NEW BLOG URL

to continue reading "Confessions..." Please go to the NEW URL of my blog! I will no longer be publishing here, however I will be leaving this one up until I can transfer all of my archived posts. xoxox

http://web.mac.com/eclancy SUPERCEDED! My current blog is p>Ribollita Reboiled and it's awesome.

one week

We have been here in Florence for a week now. I was telling a friend
of mine yesterday how quickly you pick up the words that you really
need to know. I am definitely getting better at "hearing" things,
like numbers when I go to pay for something, or just learning to pick
thru the grammar to find the key words of the conversation.

Yesterday I got my haircut at a "quick service" salon. It looked
pretty modern, and I figured I would save myself some grief trying
to make an appointment. Emmanuale was great...we both struggled to
understand each other, but between pictures and funny sounds we both
came to an understanding of what I was after, and I love it! I just
woke up so I won't include a recent pic, so you'll have to take my
word for it. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to tip or not. We knew
that you don't usually tip for food service. We had met a nice young
lady at the market a few days ago who insists that we come and ask
her for help and to answer questions, so I passed her on the way
there to ask what is salon etiquette. She laughed and said of course
not, plus "it's so expensive already!" Guess she didn't realize that
in NY, 44Euros ($61US) is a deal, and you might consider going
somewhere else for fear of getting your hair ruined.

Our boxes are supposed to be arriving today via FedEx today. I can't
wait to get my shorts...I completely underestimated the power of Air-
Conditioning now that we don't have one and aren't living under the
shade of a forest. It will take some getting used to going from a
four bedroom house on the water to a two bedroom apartment in the
middle of the city. Adam and I both realize at this point that we
would like to live south of the Arno after our lease is up in
December. For now, though, the location is very convenient and good
for assimilating into this new life.

we have arrived...

[this is my post from the first night we got to Italy. I am email-
publishing it for now, but it will be dated correctly once I have
time to stay online long enough]

11-7-2007

and it has hit me much harder than I ever could have imagined. I am
totally lost in translation,,,I feel absolutely ridiculous each time
I squeeze out a ?Grazie?. I fear that the one word I am totally sure
of will mistake me for being fluent in Italian, and some innocent
shop keeper will begin to start a conversation and I will look like a
fool. My mom called to say hello, and we got into a tiff. I feel as
though I have been thrown into a minor depression...is that even
possible? I am completely overtired. The night before we left I got
3 hours of sleep, and I could barely snooze on the flight here, At
the moment I am disappointed in myself. Disappointed that I may not
like it here, and that I am not being the ?strong? person that I
always saw myself as.

with love from Firenze

Just a few highlights from our first week here in Italy...

-There aren't many mosquitos in our area of Florence, but the few that manage to get into our apartment have all decided to bite me on my left forearm.

-Giada has been putting everything up to her ear like it's a telephone.  I swear I'm not one of those moms on the phone all the time.  I forget to turn it on half the time, but like most kids, I guess she's working on her sabotage already..she's so smart.

-I've made friends with the local gypsies.  They like margot and Giada, and Giada likes their gold teeth.  They are probably going to rob me one day, but it makes me feel good to recognize someone when I walk outside.  Hopefully I'll never learn enough Italian to hear them ask me for money.  RIght now I just say "No Italian" hahaha.  

-I went to the "mercato" by myself today--which is a huge deal because I get really nervous-- to get a few things, and asked the produce guy for two fish...look up peaches and fish on altavista's babelfish online and you'll see why.  Once we got all of that cleared up, I got home to find he had given me 3 extra peaches, 5 golden plums, and 2 peppers for free.  Remind me to get him a Christmas gift.

-The dollar stores here sell 40oz Peroni beers...for a dollar, or Euro, of course.  

-I ate tiramisu gelato the other night.  I didn't even know you could combine the two! It was greater than the sum of it's parts.

-Adam and I are obsessed with clean feet.  They get so dirty walking around all the time, and I guess living in such a small space compared to our house the floor stays pretty dirty.  The mop can't keep up.

- Microwaves are definitely underestimated, but we have managed to figure out how to heat most things up anyway.  

-EVERYONE loves babies here.  Everyone.  They all come up to us and start speaking to the baby and then to us and walk away saying "Complemeni Signora...Buona Fortuna!" I think there may be a baby shortage and they pay less taxes relative to how encouraging they are to young families.  And that was joke. Also, the younger guys have this thing where they snap at her with both hands.

-You can walk across town in about twenty minutes.  Whenever we talk to people about moving to an area further from the city center, they comment that it's quite a walk, or that we should consider getting bikes.  I guess it's all relative.  

-We've met some really nice people who have volunteered to help us with anything we need including where to buy things, directions, and even babysitting! The gentleman who set up our insurance has invited Adam out to a pub this weekend and is going to help him find a job.

-Pizza is pronounced the same way.  Who knew.

-Alyson, another expat who lives here and has been helping me, commented to me that living in Florence in the summer is like living in a museum.  Not so much b/c of all the history around you, but because there are tourists EVERYWHERE.  And they all wear crazy hats and stop short in the middle of the sidewalk that I am using.

-We won't have internet for a couple more weeks, but when we do we'll be on iChat/AIM a lot, so when you get a chance email me your screenames so we can chat! 

We miss all of you so much, and hope to hear from some of you!
xoxox
Emily

no internet! aaaaaa!

well I typed up this great post, to find out that the landlord won't have internet wired for another month. Sooo I am city in a cyber-cafe across the street from the Mercato Centrale writing this post...which does not replace the one I wrote earlier. Once I post it, you'll understand how I have been feeling these past 2 days. Until then...(I have 39 minutes left, and lots of unanswered questions to be remedied on Expats in Italy!)

Bon Voyage

We picked up our *vistos* from the NY Consulate today. Tonight we'll finish cramming our things into cardboard. In the morning my father and Adam will drive to FedEx to drop off 15-or-so boxes. Then we will say our goodbyes to moms and dads and grandmothers. A few last minute phonecalls, load Margot into her crate, and then it's off to JFK. From there we'll catch a red-eye (always wanted to say that!) to Rome. 8 hours later, we'll arrive to pick up a rental van and drive to Florence. From there, life for the next 4 years begins...

Lost Boxes and Slow Visas

Dad shipped heavy duty boxes that were supposed to arrive Thursday...they aren't here and not one box has been packed.

After 3 visits to the Consulate we are waiting to pick up our visas. They will be ready Monday...we leave on Tuesday.

Stress anyone?