).
I have never been one to say – when I get married I want to wear this dress, or have it here or my bridesmaids dresses will be like this…never any wedding planning…but I must admit that after seeing the brides & grooms walking around taking pictures, and seeing pictures in windows, and being in the churches, I have found myself thinking ‘well Rome would be a great place to get married’ (and I now know you don’t have to be Italian to get married here…even in St. Peter’s). And after I went to Noi and saw a bride in there having her hair and make-up done, I caught myself thinking ‘Oh I could have my wedding in Rome & could come to Noi to have my hair done…”. I think it all has something about being in Rome in July and all the weddings!
But any of you thinking you’ll come to Rome in a couple years for my wedding…don’t book anything yet! Or those who have said I’m not coming back to Houston because I’m going to get married here and never return…don’t count on the fact that I won’t return…not yet! ;-)
So with all that said, no I’m not on a husband watch here and not already planning my wedding here – I mean if it happens, it happens, but it is not something I am on a mission to do!
· Italians do talk a lot with there hands. There are 2 common gestures they use often I’ve noticed – one with one hand where they kind of have it cupped & move it in a gestured to & and from them…the other where they put there hands together like they are praying & will move them back and forth (not sure if I’m explaining it will…easier to demonstrate). Usually they do this to emphasize a point I believe. Once I was looking out on my balcony and say a guy on his scooter talking on his phone with his Bluetooth doing these gestures while at the stop light. It’s actually a bit entertaining! I will say that when I start using them regularly, I will know I’m becoming a bit more Italian!

What I am enjoying (Aug. 7th blog part IV)

What I am enjoying
· All the beautiful places! I look at St. Peter’s and stand in awe. I’ve been in Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, the piazza outside the Pantheon, and various other places tons of times & just can’t get enough of it. The size, the history, the art, the beauty, people everywhere – just can’t get enough! I love when I’m sitting at one of these places & I hear someone’s expression when they see it for the first time…it takes me back to when I first saw it and I can’t help but smile. I also enjoy when I can share any info I have about what to see or where to go with someone else visiting – it’s a bit of a way to share the places with others. And I hope I can find even more ‘hidden treasures’ to share!
I’ve been fortunate enough to be inside St. Peter’s for probably about 10 hrs already (not at the same time, but in total) and am still in awe every time I go in there. I can’t grasp everything that is in there or the size or the beauty. For any of you that have not had the opportunity to see it, I don’t even know how to begin to describe it except that it is amazing. The imagine when the built it and what they were using to build it and how long it must have taken them and just the sheer size of the place – amazing.
Since I’ve been here I have been fortunate to see Pope Benedict 3 times and it probably won’t be the last times. Growing up I never thought I’d get to see the Pope once, much less one Pope 3 times in less than 2 weeks.
I am a 10 minute walk from St. Peter’s, so a couple Sundays I woke up and decided ‘I’m going to go to 12:15 mass this Sunday at St. Peter’s!’ and off I go to attend mass there. I can go see Michelangelo's Pietà any time I want to (for any of you who haven’t see that – it’s an amazing statue…so real and life like I can’t comprehend that it’s actually marble).
This weekend I decided to attend mass in the Pantheon – only took me about 15 minutes to get there on the bus & walking. (you can see links to pictures I took inside the Pantheon during mass here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41661&l=e1c8f&id=800405227)
Do you know how amazing it is to just be able to wake up & say I want to go to mass at St. Peter’s or at the Pantheon. Never in a million years did I think I would be able to do that!

· There always seems to be something to do. Any night if I get bored I just start walking & I typically run into some sort of festival, or can go watch the entertainers in Piazza Navona, or can go shopping (well not at night, but during the day), or just go somewhere & people watch. It’s always something. And during the summer there are festivals all over. In Trastevere (one of the areas in Rome) during the summer they set up booths, restaurants, movie viewing areas, etc. along the Tiber river and have it open every evening. One Sunday I met this guy who showed me around there and we ended up having dinner at one of the restaurants there. We were leaving around 11pm and some people were just getting there – so Romans really do eat late!
I remember when I first vacationed in Rome one of our tour guides was talking about how the emperors would always make sure there were lots of things for the people to do because if they kept them busy and entertained, then the emperors could basically do whatever they want and no one would mind. Thus they had the Roman baths & the gladiator matches at the Colosseum, etc. It still seems like there is a bit of the idea of making sure there are a lot for the people to do here and to keep them entertained – the free festivals, events all the time, free newspapers, and then you even have the free water fountains that are running all the time where you can get water (and it’s good & cold).
Every Friday I think to myself ‘hmmm…what can I do this weekend?’. I’ll go online and look at the events going on (if you ever go to Rome, look at the site http://www.inromenow.com/ , it’s the best!). I typically have a list of 3 or 4 things to go see and don’t think I’ve ever made it to all of them on my list!
This weekend I went to the Valentino exhibit at the new museum Ara Pacis and it was just amazing. The videos and pictures don’t really do it justice, but it was the best that I could do.
You can see my videos & photos of these at the following links:
Valentino videos of dresses:
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=15021263
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=15022750
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=15023899

Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41669&l=33db5&id=800405227

(I have about 65 pictures in total that I took, so if you want to see more let me know & I will send you the link to my pictures that are on kodakgallery.)

