KAAA--Pre

My expectations of Capri was nothing like I experienced. Everyone who spoke about the Italian island spoke with so much love and admiration so I knew it was going to be a good time but within the first 30 minutes I was on the island I fell in love more then I have with anyother place I have visited. There is this magical air that takes you when you arrive. I know that sounds silly but it is soo true, I can't tell exactly what it is but there is nothing like this place and everyone in life must experience it.

On this island is where all the beautiful italians live. Women in thier late 50 with the body of a early 20 year old, Older men dressed head to toe just to go to the corner store and kids in sun glasses and matching outfits. Everyone is tan, gorgeaous eyes and happy with lots of money. Aside from the gorgeaous people the island itself is breathtaking. With all the gorgeaous rock cliffs and the turqoise blue water there is just nothing like this. On this island you can do the most exquisate shopping that is mostly only found in a big city, eat the most amazing italian food, explore wild life that is only found in the most rural places and then party your ass off at night or stay in the most tranquil place that you can't hear a thing. This place has it all....

I picked good time to go to Capri. In May the high season is just beginning to start so all the stores and bars are open but the price is half of what you will pay during high time and there is a moderate amount of people there but far from being overcrowed. I came with my friend Rasheedah from back home and her could Soldanah who actually lives in Venice with her italian husband and speaks fluent italian.

As soon as we got there we took a walk through an amazing garden that had breathtaking views of the coast and the Fragolini rocks. Then we walked through the narrow streets and found part of the island where all the local live. We went to dinner at Da Palolino, which all the locals continued to tell us was the best food on the island. We sat and ate dinner in a lemon garden among tables of the famous locals. The food was beyond amazing and of the most fresh food. Sorrento has nothing on Capri. This place although expensive it was so worth it. I couldnt imagine experiencing the island with out this place. We ate pasta, swordfish, and buffalo mozzarella and at the end of the dinner they gave us a glass of lemoncello on the house.

Just like Sorrento, the taxi's are crazy expensive, for a 5 minute drive they try to get you for $20 euros. Thank god I had a fluent italian speaker with me because she often bargined on the price, we would pay less then most locals but still was expensive. We went over to Aneme e Core, the nightclub that all travel books and locals recommend. I think we all expected to find a loud disco with young people but instead we walked into this Tavern where a singer sung folky italian music. The place was full of young and old and everyone stood on top of thier tables dancing and singing at the top of their lungs. I've seen nothing like this! The energy is fun and soo expressive. Within minutes all of us were clapping our hands and jumping to the music. Before I knew it a man came and grabbed my hand and took me up on stage!! I was dancing with the singer and musicans again in that yellow dress!! ( Thank you Rachel Pally)

Immediately when I entered the place I saw gorgeaous older man with dark skin curly blonde hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a nice button up, nice blazer, and great fitting worn jeans. Giampero continued to make sure I was having a good time in the bar, he was a local and was just hanging out by himself that night. Soon Rasheedah and Soldanah were tired and wanted to go back to the room. Both of them are married with kids... so I stayed with my new friend Giampero.





After Aneme e Core Giampero took me to his hotel. Yes, his hotel.... him and his family own a gorgeous hotel on the island called San Felice. Just like most italian men, Giampero is extremely romantic and suggested we get a bottle of champagne and listen to italian music by the pool : ) He told me about his life on Capri and for ten years he spent every winter in New York working in Italian restaurants. He speaks great english, as he told me " You are so sweet, you are going to make me Diabetic". As I went back to my hotel, Giampero asked me to come back to the island on tuesday on his day off so he can take me out on the boat.

The next day we rented a small boat and took a tour of the island with these two cute italian boys as our tour guides, Fabio and Salvadorian. This was the best way to see the island. We spent two hours on a boat and we saw everything this island has to offer. We saw the goats where the island got it's name from, the amazing blue grotto which will take your breath away, as well as the green and white grotto and drove through the Fragolini rocks. We just layed out of the boat and just took in the air while the boys played a Buddha Bar cd. No wonder celebrites continue to spend thier hard earn money here... this is what life is suppose to offer.





