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