We’re working on three weeks of life in Italy and everything is ok…except for being in the hotel still. We found out today that our furniture should be here Thursday or Friday, if nothing Italian falls in the way, like vacation for 3 weeks. So it looks like we are on schedule to move in on the 20th.
Weatherman says it is supposed to approach 100 degrees this week, that’s 37.8 for all ya’ll using Celsius thermometers in honor of our being in Italy, which will be the hottest since we’ve arrived. The problem with all the heat means the boys and Lauren are forced inside most of the day…which makes for insanity in the room about 4 or 5pm. So I think a bit of cabin/hotel fever is setting in. We managed an excursion to Ikea this weekend…and recommend it as a potential stock purchase based on the crowds we experienced. Let me say that an extremely crowded, maze like Swedish home store in Italian is perhaps our biggest challenge to date.
Overall we are settling in as best we can for now and very much look forward to our own house/stuff/BEDS. Despite our efforts we are not yet fluent in Italian…and I was certain we would be by now. Our Italian probably sounds like one year olds English, but we press on undeterred.
A Presto (See you soon)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
It is a rainy morning. The boys and I walked to get café. The people know our order now. . . we’re regulars, I guess. Then we successfully made it through the fruit stand (luckily all the produce was labeled in Italian so I knew what to say.) We came home with strawberries, peaches, tomatoes and lettuce all grown in Italy. This is important because we almost starved yesterday. We were totally out of food and did not know that almost everything is closed on Sunday!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Why are they staring at us?
Friday, July 3.
The week has been good but challenging. But we have a move in date for the house…the 20th. Trips to the supermarket and to the café/restaurants are still difficult, but we’re learning. We have also been frequenting the same places so people recognize us, and either like us or feel sorry for us…we’re not sure which.
The week has been good but challenging. But we have a move in date for the house…the 20th. Trips to the supermarket and to the café/restaurants are still difficult, but we’re learning. We have also been frequenting the same places so people recognize us, and either like us or feel sorry for us…we’re not sure which.
Lauren here. . .
Matt’s right, it has been challenging. We aren’t settled but we aren’t on vacation either. Just a strange in between which can be difficult with little ones. BUT so many things are amazing. . . we have café at the same place every morning then walk to the Piazza for the boys to play. The park is also around the corner. We had lunch there from a little snack bar and they also served wine. The park is amazing with giant trees that must have been here forever and ever. They boys had their lunch under a cedar tree. (see picture).
Yesterday I had a plan to fill up our day. Café then a walk to the center of town to go through the castle. It was lovely but we were back at the hotel in an hour. Must think of more things to do. The problem is that the city is so busy that Will has to be in a stroller unless we are at the park or piazza.
Yesterday I had a plan to fill up our day. Café then a walk to the center of town to go through the castle. It was lovely but we were back at the hotel in an hour. Must think of more things to do. The problem is that the city is so busy that Will has to be in a stroller unless we are at the park or piazza.
Tuesday.
Lauren here. . .
We sold out. After only a week we sold out and went to an “American” steak restaurant. It wasn’t because of the food, it was because they serve early (7:00). These late dinners are quite an adjustment. The restaurant was empty until 8:30. I guess eating at 7:00 is the American equivalent of eating at 4:30. The food and atmosphere was 95% authentic and honestly it was quite refreshing to hear American music and see English on the menu (even though we still had to order in Italian.) They also had highchairs—no one else does.
The day was slow and hot. I took the kids to the park but they almost melted on the way home. Everyone was a bit whiny. . . it is hard be to cooped up in the hotel room but hard to be out as well because of the heat and the language barrier. We’ll be much better when we get our house. We hope to move in buy the 3rd week of July.
We sold out. After only a week we sold out and went to an “American” steak restaurant. It wasn’t because of the food, it was because they serve early (7:00). These late dinners are quite an adjustment. The restaurant was empty until 8:30. I guess eating at 7:00 is the American equivalent of eating at 4:30. The food and atmosphere was 95% authentic and honestly it was quite refreshing to hear American music and see English on the menu (even though we still had to order in Italian.) They also had highchairs—no one else does.
