Noh Italiano. Inglese.

     Oh wow, Italy. Who knew you could be so beautiful.
     I tried to condense everything that has happened to me since I've been here in one facebook status, but that was nearly impossible and very poorly written. So this is my second attempt. Chances are it'll have the same result as the status...
     I honestly didn't expect saying goodbye to my family to get emotional. I figured there would be hugging, counsel to be good, some joking around about Italian men, and so on... Enter Bailee. There we were standing at the opening to the security line saying our goodbyes as planned when Bailee decides to pull a fast one on me and starts crying as I go in for the hug. Now the tears were abundant and spouting from my eyes as well. Bailee - 1. Brittani - 0. After that little emotional surprise, I headed through security, to my gate, waited 3 hours, and boarded the plane that would be my home for the next 10 hours; All the while praying the person I was going to sit by was neither so obese he was spilling into my chair or smelly. Anything else I could handle. As luck would have it, he was neither and I even got the window seat. Score.
    I had a 4 hour stop in Frankfurt (Germany, not Kentucky you crazies!), and then proceeded to get on one last plane to my final destination: Verona. The only thing I have to say about that plane ride is that seeing the Alps may have changed my life. Over exaggeration? Mm, maybe. The point is, I've never seen anything more majestic in my whole life. Holy heartbreak, Batman. After having my heart broken by the Alps, I landed in Verona. Praise be to the Heavens for my luggage not getting lost, by the way.

The crazed look in my eye was one of the early signs of jet lag, just in case you were wondering. 

     The family I am staying with is the Mongia family. They are a family of 7. I had only ever emailed them, so meeting them for the first time was something I'd been anticipating for a long time, and with many of my friends joking about how they may actually be lunatics who have some dastardly plot to kidnap be, I was a little anxious to see if I had, indeed, be swindled into being kidnapped. Just in case you are wondering, I have been. They are being very nice about it, however, and are still allowing me to blog all about my life as a kidnapped girl. It'll probably be published someday and become a best seller, so really, it's worth it. Feel free to put out an amber alert. I'll send you their address so someone can come save me.

     Then again, don't be too quick to save me. With views like this from their backyard, it's hard to not be happy here. I promise to post more pictures next time...
     I don't know any Italian. Smart, I know... I can understand a little bit here and there, but most of the time I just have to figure out what people are saying by the context of the situation. Mama and Papa Mongia, and well as their 2 oldest boys speak English, but the rest of the family doesn't. The youngest and I have been going back and forth with teaching each other our respective languages. It works out pretty well and involves a lot of jumping on the trampoline, playing charades, and coloring. As a side note, hearing children speak Italian is wonderful in every way. It's made me consider teaching my future children Italian instead of English... Impractical? Yes. Worth it? Also a yes.
     The area a live is higher in the mountains and about 17 miles away from downtown Verona, so I haven't had much of a chance to see typical Verona. I went into the city for institute and a choir practice, though, so that was great. I even stopped for some gelato on the way. Yes, if you're wondering, gelato is just as spectacular as it's made out to be. The flavor I chose was Panna Cotta, by the way. Oh, and while I was in the gelato shop I did, indeed, get hit on my some Italian men. Check that off of my bucket list... At my job I had before I left I worked around many salesmen, so I thought I knew the extent of 'suaveness' when it came to being flirted with, but boy was I wrong. I think when they realized I couldn't speak Italian and was also American a switch went off in their brain telling them that they must compliment me at all costs, holding nothing back. In the end, after being told Verona was the most beautiful city in the world, they went on to say that I was even more beautiful than the entire city, and that my eyes sparkled like stars in the heaven. It didn't help that some older Italian ladies who were also present kept nodding their heads and saying, "Si! Si! Che bella donna!"
     Oh, Italians. You make me blush.
     That about wraps it up, actually. There's always more I could tell you, but this post is already really long and I don't want to lose your attention any more than I already have. In spite of all of the exciting newness and adventure, I admit to being terribly homesick. I try not to think about it, but the fact is I am. I miss my family. The hardest part is just not being able to talk to them... Same thing goes for some of my friends. Things will be much better once I get some Skype sessions in. Hooray for Skype :).
      I'll be sure to take some pictures and update again soon.
      Adventure is out there! Ciao!