Two weekends ago I saw that one of the churches in Trastevere was having this festival honoring the Virgin Mary that lasted for 2 weekends and during the course of the festival they had various processions where they carried the statue of Mary through the streets and the one on the Sunday was down the Tiber river. It was suppose to go close to where I lived, so I headed out there to see what it was all about. It wasn’t really that many people there, but it was interesting to watch. I think more people were in the neighborhood where the procession ended.
For pictures of various places I’ve been and things I’ve seen, see the pictures I’ve posted here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41654&l=f1f60&id=800405227

The shopping is unbelievable. I have never been one for very high fashion and just stayed out of the “high end” stores in the Galleria. But I now I will walk into Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Fendi, Dolce & Gabanna – not to buy, but just to look and to see what type of stuff they have and how much it really is. It’s almost like going into another museum – just a fashion one. I don’t think I’ll ever understand what makes a shirt €800 when it’s made out of the same fabric as a €50 or how people can wear €400 not walk around with a body guard for them, but it is fun to look.
One thing I haven’t quite figured out yet is how the Italians afford the clothes here. Because although they are much cheaper than buying them abroad, even many the non-high end items are a bit expense when you compare them to the salaries people make. For instance I’ve been looking for a pair of dress shoes and have seen very few that are less than €100 – and that’s during the sales! And I’m taking little shops down some small street and all kinds of places, not just the ones by the Gucci and Prada shops.

· The food, caffè (espresso), & wine! Although I am starting to miss some international food a bit (especially Mexican & PF Chang’s- a Chinese restaurant we have in Houston), I must say most of the food here is really good. For lunch I can typically get pizza or pasta for about €5 or less. Dinner if you sit down at a restaurant will be about €10 or as much at €45 (for more typical, full course meals). I have had a couple things I really didn’t like or didn’t think was worth the money, but for the most part I really enjoy it. I have found that buying fresh fruits and vegetables is pretty easy and affordable, especially because of all the open markets and even little food stands that sell them (there is one close to my office open every day).
Caffè (esspresso) after lunch is a common thing – and pretty much every Italian does it. I’ve finally learned how to work the coffee machine in the office which has free caffè, so I’ve started to drink that more often now. It’s not as good as the one in the bars, but it’s free and convenient. Plus it’s fun to watch because the machine actually has this little ‘arm’ that brings out your coffee!
I wasn’t much of a wine drinker back home, but I’m also starting to enjoy having a glass of wine with dinner and have found that the house wines are really cheap and still good. I like both the red and the white wines. I have learned the hard way though to make sure you don’t drink too much wine and/or grappa (a very strong after dinner liquor). It’s not a good combination!
Oh and some things I’ve just fallen in love with and never even knew I liked them…like eggplant and artichokes. Now artichokes I’m still not all that fond of, but will eat it now. But eggplant I love! I even buy it at the market and fix it up myself…never knew I liked it!
Another thing I’ve noticed is that usually lunch is very light (or at least with my colleagues), is not typically long, and most of the time is eaten standing up. Maybe it’s just in the area where our office is, but most of the pizzerias & bars are pretty small so what they will do is set up tables outside where you can stand or there will be benches nearby. So you go and order what you want (pizza, panino, etc.) they give it to you in parchment paper or your pasta in a plastic plate and you stand on the sidewalk eating it. I actually kind of like it that way. You get to stand for a bit, get some fresh air, and don’t spend any time sitting around chatting afterwards. After that you the whole group heads for an caffè.

What will take getting use to (Aug 7th blog Part III)

