Italy after a few years…

After having lived in Italy for more than two years now, things have improved tremendously in my everyday life. I went to dinner with friends (and fellow expats) on Saturday, and we were discussing the little things that make us happy while living in a foreign land.

First, we understand the majority of what is being said in Italian. Second, we have actual moments where we can carry on complete conversations with Italians and are understood! What most people take for granted, we have worked long and hard to attain.

For example, I no longer have a problem ordering fruit and vegetables or bread and pastries from the local shops. When I want half a loaf of bread, I can say metá. And, when I go to the outdoor mercato or local shop to buy toiletries and supplies, I no longer mix up conditioner with body lotion.

Having Ruby and Ginger with me has been extremely helpful in allowing for ample opportunities to communicate with the locals. The majority of people in Italy love dogs and the elderly Italians especially are quick to stop me for a chat. This morning, I popped in the local panificio to buy some lovely nut and buccelatto rolls (a local Lucchese specialty) and couldn’t leave for at least five minutes because of all the “bellini” (beautiful little ones) and cooing that was going on. And, yes, they are allowed in the bakery with me. Dressed in their pink-striped sweaters I bought in the States, they get more than their fair share of compliments. “Sempre le canine, mai la mamma,” I continue to say (always the dogs, never the mamma).

Even though they get more compliments than I do, they are a constant source of attention. When asked if they are maschile or femminile, or sorelle or fratelli, I can answer that they are feminine and only quasi-sorelle (sort of sisters).

I have settled into my daily routines and am now used to riding my bike to and from work and schlepping up and down three flights of stairs each day – both at work and at home. I can’t imagine shopping for my fruit and vegetables at a large supermarket and am using terms such as supermarket instead of grocery store. That’s because of all the influences of my British friends and colleagues (I almost wrote “whilst” instead of “while” in the first paragraph).

Another very strange thing that has recently happened to me is I am forgetting how to say things in English. I’ve heard lots of people say that in the past and never thought it would happen to me, but it has.

I only speak in Italian to Ruby and Ginger unless I am really mad. It is good practice for me without worrying about saying something the wrong way. My new neighbors know no English so unless I practice the language, I will never be able to speak with them. And, I say, “allora” instead of “so” or “now then” and “basta” instead of “enough.”

So, life continues on here. I know I have not been as communicative lately, but my life just is what it is now. I know that for many people it is still interesting because it is totally a different experience than that of living in the States, but to me it is just what I live. I promise to do better, though.

A dopo…later…

Learning things the hard way…take 2!

You would think that living here for almost two years would have helped me get in tune with bureaucracy and the rules of the polizia municipale (municipal police). I rarely drive my car and keep it parked for days on end within legal parking spaces designated for residents of Lucca. If it is a yellow-striped space, it is for “A” resident parking.

Lo and behold, I came to my car during a rather hot day recently only to find a parking ticket on my windshield. As it was in Italian and illegible due to the ink fading from roasting in the hot sun all day, it was impossible for me to determine why I had received it. I took it to work to see if a colleague could help decipher it, but she couldn’t read the faded copy. She suggested we go to the polizia to see if we could see the original, but we weren’t able to get there that day. I thought that maybe there was a restriction on the number of days a car could be parked in any one spot so I moved my car.

The next day, there was another one! Both were for € 23,00 (about $30/each). The second ticket was legible and my colleague said she thought it said that my insurance had expired and something about my windshield. My insurance doesn’t expire until December so I was totally confused. I rode my bike over to take a look to see what they were referring to and noticed an insurance paper in my windshield that had belonged to the previous owner. It expired on May 28. I had no idea that you have to post your insurance information inside the windshield. I found the paper that I had received from my insurance company, made a photocopy and took the original to the polizia to see if they would give me a break – nope! I had to pay for both tickets and found out the hard way about the insurance posting rule. The original is now proudly displayed in my windshield.

I came home late Sunday evening and drove around for about 20 minutes trying to find a parking place. I ended up halfway across the city center before I found a lovely yellow-striped place on the end of a row of filled ones. I parked, locked my car and walked home.

The next day when I arrived home from work, my friend was waiting at my apartment because he had been in the hospital all day and needed a ride home. He had tried calling me and something was wrong with my SIM card so I didn’t receive the messages. We walked to where my car had been parked and there was no car!

