Aperitvo!

Sorry for the lack of blog posts this week although there really has not been anything too exciting to post. I had my first Italian lesson on Wednesday evening and it was both information and frustrating to have a real person talk to me! I must say I feel inclined to write Rosetta Stone and ask them what I am doing wrong as I am two-thirds of the way done with their program and do not feel that I am at all equipped to speak or understand everyday Italian...and I get 90% on almost all the lessons! Michele's niece. Elena, is a student at the university here in Torino and is studying to be a teacher. We had an hour long lesson where we spoke about ourselves and many times when she spoke she asked me to repeat what she had said in Italian in both English and Italian to gauge both comprehension and pronunciation. I look forward to next weeks lesson and plan to spend some time this weekend working on my Italian! I will admit that it is very difficult to sit down and work on Italian when I have been concentrating all day on listening...plus I usually don't get home until after eight!

Also this week I took a taxi for the first time! I thought since I had mastered the public transporation...well maybe mastered is too strong of a word...I might as well try a taxi! I walked out of the store to the piazza and this is what I saw! As I approached the taxis all I could think of was how do I know which one is "first". In Chicago there is a line and it is usually in your best interest to respect that line (I have seen what happens when cab drivers cut each other off and it is not pretty...a story for another time but lets just say it involved threatening and a crow bar). I decided the best idea was just to walk up and ask. A few drivers were standing outside of their cabs talking and when I asked for a cab (in Italian of course) they seemed to know whose turn it was and pointed to one guy so it wasn't a problem at all! I also learned that the fare pretty much anywhere in the "city" is five euro. You really can learn a lot when you try your best to listen!

Friday we had an apertivo after work. It is similar to a happy hour...but is different in the way that it usually begins around 6:00 and lasts until 7:30 or 8:00. It was nice to have a chance to talk to all the people here in the office as almost everyone was able to join us so there were about fifteen people. They served a lot of appetizers, which is common, and I was overjoyed to see some french fries! The appetizers were amazing! There was some small pizzas with either cheese or sausage. There is a great little appetizer called ceci here in Italy. It is made from chickpeas and is sort of like a very thin bread seasoned with pepper but more along the lines of polenta.

This picture has what looks like onion rings but are really potato rings, french fries and then I am not sure what this other dish was called as I was told to just try it. It was basically peppers and potatoes and some seasoning sort of baked together...very good.

This picture shows a dish of olives along with round fried goodness! They were green olives stuffed with some meat and then fried...probably my favorite.

The first picture is Eliana and Michele talking as they arrive. The second picture is me, Raffaella, Anna, and Natalia...in that order.

The first picture here is from back to front Elena, Monica, Cristina and the side of Eliana. The second picture is of the boys...from left to right Enrico, Luigi, Sabino, Massimo, and Sandro.

I hope the pictures help to give you an idea of all the people I frequently mention in my blog!

Many of you have asked for my address for shipping packages and things I miss from America (besides you all of course). Thank you for the kind thoughts but it is very expensive to ship packages here to Torino and even then they may be in customs in Milano for a long time. On Friday the package I sent here as thank you gifts finally arrived...it took over two months! I have received cards here at the office which is wonderful so thank you Mom and the Robbins clan!

Here is the address at the office which is probably the easiest place to send mail:

Tara Hibbard

c/o Studio Manzoni, Pagliero, Vanz e Associati

Via Avogadro 12/A

10121 Torino Italia

Hope everyone is well back in the States!