What will take getting use to
· Not having a car – I kind of like the idea of not dealing with a car, but at times miss the convenience of having one. Of course here most of the time it wouldn’t be inconvenient with the parking, traffic & getting a license and related fees, etc. I do miss my car though – I really loved the last car I had!
· The timing of the buses – for the first couple weeks I really had no problems with the buses and never had to wait too long. Then starting last week for some reason, I was having to wait sometimes up to 45 minutes or an hour for my bus! I’m not sure what happened, but it was several days in a row. So I need to remember to start allowing at least 45 minutes whenever I need to get somewhere. I was told that it is typical for Romans to be late & after seeing the traffic and waiting for buses I understand why! I think that will be one part of the ‘Roman’ lifestyle that will not be too hard to adapt to (more like forced to adapt to!).
· Not having a clothes dryer – I’m getting a bit more use to it, but still will take some getting use to.
· Not having a bathtub & the shower being so small! I never really took baths, but it was nice being able to take a shower without having your face in the shower curtain! I am looking forward to being in hotels at the end of this month…and one reason is having a bathtub!
· Having the kitchen and bathroom being so small that if I hold both arms out I can touch both walls! It’s starting not to seem as small, but still not use to it. I know when I go back home to visit everything will seem SO big! Even the bathroom that my sister & I shared in our house that I use to say was too small!
· Not having a microwave – I don’t think I’ve ever lived without a microwave! I am learning the whole heat it up on a skillet approach, but will take some time to get use to.
· Realizing that have a sink with 2 different parts is a luxury – I always thought a sink always had one side for washing & another for rinsing. I now know that many only have 1. It took some time to get use to that, but now I’m learning my approach so I don’t have to drain & redo the water so many times.
· Remembering the fact that when I shop/fix dinner, it’s only for me! Even when I lived with my sister I had a tendency to buy too much or make too much food…now it’s even worse here. I went to the open market & everything looked so good I got a little of many things. Then a lot ended up going bad before I could use it. I hate wasting food too, so I’ll have to learn to only buy a little and just go to the store more often.
To see pictures I took at the open air market, to go this link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41654&l=f1f60&id=800405227
· The stores being so small and not open 24 hours – nope, no 24 hours Walgreens or Wal-Marts here. In fact, not sure if I’ve seen a 24 hour place. Depends on the shops, but most are closed for at least 1 ½ hrs in the middle of the day & then close around 7 (some later, but usually not after 8 or 9pm). Now restaurants are typically open from 11 – 4 and then 7 – midnight (or sometimes 1am), but some are open at different times if they are more geared for tourists. It is typical to eat lunch around 1 and dinner around 9pm. I’ve pretty much adjusted to that now, but for dinner I sometimes have to eat more around 8.
· The banking system – there are so many forms to fill out and fees and if you don’t want high fees you have to have an account were you only have a certain number of transactions a month. And then there is the whole issue about a wire taking days to get processed. I still don’t have my permanent ATM card yet or credit card, but hopefully can go get that soon. Right now the ATM card I have can only be used at Banca di Roma ATMs and it seems that no one is working to refill their machines this month because every one I have found the last couple days does not work.
· Eating alone at a restaurant – I’m not sure if I will ever get comfortable eating alone at a sit down restaurant. Just sitting at the table waiting for your food with no one to talk to is just boring! It’s that those time especially that my blackberry because my friend & I’ll start checking emails and emailing people.
· Not having family & friends close by and thus my ‘support system’ being thousands of miles away! Thanks to technology, I can keep in contact with family & friends often via email and instant messaging (and even sometimes via webcam). But still when you are not feeling well or just want to give someone a big hug, technology can’t help you there! As of now I don’t have any friends here yet and I’m not on any team and so there really isn’t anyone that I report to yet at work, and I realized that if something happened to me it could really be at least a day or more before somebody realizes something is wrong. On the news when they would talk about someone being missing for days I would always wonder how could that happen. How could they go for days without someone noticing they are gone? Now I realize how it could happen! I do have a friend that I email back & forth with at least once a day (usually more) & if I don’t reply to her emails she would realize something probably isn’t right, but she’s thousands of miles away, so there is not really much she could do! So realizing this, I’ve realized how important it is for me to watch what I do & watch out for me safety even more! It was a very scary/eye-opening moment when I really thought about the fact that I have NO ONE yet that lives in the same city (or even the same country) that I could consider my ‘support system’.
· Seems strange, but even how to greet people. In the US, the customary way to greet someone is a handshake and then if you really know them well maybe a hug. Here in the workplace a handshake is also typically customary, but once you know someone the kiss on both cheeks is common (right, then left)…and it’s actually more like you just touch cheeks and kiss…don’t really kiss their cheek. At first it seemed a bit odd for me, and I was always worried (and still kind of am) if I’m doing it the right way. I mean there can only be so many ways to do it right?!? But I just don’t want to be rude. Plus when it’s with a guy you don’t know all that well & when in the US we are use to personal space, it’s a bit like ‘do I really know him well enough to greet him that way?’. I mean you meet someone 1 time and you’re about to leave…handshake, kiss, nothing…it’s a bit awkward at times. I usually just lay low and then go with whatever they do!

Most Challenging (Aug. 7th blog part II)

Living here in Italy there are many differences compared to the US – some which are a major challenge, some which will take some time to get use to & some that I really enjoy. So I figured I’d just go through & list some of those.
Before I do so, I also wanted to share a video that one of the secretaries in the PwC office sent me that is a great example of how Italy is different from other countries in the EU. It’s quite entertaining & I must say based on my experiences thus far, it’s pretty accurate!
From the point of view of an Italian - Bruno Bozzetto: http://www.infonegocio.com/xeron/bruno/italy.html

