Hello, Kitchen!!

Yesterday I got to cook some American food for the family for dinner :o) It was great to be back in the kitchen and serve something familiar up ... Although, it was challenging to improvise with some ingredients.


I couldn't decide what to make, so I created a menu with many different dished I want to prepare at some point. Then, I let Monica choose. She really wants to try pancakes lol. Sergio and Monica spent their honeymoon in New York and then L.A. but they never went to an IHOP!! Monica said she has seen pancakes on TV and movies, and they look really good :o) But that's not what she choose ... We're going to save that one for later. Our first American dish was Lemon Herb Chicken with a side of steamed broccoli, and twice baked potatoes. 


It all turned out great and the family truly enjoyed it all! When I put everything on the table, Monica asked if I had put any oil on the broccoli. I said, "In America, we don't use olive oil like you do here" in a very loving way with a smile on my face. She laughed and said she wanted to eat true American food ... However, she still put olive oil on the cauliflower we also had haha. The potatoes tasted great but looked really bad, because in Italy they don't have the good Idaho spuds with the thicker skin :o) From now on, I'll be cooking once a week at least.


A great story from Thursday happened after lunch ... Nicole asked Sergio, "May I use the computer?" (We've been working on the "May I" questions) Sergio answered, "No, you mayn't." The no part was a joke, but I'm not sure about the mayn't ... Which when you think of it makes perfect sense because we say, "No, you can't" ... Haha!! We should all start saying "mayn't" :oD


Today was absolutely beautiful!! The sun was out and the weather was so nice I didn't even need a thick jacket. Tristan told me yesterday that customs was holding his package and it has been in Italy for 3 days and I needed to inquire why it wasn't being delivered. So I took off on the bike into town to inquire at the post office. I forgot it was Friday and there was the market!! I stopped at one booth on my way because they were selling finger nail polish, and I told Nicole I would buy her pink and green :o) The guy helping asked where I was from, and I said United States, Texas.


At the post office, they make you take a number, but the letters corresponding to the numbers have to do with what business you have there ... Well, I push one of the four buttons based on what service I thought I was there for. The line was long and I was waiting and waiting. So ... I went back to the ticket machine and pushed two other buttons (one of the letters was going faster than the others, so I wanted to increase my chances of moving up in the line lol) ... For the next few minutes I felt like I was playing bingo :oD The lady behind the counter gave me a number to call to inquire about my package since I didn't have any of the shipping information with me at that time. I went back around the market looking at some great things, but no buying. I saw Vivianna (the pregnant woman who speaks English) and her husband, Antonio. It was great to see her and meet her husband.


Spent some good time with Greta this afternoon. She wanted me to come upstairs with her while she packed some goodies. We had a good time :o) Tristan's package came this afternoon!! What an answer to prayer! The girls have been helping me put together the puzzle that was in the package ... There are many pieces which makes it difficult, but it has made for good time with the girls.


Tonight, Sergio made homemade pizza!! It was delicious!! ... 4 different kinds: Margherita (basic tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese), olive oil and onion, olive oil with fresh chopped tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella cheese, and olive oil with mozzarella cheese and hotdog (for the girls lol). I told Sergio and Monica I need to get that pizza dough recipe from them before I leave :o)


I love you all so much and I miss you!!


Tomorrow morning we are heading to Tuscany, God-willing. I cannot wait!! I have longed for this weekend since I knew it was a possibility that we would get to go :o) Please pray for our trip.


Grace and peace,
Jodi

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

Monday was great! Monica was gone to Tuscany for work all day, the girls were at their grandmother’s, and Sergio was in Rome for work for the week. The sun was out and I sat on the patio with a few of Monica’s recipe books and some recipe cards that my awesome friend, Kristen Donahue, gave me :o) I found some great pasta recipes; although, they are in Italian, but that makes it so much cooler! I was wishing, and hoping, and thinking, and praying that there might possibly be a package coming from my fiancée or madre, but alas, nothing. Later in the morning, I listened to a sermon on iTunes by Matt Chandler … Such a blessing!! He made me laugh out loud a few times because he was so intense and passionate about what he was saying :o) It was great!! I highly encourage anyone who has iTunes to start downloading podcasts of legit pastors. This afternoon, I had plans with Giovanna to go for a walk around the square and talk. Fifteen minutes before we were supposed to meet, she calls and tells me she has a lot of homework and a test tomorrow :o( I went out by myself … I had a few gifts to exchange and I wanted to enjoy the sun. So I spent the afternoon and evening in town. I met two ladies in the shops I went to that spoke a little bit of English. Hopefully, I have more opportunities to go back to visit the stores and witness. It was strange coming home to an empty house … I didn’t really like it. I wanted Monica and the girls to be here.