Needless to say, none of us were ready to leave but this place is so expensive, any regular working citizen cant spend more then a couple days here without spending your life earning away. I dream about my next time in Capri.....Oh wait... that's only a few days away!!

If you are a freguent reader of my blog then today is a celebration for us all.... THE COMPUTER HAS ARRIVED!! YEAH!!! The italians are not horrible after all! It's funny after I decided to let go of my frustration and just deal with what I have here, the bag arrives. Maybe I should persue many of my passions the same exact way :) Im still at school at the moment but sometime later today or tomorrow I plan to start posting pictures : )

I use to think if I could eat ice cream and cheese all day without getting fat I would easily do it. I love cheese and I love ice cream, throw in a couple pieces of italian bread and I am happy. So I expected to be in heaven living in Italy. Im so afraid to actually make this public but I MISS VEGETABLES!!! Italians use vegetables in thier dishes but I can't find a great plate of sauteed vegtables anywhere! A big huge salad doesn't exist. Im hungry for it... its like my body needs it! If I get another sandwhich I think Im going to burst!!

My normal diet here is pretty much like a regular italian, toast or crossiant for breakfast with butter, jam and coffee. Then for lunch I find a cheap sandwhich place and have a moderate size sandwhich with cheese, tomato and my choice of meat. Then demending on the day, I really dont each much for dinner, most nights I am soo full from the bread overload I skip the meal. Then there are the nights I am hungry and actually go out to dinner. That ususally consists of a pasta dish with plenty of sauce and cheese or an amazing pizza. Now the pizza that they give you in these restaurants are not just a small lil microwavable thing they give you in the states, this thing can be eaten easily by four people, and the fact that you are in italy, eating the type of food that you will never be able to get in the united states keeps you eating beyond full. It's like an open bar, the fact that it's free makes you come back for more, who knows when you will have another chance to have free alcohol. Francos, on corsa italia, is the place to go. They have amazing pizza that you can actually buy just a slice of. Most places in Sorrento you can't just buy a slice and you can get a huge pizza for a moderate price. You know a place is good if it's freguent by the locals and both times I have been to Francos, I have seen a table of old ladies sharing a try together.

Now that's just the food I am talking about. For some reason, because I am actually not working, I am literally drinking everyday, all day. I haven't really been drunk in Sorrento but I have a glass of wine at lunch, then if I go to dinner I have one or two at dinner and then I have another glass of wine in the bar or cafe or I will have my favorite part of southern italy Fragolino.... which is a strawberry digestive that taste like a strawberry brandy. And then there are the nights with Fabio... I tend to drink a little bit more when I am with him only because he is so sweet and nice to me and the more alcohol I have the more I forget that Im actually not attracted to him. Sad but true, any girl nows that alcohol can make anyone diserable.

So take the crazy amount of bread, cheese and wine, and then add to it that there is a gelato store on literally every corner. Within five minutes there is a huge cone of ice cream in front of you and if you are already a ice creamaholic like I am, in a place like this will power quickly dissolves. I have to say though, I dont each gelato as much as I thought, I probably get an ice cream twice a week. This I think is amazing here in Italy but according to my diet in Los Angeles, my body doesn't see that much ice cream.

Now my savior has been the fact that I walk about an average of an hour a day and take spinning class three times a week. So Im thinking I get to come home with nice toned legs and not even an ounce of extra weight.

I don't know how the italian women do it. How can you not be obese with a diet of pasta, bread, and cheese? Now, the italians are not necassarily small people but there are is a good amount of average size people here. I think the key is moderation. Especially in Sorrento, the only cuisine is Italian. There are no mexican restaurants, greek stands, or sushi places. Just italian. As great as the food is, there really isn't much of an option. Of course they don't know any different but just spending a few weeks here I am thankful for being raised in a place that offers me multiple cusines. Sorrento, is a small country-esqe place, I am sure Naples which is only about an hour away offers a little bit more.

