I feel at home here. Like I belong here. It just seemed so easy. Like I said before I've only been here a handful of times. And one of those times I can't recall myself because I was so young. I was here when I was 9, 11 and 15. It's been 5 years since I was here last. It was for Easter in 2005. That was the year I went to Italy twice; once with the family in April and once with my church in August. That was the only time I've come here and not seen family. Probably will be the last as well. I just can't imagine myself coming to Italy and not at least staying here a week. Anyways, I digress. Those 4 times I've been here packed in so so many memories. I can remember when I was here when I was 9 so clearly. It was the first time me and my cousins had really met and we really didn't understand each other (of course). So we created this sort of hand gesture language that we just understood completely. Oh to be young again. You didn't need to talk. All you needed to do was play. And ride bikes. And my dad's cousins' husband would take me and my sister around on his motorino.
One night, we had this huge party where my dad made pizza (go figure) and I swear anyone who was remotely related to us (which is a LOT of people…and that number has only grown since then) showed up to eat and drink and talk and dance and oh my gosh the amount of kids running around was incredible. It was just so much fun! Writing about it is making the memory just that more vivid in my mind. It was so much fun. That was the first time we met Antonella, now the wife of my dad's cousin Gianfranco. They had just gotten engaged. The trip we took when I was 11 was for their wedding. It was so beautiful. I can even remember getting ready for it at the house and getting in the rental car and somehow landing at this beautiful outdoor wedding site.
The trip we took in 2005 when I was 15 was for Easter. We spent a good week and a half here and had one of the most delicious Easter meals I have ever had. Then we did something different: we played tourist and went to Venice for the weekend. Of course we drove and I swear if I never have to drive the autostrada here I will be just dandy. It's a crazy road. It's the highway but the speeds are waaaay higher than those in the U.S.
I've been here 5 hours and already have spoken more Italian that I have in weeks. Which is good, it's what I expected out of this portion of my trip. The most entertaining part of it is Gianfranco and Antonella's daughter, Anna. She's 7 and oh she's just so damn smart. She already told me that she would be my Italian professor here. And I could teach her some English. She already knows quite a bit. On the way home from the train station, she was playing the soundtrack from Mama Mia and singing along with the English words. I'm not sure that she understood what she was singing but still. It was cute. And she's such a ham. Loves to be the center of attention. And she's just adorable. Can you tell I love her?
The feeling of being at home was simple. I walked in and sighed. It's just a comforting thought. After everyone left, I made my tea and wrote a bit. Then I unpacked a little and settled in a bit then got ready to go. Walking into the 'backyard' of Gianfranco's building (they all live in the same building…no one ever really leaves home) was so normal. I haven't gone over there in 5 years and I swear I felt like it was something I did everyday. Gianfranco's sister was just getting out of her car and when she saw me she was so happy. Ah I love this crazy family of mine. But this is getting long. And it's my 3rd post in a matter of 12 hours. A liiiitle crazy. Oh well. I need to sleep. It's been a long, good day.
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