Tuesday I waited again in the morning for the packages … nope. It was rainy and cold on Tuesday, not so great :oP I knew it was best to take every opportunity when the sun is out to enjoy it because winter weather isn’t fun. Monica and the girls came home for lunch, then the girls did their homework, and then it was time to go to swimming lessons. Nicole didn’t swim today because she had an earache. On our way back home, we stopped for pizza, then into a shop for some school supplies. There was this glue in metal tin that Monica and the woman behind the counter kept talking about, but I didn’t understand and wasn’t paying much attention because I was checking out all the neat things :o) Monica told me in the car that inside the tin was glue, and that she used to use that exact same kind of glue when she was younger … she used to eat the glue! Haha! She said it was so good :oD We laughed really hard about that. When we got back to the house, I wanted to work on English with Greta, but she said later … that didn’t happen lol. So once Nicole got out of the shower, she worked with me. She is a very smart girl and understands quite a bit of English. We are working on using pronouns (he, she, they, you, etc.) and is/are. I’m so proud of how well she is doing! For dinner, Monica made gnocchi (didn’t turn out quite like she hoped as far as what it looked like, but it tasted great!) She also had some kind of vegetable thing that looked really funny … I can’t remember what she called it in Italian, but it was surprisingly good. She served it with Sicilian oranges, olives, and of course some olive oil. The girls finished eating quickly and left the table, which left me time with Monica to just talk. We started in on some topic and she asked if she could ask me a very personal question. I said, “Absolutely! There is nothing that is too personal to me. Ask me anything and I will give you an honest answer.” She asked about my relationship with Tristan and our physical intimacy. I told her that when I was in middle school I made a commitment to the Lord and myself that I would wait until marriage to have sex. I told her about my purity ring (got to show her) and about what the commitment meant to me … I explained that it is mine and Tristan’s heart to wait until marriage to share that part of ourselves. I’ve been learning a lot about the way God designed men and women and the meaning of sex inside a marriage. While in Italy, I’ve been reading Love and War by John and Stacey Eldridge (authors of Captivating and Wild at Heart). There is just no other way to honor God and enjoy sex except in the confines of marriage. I was really glad to have an opportunity to share my heart about those things with Monica … I think that question has been in her mind for quite a while :o) She expressed how she didn’t want her girls to get caught up in boys and sex at such a young age which is becoming increasingly common with younger girls in Italy. I told her it is the same in the U.S. She needs to take these things to the Lord in prayer and be open with her girls about issues like this.

Yesterday was another cold day. Greta stayed home from school because she had a sore throat (sort of stayed home … grandma’s home while Monica was at work) I got up early, spoke with Tristan for a short time on Skype, and was listening to some good older worship music while lying down on the couch. I was waiting for the mailman, and trying not to fall asleep. For some reason I felt horrible. My head was pounding and my body was achy. Maybe it’s the weather? I went back upstairs to take about an hour to rest before getting some things done. That hour turned into 3 hours and I didn’t get up until after 1! I still felt bad and could have stayed in bed all day. Took some Tylenol and sucked it up. Went downstairs to eat something because I figured it would be best. While eating my favorite thing right now (tomatoes, feta cheese, and olive oil … Greek salad w/o olives and bell pepper), I listened to a sermon on iTunes called “Sound Woman.” The man was teaching out of Titus 3. I was encouraged by the message. When the girls got home, we carved pumpkins!! I prayed that the Lord would give me a joyful heart to spend that time with the girls even though I wasn’t feeling well. He did! Greta grabbed a huge knife first thing and started cutting out the eyes on her pumpkin haha! I told her to hang on a second … We had to take out the inside first :o) Like children, the girls wanted to rush through everything, and use the sharp knives which made me nervous lol. The pumpkins turned out great!! Greta let me teach her a bit of English, and then she wanted me to come upstairs and watch her play Sims. I made arrangements to go to Rosita and Danilo’s for two hours once a week to teach the boys English and have dinner with the family. Rosita insists on paying me, but she doesn’t understand how much I enjoy the time with her and her family, and that is payment enough :o) She stuck money in my jacket anyway. The time with them went by so fast … An hour lesson with the boys was nothing! They behaved really well, but then had to be boys when we were upstairs at dinner. Danilo wasn’t there, so they were a little more rambunctious. Here’s a great story: Francesco likes spinach; yes, cooked spinach like Popeye. Rosita put out the bowl of spinach on the table and that’s the first thing Francesco grabs … She tells him in Italian that he has gotten enough and he needs to let me get some too. So Francesco turns the bowl upside down and dumps all of the spinach on his plate. Rosita gets onto him, grabs his plate, and starts to put the spinach back in the bowl. Francesco really wanted all that spinach, so he takes his fork, licks it, and begins rubbing it all over the spinach before his mom can put it back in the bowl. Haha! Oh, boys!! I’m pretty sure I ate some Francesco germs :o) Rosita had made stuffed squid … it was really good! I even ate the tentacles :oD (just for you, Momma) When I got back to the house, Monica was putting Greta to sleep. It was a sweet moment to share with them. Then Monica, Nicole, and I watched a children’s singing show … The kids are really good! There were six little girls maybe 11 and 12 years old that sang “I Will Survive” … haha! It was great! Some of the girls didn’t really know what they were saying, so the words were a little jumbled, but this one girl pronounced all the words very well!

