Friday night a thunderstorm started to roll through around 9 pm but it felt like one of those summer storms where the rain is cool and the air is hot so it was still nice to be outside. Jessica, Stephen, a few Americans, and my friends sat in the piazza and talked and laughed for a long time--until about 11:30.
Saturday I got in a jog and yoga in the morning then spent the afternoon reading, applying for jobs back home, and cleaning out my 450+ e-mail account it was the most productive spring cleaning I've ever experienced. (I also watched this video. He brings up a lot of challenging opinions that I enjoyed listening to. It's a little long, but worth the listen.)
Saturday night was...spectacular. I spent the evening with Letizia, Mattia, and a lot of others but first it was just Mattia and me at Letizia's house. I went to mass with Letizia and her family which I really enjoyed. I understand only bits and pieces of the songs and service but sermons are highly repetitive which helps me understand new words more quickly. But also, I like going to the services because it's so different from what I grew up accustomed to--the tradition, language, and history of everything going on captivates me. After mass we all went back to Letizia's house for dinner with her parents. Her parents are so cool, really her family so cool, but every time I go to their house I immediately feel welcomed and at home. I'm immensely grateful for all of them. Anyways, after that Letizia, Mattia, and I met other to go out. We were going to go to a bar but everyone (and by everyone I mean all the Italian speakers--I'm just along for the ride) decided it was too early so we decided to go bowling, which turned into going to play pool. Let me just take a moment to thank my Aunt Liz and Uncle Micheal for hosting countless family functions at their house with a pool table because every time I've played over here I dominate...or more truthfully I help other very talented pool players dominate the game. Look, all I'm trying to say is I never lose. After about four games of pool, we ended up at a bar called Rino's (the symbol is a rhino and everyone calls it "ree-knows"). Before Saturday I didn't understand the draw in for Rino's. What I had heard about it was that they serve American food, like ribs, potatoes, burgers, etc., good beer and offer a food eating challenge where if you eat a certain amount food in an hour you don't have to pay. Unsurprisingly the last winner, and perhaps one of the only winner of this auspicious challenge, was an American from base. Anyways based off that information only I was, um, less than thrilled by the prospect of experiencing an European version of an American bar. But boy was I sore when I actually had a great time. We could hear the music from the parking lot and when we got inside I realized they we blaring Elvis Presley-style music and almost everyone on the dance floor was doing their own funky version of the twist. The bar was full but just full enough. When friends and I went to dance we had enough room to move around but didn't feel too awkward or alone to not have a good time. Highlights from Rino's include: when I learned how to dance to YMCA (I know I had to come all the way to Italy for that), when the Macarena came on I squealed "Oh my goodness, this is my jam!" (thanks mom) and proceeded to dance to the whole song, and perhaps the best part was when all the guys, or more accurately only the guys, got up and sang "Wannabe" by The Spice Girls at which point I doubled over in laughter and still have "If you wannebe my lover..." stuck in my head. Oh gracious, it was so much fun.
Sunday was supposed to be a laundry day, which meant going to base, but it was raining and Stephen wanted a lazy day so that's exactly what we had. I spent the better part of 11-5 in bed reading, Stephen played Kingdom Hearts all afternoon, and Jessica napped and made delicious homemade macaroni and cheese--the perfect lazy day food if I do say so myself. Around six I went to Letizia's again to shoot more of the new music video, and then to go eat in the piazza. We ended the night at a bar called Garage.
I don't know what got into me but I slept until nine this morning. Generally I wake up around seven and force myself to not get up until 7:20 or 7:30 but when I finally rolled over and saw that it was nine and realized I had slept all through the night, which is rarity for me lately, I was happy to get up and start my day, instead of my normal I-hate-the-world-before-noon demeanor. I know it's silly to talk about what time I get because technically I'm on vacation, but I need transition time in the morning and so enjoy the quiet of getting up early and easing into wakeness--regardless sometimes sleeping in is nice.
It's raining again today, but I know it's good for the fields and water levels so I'm not complaining. I see yoga in my future and cleaning my bathroom--I know, so glamorous.
Anyways, have a lovely Monday!
Ci vediamo!!