The italian women carry thier weight alot different then american women. Of course this really depends on how your body is made but regardless of the woman's shape, the majority of italian women, big or small, have a tummy. It can be the oddest thing, a small sized woman with nice legs and a pretty face can carry a tire around her waist! And she will wear a tight shirt not aware that maybe she could be offending someone. This is everywhere in Sorrento, and because of the type of food these people eat, Im think it's fair to assume it's everywhere in Italy. Now the bigger the city it is the more vain they are. Overall, Sorrento is in the low grade when it comes to obsessing about your looks.

Because of all of this, I am able to be proud in my bathing suit. The size that I am currently, I don't think I would go near a public pool but here I'm pretty confident. The stomach I carry aint nothing like what some of these women have and although they don't carry hips like mine, most men here are more then happy to watch me leave a room. The first day I decided to lay out by the pool, I was little hesitant to take my dress of but did it anyways. The cute waiter asked me how long I was planning to stay in Sorrento and then found whatever reason he could to come back to my chair. An old man in the apartment building next to the pool stayed on his balcony for the complete 3 hours I was there. Every once in awhile when he thought he was in my view he would wave. At first it grossed me out, doesnt he got something else to do then gawk at me? And then I realized, I still got it! I got enough to make him sit out there for hours! It's hilarious what will make a woman feel good about herself.

So the fact that I am a lil over the food, hopefully I feel a lil less inclined to spend money :) I havent bought a thing here so the amount of my money goes to food. It's funny I am complaining now about italian food but I bet my first night at Dominico's I will be wishing I was back in Italy.

Searching for meaning

Im extremely lost over this situation with my computer and italian customs. Last night an italian gentleman told me that I must stay on top of this situation because the airport in Malpensa is notorious for stealing personal belongings. Of course this caused much too much panic in my heart because the thought I might never see my computer and ipod scares the shit out of me. Of course, I can buy a new computer, a new ipod, but as anyone knows the information I have on there really can never be duplicated or replaced. I have saved the majority of the work on both devices but again, it can never be completely replaced in the same way.

The fact that I am in my third week in Sorrento without my computer and the ability to write as I want too leaves me lost in terms of my purpose. I came here because I love italy and wanted to really experience living in the country and was extremely excited about the oppurtunity to be away from all my responsiblities at home and be able to literally write in solace. I dreamed about writing THE SCREENPLAY that takes my career to the place that I dream of. I dreamt about sitting in a cafe all day creating the love story that I have been waiting to write. The previous weeks while I waited for my computer I wrote in my notebook. I created my characters and story line. I never felt so inspired and have never been able to seemly put together a story like I have with this one. Im ready to go, pumped and excited about what I am presently able to create. But Im stagnant, italian customs refuses to release my bag and at this point neither is the sender, fedex, and the people at my school really able to do anything. From what I hear, this happens often in Italy. Nothing can be relied on, things move at thier own pace. A woman told me she once sent christmas gifts to Italy that took 3 months to arrive.

Being that my main agenda, my incrediable want, is to write this screenplay while I am here, and I am now I am completely unable to do this, I really dont even know why I am here. Even the computer use at the school leaves this more complicated for me. I can sit here all day and work on a computer but I am unable to save work or use my own hard drive . These actions have been completely disabled because of fear of terrorists and secreative use. I kid you not... Just being able to print a piece of paper has been hectic for me. Although there are multiple internet cafes in Sorrento, none of them allow you to print. My only option to print is to ask the president of the school if I can email her a document so she can print it. She's been very hesitant about this and finally I got to her to let me print the actual notes I have on my book proposal introduction from my book agent. But then I asked her if I can actually print the document that I have to rewrite. Again, I was asking too much but because of the situation with my bag she was able to simpathize ( the fact that I cant spell check is killing me, as many know, I cant spell for the life of me). To make matters worse, the computer will not recognize my hard drive so I can not even get the document to email her. So I was able to ask someone to quickly use thier personal computer to find the document and send it. Once the president, christiana recieved it she complained the 14 page document was too long, so I told her to change the font, I dont care just print it. Once she changed the font and got the document to the size she felt appropriate, I was able to print it but later saw that I chose the incorrect version of the document that I need.