Needless to say, I’ve really been enjoying time with the family and building a closer relationship with Nicole and Greta. They would rather stay at their grandma’s house than with me, but at least they enjoy sharing time with me when we are home together :o) Oh! Great story! Yesterday, Greta was asking Monica if she could play Sims, and I was helping her ask in English … Then I had her say, “Pretty please!” It was so cute! We kept saying, “Pretty please,” and then Greta put her arm around me and we asked over and over … Greta is only affectionate with Sergio and her grandma. When Monica wants to hug her or show affection, Greta usually pulls away. To have her sit there with her arm around me and her head against mine made my heart melt! Monica had told me earlier that day that Greta asked if I was coming back after I went to Rosita’s house :o) I’m so thankful that the girls care about me!!

Thank you for the prayers!!

Grace and peace,

Jodi

Always Playing Catch-Up ... I'll Get Better :o)

Where to begin?! This has been such a good week :o) The weather has been beautiful!! Each day I got out and rode Monica’s bicycle. One day, I went exploring and climbed a winding hill with many big houses. When I reached the top there was a dead-end, but the view was spectacular!! There was an old, Italian woman watching me from her balcony. She waved at me, which just made my day :o) Another day, I decided to buy some gelato and eat it on the beach. The man spoke a little bit of English … I forgot with the small you can choose up to 3 flavors :oD Don’t remember what I got, but he gave me a purple spoon!!

One night there was a birthday party for one of Greta’s friends at an indoor playground. That was lots of fun lol … I saw Cattivissimo Me (Despicable Me) at the cinema. It was really cute!! I want to see it in English when I get back.

Friday I went to the market in the morning, not looking for anything in particular. Monica had asked me if one morning I could look for some pumpkins we can carve. I looked in stores on Thursday, but there were no whole pumpkins. The market had some!! I bought two small ones for the girls. We are supposed to carve them tomorrow night (Tuesday). I also bought some interesting fruit … Renette, which is a type of apple that I didn’t like too much, and then Kaki, which is a very squishy fruit that is bright orange with thin skin and juicy and sweet on the inside. I like Kaki!! Friday night I went with Sergio and Monica to Montegranaro in Sant’Elpidio a Mare which is the area in Italy where shoes are made … Yes, the handmade Italian leather shoes. The shoemakers sell their shoes in stores, but many have there workshops next to their homes and a small shop next to that. So, I thought we were going to a store, but when we turned into someone’s driveway, I was a little confused :o) The man had such beautiful shoes!! There were magnificent details!! They were expensive, too!! After that, we went to an outlet mall where we looked in Tod’s and Prada. I watched all the Italians as consumers and thought of the large amounts of money they spend, spend, spend. Truly, the Italian people are very consumed with fashion and appearance. Eyes wander when you walk by to see what you’re wearing. Too much fashion for me :oP

Greta has been warming up to me a lot lately :oD  We have been playing an Italian card game (I kinda just had to learn as I go lol)and Pick Up Sticks!! So much fun!! She also likes to have me watch her play Sims on the computer.

Saturday was a blessing!! I was riding the bicycle Friday night before we left for the shoe place and God really got a hold of my heart. I saw these people and I desperately wanted to share the Gospel with them. I want them to know what God has done and how much He loves them. I continue to use the excuse that I can’t speak to any of them because I don’t know Italian. So I prayed that the Lord would use me for His purpose and lead me to whatever he would have me to do. So, I had my Bible, spiral, and journal in my basket and I rode into town. There are so many places to go and sit … by the beach, along the pedestrian only zone, somewhere on a bench … I prayed for God to lead me. I found a spot in the sun a little off from the pedestrian zone, but still a high traffic walking area. I sat down and began writing John 3:16 in Italian on small pieces of paper so I can hand them to people I meet. (The Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword!) As I was sitting there, listening to music, and writing, a group of women with their children walked up and sat down on whatever it is you call it that I was sitting on :o) I prayed, “Lord, is this someone you have sent just for me??” With a little hesitation, but faith, I asked the woman if she spoke English. When she said, “Yes,” my jaw almost hit the ground. How amazing!! She asked where I was from and she told me she spent 3 years in New York. She lives here now and has one son, and she is due in February (which is why they had to stop because she needed to sit down). I gave her one of the verses I had written and she asked if I was a Christian. I told her I was and that I go to a Baptist church back in the states. She said she has faith and that it is a wonderful thing that we ran into each other. I told her that God put us both in this exact spot for a purpose, and I knew that we were supposed to meet. I asked if she needed prayer for anything and she said for her husband. We exchanged numbers and she said she wanted to meet to talk and pray sometime!! God is always faithful and works in such magnificent ways!! I’m looking forward to seeing her again and being able to encourage each other in the faith. Her name is Vivianna. Please pray for her and her family.

