Festa della Repubblica

Yesterday, I had my first test in Italian (yep...on day 2 of class!) but it was ok.  I didn't realize how much I had learned already from the last week with my family, but I have learned a lot!  Patrizio was trying to explain something to me in English yesterday, and I had to ask him to use Italian, because I understood him better!  That was exciting.  I went home for lunch (spaghetti with tuna, then sausage and tomatoes with mozzarrella, salad, and for dessert: ricotta with cherry marmalade).  It seems like everyday, they have a different cheese for me to try, so after lunch they had pecorino and they put honey on it.  It was interesting, but actually pretty good. 

In my cooking class in the afternoon we learned how to make fresh pasta.  We made lasagna with three different colored noodles, and spaghetti, and got a bunch of recipes for sauces to go with.  Such a fun class.  We had dinner at the house, and then all of the students met up at the Caffe del Duomo which is where a lot of them spend their time during the day and at night.  We met a lot of new locals, which was fun, and had a great night.

This is the osso bucco con gremolata that we learned how to make on Tuesday.

That is me making spaghetti using the "guitar."

The spaghetti we made, and the contemporary lasagna with parsley inside the noodle.

Risotto alla zaffarone that we made with the veal on Tuesday.

Today is the Festa della Repubblica, so a lot of people are preparing food, and having parties, just like we do on the fourth of July.  I'm not sure what we are going to do, but I'm excited to see how they celebrate.  

June 1st

Tomorrow, June 2nd, is a National Holiday so there is no school, and everything is closed.  It is to celebrate the Republic, and the unification of Italy.  Manuela is going to let me help prepare some pastries for it.  This weekend, we are going to Florence which I am very excited about, so I wont be updating again until Monday.

I wanted to share with you my homework for the day.  My readings for cooking are entitled: "Pizza, our favorite food?", "Gelato, history and trends in Italian ice cream," and "Olive oil, what you need to know."    I thought those were entertaining....Haha, I know, life is hard.

Tuesday May 30th

Another day of classes.  We learned about food in Italian (which was fun because Ive already learned all of these words and phrases at the dinner table).  Went back and had lunch with the family.  We watched the news and I learned that they had an election today for new mayors in some big cities, and the city was buzzing that the "Sinestra" or left gained some ground on the right in their government.  I was talking with Manuela about my cooking class and how she learned how to cook, and she is going to let me help with dinner!  She learned how to cook from her mother, of course, and NEVER uses recipes.  Another interesting fact is that she says the secret to her cooking is that she does not taste the food she makes until she sits down to eat it.  She knows when it is ready, or if it needs salt or herbs by the aroma.  How neat!

So I got to help her prepare dinner tonight which was so fun.  She took me to her plants where she grows all of her own herbs, and then we cooked.  She also told me her sauce recipe but I couldnt understand it since she said it in Italian, but by the end of the 5 weeks, I will piece it together.  And no, I cant ask her because she says she wants me to learn how to make her things by heart, not by writing, and you put in what you feel it needs.  (Even though I went right to my room and wrote things down!)  By the end, she said that she is going to have me cook dinner for the family one night (AAHHH, nothing like a little pressure, cooking for 10 people who are used to her food).  It will be fun though :)

First Day of Classes

My Italian Classroom.  There are only 5 of us in the class.

The front entrance to the school.  The building itself dates back to medieval times, but the inside is entirely modern. It is right in the middle of the historic center.

Today was my first day of classes!  I was a little nervous, but they were so great.  My first class is Italian from 9 to 11:30.  I didnt realize how much Ive already learned from my family, but class today was very easy, since I already know a lot.  I went back to the house after class for lunch.  I was a little nervous, because Oleania wasnt going to be there so it was just me, Manuela and Felice, and Patrizio, so no English.  It was ok though!  We were able to communicate pretty well.  Then around 2:30, Ole gets home from school so we all stay and talk while she eats lunch, and their cousin Georgio came over again too.  Manuela invited me to help her care for the plants on the terrace tomorrow, so that will be fun to learn.  Around 3:30 I had my cooking class. BEST CLASS EVER!  Giordano, my teacher, learned how to cook from his parents and grandparents who own the best bakery and best market in the city (which he now cooks for). He also grew up around my host family, so he learned from my host mom and her mother.  ALSO, he went to culinary school and learned from Marchesi, one of the most famous Italian chefs.  SO, I am learning from an expert!  He makes all the bread and pastries for the bakery in the morning, teaches us during the day, and is a chef at night--so he knows his stuff!  He cracked open a bottle of wine for the class, and we started cooking.  It was only the first day and we learned how to make stocks, marinades, and the different sauces (cream, tomato and pesto).  Then we sit down and eat what we cooked.  What an awesome class!  And yes, I am getting college credit for this.  haha  Back at the house, we hung out on the terrace with Georgio and Elisa, the children, and ate dinner there too.   It sure is exhausting never getting a moment to relax since every moment is a learning experience, and Im constantly drying to translate things in my head, but its so worth it.

