hilarity in nostalgia.

Since I'm feeling the urge to go back to New York like Courtney, Cate, and Alex,

I wanted to bring back the good memories w/ this photo:

...that is until she rolled along:

These photos make me laugh, a lot!

(and M- it's TRICERA-topless, not Try-Sarah Topless!)

ciao!

spiritoso.

[Siena]

Last night at dinner, my host parents called me spiritoso.

translation: a humorous person.

ok, so maybe I can get a few kicks and giggles out of people,

but dayum, I should move to Italy and be a stand up comedian!

Misadventures thus far:

[the MMM face- my patented look for dinners]

Potty Talk: at dinner, the TV is always on, one night the news was speaking on [shoot if I know, it was all Italian] BUT

I understood one word: F*@$. They were Googling that,

And then showed a politician flipping people off.

To top if off, Titziana and Niccolo noticed the giggle fits from us,

And Niccolo explained to his mom that in American that’s bad,

After which she began flipping us off and saying something,

[again, not sure what, but it was comical]

she was cracking me up.

Cankles: while going for a run last week, I was trying to dodge some pedestrians in a stairway, side-stepped and sprained my ankle.

What topped it off, was some chicas were looking and smirking.

Trick best watch their back!

[@ the Talbot's w/ Step Up and Chin-NAY-say food & good friends]

I now have a left cankle because my foot is fat and swollen.

It’s so lonely looking, and sad that it’s bloated.

Hopefully I can run on it again next week.

My host family has been great and asking how I’ve been, saying they’re sorry. One night I said I walk around town like Frankenstein, in which they got up and walked around like him, but said I don’t walk like him, and called me funny.

[my umbrella-cane I used for a few days]

Acchidente: at school, I was pulling my friend Abby’s cardigan down and in grabbing the cardigan, got a hold of her strapless shirt. Could’ve been girls gone wild up in the Dante Alighieri!

[I'm not that innocent]

Ciesa: we went to church which consisted of, um, all 18 of us, and about 7 others, 3 of which were missionaries. At least I got one thing out of it, they speak very eloquently in Italian!

[all I understood was “amen!”]

International Friends: Made friends with some kids at school, our main man Martin, the Swiss kid. Pretty much a genius just at the Dante to learn Italian, already fluent in French, Dutch, and a couple others. All at the ripe age of 18. Next is Gwen aka Gwendolyn. I told her that her name reminded me of a Medieval princess, she wasn’t too amused. She isn’t really international because she goes to MSU (Montana State) and is with a program called the S.I.S. which is an Italian language immersion course. Sounds hardcore, but met a couple other people in her program as well. and girlfriend can TALK. She gave me her life story in 5 minutes walking from the bus to the campo, where I gratefully had to part ways.

Unfortunately, we ride the same bus and we tend to ride at the same time.

***Courtney, remember how we had a goal in NY to make International friends? Yeah, I’ll send them your love.***

[silly boy, tricks are for girls]

Conrtada Torre: the President of our school, Luca, invited us to his contrada dinner on Tuesday. In Siena, twice a year they hold the Palio, which are horse races. One in July and one in August. There are 17 contradas or neighborhoods in Siena and we had the opputunity to go to his contrada, the Torre (Elephant) .

[inside the Torre Museum]

We toured their church, museum which was cool, it holds their uniforms, artifacts and victory paintings. I missed the bulk of Luca explaining about it because of my ankle, but I made it for the church, museum, and dinner.

[Gimpin' while others got to peep the tomb]

We cooked fish this week, went to Firenze last Saturday, and today went to San Gimignano and Volterra (posts to come). After dinner, Contrada parties for the two that one in July & August.

[Besos]

Festa for days!

Ciao.

xx

[Boboli Gardens just got steamier]

va bene... for days.

Piazza del Camp: Siena's Town Square

[Photo: Eliesa M.]

I've been in Siena for a week, yet it feels like 6 months.

GQ in the Colosseum

[Photo: Eliesa M]

The day we left Rome [last Saturday] I was quite nervous.

The trepidation had set in of living w/ a family who doesn't speak Inglese!

On the way to Siena, we stopped right inside Tuscany at Sar Teano to see early Etruscan catacombs.