Saturday night, we met Monica’s mom, Paula, her brother, his wife, their two kids, and also Monica’s aunt and uncle at a pizzeria on the beach. They served a seafood salad (I think there was shrimp, octopus, and squid in it), mussels, and about 6 different kinds of pizza. Then came the dessert :oD White chocolate gelato with sprinkles of sugar and white chocolate on top and coffee gelato on the inside. I left one bite in my bowl so I would feel better about not eating it all, and they laughed at me. It was really, really good :o) After dinner, we walked along the beach … At midnight, Monica, Sergio, Nicole, and Greta broke out in “Happy Birthday!!” When we got home, they had presents for me to open … I’m so blessed with this family!!

Sunday was my birthday!! I got to sleep in :o) When the family got back from church, I played a few games with the girls and then we left for an old, traditional Italian restaurant that Sergio used to work at when he was in college. We had all of Monica’s family there (like Saturday night, minus the aunt and uncle, but with her other brother, Marco and his wife and two girls), along with Marina (Matteo’s mom), her husband, and daughter, Sylvia, and Danilo, Rosita, Leonardo, and Francesco. There were a lot of people at our table :o) But I noticed that is very common at restaurants in Italy. So great!! Another really cool thing is we got there around 1 and we didn’t leave until almost 5!! That’s nearly a four hour lunch!! Italians are very laid back lol … I got to sit by Sergio, so he gave me all the information about the foods we were eating: Gesuiti, Bauletti, Maccheroncini, Giardiniera, Fagioli, Olive Ascolane (the famous dish from this area, fried olives with meat inside … gross! But to be honest, I tried them, and they were the best I have tasted so far), Cremini, Lamb, Pork, and a surprise birthday cake!! After the long lunch, we came back to the house for just a short bit, and then went to the square to walk around. There were so many people out and about … The night life here is so different from what I’ve known :o)

Today I was alone all day … Monica went to Tuscany for work, Sergio went to Rome for work, the girls were at their grandmother’s the night before because Monica and Sergio left before dawn. I spent the morning out on the patio soaking up the sun, copying recipes from Monica’s cookbooks, and waiting for a package from my wonderful fiancée (it should arrive before the package from my amazing family) No package … Hopefully tomorrow!! I was supposed to meet Giovanna in the afternoon, but she called and said she had a lot of homework and a test tomorrow, so I spent all afternoon and evening in town. Bought a few gifts, exchanged a present, and enjoyed the fresh air and time God has given me in such a beautiful place. It has been a good day, a little lonely, but good time for reflection :o)

People continue to ask Monica if I’m coming back to Italy next year. They are interested in the organization and then ask if I can come teach their families English … I’ve been asked to stay 9 months next year so I can be with three different families lol. So if you know of anyone interested in Italy, there are many families wanting to host someone to stay with them and teach them English … No teaching certificate required :o)

Grace and peace,

Jodi

Pens, Plants, Pasta, and ... Rainbows!!

I don’t even know where to begin!! There have been so many things going on :oD

Sergio and Monica got back from Paris on Thursday. I had such a great time with Danilo, Rosita, and their two boys, Leonardo and Francesco. Rosita is such a sweet hearted woman! She remembers things that I tell her and shows how much she cares by how kind she is to everyone. For example, Rosita has a plant outside her house that is a kind of fern that closes when you touch it. I told her a story about when I was a kid and saw that plant and was so amazed! I have always wanted to find out what it was and get one for my home. One day, she took me to a plant store and bought me a fern!! We named it Italy :o) On Sunday, Roberta and Rosita showed me these pens (certain brand I didn’t write down, and therefore forgot) they had that were absolutely beautiful and expensive. They are popular gifts given to children who have their communion (not theirs of course lol). I confessed I have this fetish for pens :o) Rosita remembered this and when she showed me where she works, she grabbed a handful of pens for me to have. But that’s not it! Thursday after lunch, my last lunch with the family, Danilo and Rosita presented me with a gift (which they shouldn’t have because they opened their home to me and let me invade their lives for the past 5 days). It is a beautiful pink pen with a gem on top!! So wonderful!! Wednesday, I had stayed home with the boys by myself because it is a holiday for San Benedetto in order to honor the saint of the town. That went well. Leonardo skateboarded with a friend and Francesco read, but then when I wasn’t looking got into the sweets. I came upstairs thinking he had been awfully quiet, and sure enough, he had Nutella around his mouth :oP haha! That afternoon, we were invited to Rosita’s sister, Romena’s house for lunch. (The Sunday with Rosita’s family was Romena’s daughter, Bianca’s 1 month birthday.) Great lunch!! Always so much food :o)

It was great being back with Sergio, Monica, and the girls, like going home after a trip somewhere; however, I will be so much more excited about coming back to the states :oD