There is a lesson here for me and I am not sure what it is. Since I have been contemplating with my frustration with my career, is this the answer I have been looking for? Do I not have and suppose to not have a screenwriting career? Of course this answer saddens me because without being a screenwriter I really have no idea who I am. Since I was a little girl I associated myself with being a writer. My complete existance is centered around this identity. Without being a writer, who am I? I have no idea what I would do as a career, how would I indentify with others, and what am I striving for in my future. Every sense of me is lost when I take being a writer out of the equation. A friend of mine suggested that maybe without the computer I am suppose to be guided to finding out what my supposed career is. This again leaves me completely lost because all I have been doing in Sorrento is eating, drinking, and hanging out with men. If this is the case, I would make a great escort or trophy wife.

After college I backpacked in Europe for a month. I spent money without any thought, and I went place to place with no worry. I partied, I drank, I flirted. I was completely free and juvenile. A huge part of me feels completely guilty because my current travels is becoming a bit like that. As a wonder through the day without a definitive purpose I end of hanging out and having fun like I did in college. I didn't want this type of trip. I wasnt looking for a "vacation" when I spent my families' and my money to do this.

So that leaves me again with the question, why am I here? What am I suppose to do? I believe things happen for a reason and there is a specific reason for this place of uncertainity but when I grasp the idea that I am not a writer, I want to cry. There is no sense of accomplishment or fulfillment when I deal with this possiblity. Therefore, is this where my reason answer lies. I am a writer, this is what I am destined to do. I dont know who I am without this identity, without this clear direct purpose. My purpose is to express my views and share my possible visions of life and joys of living through writing.

Then where does this leave me with being in Sorrento? Where does this leave me when I return back to the United States? and what am I suppose learn from my new computer and my very old ipod with all my favorite music being stuck in Italian customs? Do I give up the constant every day battle to get my bag released and just aim with the attitude "what will be will be"? Or do I fight for what I want with full force and work to make my desires my reality?

Lately I have been writing my screenplay pages in a notebook. As any screenwriter would know this is a little silly because there is a format to how the pages should look like. But what did we all do before computers? There was a screenwriter before there was a computer. I forget about the computer ( at the moment a near impossible task) and be thankful for the ability, the life that I have, the free time, and for a pen and a notebook. Maybe the answer is for me to do all that I can do at my best ability and in this I will find my answer, my calling, my purpose. I believe that our wants are placed within us for a reason. God wouldnt give you a specific want in your life if it wasnt suppose to be there. Therefore this urge to write is apart of me because I am a writer. I can no longer play with this notion that I am not. As one person told me when I first started to work in the entertainment industry, " if there is something else you can see yourself doing, do it". This business is not for the people who would like to be apart of it. Especially writing, it can not be persued as a hobby, it can only be succeed when made as part of your life. Your persuit in every action. Again, when I feel lost during the search for another career I am reminded, I am this, I am a writer.

Maybe this is the realization of my flaws in living my life as a writer. In all honestly, it is not always my pursuit to write in every daily action and I often fall complacent to my current career status. So maybe this where I learn to work harder and not succumb to the road blocks and build the thick skin to be able to write in any situation. Can you imagine the power I will have if I am truly able to write a screenplay with or without a computer!! Its time for me to stay in lined with my power then to focus on where I am powerless. In this practice I can build the strength to overcome anything. As I write this I begin to feel extremely content with this realization. This answer feels right, just like finding that perfect pair of jeans, it is this answer that fits perfect with what I have. And with this, I write my screenplay today, I leave alone frustations of my computer just for a moment and really concentrate on having the day that I invisioned, sitting in a cafe, by myself, away from all concerns and responsabilities and ....writing.

