TIAMLFTA the USA: THE LIST

It has been a wonderful, challenging, sometimes maddening three months away from the States.

1. Water
2. Elevators
3. Public Bathrooms
4. Internet in English
5. Lemonade
6. A Closet
7. High heels
8. My family
9. Seeing new movies in theaters
10. Ice
11. English small talk
12. Libraries
13. Target
14. Fried foods
15. My watercolors
16. Strawberries
17. Renting movies
18. My beads
19. Bacon
20. Making smoothies
21. Reading packaging
22. Making phone calls
23. Personal vehicles
24. Mass and Confession in English
25. My books
26. Frosting
27. My pillow top mattress
28. Pancakes
29. My guitar
30. Texting

TIAMLFTA the USA # 30: Texting

I was a little late jumping on the texting bandwagon, but it didn’t take long for me to get hooked. I look that little vibration sound coming from my purse, knowing that I have a message. It’s almost like getting a present. Who’s it going to be from? What do they want to tell me? It’s quite fun. So soon.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 29: My Guitar

Last April my boyfriend gave me a beautiful guitar and though I am by no means a master (who am I kidding? I’m not even a little bit good yet) I miss playing around with it. My ultimate goal is to be able to play random background music while I recite my poetry, which I know is so stereotypically artistic of me, but I don’t care. I’m going to do it anyway.  


I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 28: Pancakes

Actually, it’s more like breakfast foods in general. But pancakes especially would be very nice. Breakfast here is quite, “Oh, you want to eat now? Here’s some bread. I think there’s butter in the fridge.” And that’s not horrible, but I’ll tell you a secret. Most bread in Italy is unsalted because the meat here is so salty, making them both kind of disgusting, especially apart. And the butter? Also unsalted. So my breakfast every day has been unsalted bread with unsalted butter and a boiled egg. But now I am a master with a saltshaker. It’s all a give and take.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come! 

TIAMLFTA the USA # 27: My Mattress

I don’t know if I even remember what a truly comfortable bed feels like. From hostel to hostel and the villa, nowhere has been terrible, but they’ve been seriously lacking in comfort. I feel like there’s a possibility I won’t be able to sleep because I’ll be too comfortable.

What a problem to have.

 

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 26: Frosting

I’ve been doodling in the margins of my notebooks, but instead of hearts and stars like you’ll find in most notebooks, I’ve been drawing cakes I can’t wait to decorate with rich, creamy, American frosting. So far the one I’m most excited about it a round cake decorated to look like an Oreo, with the frosting crème center of course. I’ll save you a slice when I finally get around to making it.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 25: My Books

My reading list has grown exponentially now that I have only been allowed to think about reading instead of actually reading them. Outside of Man Walks into a Room and The Dijinn in the Nightingale’s Eye (which was fabulous, by the way) the two books I mangaged to wrangle out of the library downstairs in the villa, I haven’t been able to find many books to satiate my hunger for literature. First book on my list for when I get home? A trip to the library for The Phantom Tollbooth. 


I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 24: Mass and Confession in English

You can find it, but it’s hard. English mass is only on Saturday evenings in the center of Florence, which is inconvenient but doable, however few things have been as frustrating on this trip as finding English confession. It’s funny how much I have always taken liturgy in my own language for granted. As a member of the clearly post-Vatican II generation, I’d never even been to a Latin mass before this trip. I know that regular Sunday mass will be a welcome experience for me on December 5^th!

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come! 