Friday I made so many great games for the girls to play with me and practice their English. I made a board game that has numbers for each space and when you land on that space, you have to draw from the pile with the corresponding number. Then you have to do what it says. One pile is telling time, another is telling me the Italian word in English, another for performing an action, such as “walk to the door,” etc. We all played together and had so much fun!! Greta won :o) Friday night, I skyped with my friend, Kaci. Back in Durant, the Women’s Ministry was having a pumpkin carving party. Kaci took her laptop and carried me around … Such a wonderful friend to me!! It was so great seeing those familiar faces :o)

Saturday afternoon, the family (myself included) went to Ascoli. There was an antique market they have every 3^rd weekend of the month. So many neat things!! Had some pizza, walked around, and found an awesome store with really pretty home decorating things. I spent too much time in there lol. When we got back to San Benedetto, we went to the cinema. We wanted to see Cattivissimo Me, but it was sold out, so Sergio took the girls while Monica and I went to see the movie with Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise (not sure what it’s called in English). Monica didn’t like it; I didn’t understand it (Italian ha).

Sunday was the day I was looking forward to the most!! I was told we were going with two other families (Danilo and Rosita’s included) to the mountains to eat at this famous restaurant that makes a special plate of pasta. The drive through the mountains was absolutely beautiful!! Fall has arrived and the trees were changing colors revealing red, orange, and yellow leaves amongst the abundance of green. We made it to the village, Amatrice (pronounced Amatriche). The restaurant is called Ristorante Roma. I was told many people from Rome come to Amatrice on the weekends to shop and spend time away from the big city. Settled high in the mountains and overlooking the mountains and valley between, it was an absolutely breathtaking view! Our table was next to the window, and we were blessed to see 3 rainbows during our meal!! First there was one, and then another appeared. Those went away, and later another came out :oD So beautiful!! I stared out the window a lot between courses … There was a sheep farm in the valley below, and they were being herded here and there. The rainbow and sheep were a reminder to me how God is always true to who He is and will lead us. We have to be willing to follow and recognize His voice.

The meal was excellent!! 5 courses … Started off with prosciutto, sausage, and bread … Then the first plate of Amatriciana, made with bucatini (like spaghetti, but these have hole in the middle) was with a white sauce and pieces of fried pig cheek (tasted like bacon) … Next the second plate of Amatriciana made with a tomato sauce … Our main course included sheep kabob, lamb cooked two different ways (grilled and in a gravy type sauce, both delicious), salad, french fries, and grilled potato wedges … For dessert we had fresh cut fruit in a sugar syrup, tiramisu, and a lemon pie (I went for the fruit and tiramisu) … And of course, our meal is never complete without an espresso :o) We all left extremely full. I think we sat there for over 3 hours!

Our day was not complete there!! On our way to Amatrice we passed a Festa d’ Autunno in the village of Acquasanta which was a celebration of chestnut season. They had little booths set up everywhere selling cheeses, meats, sweets, candies, crepes, olives, wine, and of course, chestnuts.

Such a great evening!! So blessed to be here and blessed to have the people I have in my life!! I’m taking it all in; I’m not taking a moment for granted … I’m in Italy!! :oD

One month down today … Two months left!

Grace and peace,

Jodi

Yay for the weekend!!

Wow! I have so much to catch up on!! (Thank you Aunt Gerri for spurring me on)
On Friday, I went to the market and had a great time! I was supposed to meet Tatiana so she could help me find good deals and bargain with the sellers. Unfortunately, her son, Francesco, was sick and home from school on Friday so she couldn't meet me. That's okay because the Lord gave me beautiful weather and put some people in my path. I found a purple jacket!! That's my present for myself :o) It's difficult shopping for others and wanting to find something that they will like ... I passed one stand and was looking at the things he was selling, and he said, "Good morning!" I stopped, turned around to walk back to his stand, and said, "Well, good morning." I was taken by surprise that he was speaking English. There were a few things I was interested in buying from him, so I stayed while he helped his other customers. He spoke more English than I thought! His name is Andrea (that's what he's called here in San Benedetto), but he is from a small country outside of Ethiopia in Africa. He has lived in Italy for over 20 years. We talked about Italy, traveling by train to cities I should see, and then when I asked him if he was a believer. He said he is and we talked for a while about faith. It was a blessing and I didn't have money (Sergio was exchanging my dollars in Rome this week), so I will get to see him again tomorrow at the market to purchase the gifts.
Friday night I was going to attend a bbq at a girls home with Fabio, Marco's son (Monica's boss). He works at the movie theater and speaks pretty good English. But the bbq did not take place, so I stayed home with the family and we had a very good evening. Sergio brought the money I gave him to exchange ... The dollar is weak! Europe is expensive.


