- The bike ride to the mall with Laura - on the way back, I
persuaded her that swings were one of life's
true pleasures and so we stopped
and ended up chatting and swinging for about 2 hours before realising
we needed
to rush back into town for lunch before everything closed for the siesta
period!
We ate delicious pizzas and fried bread (which was also yummy but
tasted a bit like a heart attack) It is so nice having someone to do
spontaneous fun things with, I hope for many more adventures in the future :)
- Having a proper
conversation in Italian with the lady who works in the bakery. It made me feel
so happy that I could actually be
understood and understand - gave me a lot more motivation for learning Italian,
it doesn't always have to be an uphill struggle.
- The nice men who helped with our bikes when we were trying
to get on the train, it's nice when people are kind and expect no reward (so
unlike MILAN, where you get stopped every five seconds by someone trying to
sell you something or give you directions even if you don't want them to, and
then they expect payment. Crazy.)
- The way that this city is filled with music - as I cycle
around, I hear the sound of a choir rehearsing coming from the windows of a
nearby church, the occasional busker - usually a violinist but sometimes a flutist
takes his place and the orchestras playing in the hall across the street, the
sounds softly coming through my open window. And there's also the people who
play their music so loud in their cars - you can often hear it for a few
minutes as the city is so quiet! I love it - but only when they are playing Ed
Sheeran or Taylor Swift.
- Coffee dates on cold afternoons - with new friends, where
we plan dinner parties and trips to the beach.
- The kindness of people who help. One of the kid's friends
got their finger stuck in a metal pole and was panicking as one of the mums
helped her try to get it out. So along with two seven-year-olds, I ran to the
nearest cafe and asked for ice. But I couldn't explain why I needed it in
Italian, just that it was urgent! The kids who were with me tried to mime the
scenario but the guy behind the counter didn't really get it. He did, however,
give us a huge bag of ice as quickly as he could, which was very nice of him.
And, the girl whose finger got stuck was fine in the end.
- So many Lemons. After admitting that I occasionally use
lemons, my host father gave me a massive bag of 12 lemons and this huge frozen
pouch of lemon juice that he had leftover from his lemon cello making mission.
- The Swedish mother who is so sweet and after my sister
left; told me that if I ever needed someone to talk to, then I could call her
cause she knows how I feel as her sister also lives in another country. It was
just the sweetest gesture.
- Friday afternoons: they always involve gelato, sunsets,
hide and seek and fun with all the neighbourhood kids at the park. It reminds
me of the Crescent Crew - oh how I miss them.
- A very shy three year old who finally started talking to
me and accepted me as her friend (I feel honoured!)
- EXCITED DANCE - with the boys, every time we get in the
lift.
- The most beautiful sunset. It felt and looked like a suffolk sunset and made me feel like this place, was my home. For now, until May, which it is.
I want to remember all these little things, snapshots, stories, memories, anecdotes. They made me smile.
PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister!! 22 today! Love her so much and wish I was celebrating with her!