The day was slow and hot. I took the kids to the park but they almost melted on the way home. Everyone was a bit whiny. . . it is hard be to cooped up in the hotel room but hard to be out as well because of the heat and the language barrier. We’ll be much better when we get our house. We hope to move in buy the 3rd week of July.
Monday
Lauren here. . .
Okay, finally feeling like I’ve recovered from jet lag. Matt keeps telling me things that he says he’s already told me and I don’t remember. The whole last week is kind of a cloud. . . like I was drinking (which I wasn’t :-) ).
Matt’s first day at work and my first day alone in Italy with the children. My caffeine headache prompted me to attempt ordering a coffee alone. It is not as simple as it sounds. . . do you order at the counter or at the table? When/ how do you pay, etc? There is an extra service charge for sitting at a table. How do I tell them I’m going to a table? So we walk to the café and my heart is beating like I’m about to give a speech. I practice the whole way “mi dispiace, non parlo Italiano, multo. (I’m sorry I don’t speak much Italian.) Vorei café latte e latte freddo per bambino. (which I think translates to something like I’d like café latte and cold milk for little boy). So I get there, I say it and it works. Then I say “un tavelo fuorri?” (a table outside?) and she says si (yes). I get out my wallet and she says the Italian word for later so we go outside, have a fabulous coffee and crème filled pastry. Will had a bite of the pastry then gave it back to me and asked for cheerios. The Italians sip and talk and sip and talk and then go in and pay when they are finished. It wasn’t perfect or easy but a huge confidence booster. We then walked across the street and met our friends at the Piazza (park), let the kids play a bit then walked to Braxton’s school. The school is wonderful, the people were so nice and we met his teacher who is British. I think it will be great for him. We then ventured into the little grocery market next door. Another experience. You have to wear plastic gloves to get the produce. I figured out which milk to buy (all in Italian) and even paid in Euros without a problem. Then off to the bakery to get lunch. Thankfully the girl helping me spoke English. We took our lunch and had a picnic at the piazza.
After naps (for everyone) Matt came home, we went out to get stuff to make for dinner at the grocery (the grocer remembered me and gave me Braxton’s cup we left there earlier in the day. Guess we made quite an impression). We then stopped for a glass of wine at a sidewalk café then back to the hotel to cook our fresh ravioli. How Italian.
Okay, finally feeling like I’ve recovered from jet lag. Matt keeps telling me things that he says he’s already told me and I don’t remember. The whole last week is kind of a cloud. . . like I was drinking (which I wasn’t :-) ).
Matt’s first day at work and my first day alone in Italy with the children. My caffeine headache prompted me to attempt ordering a coffee alone. It is not as simple as it sounds. . . do you order at the counter or at the table? When/ how do you pay, etc? There is an extra service charge for sitting at a table. How do I tell them I’m going to a table? So we walk to the café and my heart is beating like I’m about to give a speech. I practice the whole way “mi dispiace, non parlo Italiano, multo. (I’m sorry I don’t speak much Italian.) Vorei café latte e latte freddo per bambino. (which I think translates to something like I’d like café latte and cold milk for little boy). So I get there, I say it and it works. Then I say “un tavelo fuorri?” (a table outside?) and she says si (yes). I get out my wallet and she says the Italian word for later so we go outside, have a fabulous coffee and crème filled pastry. Will had a bite of the pastry then gave it back to me and asked for cheerios. The Italians sip and talk and sip and talk and then go in and pay when they are finished. It wasn’t perfect or easy but a huge confidence booster. We then walked across the street and met our friends at the Piazza (park), let the kids play a bit then walked to Braxton’s school. The school is wonderful, the people were so nice and we met his teacher who is British. I think it will be great for him. We then ventured into the little grocery market next door. Another experience. You have to wear plastic gloves to get the produce. I figured out which milk to buy (all in Italian) and even paid in Euros without a problem. Then off to the bakery to get lunch. Thankfully the girl helping me spoke English. We took our lunch and had a picnic at the piazza.
After naps (for everyone) Matt came home, we went out to get stuff to make for dinner at the grocery (the grocer remembered me and gave me Braxton’s cup we left there earlier in the day. Guess we made quite an impression). We then stopped for a glass of wine at a sidewalk café then back to the hotel to cook our fresh ravioli. How Italian.