Saturday morning I slept in, then went on a bike ride to the library to return Robinson Crusoe, which I thought was a novel, but was a 2nd grade edition :oP I also went to this shop I've had my eye on for the past few weeks, but it hasn't been open when I pass it. Today it was open! I went in to look at the hand painted things. The woman, Elena, spoke English. Her shop is beautiful and her crafts are so neat!! I bought a gift and told her I would be back because her items are on sale for the month of October only.
I went back to the house for lunch with the family. It was great! After lunch, I talked with Sergio and Monica about Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions. Well, Thanksgiving and Christmas for me and just Christmas for them :o) They celebrate from the 24th until New Year's Day. Lots of food and family ... Sounds fantastic!! 
Saturday was the day I switched families because Sergio and Monica were leaving for Paris. I went to a neighbor's house just a few houses down. Danilo, Rosita, and their two sons, Leonardo and Francesco (they are about the same ages as Nicole and Greta, but boys so very different lol). They have an awesome cat, Artilyo ... He's got to be the most awesome Italian cat ever! He rules this neighborhood.
That night, I had an invitation by Giovanna and her boyfriend Matteo to his 18th birthday party at Pao (the same restaurant along the beach that the wedding party was). Danilo and Rosita dropped me off, and we felt like they were my parents :oD The party was really good because I met a lot of Giovann's friends that are also studying English, so I was able to talk with them during the whole party. They also said I would be able to come to the school :o) Everyone was really nice ... I felt so old being there with all high schoolers, but it was a great way to connect and get names and faces down. So, boys are crazy, right? Well, these Italian boys are really crazy ... I was sitting and visiting with a few of the girls and people started laughing really loud. We looked over to them and out the window a line of boys were going by mooning us!! I was soooo shocked!! I've never been mooned before lol ... Please be in prayer that the opportunity at the school will stay open so I can make a connection there with the students!


Sunday morning I went to church with Rosita and the boys. Danilo went to Romania for work. This church was more modern than the other two I have been to. The service went about the same, but there was a choir and more music, nothing I was familiar with :o) After church, we went to Rosita's parent's home in Cupra, which is just 10km from San Benedetto. Their home was beautiful and just along the Adriatic. Rosita's two sisters came with their families. Romena has a daughter, Bianca, that just turned 1 month on Sunday. Roberta and her husband Giovani have two children, Greta and Davide. They also have a woman from California that comes once a week to teach them all English. It was so great to have another opportunity to speak English! One thing that many of the older Italians I meet have told me is that they want me to correct them if they say something wrong. Giovani and Roberta told me that I speak English really well (I hope so! It's the only language I know! lol). But what they mean is that I am very easy to understand (no weird accent), and I speak slowly in order for them to understand what I'm saying. The lunch was so great ... a lot of food: pasta, ravioli, roasted chicken, bread, sweets, and fruit. 
I had told Rosita that I haven't had an opportunity to travel much outside of San Benedetto. Rosita, Roberta, and Giovani took me to Ascoli which is bigger than San Benedetto and very historic. There is white marble taken from the mountains in Ascoli that were used to build cathedrals, other buildings, and this square plaza in the center of Ascoli. The plaza dates back to the 1200's. On our way into Ascoli, Giovani pointed out an old Roman stadium that was in ruins, but you could still make out its shape and a few of the rows of seats. So cool! While in the plaza, we stopped for a snack. I had hot white chocolate :oP yummy!
When we got back to Rosita's parents, we had dinner: pizza, salad, cheese from Sardegna (the island near Sicily that also belongs to Italy), cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto, more fruit, and more sweets! There was a lot of food today lol ... and Rosita's father, Ugo, has a farm outside of Cupra where he has a small vineyard and some olive trees. Today, I got to try his olive oil (it was green because it was young oil) and his homemade wine (he started this wine 15 years ago). It was a very good red wine! Ugo will be 69 in December.
I had such a wonderful day with Rosita's family!! I really hope to see them again!!
I'm enjoying my stay at Rosita's house!


One of my favorite things about Italy is the closeness of the families :o)


Some Italian I learned this weekend:
Dai (sounds like 'die') means "Come on"
I hear Rosita say, "Dai, Leonardo!" ... It's funny :o)


Grace and peace,
Jodi

Giovanna

Yesterday was great!! I got out for an early morning run, came back for breakfast, and went outside to read a little bit in the yard. The sun was going behind the house as I was reading, so I decided that was a sign I needed to head to the beach. It was soooo nice outside!! I was in a tank top and shorts. I rode my bicycle down to the beach and found a nice spot where I could sit in a chair and read. Before it got too late, I wanted to go to the library and see if there was another book I could check out because I wasn't sure how far I would be able to get in The Lord of the Rings (did I mention it's huge?!). After a few minutes of trying to get the librarian to understand, he went to get me Robinson Crusoe from the ever small English section. When he handed me the book, I looked inside and saw there were paragraph numbers and the print was rather big. I flipped back to the cover and saw this particular book was on a 2nd grade level ... a book to help struggling readers :oP haha, I don't think I'll be reading it, and that's okay because I picked up The Lord of the Rings and I'm pretty excited about reading as much as I can. In the evening, Monica took Nicole to volleyball and I stayed home with Greta. She's fun :o) Nicole came home and Monica went to her spinning class. I helped Nicole (just instructed with basic English commands) make M&M cookies ... the most difficult part was going from standard units to metric (they don't have cups or tsp over here, we improvised lol). I think Nicole had a lot of fun making the cookies!! They tasted great even if we didn't have all the exact ingredients and we kind of guesstimated the measurements :oD


This morning was cloudy :oP I got up early to talk with Tristan and then went for a run. I feel really good after a nice run through the neighborhood. I'm finding my way in this city :o)
I made it back to the house just in time because after my shower it started to rain. Since I wasn't going anywhere outside with the rain, I spent the morning and afternoon reading Scripture and digging further with websites for commentaries and bible study notes. It was such a blessing. This month, I'm reading one chapter of Proverbs a day since there are 31 Proverbs and 31 days in October.