I looked around and noticed a sign directly above the spot where there was a sign with a disabled emblem on it. There are no different color parking spaces here and no little disability emblem on the ground to tell you not to park there. Only a very small sign against the wall in the vicinity of the space. Of course at midnight, I was only looking at the space itself and not noticing signs. Another learning experience…sigh…my poor friend had to find another ride home after we had tramped through the crowds of people in the heat to get to where my car should have been. He was in no condition to walk, much less have to return by foot since I didn’t have my car.

I went again to the polizia the next morning to find out where my car was as, of course, there was no notice or phone number on the sign with the disabled emblem. They directed me to the tow yard and after paying € 60,00 to get it out, they also handed me my ticket for € 78,00 for parking in a disabled spot. What a mess – it makes me wonder why I think I need a car. Bikes are so much easier and you can park them anywhere!

Interesting Uses for the Bidet

The bidet is a foreign concept to many Americans and people living outside of Europe. However, it is widely used and installed in most homes in Italy.

A bidet usually sits directly next to the toilet and is used to clean the nether regions after you use the toilet. It is also used by many for a quick freshening up after a lively romp in the hay or maybe for a more useful or boring reason. I don’t really think I need to be more specific, do I?

However, I have personally seen or heard of some very interesting other uses for it; many of which I have tried.

1. Cleaning one’s feet or soaking them after a hard day of trekking or hiking with tour groups. I have personally used it for this purpose on many occasions. The cool, fresh water feels absolutely wonderful splashing on my toes and massaging my very sore feet after a hard day of walking the many cobblestone streets.

2. Clipping one’s toenails. Yes, it is the perfect location for this nasty job. You can sit on the toilet and prop your foot directly on the bidet. After clipping your nails, you can easily wash the clippings down the drain.

3. Storing extra rolls of toilet tissue. Many people use the bidet to store extra rolls of toilet tissue. After all, it usually is installed directly next to the toilet. How convenient for many since the bathrooms are usually extremely small with no storage space.

4. Keeping flowers fresh. My colleague had her fresh-cut flowers stored in the bidet today at work. She filled it slightly full of water and it was the perfect location to keep them since the sink was off limits due to its frequent use.

5. Holding potted plants. Many people put their plants in the bidet because they don’t have to worry about water leakage from overwatering. And, the water can come directly out of the faucet so you don’t even need a watering can!

6. Throwing up. Okay, this one is a little sick (literally), but who hasn’t sat on the toilet with one problem coming from one end only to have the top half rear its ugly head a moment later? You can relieve both ends at the same time!

7. Taking a sponge bath. It’s a really convenient location to take a quick sponge bath when your caldaia (hot water heater) is on the blink, which often happens in Italy. You can fill it up with pots of hot water much easier than filling a bathtub.

8. Soaking your laundry. Bidets are great for soaking and helping get those tough stains out of your clothing. Generally, in Europe the washing machines are also in the bathroom so you can easily remove them from the bidet and throw them directly into the washing machine.

9. Washing your pets. If you have small pets, this is a marvelous invention. Fill up the bidet, dip in the dog, cat, or gerbil, give them a quick shampoo and rinse, and off they go.

10. Drinking fountain for pets. If your cat or dog loves to drink from the toilet or is always getting in your way at the sink, this is a much more hygienic option.

11. Shaving your legs. If you want to give your legs a quick shave, there is nothing more convenient. You can rinse the blade in the bidet tap and wash all that cruddy hair right down the drain.

12. Bathing the baby. Why bend over the tub or try to find room on the nonexistent counter tops in Italian kitchens? The bidet is great for giving your baby his nightly bath and much easier on the back.

13. Storing cold wine, beer or soda. When you have a party and don’t have a lot of fridge space, fill up your bidet with ice and your guests can grab a cold one when they go to the bathroom to get rid of the last one.

2010 Goals

Okay, I am posting my 2010 goals and dreams so I will stay on track. My dream coach Serenella says if you share your dreams and aspirations with others, they will encourage you to stay focused on achieving them. Here goes:

1. Have a social life.
2. Meet some great men and go out on fun dates (changed from "Find a boyfriend" at the request of my friend Melanie :-)).
3. Go for the nightly passegiata in Lucca like the rest of the locals.
4. Be more patient when walking my dogs; e.g., try not to say, "hurry up already."
5. Be more patient with deserving colleagues.
6. Continue to focus on my ultimate dream of being an interior designer in Tuscany.
7. Balance my life more with exercise and meditation.
8. Include more stress-free relaxation techniques in my daily life.
9. Continue to eat healthy foods and cut back on stress-related eating of snack foods.
10. Don't chew or pick at fingernails.
11. Faithfully take vitamins and supplements.
12. Become more financially secure.
13. Eliminate or cut back on times spent with negative people/influences in my life.
14. Continue to improve my Italian.
15. Pamper myself more.