Most challenging
Language
The most challenging thing so far has to be not knowing the language well. (okay barely any!) Most of the other obstacles stem from not knowing Italian. Imagine going into the store & being completely illiterate – not being able to read the labels of what you are buying and on top of it not knowing how to ask people for what you need since you don’t know how to say it. I ended up with parchment paper thinking it was aluminum foil (the picture was in black & white so it looked the same to me) and got what I thought was fabric softener only to get home & realize it was just liquid detergent. Now thank goodness they do have some of the same brands as the US and most things do have pictures & even some have writing in English, but it is still difficult.
Most days only understanding maybe 75% of what is being said around me – talk about being in a state of confusion! Sometimes I answer people ‘si’ or ‘no’ even when I don’t understand what they are saying just because if I say I don’t understand & they repeat it won’t do any good. I know I will get myself in trouble doing this, but sometimes ‘Si’ comes out before I even realize I said it. A colleague was making fun of me for doing this the other day when one of the guys at PwC was saying he had to fix my timesheet (and I actually thought he was talking about something else…only word I understood was ‘paper’). After we walked away my colleague asked ‘Do you know what he said?’. I said no…and he said but you kept saying yes. He proceeded to tell me what he said…thank goodness!
Also because of the language barrier, I find myself either sticking to the places/things that I know since I feel comfortable or in the case of eating just have learned to eat whatever I get. I have had so many different things here that I would NEVER try back home. The only reason I try then is because I thought I was getting one thing, but instead it was something else. Like this weekend I had a sandwich that had green peppers & grilled onions on it. Back home I would have taken those off in a heartbeat, but here I just ate them - mostly because I was super hungry but also because they tasted different and I didn’t even realize what it was at first. I’ve also had various dishes that if I knew what it really was, I wouldn’t have tried it, but surprisingly it wasn’t bad. Sometimes even after I try it I still have no idea what it is! I have had some I haven’t like so not all are great, but for the most part it’s helped me expand my tastes.
People also probably think I am just a rude person, because I just don’t say much. Or if they ask me a question I just reply ‘No lo so’ (means ‘I don’t know’). Sometimes I feel bad because I say that, but then I realize I really did know what they wanted. I’m usually the type of person that will greet and talk to everyone I would see on my way to work from the security guard, to the receptionist, to anyone I meet in the hall – that’s just the type of person I am. Plus I like get to know people & answer their questions if I know the answer. But because I don’t speak Italian well, I just can’t do that and it’s actually a bit tough on me because in my head I’m thinking ‘oh I want to tell them this’, but I just can’t get it out in Italian. I do of course do the everyday greetings of ‘buongiorno’ (Hi/good day), ‘ciao’ (hi/bye – more informal), ‘buona sera’ (good evening) and will say ‘grazie’ (thank you) & ‘prego’ – but want to say more I just am not comfortable or know how to yet.
Now you think that would make me study more, but somehow I haven’t been able to make myself study that much. I want to think it’s because of all the other stuff I’ve had going on, but I don’t know. Last week I finally go my Italian classes set up & went for an hour & a half Wednesday & Friday. They are closed the rest of August so I won’t have any more until September, and since I’ll be visiting with mostly Americans the last half of August, I probably won’t be picking up too much Italian before September.
Now in my class I do okay. Since I’ve had some Italian back in Houston, I can read the basic stuff fairly well and know a fair amount of words and how to conjugate some words. And when I’m only focusing on one thing (numbers, or time, or how to describe something, or directions, etc.) I do okay – problem is I haven’t been able to take that & apply it when I hear people talking…maybe because I can’t anticipate what they are saying whereas in class I know what I’m suppose to be focusing on so I pay attention to that. Even when my teacher starts asking me questions in Italian, half the time I’m not sure what she was saying.
And I should just start trying to speak it more, but when I start either 1) they can’t understand me or 2) they start rattling off in Italian and in both cases I get flustered & revert back to English. I just am not confident at all! I’m hoping with some more Italian classes I will be able to improve a lot.
I hate having what I’m sure is a very confused look on my face most of the time!
Thank goodness for Google translator though – that has been a lifesaver to me already on many occasions. I know it’s not perfect Italian and sometimes I know enough to make some changes to what it says, but when the person I’m sending a message to doesn’t know enough Italian then Google translator does the trick.
I also have found myself doing some odd things that I’m not sure why I do. For instance, there is a daily evening paper that is free & is left out at most bus stops. I will go & pick it up and flip through it & act like I’m reading it. I do look at the pictures and sometimes I can even read a few words and pretty much tell what it is saying. Most of the time when I do this people won’t ask me questions (which is maybe why I subconsciously started doing it), but sometimes they will ask me something & are probably like what’s wrong with her…because she must know Italian if I’m reading the paper! My hope is that one day I’ll pick it up & WILL actually be able to read it! Oh when that day comes I might be jumping up & down at the bus stop!

Metric & size differences
Okay so let’s forget the fact that I don’t know Italian…even beyond that I have the whole metric vs. English difference in measurements! I still don’t understand why the US never changed to the metric system like the rest of the world, but it sure would be a whole hell of a lot easier for me right now if they would have! I was even confused about this when I was in Canada & they speak English there!
I see the temperature…30F and I really have no idea how hot/cold that is! The AC in my house…not sure what to set it at. The oven…what should I put it on? No clue! And then I look at directions and it say 600 meters or 10 kilometers – I have NO idea how long that will take to get there. I haven’t bought meat yet unless it’s prepackaged because I have no idea how much I should get.
And then sizes…of course the sizes are different! I am so happy when it’s just S, M, or L or they have the US sizes too, because I hate trying on various sizes just to figure out what is the right one (especially when they limit how many you can bring in the fitting room). I have a couple books that have the conversion, but even some of them are a bit different. And of course I don’t have them with me and/or don’t intend to buy something so don’t look beforehand. If I was smart I suppose I would put them as a note in my blackberry so I always have them!
And this isn’t really metric vs. English, but even the things like the fact that they use military time in most places or that they use periods where we use commas & visa versa…or the fact that you have to remember to put the date before the month – all those things I have to get use to and they have nothing to do with the language difference!

Settling In (Aug 7th blog part I)

So it’s been a long time since I wrote a blog & it hasn’t been because nothing has been going on! A lot has been going on, I just haven’t found the time to write! Since I’ve moved into my apartment I find myself either cleaning/setting up the apartment, going for walks in the evenings, or going to all the places nearby that are in abundance now that I’m in the center of the city. When I was staying at the Residence near our office there was nothing to do at night, but around my apartment there always seems to be something to do!
I actually started writing this at work & probably should have been studying Italian or reading an annual report or studying up on the oil & gas industry or some accounting guidance…BUT instead I decided to blog. Even if I was going to do one of the others I would be thinking about what I will write in my blog since I’ve been meaning to do so for so long, so I figured might as well just write! Plus the office is SO empty now and SO quiet that if I read or study I probably will fall asleep. (To understand why it’s so empty, read my post “Ferragosto”.) Plus I’ll consider this as practicing my typing skills, since it has been so long since I’ve had to document at work! ;-) Oh and yes, still don’t know my clients yet at work, so really no change at work & nothing to write about there!
Oh where to begin…where to begin! My last blog I left off at me getting my apartment, so I will go from there. I have so much to talk about, so I what I will do is do them as several posts so that you don’t have to read them all at once. Hopefully that will help. I would just try to write less, but there are just so many things I want to type about…especially since I’m at the point where everything is an adventure and challenge. And I try my best not to be wordy, but I think it runs in my blood…so I can’t help it!
Also if any of you have questions for me or anything you’d like me to talk about, just let me know. I’m not sure how many of you actually read these or what you find interesting, but if you send me questions I’ll incorporate them in my blogs as best I can. I’m doing this to help me capture my memories, but also to let others experience & learn through my experiences since not everyone can come here. So ask away! If I don’t know the answer I’ll try to find out.