Oh, and PS to Jordan...my professor is starting a line of goods called "Franci" and is looking for American restaurants interested in importing.  Linos, anyone?! haha  My family gets all their baked goods from his market, and his bread and biscotti are soooo good.  They go through at least 2 or 3 loafs of bread at each meal.  Which, by the way, is just sliced up and scattered out in the middle of the table. haha

One Week already?!

There were signs everywhere about the show.

All of the Miss Maremma contestants/models on the steps of the town hall.

One whole week already since I started my journey! Boy does time fly, but at the same time it feels like Ive been here for a long time, which is fun.  The family was gone to their market in Rome today, so Katie and I sat on the terrace all afternoon writing postcards, and laying in the sun.  I kind of wish I could have gone to the market, but the family said it would be better to come a different weekend.  I hope I get to go at least once!  They said they are going to take us to their farm one day too, so we can see all of their work.  Katie and I went to Bar Falleroni, which is the most recommended place so far.  EVERYONE has told us to go there since they have the best gelato around. So of course, I wanted to try it!  We had paninis and gelato and spent some time people watching (perfect there, because literally the whole city gets gelato there).  The family came back, and we had dinner, and then we all went to the town hall or comune for the Miss Maremma fashion show.  Maremma is the region of Tuscania so it was a fashion show to showcase local shops, but also the pre_Miss Italy pagaent, equivalent to Miss Illinois.  Again, it was a big deal, so just like the party the night before, the whole city was there!

Saturday-May 28th

Most of the API students, and a few others on Saturday night at the Duomo party.

Courtney, Me, Megan, Sallie, Catie, and Claudio at the party. 

Catie, Me and Patrizio at the Caffe del Duomo on Saturday night.

Manuela was gone at the market today, Oleania had school, and the others were at work, so I met up with some other students today.  I tried to make my coffee the way Manuela showed me the day before, heating the milk on the stove, and using their espresso machine, but it was gross.  The typical breakfast that they eat every day is some form of coffee, usually cappuccino, yogurt, biscotti (yep, cookies for breakfast!), and maybe some fruit or granola.  After trying my own coffee, I went to the Caffe del Duomo, a "bar" aka coffeeshop, where I got a realy one.  The people that work there are already getting to know all of the American students, since that is the hangout during the daytime and nighttime.  I went to the tabacchi shop to get stamps or "francobolle" and some postcards. I went back to the house, and Guisseppe, who is the husband of Ilaria (the older sister) picked me up and took me to lunch at his house.  Their house was very modern, and was in the historic district which is next to the town hall, or comune.  (Which I thought was fun once I found out that his dad is the mayor!)  We had lunch, spent some time there, and then they taught me how to play a few card games.  I taught them how to play spoons (which they thought was very fun!).  Their cards are different though, so it was really a new challenge.  I met up with some others and went for a long walk through the countryside, which was just beautiful.  The whole town is talking about this party that is at the Caffe del Duomo tonight so that will be fun!

We went to a place called Pizza Rotanda for dinner where you can buy pizza by the slice.  They literally just have about 10 different pizzas sitting out, and you tell them how much of each you want and they cut you a chunk with scissors, and you pay by weight.  It was neat.  After dinner, we went back to the other students apartment to get ready for the night, and went to the festa.  A local celebrity who is from one of Italy's popular talk shows was making an appearance so the whole town was there.  

Best Decision Ever

I was talking with some of the other students who live in apartments, and I think that deciding to live with a host family instead, was the best decision I could have made.  Even though it is super frustrating and challenging to communicate, I am so glad I am living with my host family.  I really am getting the most authentic Italian cultural experience possible. It has only been a few days and I already can understand what they are saying, and have learned enough words to take part in the conversation.  I can even talk with Felice, who is the least forgiving with the language, because he speaks in the Tuscania dialect or slang which is very different from real Italian.  Manuela tries to speak in simple words, and slowly so we can understand, and the children both speak a little english so we translate for each other.  I told them that my ancestors are from Italy, and he tried to teach me some of the Sicilian dialect (which sounds like a completely different language, so I already forgot most of it).  He wants us to watch la Comissario Montealbano (or something like that, not sure if that is the name) which is a movie where they speak in "Sicilian" so I can listen to it.  But whenever I walk in the house, I learn Italian, I learn about the food and the lifestyle, and I get a chance to try out what it is like to actually live and be in Italy.  Some of the other students in apartments, rarely get exposed to the language except maybe the cashier at the market, and they definitely dont get the food experience.  For example, at my house I get a full 3 or 4 course, homemade Italian dinner with wine which we start eating around 9pm (typical for an Italian family).  The other students might eat some bread, or pastries or gelato for dinner to save money or because they dont want to go out, and they eat at 5 or 6 pm which is an American habit.  I love the fact that I have the chance to be integrated into family life here.