Teaching James about Life! (haha) in Sar Teano

[Photo: Eliesa M]

Then we made it to the Siena bus stop. Standing around like Little Oprhan Annie's

waiting to be "picked out" by our 'parents'

..at this point, I could have thrown up.

Alas, all is “buono.” Marco, our Dad, picked us up.

We live in a separate apartment type setting from our family.

Mi famiglia is Marco, Titziana, and Niccolo [19], and their other son Matteo [27], who lives in Milan.

This last week in Siena we’ve had school: Italian everyday, Humanities/English every afternoon and a culinary class. We sit in the campo for what feels like in eternity because Siena is a freaking castle town, yet very beautiful and scenic. It’s a good walk into town from our house, but w/ the perfect playlist for the day, I’m solid.

Dinners have been an adventure in and of themselves. With no Italian under my belt, only Spanish, I try to speak in Spanish but it doesn’t work. Half the words I would think are the same in both languages, aren’t the same. So I sit, smile and say “mi piace” or “I like it” Several thumbs up are exchanged, and I like to say CHI-nay-say when they say Sienese (the Chinese and Siense confusion couldn’t be more opposite!)

Ridiculous.

[Photo: Eliesa M]

The very first day/dinner we had, I was pretty much a mime. No words, just hand gestures, My roommate on the other hand, who speaks some Italian [he already took Italian 101] said “va benne”(it’s good or very good) after EVERYTHING that Marco said, and w/ Asian bow at the same time…uhhh don’t mix'n'match your cultures! This isn’t a trail mix pack! Needless to say, “va benne” spins in my head on repeat.

They also make fun of me because one night Titziana was calling for Marco and it sounded just like you would say it if playing a rousing game of “Marco Polo” in the pool. So I just sat there repeating “Maaaaaarco, Maaaaarco” then walked down the hall to get something from the laundry room and passed Niccolo, naturally, “Niiiiiicolo” came out of my mouth.

Ever since, Titziana and Niccolo think I’m some sort of bird that repeats things and they laugh….at my expense. But, it’s all ‘buono

Surverying Tuscany.

{Great Job Eliesa![

A domani!

ciao, bella

It's been two days and it still hasn't sunk in that I'm in Rome.

Saturday/Sunday felt like decades, and the days are still long.

I had the pleasure of watching Just Wright TWICE on the plane.

Queen Latifah in her finest, pretty much was non existent on the flight.

Once we landed, we waited in the airport for about 2 hours,

then made our way to the hotel, with great views of Vatican City.

***I can't figure out a card reader, so the photos are from my friend,

which is a bust b/c I want to blog photos I took!****

That night we went to the Trevi fountain, Pantheon, and Piazza di Spagna.

Monday went back to the Pantheon to tour inside, where a tour group began chanting.

Kinda neat.

-Had lunch on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's.

Bread, cheese, grapes & coke light.

Carbs for dayyyyys. (I refuse to get a chunk-a-lunk, yeah, I'm a girl)

After lunch we went to the Vatican, went to the top of the dome which was gnnanrce.

After got enough steps to last the week, we hung out up there for a while enjoying the scenes.

Went inside the church, and had mass haha.

I felt a bit sac-relig kneeling and chanting, but it was legit.

The amount of work, craftsmanship and beauty in there is phenomenal.

Today we had school in the forum, sitting on the ruins walking the steps of the Roman emperors.

Cruised all around the Palontine hill, saw the vestal virgin house (where I had an accidental bum graze)

Then rounded the day in the Colosseum...and gelato at the Piazza del Poppolo.

It's hard to believe I'm here, and Saturday we're cruising up to Siena.

I'm a bit nervous to live w/ my Italian speaking family, where I speak ZERO.

Dinner will be loads of half-fake smiles and thumbs up.

And thanks to my buddy Jason--body language to convey what I want,

Some things I like:

The servers at dinner who sometimes just say Prego to me.

The legit window covers that are opened every morning.

Laundry hanging across streets.

The beautifully scenic alleys.

FOOD. (my best friend & worst enemy)

A little on the no bueno side:

No being able to speak to my servers

The bathroom that has a weird over head tank that shoots water at me every time I flush.

Knowing some people have already read the books, while mine are waiting in Siena.

Slipping in the bathroom.

Bed Bugs.

More to come soon...

(and hopefully photos from my camera)

xx