Settling In
So a common question I get is ‘So are you settled in yet?’ or ‘Sounds like you’re settling in okay.’ The response to those really depends on the day and what all has happened that day! For some odd reason I was thinking that once I got my apartment things would start getting easier & all of the sudden I would be “settled in” here. Man was I wrong! Moving into an apartment just took things to another level! And I’m at the point where I think maybe in half a year I can say I’m “settled in”. Don’t get me wrong – I’m definitely happy I moved into my apartment & it is nice to have a place to call ‘home’ and a place I know I won’t have to move out of soon. What I forgot about were all the little things about getting use to a new place, especially one so different than what you were use to.
For instance, it took me 2 days to figure out how to get hot water & that was only because on evening I had dinner with some girls from work and one told me that I probably need to keep the switch for the boiler on all the time. When I moved in they showed me the switch & said this is for the boiler so you have hot water. It’s a switch so I figured I didn’t need it on ALL the time, just turn it on a little bit before I take a shower. One cold shower too many (& I hate cold showers), and I do indeed keep it on all the time! Funny how a cold shower in the morning can make you crabby all day & a hot shower can make your day a little brighter!
Oh and then after the hot water it was the stovetop (mine is gas). For the first week or so I just ate salads & sandwiches, so I had no need to turn on the oven or the stove. But one weekend I went to the open market at Campo de’ Fiori and got all kinds of veggies, pasta, sun dried tomatoes, pasta seasoning, etc. and decided to make pasta for dinner. So I get out the big pot & put water in it, get out all my ingredients and start cutting the eggplant & zucchini. Then go to start boiling the water, turn the knob on the oven & nothing! Hmm…I’m not all that domesticated, but back home I at least knew how to turn on the stove! Okay so there were times the light went out on the gas stove in our house & Francie (my sister) would have to light it. But I at least knew how to get the gas to go. When I moved in they showed me the switch thing on the wall to turn on & off the gas (and I know enough Italian to know which is off & which is on), but I didn’t actually turn it on because I figured it couldn’t be that difficult. So there I was, trying to figure out how to get the stove to turn on! I looked for other buttons, looked all around & nothing. When I turned the knob I didn’t smell gas or hear anything like you usually do with a gas stove. I saw the landlady left a lighter close to it & was thinking maybe I had to light something, but I was to afraid to try for fear of catching the whole place on fire! I was even emailing friends I knew were online to try to get their advice on something I was doing wrong. Finally I gave up & just baked the veggies (since I knew how to work the oven) and completely gave up on making the pasta. The next day at work I asked a colleague and he said I might make sure that the gas switch is on at the main box. So that night I switched the gas switch off & on (it was in the on position originally), and turned every knob on the stovetop again…and FINALLY I figured out that you have to put the knob in a certain position and hold it down for several seconds and THEN it will light! I never thought I would be so happy to see a flame on a stove before! Now I still don’t really know how to control the temperature because if I move the knob too much in either direction the flame goes out. But at least I can heat stuff up now!
Oh another appliance to learn – the washer! Thank goodness for pictures, because I rely on that a lot. I’ve done several loads of laundry & by some miracle they come out the same size and at least smelling clean, so I guess I’m doing it okay. I’ve tried different settings, but still really don’t know what they all do. I pulled out the instruction book, but doesn’t do any good since it’s all in Italian. And I’m not really sure I’m putting the detergent and fabric softener into the right place, but all I know is my clothes seem clean & smell good. Oh yeah & when I put the detergent & softener in, I just guess how much to put in because I can’t really read how much I’m suppose to use. And now they are also a bit softer now that I finally found fabric softener - thanks to Cristina, one of my Italian teachers in Houston, who sent me names of some after I had to reach out to her for help on that one (you should have seen me in the supermarket with my blackberry looking at the names in the email and then trying to find them on the shelf!). Since I have to air dry my clothes they are still a bit stiff, but no where near as stiff as they were without fabric softener.
My first weekend in my apartment I needed to clean the place up, but first needed to find cleaning supplies. Now back home all I would need to do is find a Wal-Mart or Target & I’d be set, but unfortunately there are no Wal-Marts or Targets here. So I go out on Sat. afternoon on a mission to find a supermarket or some place with cleaning supplies. Not knowing where to going I just start walking…in the summer heat, I just start walking down my street figuring eventually I will find a place that has some. About 15 minutes into my walk I go past a shop that has some dresses I like in the window, and since the ‘saldi’ (sales) signs were up I somehow find myself in the store trying on dresses instead of buying cleaning supplies! I come out with a new dress I got on sale & before checking out I asked the sales lady (who spoke very good English) if she knew where I could buy cleaning supplies & electronic stuff. She told me she did not know about electronics, but pointed across the street & said that supermarket right there should have cleaning supplies. So I bought a dress, but also found the store I was originally looking for!
The supermarket was 2 floors (2 small floors I should say) & after I was worried I still wasn’t going to find what I was looking for I realized the cleaning stuff was in the bottom. Oh and I learned from prior experiences & this time was prepared with a bag for my stuff so I didn’t have to pay for one (used my big Ikea bag I bought). I’ve also figured out that if I use the bag to put the stuff in as I shop I won’t end up with more than I can carry! See I do learn! I found all the ‘basics’ I needed…laundry detergent, mop, Ajax for the bathroom, air fresheners, paper towels, etc. Then I check out & head out with my big, blue plastic Ikea bag loaded on my shoulder (and if any of you have been to Ikea, you know how big their bags!) and in one had I have a mop handle & the other the bright, red bucket! I couldn’t find my bus pass & didn’t think people would appreciate me bringing all that stuff on the bus so I just decide to walk home. Have you ever tried carrying all the goods you bought for at least 15 minutes in about 86F or so temperature? It’s a workout let me tell you! Plus I felt like everyone was looking at me walking down the sidewalk with this mop & bucket! But have to say that after I did some cleaning that weekend, I did feel a little more at ‘home’ in my apartment! It felt a little cleaner & a little fresher.
Of course I didn’t find everything I needed there & it’s taken weeks to find more stuff I need (and still searching for some).
A couple weeks ago during lunch I went to a shop close to our office & was able to buy an iron & blow dryer (Singer brand, so should be good!). Actually felt like a bit of an accomplishment since I talked to the guy a little in Italian (very little) when I bought it. I could talk to him in Italian enough to tell him what I did & understood that he use to do accounting but now forgot it all and he said maybe sometimes I can come teach him accounting! Again like me with all appliances, buying it was just half the battle. I got home & took the blow dryer out and can’t it to plug in. Apparently in Italy there are several difference size plugs and the ones on the blow dryer and iron are larger compared to most. I found that with a lot of force it will fit, but it is a workout to get it in & out. I just leave my blow dryer plugged in now & fight with it every time I want to iron until I figure out until there is a converter or something I need to buy.
This weekend I made it to the big mall Parco Leonardo, which is close to the airport. It’s taken me a while to figure out how to get there because it’s out of the center and I have to take a bus to one of the train stations & then take a train to the mall. It takes about an hour from my apartment to there (depending on how long I have to wait on a bus & then train). The train ticket costs less than €2 and is good for 6 hrs. It’s not that bad to get to…now that I know how to do it all. Their mall is pretty new & is much like ones in the US – 2 stories with different clothing stores, home stores, athletic stores, electronic stores, food court (mostly Italian food of course), cinema, etc. A couple things that I noticed that were different was that it had a place where you could buy fresh meats & cheeses and the stores aren’t as large in size compared to most in the US. The only real big store is Auchan’s, which was one of the best finds I’ve had so far because it’s the closest thing to a Wal-Mart or Target that they have here and it’s very big! I believe there are still some of these in the US, although I’ve never been to one. It has everything from electronics to cleaning & cooking supplies to groceries! I finally found some of the stuff I had been looking for like an ironing board cover, a phone & a lot of misc. stuff for the house. And I never thought I would be so happy to see Swiffer sweepers & dusters, but when I saw them there I was SO excited! I use those all the time back home & when trying to dust earlier was wishing I would have packed some, but now I have them here! Of course going to Auchan’s still my biggest problem is that I have to remember whatever I buy I have to carry for the next hour or so on my train/bus/walk route home!
But it is funny how the little things, things that at home you don’t even think twice about or just think of as a chore, when you are in a different place & everything is a challenge even those little things – like finding cleaning supplies, finally getting the stove to work, being able to wash clothes without having them coming out still soaking wet, finding an hair dryer, iron, ironing board cover, and Swiffers. Those little things all of the sudden become little bits of joy & little accomplishments!