Sound achievable? Well, I'm on the right track. So far, I have worked on all these goals - especially the pampering one.

Yesterday, I went with my friend Anne to my favorite spa, Grotta Giusti, for a full day of pampering. We both had the Oriental package.

We began the day by changing into our sumptuous green robes and slippers and going down into the natural grotto. Picture a cavern with warm, humid air and stalactites and stalagmites growing up and down from it. The air was so humid that drips of water fall regularly down from the top onto my head and face.

We began in paradiso (paradise). This area was fairly tepid with only slight humidity. We were encouraged to begin in this area to gradually prepare ourselves for the other rooms. After only a few minutes, we made our way to purgatorio (purgatory). There are lovely reclining chairs all throughout where you can sit or lie down and breathe in the warm, moist air. It is around 91-92 degrees in this area.

After another 10-15 minutes, we proceeded to inferno (hell). Since it is so hot in this area (95-100 degrees with 99% humidity), you can't do much but just sit and relax. It was actually nicer than a steam room because, even though it's cavernous, there is air that circulates more freely than that which is found in an enclosed box. After another 30 minutes or so, we walked down to the Lago di Limbo. It was in the deepest area of the grotto and was crystal clear.

Next on the list was hydromassage. I had never experienced this sort of thing but had heard it was quite amazing. It was. You undress and stand under a very large waterfall-type shower head that comes on with amazingly warm water pouring down on your head. Then, a spa person blasts your body (front and back) with warm water from a fire nozzle gadget. It was heavenly. I asked her if she could do it for another 30 minutes when she was finished and she just laughed - I was serious!

The next amazing experience was a body peel. Again, sans clothing, I lay down on a towel-draped bed and waited to see what would happen. The woman began by draping a very warm towel over me and pushing down on pressure points which caused me to relax. She then removed the towel and began pouring warm oil all over my body and massaging it in. After 30 minutes I began wondering when the "peel" part would start but not really caring. It was heavenly. After about 45 minutes, she started massaging a warm paste of sea salt everywhere and then told me to rinse it off under another amazing warm shower.

Next - lunch next to the hot mineral pool.

After lunch, Anne and I went outside in the freezing cold to get in the pool. You could see the steam rising from it. We didn't realize until later that there is a separate cabana where you can disrobe and actually get into the pool without being exposed to the weather. Too late...we were already out in the cold.

Inside this amazingly warm, natural mineral pool are seating areas that have jets positioned at different locations so you can rotate around the seats and find just the one that hits the spots that need the most attention. The water was perfect and it was a very pleasant hour.

Following the pool, we took off for our last appointment for the day. Mine was a 80-minute Chinese massage with reflexology. By the time we left that day, I was seriously a limp noodle.

Why didn't I think of these goals earlier!?!?

I am so proud of myself…

I bought a car! For those of you who are expatriates (especially in Italy) you will know just what a huge accomplishment that is. And, I am legally parking inside the walls of Lucca – that’s humongous!!!

I have accomplished in a little over a year what some people take 10 or more years to do. I have my permit to stay in the country. With that, I got my Tessera Sanitaria card which covers my entire medical needs. With the permesso (permit), I also became an official Lucca resident. As a resident, I became eligible to buy a car. And, with the residency permit, I was also able to get a parking permit to park inside the beloved walls of Lucca. Do you have any idea how few people can say that who have lived in Lucca for years?!?! Well, just trust me that there are few if they’re not born and raised Lucchese.

Now, my car isn’t anything to write home about, mind you, but it’s just what I need for driving in Italy. It’s a little ’98 Renault Clio with three doors including hatchback. It’s little and in great shape with approximately 50,000 miles on it. It was recently completely serviced, has excellent tires, and gets me places other than the distances my bicycle, a bus or train can get me. And, for all you worriers, I took it to my mechanic to thoroughly check out before I bought it.

With a car, I will now be able to go to the tartufo bianco (white truffle) festivals and local fairs that are difficult or impossible to get to without a car. And, I can stay out past 8:30 at night which is the time the final buses leave most little communities to return to Lucca. And, I can drive to IKEA and the outlet stores to save tons of money! Life is great!