As we get deeper into the italian language my once upon a time love has turned into dispise and hate. Italian is like Spanish and has a masculine and feminine form for its words. Like spanish but more complex, there are articles listed for every sentence depending on the verb as well as the noun. For instance, you can't say simply "I'm going to the store" The verb "To go" is ANDARE so to say I go it is "Vado" ( the fact that andare and Vado looking nothing alike is a whole nother problem). so store means "Negzio" and it is a masculine word so you must keep this in mind to figure out the correct article with negzio. So the correct translation is " Io
vado al negezio", you use al because negzio is masculine, if negzio was feminine you would use "alla". Now, when you want to specifically say what store it gets even trickier. Eventhough clothes mean "vistiti" in italian, the clothing store means " Il negzio di abbigliamento" and if the specific store name had anything to do with a name, like the store Tilly's, you wouldn't use "al" as the article you would use "da". Now da can't be used for "taco bell" because "taco bell" isn't a specific name dealing with a person. It gets more complicated... you don't eat breakfast you make breakfast, and you dont wear a clothing size, you take a clothing size. Although Mangare means to eat, both dinner and lunch have thier own verbs so you must use Cenare or Panzare if you want to say you eat dinner or lunch. All of this you must remember and use as well as just deal with memorizing what each word means in a new language! Now that's a whole different issue as well because many words have multiple translations in italian. To say "but" you can use "ma" or "pero" and to say "too much money" you say " e molto caro troppo" eventhough money translates to "denaro" or " soldi"..... Extremely complicated.... Today I literally had to walk out of class for awhile because my head just couldn't take it. And it make it even worse one of my teachers doesn't speak a word of english so often she will translate an italian word to english and we will find out days later she gave us the wrong meaning. For instance, she said "simpatico" means funny, so after telling a man he was "molta simpatico"I later find out from locals that I was telling him he is "very nice".

As I get deeper in the language I am realizing the whole time I am thinking Im talking good italian, people are just putting together my messed up verbige and tenses and figuring out what I am saying without me really speaking correctly. This is why my italian mother screams at me " Parla Italiano" when I am speaking Italian!! My four hours of class have been so exhausting I dont even try anymore. There are days where Im so frustrated I don't even care to speak italian anymore and just speak in english. Europeans in total pretty much are fluent in multiple languages and most of them speak english. Its sad but if I really wanted to, I dont even have to go a day speaking italian. A week ago, I would tell people in the stores and restaurants after they greeted me in english, " Io studio parla intaliano, parli italiano per favore". Today, I can careless about the continuation with my studies and just ask for a pizza please.

They say there is an age bracket where you can easily learn another language, I am sure I have missed it. My favorite thing is to watch the young kids speak italian. Their little raspy voices full of some much emotion make me watch to scream "I want to sound like that!" Even with the most nasty sentences, italians cant help but woo you with thier romantic words.

Im not going to give up, one day ( far far far away from today) I too will sound romantic even when I shout" Hurry! Pass me the toilet paper". Now I am determined, I am an educated woman with a college degree! I too must speak italian!

GRRRRRRR

I'm pissed off right now... I just wrote a really long entry regarding my weekend and some how it's now missing off the freakin computer!! Im starting my third week here and I still have not recieved my freaking computer!!!! Everyday I come and use the computers in the school but most of the websites come up in Italian and somehow I pressed some button I obviously did not understand and it's all gone.... Im trying to remain calm but this just only piles on top of my obvious frustration that my computer is not here. Its been held in customs because my brother did not listed the travel book and documents and only listed the computer and the ipod. Can you believe it? So my brother as contacted fedex twice now and given them the correct information but I now was just told by one of the women here at Fedex is waiting for the imfortantion that my brother has sent them twice!! At this point I am terrified that Im not going to get my computer and I am frustrated because the main focal point of my trip was to write in solace. Im pissed pisssed pissed pissed pissed...