Another thing new to me now that I’m in my apartment – dealing with repair men & deliveries. It’s usually a bit weird for me back home to have repair men you don’t know in your house when you’re there (maybe just for me & especially because I’m female). But have you ever had one or more there when you have no idea a word of what they are saying!?!
Per my contract, I had 8 days to let my landlady know if there was anything that needed to be fixed in the apartment. Even when I was moving in she had said that they TV needed a new connection & that the vent in the bathroom was making a funny noise and if I wanted to have those fixed she would have it done. So I email her about those (and about the toilet seat lid being loose too, but I think something got lost in the translation of that one because that has not been fixed). That day she emails asking if I can be at the apartment for people to come fix them, which I was very surprised about it happening so quickly because I was told about how everything in Italy usually takes a long time to get arranged.
So I make arrangements to get home a little early to be there. In order to get into my apartment building, you have to push the buzzer outside the front door with my landlady’s name on it & then I have to push a button on this phone thing to let you in (it’s an intercom system). Problem is that when people call & say who they are and what they want I really don’t understand who they are or what they want. So as long as I’m expecting someone to come, I just buzz whoever calls to let them in. So I think I’m having one person come to do the repairs & I instead have 2 show up. So I have these 2 Italian men in my apartment doing stuff that at first I’m not exactly sure what they are doing & they are asking me questions & most of the time I have no clue what they are asking. Thank goodness for hand gestures & pointing! But they did get the stuff done & it went okay.
I also had a guy come to install the internet – again a case of where he was asking me all kinds of questions & I have no idea what he is asking or saying. And when he left all I knew was that he was going to do something for 20 minutes & asked if I was going to stay there that long. I said yes, so there I sat in the middle of the afternoon before going back to work just to have him call me with my telephone number about 20 minutes later (so I could have gone back to work after all!).
Oh and I had a delivery that needed to be made and a guy calls me on my cell talking in Italian and then English, but the only thing is I really couldn’t understand his English either. All I knew was that he said he was open from 8am until 7pm and wanted to know when I would be at my apartment so they could come by. I was trying to figure out what he needed to come by for & couldn’t understand. So I just told him I would be there by 6:30 the next day. So then I was trying to figure out what he was saying and what he needed to come by for. I thought he said something about flowers, but wasn’t sure. So the next day I looked up the phone number (thank goodness the call history is saved on cell phones) and verified it was a flower place. So at least when the delivery guy came, I knew what to expect! (Btw – thanks for the flowers Vernon…that was very thoughtful of you & definitely a great house…or I guess apartment…warming gift and definitely worth all the confusion on my part for!).
Another instance of confusion because of the language difference was me getting my shipment of goods from the US. I get a call from a lady yesterday asking me if I will be at my apartment today (Tuesday) morning…all in Italian of course. I verify with her that she means tomorrow & she says yes. I ask (this in English) if it’s for my things and she just keeps saying ‘Tuesday morning yes?’ in Italian. So this morning I stay home waiting for someone to come hoping that I understood her correctly & that I will be getting my stuff. I figured that was what it was for since I emailed my contact in Milan about when I should get my stuff and she said that someone should be contacting me because they came by with it last week, but since they did not call beforehand of course I was not home. (As a side note, my stuff got to Milan a couple weeks ago but for some reason took a while to get here…I’m not sure why it seems to take such a long time for stuff to get from Milan to Rome…money from bank to bank, my stuff, etc….I’m beginning to think there are a couple men riding bikes back & forth between the 2 places to deliver this stuff! LOL!)
So this morning, the delivery guy finally came around 10:30 & I buzzed to let him in...but he didn't come up. So then I watch from my balcony as he unloads my boxes fr the truck & I think oh he's going to unload them all & then bring them up. And I was so excited to see all my stuff...I could tell it was my boxes from the balcony (because of the name on the boxes).
So then about 5 minutes later he rings again & all I understood was something about by the elevator. So I say ‘ok I'll come down’. I go down & all of my boxes are there, but no guy. I look out & see the truck, but don't see him. Went back upstairs thinking maybe I missed him somehow, but as I look from my balcony I see that it looks like the truck is leaving. I hurry down & look out again & sure enough he took off. So there I was left to get all my boxes to my apt by myself! At least I have an elevator...very small, but it is an elevator!
It took me 3 trips to get it up & was able to get all the boxes but 1 thru just one side of the door. The other side is suppose to open up too but it has these latch things you have to pull up/down (one at top & one at bottom). And when I moved in they just said oh you just pull it & it will open - sounded easy enough! So I pull the top one down with no problem. Try to pull the bottom one up & can't get it. It has this screw knob thing on it so I figure maybe I need to loosen it. Problem is that I unscrewed it too much & the thing fell down into the shaft & now I can't get it out...I can see it under the door, but it's too big to get out that way! So the only way I figured I could get that box of stuff in was to unpack the box in the hallway & carry the stuff into my apt - so that's what I finally did! After I got everything in I felt like I had a workout!
I must say looking at the boxes though 1) I'm actually impressed that I didn't have more boxes, 2) I'm glad I didn't pack more because that means I would have to carry more & 3) I'm glad I don't have more boxes because I don't think I'd have room for any more!
So now I do have all my belongings that I intended to have here (still have unpack them, but do have them). But still think it will take a while before I consider being ‘settled in’. It’s even the things like finding out where to get stamps (because who would have thought that you don’t get them at the post office, but no instead you get them at a tabaccheria), where to get clothes dry cleaned & tailored, the different markets/ stores to go for various things, figuring out the buses and bus stops without getting off 3 or 4 stops too early (one time it was 6 for me!) and all that type of stuff.
I have started to find a couple places that have helped me in settling in. I found out there is one nail place about a 3 minutes walk from my place and other about a 5 minutes bus ride. I went the one close for a manicure a couple weekends ago & it was nice, but small and the ladies that were there that day didn’t speak English. Thank goodness for other customers who spoke English, otherwise I would have not been able to get by in there! The other place, which I have an appointment at this weekend, is owned by people from Miami and they mainly speak English & cater to the English speaking people in Rome. When I went in it looked more like a nail place back home, so I’m excited to see how it goes. The one thing I’ve learned is that it’s not like back in Houston where if you just go in last minute you can usually get in then or within 30 minutes or so. No here they only have about 2 people working, so you basically have to have an appointment to get it.
The other place I’ve found that I really like is a great hair salon called Noi (http://www.noisalon.com/), which is another place that basically caters to English speaking expats. I found out about it from a discussion group that I joined that is for English speaking people in Rome. The place is owned by 2 Italians & an American who all worked in California for a while, but decided to come to Rome to set up a salon together. I made an appointment & went there 2 weekends ago and Giuseppe did my hair…and let me tell you it was like watching an artist at work! He washed my hair and asked how short I wanted it. I told him not too short, but was open to suggestions on the style. He asked if right above the shoulders was okay (showing me) & I said yes. The he went to town. Here I had this Italian guy with his shirt unbutton over half way down & gold cross around his neck working on my hair. He didn’t say a word, just had hair going everywhere – cutting here, cutting there…never using any clips to hold it up (except when blow drying later) & before I knew it in about 10 minutes he was done! Then he styled it and in total I was probably in & out in about 30 minutes. I really like it to – it’s not too different & I’m still getting use to how to style it, but I like it. I just wish I had a Giuseppe of my own that could do my hair every morning! That would the be ultimate! J And surprisingly, it didn’t cost all that much either ; it was €50 including tips & everything, which for a person with their level of experience in Houston would be as much if not more. Also I found out that in Italy usually they charge you additionally for any products they use on your hair (shampoo, conditioner, gel, etc.), but that don’t do that at Noi. I’ll definitely be going back there!