This afternoon when Monica came home, she told me I would meet with a friend's son's girlfriend and go for a walk around town. Her name is Giovanna. She is 16, goes to school in San Benedetto, and I am so impressed by her goals and values. It was such a great evening walking around on the beach, in town, and all around (even though I'm sore from running haha). She is a believer and feels her faith is important. I was encouraged to hear that, but she also told me that a lot of the young Italian students do not believe in Jesus because they don't feel it is important or relative to them (she didn't use the word relative, but that's what I gather from our conversation). Giovanna is learning languages: English, French, and Spanish. She wants to study business marketing when she goes to college. I hope to spend more time with her during my stay. Here's some great news she had for me tonight: Her English teacher might allow me to come into the school and be in their class!! I'm not sure if it would be an everyday thing or just for a short amount of time, but what an opportunity and what a way to connect with students!!!!!!! Please be in prayer for this opportunity. Giovanna said that she will ask and I may be able to come next week :oD This is so exciting!!


75 more days ... Yes, I'm counting down, but I'm still taking in every moment :o)


Grace and peace,
Jodi

English!!!

This morning I slept in WAY too late. It just happened. No alarm; I just let myself stay asleep. I went downstairs and Sergio had repainted the ceiling! Not a different color, just touching up and making it look nice (even though it looked nice to begin with). The girls came home, we had a wonderful lunch, and then it was off to the beach for an afternoon with the family. Oh the sunshine was absolutely beautiful!! I got to wear my shorts, v-neck, and flip-flops … it felt nice :o)

We drove along the cost for a ways, somewhere outside of San Benedetto, but it feels like it’s all connected. So we walked along the beach for a long way, collecting shells, splashing water, and soaking up the sun! I had some great conversations with Monica and Nicole. Greta is definitely a daddy’s girl haha.

When we got back to San Benedetto, we walked around the pedestrian only zone which is full of shops and restaurants. Monica bought Lorella a birthday present, and then we stopped in a trendy clothing store and the girls got a few new things.

We came back to the house for just a short bit so Monica could make a dessert to take to Lorella’s party and we could get cleaned up. I’m still not accustomed to all this dressing up, so my change of clothes for the party consisted of jeans and my converse :o) I french braided Nicole and Greta’s hair while Monica was baking. So cute!

The party was at the movie theater. So I talk a lot about this movie theater … I guess the best way to explain it is that Monica’s company worked to build the theater, but it also has meeting rooms and a restaurant. I like it there a lot :o) Monica said it is like their second home. So tonight’s party consisted of dinner, which was sea snails/slugs that Sergio and Marco went fishing for early this morning & Marco cooked this afternoon, some cod and potato dish Lorella made, with bread, french fries, and cheese pizza. The snails/slugs were different … They were piled on my plate still in their shells. We got the meat out with toothpicks. I didn’t think too much about what they looked like or how they were when they were alive. I just ate … and it was really good :o)

After the dinner and cake (which is not sweet at all … I think the only sweet thing here is gelato lol), we went downstairs to mix and mingle with some of the people that work at the theater. The people Monica works with and the people at the theater are all friends. We had coffee at the concession stand (yes, where they serve popcorn and candy lol), and when I was drinking my coffee, Monica introduced me to a man, whose name would translate to be Joseph, but it is an Italian name and not pronounced Joseph. He is from Sicily, but moved to the U.S. for 14 years and is actually a U.S. citizen. He considers the U.S. his home and wants to move back. I can’t tell you how great it was to hold a conversation with someone who is so fluent in English here in Italy. Yes, Monica speaks English very well, but it was different with Joseph. We had some good laughs, he made me feel better about not dressing up so much like Italians, but we also had serious conversations about faith and Italian life. I hope to have another opportunity to talk with him during my stay. Please be in prayer for God to be speaking to Joseph. He knows about God; he grew up Catholic, went to an Italian seminary, but has turned away and said he is now agnostic.

This day has turned out to be a good day. I’m thankful for the company, the laughs, and the friends God continues to put in my path! I’m also thankful that it is October!! The fall might just be my favorite time of year :oD Good weather for the most part and the leaves start to change into beautiful oranges, reds, and yellows. I wonder what fall in San Benedetto will be like with all the palm trees lol.