Mi la Fine Settimana

So... I just finished my second week and my computer is STILL hung up at customs... This is beyond frustrating because the main focus on this trip was for me to write in solace. So as you can imagine, writing on pieces of paper gets old and I have been finding myself going out more then I expected...



Sherry, one of the girls in my class is also taking cooking class at a school in Sorrento. Each night after they cook their impressive meal people are invited to come and eat. So Natasha, Claudine, and I decided to go there for dinner friday night. The school is called Mama Camilla. This place is far beyond just a cooking school and it is run by a highly expressive italian family. On the same grounds of the cooking school is a bed and breakfast, a hostel, as well as the living quarters for the family. They have two dogs running around the place and everyone that comes is treated like family. This is what I call life... I have dreams of doing this, finding some land in a small quaint place and running a bed and breakfast with interesting people coming in and out. The family is not only just friendly but these people can cook! We had a four course meal of not only amazing food but food that was presented in the most beautiful way. Sherry and Natasha perfer to speak in english because italian is difficult. I on the other hand is determined to get this crazy language. So poor Claudine gets a little lost in the conversation because she is french, with a little bit of english and a little bit of italian. She has spent a week in Italy and is frustrated because she has spoken more english then expected. I spend the majority of the time talking to Claudine in Italian. She's more advanced in the language then I am but we are able to really communicate with each other. I got to say at times Im impressed with myself. At times I can carry a real conversation in italian but there are many days where I cant get too far without having to speak english. My italian mother often gets frustrated with me and yells "parla italiano!" even when I am speaking my best version of the language.



On saturday I went to the beach with Fabio in the near town Mesa. As I spend more time with this man, he is getting more attached and I am trying to hardest to like the man but it's just not happening! We spend the majority of the day on the beach with locals. The beaches in Italy are mainly rock beaches and this californian girl cant get too far on the beach without falling or my feet killing me. Im amazed as I watch italians gallop in the water and run around the beach with no complaints of thier feet. I stayed on my lawn chair the majority of the time and read my book. Poor Fabio continued to stick his head in my face and proclaim " Mi piace Aireka, Mi piace tutto Aireka"... I thought I would never say this but Im getting a little annoyed with his constant purring but with our strong language barrier it doesn't really leave him much to say. I constantly remind Fabio that Aireka is leaving soon, Aireka loves united states and plans to stay there for a long time... but Fabio says he will wait, he will wait for however long he can for her! This italians boy.... very romantic.

Saturday night I met Sherry and Natasha for dinner at one of my favorite places in Sorrento, Photo Bar and Loung. This place is swanky and trendy and semi moderate. The three of us go through two bottles of wine. Both of them are amazed by the amount of attention I get in Italy but I remind them that it's only because I'm so exotic fruit to them. They don't get to see black women walking around here all the time. I don't even get half of this type of attention back at home. The three of us go bar to bar drinking. both women are white, single and in thier late 30's. Its funny who you befriend when you are traveling. On a regular day in Los Angeles, I doubt we would be friends. Thats the great thing about traveling, when you are out of your comfort zone you are able to really explore life in a new arena.

Sunday, like the United States is Mother's Day. I went and bought my italian mother flowers as well as her daughter Lia who has a small son. I decided to spend the day with the family and start to bond with them more. Sorrento's soccar team played an important match that day and the men left to go watch while the women stayed in the kitchen and talked. With both of our language dictionaries Mama Anna and I had a couple hours of converstion discussing love and the heatbreak of it as well as family. She is a sweet woman completely dedicated to her family and she has an interest in me and my stay in Sorrento.



I spent the rest of the night by myself walking through the city and contemplating about my life. At times I get lonely and the more time I spend with Fabio, I think about my ex boyfriend. The more I experience these emotions I realize this time alone is exactly what I needed to really make a change in my life. As a get closer to 30 I ponder my existance and where I am heading. I am thankful for this time in Sorrento to be alone. Being completely alone with only your thoughts and not really having the oppurtunity to discuss with your family and friends builds the independance and the confidence needed to live an abundant life. I smile as I think about what I am possibly going to take away from my trip and bring into my life back in Los Angeles.