So back to the question on if I’m ‘settled in’ or ‘settling in okay’? Some days I feel like I’m adjusting okay, others I question why I’m even here and if I made a mistake thinking I would be able to live here for a couple years all by myself! I can usually take the little things & challenges, but some days it seems like I can’t go a day without being in a constant state of confusion…between the language and not knowing how to do things or where things are or what I’m suppose to do…those are the tough days. I was warned before I left that there were be good days & there would be bad days - but until you live through it you don’t understand what that really means. Before you are in it, it doesn’t seem like not being able to work the stove would be something that throws you into a state of ‘What am I doing here?!?’, but it’s the not being able to work the stove after a day at work where you don’t understand 95% of what’s being said around you and having repairmen in your apartment for an hour in which you don’t understand what they are saying… and then you realize you are missing important things back home like your mom’s birthday or you find out your uncle died and you of course won’t be able to go to his funeral…all of it together is what piles up to make one of those ‘though days’.
But on the other side, thank goodness I’m in a city that has many beautiful places and lots of things to do, so when I have times like that I can take about a 10 minute walk to St. Peter’s Square (which is gorgeous at night!) and sit there listening to the water fountains behind me and stare at St. Peter’s Basilica…and cry my eyes out if I want & have a heart-to-heart with the ‘Big Man’ asking him for strength and guidance. There I can’t help but to feel little…to feel like a little piece of something big…and just to sit in awe. In the ‘arms’ of St. Peter’s Square is where I find my comfort many times.
I can also go to Piazza Navona and people watch & stroll through the artists’ paintings and get lost in it all. Or go to the festival outside of Castle Sant’Angelo and listen to the bands playing. Doing those things and being able to turn to family and friends (mostly via email) for support & encouragement, those are the things that are helping me get past the though days.
It’s not really gotten to the point where I want to just pack up and go home, just makes me question whether or not I made the right decision thinking I can overcome all of these challenges. But in my heart I know if I wasn’t meant to be here, then I wouldn’t be here. I’m in this place, right now for a reason – the reason I may not know right now or understand, but I’m in this beautiful place…I’m LIVING in this beautiful place that I know many can only dream of doing…or because of fear or other responsibilities in their life they can not do. So I know I must seize this opportunity given to me and find the strength to make it through the tough days and to enjoy the moment and the opportunity. Sometimes on the tough days that’s hard to remember, but I try. Sometimes it’s hard to keep a smile all the time, but I try…and I do it as much as possible!
So I’m settling in & it will take a while, but I’m now okay with that now. I know that it’s a part of moving, especially to a different country that is so different, and it will just take time. So for now I’m settling in…but not settled in!

