We got in last night, and we've been up since 4:00 this morning, but all in all the trip went well.
In the week before we left, I took lots of photos to post about what I'll miss/not miss about Italy, and have now lost my camera. Oy. If it turns up, I'll post the photos. If not, I'll have to resort to a thousand words.
A few first impressions:
1. Air conditioning. Whoa.
2. Soft, fluffy towels. Ahhhh.
3. Three things I'd totally forgotten about: English muffins, cranberry juice, hash browns.
4. TV is everywhere. Even in the customs line in the airport. Which is a good thing when you have a tired 2-year-old. He saw a baseball game on TV, pointed and shouted: "Basketball!" There was also a TV in the hotel breakfast room this morning. A big TV. And no one was talking to anyone. Even we got sucked in, and all that was on was the Washington, D.C. traffic report.
More later...
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"I've just had an Italian moment." An expat friend of mine used to say this when referring to moments of: 1. bewilderment (attempting to drive for the first--or fiftieth--time in Italy), 2. mind-boggling frustration (including any and all experiences with bureaucratic Italian paperwork, which must be officially stamped to within an inch of its life), and 3. awe (drinking a creamy cappuccino in an outdoor cafe, surrounded by 300-year-old buildings).
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A blog in which an American expatriate rants and raves about life in Italy.
"I've just had an Italian moment." An expat friend of mine used to say this when referring to moments of: 1. bewilderment (attempting to drive for the first--or fiftieth--time in Italy), 2. mind-boggling frustration (including any and all experiences with bureaucratic Italian paperwork, which must be officially stamped to within an inch of its life), and 3. awe (drinking a creamy cappuccino in an outdoor cafe, surrounded by 300-year-old buildings).
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About Me
- Natalie
- I'm a teacher, writer, wife and mother who splits her time between the U.S. and Trieste, Italy. Flying the Dragon, my debut middle grade novel for children, was published in 2012 by Charlesbridge.
8 comments:
Hello Nat!!!! Hooray! Welcome home! I don't know how to get in touch so give us a call. Can't wait to see you!! :)
Karen
Welcome back!! Mmmmm. Hash browns, AC and cranberry juice are some good things to be getting reacquainted with. And now I'm totally crazing hash browns...
Hah on the towels! Our towels were always kinda on the crunchy side in Ireland too.
A lost camera? Oh no!
And, welcome home!
Danette V.
Welcome to America!
I know you'll be missing a lot of things--I'm already feeling those twinges myself. However. Whenever you feel homesick, just go throw another load of laundry into the washer--or, ooh, dryer! (I was thinking longingly about dryers as I was picking the earwigs off my clothes yesterday...)
A few of us have become too Germanized. My oldest daughter wanted the air on full force during nights in the US, and my youngest complained (I sided with the youngest)!
Now I'm back in DE, and happy to not be fighting about air conditioning...
I'm DYING that your camera is lost! When I left mine at my cousin's house over Thanksgiving I was in a cold sweat until I got it back. I hope it turns up!
Glad you're back and the trip went smooth. Enjoy CSPAN!
Hey Karen! We're at my sister's house, but more than half of us has had strep throat, so I haven't called yet, but I will in the next fews days. :-)
C.K.--the crunchy towels that you can prop up are one of the top things I don't miss about Italy!
Danette and Julie--I know--the whole lost camera thing really stinks. My father-in-law said no one has found it yet. Bummer.
Rose--It was earwig season in Italy as we left, too. The grasshoppers weren't as big or numerous this year, which was a relief every time I brought in my laundry. Now the only things in my laundry is dryer lint! Yahoo!
africakid, I'm with you and your youngest on the AC--like most things, it's best when used in moderation. I find myself practically jogging through the refrigerated food section of the supermarket--brrr!
Welcome back! Your comments reflect some of what I felt when we returned to the US after a two year stint in Belgium.
But, I do love hanging clothes out ... they become nice and soft as soon as you use them, but the smell of summer is heavenly. I'll take those stiff towels anyday.
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