Today, I took the girls with me to get my parking permit and then went to ArcaPlanet to buy their dog food. When I returned to the city, I had to drive around for about 20 minutes before a parking space became available but it was so much more pleasant to walk a few feet with my large bag of canned dog food rather than lugging it home by hand or winding my way through pedestrians with a full load on my bike.

Okay, so lots of people buy cars. Why am I so proud of myself? Because I sold a Mr. “T” style 18K gold necklace that I rarely wore and had for years which pretty much paid for the car! The car is completely mine with no monthly payments, I have full coverage insurance and parking paid for a year, and also purchased additional insurance similar to AAA which gives me free towing service anywhere in the country of Italy - and covers emergencies in other countries! Now I just get to deal with Italian drivers – yikes!

Learning to live with habits…

I have now lived in Lucca for almost 15 months! What a year it has been. Things are back to semi-normal now. Summer has come and gone and fall is in the air. The leaves are absolutely beautiful this time of year and there is a crispness in the air that you can almost taste. The sun has been shining brightly and everyone is out and about enjoying the break in the rain. I feel like I’m finally getting a fresh start on my life here.

The fortress walls are filled with strollers, people on bikes and rollerbladers. There’s something invigorating about walking in the brisk air and having leaves fall all around you. The walls are lined on both sides of much of the wall with beautiful trees that are so old that they create a bower over your head. I’ve seen unique leaves that are native to this area that are non-existent in the States (or at least I’m not aware of them). They almost resemble a large acorn with the end cut off.

The leaves are some of the most vivid colors imaginable. They are the same colors that are painted on the homes in Tuscany, so I am sure they have been the inspiration throughout the years for these gorgeous colors. Of course, autumn is my favorite time of year so it makes it extra special for me to be able to finally enjoy an actual change in seasons.

Things seem to be going very smoothly with my paperwork to stay here. My new company is very pleased with my work and has been great at helping me deal with the bureaucracy of getting to stay in the country. The company attorney went with me personally to meet with the head of Immigration and I was told I just need to renew my permesso (permit) to stay here. Hopefully, everything will continue to go smoothly and I can return to the States to visit for fun instead of dealing with the stress of bureaucracy for a while.

I plan to stay in Italy for the holidays this year so I can experience Christmas and New Year’s with the locals. Lucca is already getting prepared for Christmas and the streets are lined with lights and the store windows are filled with decorations.

My health is pretty much back to normal and I am once again eating more things than rice, potatoes and carrots. After a visit to a very well-respected doctor who is the father-in-law of a friend of mine, I was diagnosed with colitis and after a three-week period of drugs and a very bland diet, my problems seem to be gone. Yeah!

Now, I want to focus more on an actual social life. I know I’ve said that before but it seems a lack of work, then working at a new job, and then dealing with being sick for over four months had left me with no time or the desire for one.

The Italians seem to be people who develop and stick to life-long habits. I have habits that haven’t been that healthy such as holing myself up in the house after work. I plan to go for more walks around the walls now that I and the weather are better. I want to run into people I see on a daily basis and stop for chats. I also plan to get up a little earlier so I can stop by a local coffee shop for a cappuccino every morning. And, go out in the crowds for the afternoon passegiata through the streets. After all, how am I supposed to meet more of the locals if I don’t get out and about? They have seen their parents and grandparents do this and now are doing it themselves. It’s so nice to see people with routines that are more sociable.

I’ve resumed weekly conversational Italian lessons with a wonderful group of people, several of whom I already knew and was delighted to see in the class. I also go to a monthly English book club meeting where I’ve met lots of expats and several Lucchese.

I began a Meetup group last year for expats and locals who want to meet new friends. After a slow start, we now have lots of members and have had some very successful turnouts. I have met friends from all over the States, Great Britain and Europe. One of our most recent and favorite outings was to Il Desco. It is a mercato that is held indoors in the college behind San Frediano church. All the vendors are from the province of Lucca and sell the fruits of their long year of labor.

On the first floor you can find wonderful local wines, olive oils that are so green they bite when you taste them, breads, fagioli (beans) and legumes, polenta, formaggi, meats, pepperoncini, jams and many things made from chestnuts. On the top floor are beautiful works of art, including handcrafted items, paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and much more. In the afternoons you can listen to live music played by musicians from all over the world.

On Thanksgiving, I and several of the Meetup members will be attending an official Thanksgiving dinner put on for Americans and people who want to experience the holiday. I hope to meet many new friends there.

Hopefully, my blogs will become more interesting when I have more fun experiences to share. I’ll keep you posted…