June 27: A Quiet Saturday
Ahhh. . . our first Italian day to just enjoy. We woke up to light rain but still ventured out to the café down the street. Matt managed to order café lattes and pastries for us and milk for Braxton. Braxton’s milk came out steamed with foam. Guess we’ll learn the word for “cold”. We then walked to our new house to check out the area a bit more. It is lovely. . . we feel like we’re in a coffee table book. Then off to the bakery to buy something for lunch. We just point and smile and apologize and somehow ended up with a few croissant sandwiches and the most fabulous cookies you’ve ever tasted. The afternoon was filled with a trip to the Ipercoop (the Italian Walmart) which was an adventure in itself. I managed to ask someone where the coffee was “dove café?” but didn’t quite understand the answer. (A side note about coffee. The nice manager of our hotel is very helpful and told Matt he put an American coffee maker in our room because he didn’t think we could use the Italian espresso maker. Of course Matt tried it. He ended up with cold lemon tea. So we decide the next morning to use the American coffee maker but there are no filters and the Ipercoop doesn’t sell them of course. So I get a caffeine headache every morning which might make me brave enough to venture out and order a coffee on my own.) The Ipercoop was quite similar to Walmart in every aspect except the groceries were fresh and nice. So we won’t write any more about that…we didn’t come to Italy for Walmart
We managed to order pizza to go “asporto” because of tired kids and had an early dinner at home and put them to bed early and we soon followed.
We managed to order pizza to go “asporto” because of tired kids and had an early dinner at home and put them to bed early and we soon followed.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
June 26: “I’ve seen those on films”
“There are tents outside our windows…and they’re for shopping!” That was the first words that we heard Friday morning, because Friday is market day in downtown. Thankfully, we all woke up late and well rested, just in time to grab some breakfast at the hotel café venture through the market and meet Jen for our next housing appointment. Although we had already decided on a house, we had 2 appointments and didn’t have any way to cancel them. The first house was nice and had very beautiful antique furniture but only one bathroom and no garden. After the showing we went to lunch and back to the hotel to get ready to move to the new digs, Hotel Antica Corte.
While the boys rested I moved bags and then Lauren and Jen road bikes to the second appointment…which was not at all what we wanted. And in the process we had arranged to meet the landlords of our new house to pick out some new kitchen stuff.
Now, you may ask why we need a new kitchen, well in Italy when someone moves they literally take the kitchen sink and install it in their next house. One of the housing office ladies has had the same kitchen for 10 years…and moved 3 times. So, we went to the house, and the landlords wanted us to go to their kitchen guys place with them…but there was only room for maybe one person, so Lauren decided to go and I walked back to the hotel with the boys. The couple was very nice and wanted to get something both they and Lauren could agree on. But one strange thing is that they don’t do traditional “Tuscan villa Italian kitchens” even in 16th century houses like ours. So all the kitchens were very modern…like shiny red and chrome, but they were able to settle on a less gaudy cream set up with new oven and sink. While they were waiting for the paperwork to be done Lauren and the wife were talking about how different decor was in America and was explaining how kitchens are wood or painted wood and the women (who owns the entire building in Ferrara and also lives in Rome) was surprised then said “oh yes, I’ve seen these, in films.”
While the boys rested I moved bags and then Lauren and Jen road bikes to the second appointment…which was not at all what we wanted. And in the process we had arranged to meet the landlords of our new house to pick out some new kitchen stuff.
Now, you may ask why we need a new kitchen, well in Italy when someone moves they literally take the kitchen sink and install it in their next house. One of the housing office ladies has had the same kitchen for 10 years…and moved 3 times. So, we went to the house, and the landlords wanted us to go to their kitchen guys place with them…but there was only room for maybe one person, so Lauren decided to go and I walked back to the hotel with the boys. The couple was very nice and wanted to get something both they and Lauren could agree on. But one strange thing is that they don’t do traditional “Tuscan villa Italian kitchens” even in 16th century houses like ours. So all the kitchens were very modern…like shiny red and chrome, but they were able to settle on a less gaudy cream set up with new oven and sink. While they were waiting for the paperwork to be done Lauren and the wife were talking about how different decor was in America and was explaining how kitchens are wood or painted wood and the women (who owns the entire building in Ferrara and also lives in Rome) was surprised then said “oh yes, I’ve seen these, in films.”
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