Another AMAZING hike!

see all photos »

So today, I went for another hike.  It was such a beautiful day though, and the fresh air couldn't be passed up, plus hiking is free! :)  not that I am always worrying about money, but a day where you are so entertained and just loving life, and then you realize you got all that happiness from nature?  SUCH a great feeling!  So I hiked up for a while, and was headed to Serpiolle, when the trail follows the road for about a quarter mile, so I decided to take a small break on the side of the road, stretch out, drink some water, and eat an orange.  A man, probably in his 30's zooms by on his bike, and then skids to a stop, and walks back to me, and asks me a question, of which I have no idea what he is saying.  So I explain that I'm from Sesto, and a student from America, and really bad at speaking Italian.  He is sympathetic, and so we chat for a while.  He knows a little English, so between both languages we can figure things out.  Then he asks where I'm headed: Serpiolle, which happens to be where he lives.  Ok great.

see all photos »

The he tells me that I have to come see his family.  (insert creepy music)  Now, any normal person would have politely declined, but, I figured, what creep invites someone to meet their family.  If he would have invited me to his bedroom, we would have a different story.  And, I had my swiss army knife, and wasn't afraid to use it if need be.  So we walk down the hill, and to his house, where there is an enormous family inside.  grandma, grandpa, brothers, sisters, and a whole bunch of kids.  Great, here I am, looking like a complete dork, all dirty, and presented in front of this family.  But there was a boy about my age, probably younger, he was still in high school, and he could speak enough english that we communicated pretty well, and translated things for the family. Fun.

Italians do have big families!

see all photos »

Then, nonna (Grandma, and basically the ruler of the world), decides that we need to eat, that I need to eat.  So she starts pulling out all these snacks: biscotti, and cantuccini, and prosciutto, and fruit, and wine.  And what was I to do?  Say no, I need to hike 2 hours back home?  Uh...NO!  So of course I ate, and we chatted, and they were all so nice as well as intrigued by this American girl in their home.  I looked down at my watch, and realized it was 4:30, which means I had about a half-hour, 45 minutes tops of daylight left.  So in my head, I'm kinda freeking out about what I'm going to do.  So I told Nicolo, the boy my age, that I didn't know if I had time to make it back, and he said not to worry, they would just give me a ride.  Wow!  So I took him up on the offer, apparently they needed to go to the grocery store that is relatively close to where I live.  So they dropped me off there and I walked the rest of the way home.

see all photos »

Once again, I am amazed by the kindness of strangers!  It was such an exhilirating day, and I made some new friends!  :)  now though, I am beat, and ready for a day of rest!  I think tomorrow, we are going to go to a big Chocolate expo they have in Firenze (mmmmmmmm), and then to mass!  yahoo!

Love you and miss you all SO much!

And I have found a new love, Nutella.  It's a chocolate/hazelnut spread they make in Italy. They don't however have peanut butter.  They do have it, but it's like 4 euro for a baby jar of it, and it's just not the same, so, family - when you come over, I will need you to bring a large jar of peanut butter to satisfy our cravings!  :)