Ferragosto (August holiday)

Sorry it has been so long since I've written a blog...it's not that I don't have anything to write about, but that times just gets away. I will have a new blog (or 2 or 3) up sometimes this week. In the meantime, here is a little history lesson on Ferragosto & what Rome is like in August. I am also going to embrace this time of vacation & will be leaving Rome on travels from August 15th - September 2nd traveling to Padova, Italy (Northern Italy), the Netherlands, Orlando (for a training I am attending), Houston/Wallis, & then back to Rome. Unfortunately I'm only spending a couple days in Houston/Wallis, so I will not get to see most of you.

I was actually told last month that I should take vacation during this time because most stores, restaurants, etc. will be closed and barely anyone will be in the office. I've started to notice closings and people going on vacation for the last week or so, & I'm told by the week of the 15th barely any places will be open. Oh it's so horrible to be forced on vacation! ;-)

(The following was obtained from the website www.inromenow.com - which is a great resource for anyone living or traveling to Rome!)

The Roman feriae Augusti was a festival of eating, drinking and sexual excess, for patricians, plebians, servants and slaves alike, which reached its frenzied peak on the ides of Augusti, our August 15th. Enter the Catholic church. So popular was the festival that the church was unable to stamp it out, pagan though it may have been. So in the sixth century AD, it was decided that August 15th would be the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption, when the Virgin Mary's body and soul were assumed into heaven. Centuries later, the festival known as Ferragosto marks an almost mandatory exodus from Rome, and not for a day, but for at least a two weeks of vacation time. In fact, for many, the holiday extends to include the entire month. Most restaurants are closed. Many shops are closed. Some movie theaters close for the month. Even the supermarket can be appallingly barren. If you stay in Rome for the month — or if you choose to visit the Eternal City in August, it may seem a bit deserted. The activities of the Estate Romana festival are all but over by August 10th. The good news is that there are few crowds, almost no traffic.