I love you all very much and I think of you so often! Hoping all is well with you!

Grace and peace,

Jodi B

The Past 3 Days

Sorry, it’s been a while since I posted, but I just didn’t find the time to write. So now here's an extra long post ;o)

Wednesday was one of the hardest days here. I didn’t want to get out of bed, or my pajamas, or the house. So I stayed inside all day. I finished A Thousand Splendid Suns, did some English lesson planning, and worked with the girls for a little bit. Monica had asked if I was okay, and I just about cried, because it made me think about everyone and how much I wanted to be back home with those I love. Monica is very encouraging and continues to ask if there is anything she can do. I’m appreciative of everything she does already … She wants me to get out of the house more because I’m young and there’s plenty to see. I hope that we can get out more together in the coming months.

Thursday was so much better! I got up, ate breakfast, and enjoyed time inside the house. It was a little breezy outside, so reading on the porch didn’t last too long. Monica and the girls came home for lunch and afterwards, I had an English lesson with the girls while Monica was away at the gym. The lesson was just over the letters and the sounds the letters make. Nicole noted that unlike Italian, where you read the words just as they are written, with English, you must consider rules and all the exceptions to the rules :oP She’s a smart girl and picks up really fast. We are starting to have longer conversations. I French braided her hair in the afternoon. It looked very cute!!

In the evening, Monica had a meeting with her work at the cinema (in an upstairs meeting room). She offered that I could come and sit in a movie for an hour or so. I decided instead of watching part of a movie I wouldn’t be able to understand anyway, I would sit outside on a couch and read. I’m reading The Pursuit of Holiness and it is challenging me and encouraging me in my walk. The author talks about how God gives us provisions for resisting temptation and fleeing from sin, but it is our own responsibility to pursue righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of every believer.

After the meeting, Monica, Nicole, Greta, Monica’s mom, and I went to a party for a couple who recently got married at the end of September in the northern part of Italy. The groom’s family and friends are living in this area and many of them could not attend the wedding, so this was like a second reception. The bride looked beautiful in her crème colored wedding dress … It was very different looking, like it was made of different pieces of fabric wrapping around and coming together to make her gown. I don’t know how to explain it. The party was at a club/restaurant on the beach. It is an exclusive club … There was a bouncer at the front door! He had a bald head and his arms crossed, just like you see in the movies :o) We had a lot of finger food … fried zucchini, fried mozzarella, some fried sweet things, pork or prosciutto sandwiches, steak on a stick, and fried fish (literally, the entire fish with eyeballs, bones, scales, and I think the brain was in there too!). It was the famous fish from San Benedetto, so I had to try it :o)

Today was a good day!! I got up fairly early because I had to go back to the police station to pick up my Declaration of Presence papers. The sun was out and it was perfect weather for a bike ride :oD There were quite a few people in the police station, and so strange that they didn’t all look Italian (even though I don’t think one can look Italian, except by fashion) … there were a couple families that were Middle Eastern and a young boy that was Asian, but they were all speaking Italian! I was the only one in there that didn’t speak Italian. That made it difficult trying to tell the woman behind the counter what I needed. I gave it a shot, hoping she would remember me from last week. I handed her my passport and tried to explain what I needed, but she flipped through my passport looking for an Italian stamp and when she only saw my Amsterdam stamp, she dug out an application for the Declaration of Presence. Haha! I said no no! I got out my phone, called Monica, and asked if she would tell the lady what I needed. It was a quick conversation, and the lady pulled out a file folder with my name on it … I felt so special that the police station in San Benedetto has a file just for me!! :oD She gave me my paper and I’m all set!!

I decided to spend the rest of the morning on a bike ride. The market was set up again, but I’m going to go back with Tatina next week and she will guide me to the better deals. So off it was to the beach!! I wore my flip flops today so I could put my feet in the water. It wasn’t too cold, so I walked along the water, listened to music, and soaked up the sun :o) I continued the bike ride for a little longer after my walk. I’m needing to work on my coordination :oP Going in and out of traffic is not as easy as it looks. Sometimes cars are very close together, people cross the street right in front of you, or you have to stop quickly because someone has pulled out in front of you lol. It’s quite an exciting ride through the streets of San Benedetto!!

Monica and the girls were not home for lunch today, so I gathered up some random things for lunch (cheese, a pear, gelato, and some leftover tuna with pasta). While eating and after lunch, I looked through some wedding things … There’s so much to think about, but I’m so excited!! Monica came home from spinning and we peeled some beans. They are from this area, and they have a pink and white color to them; their beans inside have the same coloring. Monica took the girls to the inside swimming pool in the city just down the road. That gave me more time to read and do wedding things, and get this blog typed up :o)

Sergio made it home tonight for the weekend. He said it was a busy and hard week since it was the end of the month. I’m looking forward to the weekend with the family. This evening after dinner, Monica and I went to see a movie without Sergio and the girls. It was a really cute movie we saw!!

Thank you for your prayers!!

Grace and peace,

Jodi