TIAMLFTA the USA # 23: Personal Vehicles

You want to go to the store? Hop in the car. You want something to eat? Hop in the car. You want to do anything? You hop in the car. Now we can quibble about how bikes are better than cars all day, but the fact of the matter is I would take just about form of personally motivated transportation over the cattle car buses I’ve been bouncing around on for the last two months. Even getting walk places would be an improvement. It is easy enough to walk around Florence itself, but we’re a ways away from the city here in Settigano. Something to look forward to.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 22: Making Phone Calls

My new least favorite pop-up on the Internet is not the “Congratulations! You’re the One Millionth Visitor!” anymore. It is the page on the RailEurope website that says, “Oops! The information for this trip is not available on our website at this time. But our Help Center is at your service! Call…” That’d be a great idea. If I wasn’t ABROAD without a PHONE. Still figuring that one out.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 21: Reading Packaging

There is an interesting looking package right next to the Oreos in the supermarket. You pick it up because you want to see what’s inside…but wait. You can’t read it. Guess your options are to buy it and try it out, translate the packaging word by word with the pocket-sized Italian dictionary in your purse, or forget about it. Based on my historic patience level you can probably guess which one I pick, unless there is visible chocolate involved. Sometimes it’s just nice to have simple “What is this?” questions answered on the spot. Ah, English. How I miss you.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 20: Making Smoothies

We do eat a lot of fruit here, but I miss making smoothies. Besides gelato, there aren’t a lot of cool food options here, and on top of that my mom and I were just perfecting our homemade smoothie recipes, not to mention the fact that smoothies made up about 95% of my breakfast menu while I was living in Ireland. Therefore I was pretty hooked and now I’m having withdrawals. Unfortunately it will be a little cold when I get back… but maybe I can put on my parka and some gloves to maintain homeostasis.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 19: Bacon

There’s ham, and there’s bacon, and yes there is a difference. Pasta carbonara in Europe? Don’t get excited when it says “pasta with a cream sauce and bacon.” It’s going to be ham. They’ll call it bacon, but it’s not.

I’m hoping there’s a pound of ready-to-fry all-American bacon in the freezer when I land.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 18: My Beads

I’m missing the crafty aspect of my life right now. In addition to not having my beads to make jewelry, I also don’t have fabric, thrift stores, or general crafty tools and supplies to try new projects (like the many tissue paper flower designs I’ve been ogling for the last week or so). When I get home, I have an extended date with my craft room. We might just run away together.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA #17: Renting Movies

Ahh, Family Video. How I have taken advantage of you over the years. Never again will I take for granted a 9pm decision to watch a movie that just came out on DVD. I will be visiting you very shortly after arriving home. And you can expect a postcard any day now.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 16: Strawberries

Okay, so this isn’t entirely true, because they do have strawberries here, they are just expensive and hard to come by, which, in October, is almost exactly the same as in the United States. So I guess I just wanted to express how much I miss strawberries, and how that would be the case no matter where I currently am in the Northern Hemisphere.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 15: My Watercolors

Italy is beautiful, and sometimes it would be nice to have something besides a digital camera with auto-focus to capture it with. I got myself some colored pencils, but they’re really just not scratching the itch. When I get home I am going to watercolor a poster from this picture.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="453" caption="A Settigano Sunset"][/caption]

Get ready, it’s going to rock. I let you know how it goes—but it’ll be December before it actually happens. BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY WATERCOLORS.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 14: Fried Foods

I am all about comfort food. My comfort foods cover a range of cuisines and food groups, but the red blooded American in me is a super fan of good old fried onion rings, catfish, cheddar cheese or popcorn chicken. Unhealthy? Yes. Distributors of immense amounts of happiness? Also yes. I’ll eat a salad with dinner, but for now just hand over the fried cheese.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 13: Target

That is Target as in the American superstore giant. Because I miss getting crayons, face cream, and peaches all in one store. If I had a car/ could read Italian (they really would balance each other out) then this might be a different story, but trying to find three different stores for three different things is a little complex for my limited Italian and confusing bus map.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

TIAMLFTA the USA # 12: Libraries

There is a library here at Villa Morghen, but that is not saying much. It is primarily an Italian library and that’s the issue I’m really having. There are about 16 books in English here and about 3 that I would actually consider reading under normal circumstances. The situation here is a bit dire, though, so I may be forced into the literary equivalent of Santiago eating raw fish on his boat and read the fifth Harry Potter book completely out of context. Times and hard, ladies and gentlemen, and sometimes hard times call for drastic measures.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!