I was asked my one of the directors, Olga, if I wanted to go to a soccar game of some of the local people in Sant Angello, the next neighborhood over. It sounded great and a way to meet more people so I said great. I started to ask another people if they were going and a couple people did not even know about it. When I arrived to meet the group I was given a chessy tshirt. We were all wearing Sorrento lingue tshirts. What the hell is this? My new friend Maria, a 19 year old student studying before she has to go to college, rolls her eyes, she too is noticing that she might have gotten herself into something also. It seems like the game that we are going to is for an over 40 men soccar league and the school is one of the sponsors. Not the game I was expecting... and Im not too keen on the fact that we look like a tour group. Eventhough I have been traveling I have been making a sure I still put some effort into my appearance but still try to remain comfortable. Traveling doesnt mean I got to look like a slob, so the tshirt isn't working with my outfit at the moment. I brush it off and go with the flow. While we are on the train, Summer, an american who works at Sorrento Lingue, all of a sudden remembers that she has what I am suppose to say tonight. Say tonight??? I'm suppose to speak???? She hands me a paper in italian and english, its an simple sentence declaring the soccar season open. But still who the hell asked me if I wanted to speak? Why am I representing the school? and again, why the hell do I got to wear this ugly tshirt?

The soccar field is full of families and local people. It reminds me of my days of little league. Mothers with strollers, kids, and teenagers in thier social hour. I admire the italians, family is very important to them and the mother is the focal point. Before the game a group of young girls do a couple dance routines. This aint your local american dance school, these little girls in halter tops and short skirts are shakin and moving to the Black Eye Peas. The oldest has to be seven and the way they are moving is making me embarrassed!! I look around, and the other american students are shocked by the italians don't even flinch. This is normal here! The next group is a good of teenage girls and they are performing latin dance. Ah... something cultural. Ah no... these girls do the snake and hump on the dirt ground to club music and shakira. This is the italians version of latin dance!! It amazes me how much italians love american music. Its not just pop music... Blaze of Glory plays before the game starts. Drum roll please..... It's now Airekas shining moment! I walk with the school's president and the the small towns mayor to the middle of the field. They go on and on in italian about something that I cant understand and then the mic is handed to me... " On behalf of the city of Sant Angello, I declare the over 40 soccar tournament open"!!! Silence.... Everyone in the stands is italian and they dont seem to understand my english. The director takes the mic and says something again I don't understand, the crowd roars and the game begins!!!

I dont stay too long at the game and take off with Maria and Summer to dinner. Maria has been in Sorrento for about 6 months and is returning back to Ohio to start college in the fall in Chicago. This girl amazes me because there is no way to know she is 19. She looks older and is extremely mature. She's been dating a 30 year old italian guy and wonders how she is going to maintain the relationship but knows that she must explore and not be too worried about what happens in the future. Me and Summer, a 28 year old West Virginian who took off to italy to find herself, tell the child not even worry about it. Go to college and have fun, what will be will be. I like summer alot, she's alot like me. She's a drinker, loves not having too many responsablities and is a big flirt. The too of us are having lots of fun and have the same views when it comes to men. Its actually really nice to sit and gab with these women about love and the temperments of men. The two of them keep me hip on the italian customs and let me know that the way that my italian family is about the landry and eating is more then normal. The italians pay alot of money for water so the reason that the mother doesn't want me to wash my clothes there is because it will be more expensive then ususal and family dinners are very sacred for the italians, no one is invited to dinner, a girlfriend or boyfriend doesnt come to dinner until they are ready to be married. We laugh, drink wine and question our waiters sexuality. I say goodbye to them and walk back to my house. Regardless of the stupid shirt and the monologue I had a good night.