Current Events

Being away, it is hard keeping in touch with reality. I have to schedule appointments to talk to my mom or sister and even those don’t always work out with our work schedules.  I barely talk to my friends who I usually call every other day at home. I see people’s lives moving forward via Facebook and feel so out of the loop sometimes. 

What is equally as bad as not communicating with fam and friends is trying to find out what is going on in the US.  My roommate Aurelio watches Politics EVERY single night.  I can tell you all about what is going on in Italy with Berlusconi, their economy, everything. 

Just in case you were wondering, all of our wonderful, glorious websites in America do not allow people outside of our country to participate.  Yes, I soon found out when I moved here that I would no longer be able to use Pandora, ABC.com, some sports networks, HULU, and many, many more.  I learned right away that I would no longer be watching television this year unless I use a Spanish or Italian website that may show some movies, if the website feels like it that day.

I would, however, like to thank a couple websites that have really done a good job making me feel like I have not completely disappeared. 

First, and foremost, is Mark and Mercedes podcast from Mix 94.1.  People who don’t know, let me tell you who they are.  They are a local Las Vegas morning radio show, which I am obsessed with.  I think they are hilarious and usually listen to their podcasts via Facebook while I’m in America too.  They don’t post them every single day and let me tell you… it simply breaks my heart.  Everyday I turn excitedly to the podcast page to hope there is a new recording.  They have kept me informed on all the celebrity gossip, the new music I should listen to, and just a good laugh while I ride in the stinky bus.

Also, is You Tube where I was able to follow the Election, Hurricane Sandy, and Sports Interviews with Kaepernick!  Woohoo GO PACK, GO KAP!!  I am so proud of him!  See, I am not TOTALLY out of the loop.  And of course the endless videos regarding the Connecticut shooting.  Those families have prayers being sent to them from all over the world.  I was able to see my President shed tears right there with me.

Lastly, I would like to thank my favorite TV network show, Ellen DeGeneres.  I am able to go to her website and watch all the previous episodes.  Ellen, if you are reading this right now.  You have kept a smile on my face when I feel so alone over here.  You show me that the world has many good people in it, and for that I thank you.

There are still a lot of things I would normally listen to or watch that I have no idea about, but at least I can avoid some culture shock coming back home.

If anyone has any important things I may have missed let me know!

I have heard some of you are having trouble leaving me comments on here.  I monitor all my comments so if they are not up right away don’t panic.  All you have to do is click on Comment.  Write your comment in the box under Post a Comment.  Below this box click Comment as:  Choose Name/URL.  Insert your name only and push Continue.  Hit publish when you are finished with your comment. Voila! They will be sent for me to approve.

Hope you had a great Christmas.  I was in Paris!!!!!!  Blog coming soon.

Meliss

Sorella in Italia

Sister, sister were back together!

My older sister came out to Italy for a week. Def not long enough. 

She LOVED it!  

We stayed in Bologna so I could show her my day to day favorite spots, a couple days in Venice, and a couple in Florence. 

We had so much fun!!! We drank A LOT of wine and ate A LOT of food. 

I am sort of a bad tour guide.  I saw a real authentic Mexican restaurant in Florence and got so excited.  Don’t get me wrong, Italy has the best food ever, but I have been craving some Mexican food big time.  So I had some delicious nachos and a Michelada beer.  Yes, I took my sister to a Mexican restaurant in Italy :)

It is beyond cold here.  We were freezing our butts off.  Thank you Jess for leaving your big jacket with me… I need it!

So I am totally stereotyping Italians right now, but lets just say they are not always the friendliest of folks. You could even say they are sometimes grumpy.  My silly sister was completely embarrassing me.  I am a local here now, so I keep that frown on my face while riding the bus or walking down the street. Well she decided to continue to say Ciao and smile at everyone. Haha People confusingly said Ciao and waved with a smile back!  We met some of the nicest people on her visit.  She brought us good luck for sure. 

I was really sad when she left, but so happy she was able to come.  Thank you Jess, for coming all the way around the world to see me.  You have no idea how much it means to me.  Someone will actually know what my life is like here!

Biggest door ever!

LEO!

Bellissimo!

Someone's going to be mad at me

Life is the best with her

We hate birds!

Men in tights :)

Margarita 

Hot Vino

Ching Ching

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Unfortunately, I will be away from my family this year, but trust me when I say this will be the LAST.

Ciao Ciao,

Meliss

Update Blog!

Well, I have been M.I.A for a while.

I'm sorry.

BUT

I can make it up to you with all the wonderful pictures below.

First Stop is Verona, Italy!

Verona is where I tried to stay warm by drinking too much wine and brandy. Even with the rain and wind, I had so much fun!

Did I tell you it's COLD here?!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

Yep super-duper cold.

I went with my lad, Felix.  We ate, drank, met Juliet's statue, wrote her letters about our love lives, and best of all.... sang Christmas carols while walking around this dazzling, but small city.

Yeah, I guess we had a little too much to drink :)

My family and our family-friends (The Crawfords) have a wonderful tradition in America to go around our neighborhood singing Christmas carols.  This is not a common tradition in contemporary America AT ALL.

Everyone who answers the door is usually very confused, but soon delighted to watch us freeze our butts off drinking wine and completely destroying the lyrics.

I have the worst the best voice ever.

Now imagine a choir-singing British fella, who seriously has been caroling door to door his whole life.  His family really sits around the piano singing "Hark the Harold Angels Sing, ....." together while drinking a stiff.

JUST LIKE THE MOVIES!!!!

After a while I sensed Felix was embarrassed for me so I just shut it and listened to his angelic baritone voice.  What a day.

Excuse the blurry pictures… it was raining the whole time.

Second Stop is Parma, Italy!

I went to Parma with the thought of eating the most cheese and wine anyone could consume in a lifetime. This wasn’t exactly what happened. Aurelio was laughing at Laura and I because we wanted to buy a big wheel of Parmesan cheese.  This would not go to waste in our house… We eat pasta at least 4 times a week and snack on cheese every single day. Apparently, buying Parmesan cheese in Parma, Italy is the same thing as buying it all around Italy. Nobody understood why we wanted to buy cheese in this particular city.

We couldn’t find a solo cheese shop. I guess you have to drive to a farmer’s house to buy a wheel of fresh, fresh Parm. If there is anyone in Italy reading this, who would like to drive us to a farmer’s house in Parma, Italy I will give you a hug and share my wheel.  Promise.

We walked around, had a scrumptious lunch, and drank the fresh local wine. Remember those grapes that I picked earlier this year?  It is now made into wine out for people to drink! Cool huh?  Not necessarily Prosecco, but a local wine grown in the Emilia region.

 

 

 

 

Halloween came and went.  Laura carved her FIRST pumpkin ever. She did a great job… I supervised while eating our baked seeds (just not the same without Seasoning Salt…sad).

Laura L O V E D her pumpkin.  Seriously, she kept a candle lit inside every moment she was home. She would bring it in the bedroom when it was time to go to bed and back in the kitchen during the day. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen. No candy for this girl, just get her a pumpkin to carve and she will be happy for a week!  I think her and Aurelio like the silly American traditions.

Here are more fun photos.

Yummmmmmm

Chocolate Fair!

Making pasta

So classy

Guess what?!

I have the best news ever ever ever… My sister, Jessi is coming to Italy in 3 days!!  I think I might pee my pants. I miss my family and having her come see where I live is going to be fun, fabulous, and my favorite time in Italy thus far I’m sure.

If you know us then you know we are major silly-willys together. I don’t think this country will be able to handle our spirited nature :) Blog to come!

Ciao Ciao,

meliss