Al'Americana! and Perfect days for rain...

I feel as if I’ve had too much wine, yet I haven’t had a sip. It’s four o’clock on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Bologna. I think it’s rained almost every Sunday. Perfect days for rain. The sun is always shining on our weekend day trips, but back home on Sundays the sky clouds up and rains. I’d like to think it’s just cleansing the week’s exhaust in the air. But it’s a perfect day for rain. Last Sunday was lunch l’italiana…this afternoon was brunch Americana…

Seriously scrambled egg ommelettes with sausage, cheeses, peppers, and hot sauce in tortillas, homemade bunched biscuits and store purchased coop orange juice. Some had mimosas and homemade chocolate pancakes too (The pancake mix was purchased from the Asian Market nearby, the cheeses were Italian and every ingredient was purchased in Italy…this was an American breakfast).

As usual I woke up an hour after the brunch started, but I was early… the cooking creations were just commencing… Stefano loves the culinary exchange. So do I. I fuel myself up, ready to go, and ready to live. Living every day here in Italy, this weekend and the part of today I have lived… before brunch I kept telling Stefano “I’ve never lost a game in 20 years of Billardino” (foosball). It was us two against two Italians. Like father like daughter I said what my dad would say “I’ve never lost a game in 20 years!”

I yelled in excitement and frustration as we scored goals and lost goals! Onlookers watched and laughed at my enthusiasm. In my head I was thinking I had to win. I had too. It was a close game. We lost after a tie and a score from the opponents. Winning isn’t everything. Really, it isn’t. I didn’t have to win. Stanchy Stefano and I enjoyed ourselves.

Next match: Americans and Italians

Kristin and I played Sarah and another Italian regazzo. Kristin and I decided that after every 2 goals scored we would switch positions from offense to goalie. Switching happened rapidly as the Italians kept on scoring…and us Americana’s didn’t make a single goal. Finally we scored 2 goals. But then they won. Winning isn’t everything.

Like Carla said “La exam no e tutti vita.” The exam isn’t your whole life. And that is part the reason why I am blogging instead of doing my compiti (homework). After the brunch Carla walked into the basement sad she had missed the American chibo. She invited Chelsea and I along with Sarah who was dying for an espresso into her room for some coffee and homemade biscuits Sara’s parents had brought her. Next thing you know Carla is brewing up some fancy coffee from her black stainless steel coffee/espresso machine and we are all chatting away in Italian and English like friends of a lifetime. Over an hour passed over coffee and biscuits. It’s a perfect day for rain. We talked about American cities, cities like Dubai, cities in Italy. We talked about our hometowns and our homes. I felt at home.

Lately I’ve been living a life of a dream. This is my reality. I wouldn’t like to sum my life up like a face book status but this is what I think of now… My status just three days ago was “MY LIFE IS BRILLIANT…THANK YOU MAMI AND PAPI.”  I am so grateful for this life I lead now and I want them to know it.

I know I am not an only child and I cannot be selfish. I sobbingly cried yesterday and the day before. My life is brilliant but I needed to cry. I let myself cry because I felt I had reason to do so. I will probably be put into perspective after visiting Auswits this week but for now I let myself cry. I know it is stupid but it was the grandest problem, like a Bologna cloud pouring down on me, me choking on all of the exhaust in the air. My American Express poofed away on the way to the coop on Thursday…after some tears and frustration and of course hours of phone calls with the bank and mami and papi that problem was solved. A new card arrives this Monday. … On the way to a day trip picnic to Cervia I went to get some cash out as I only had 10euros on my person… The ATM machine was hungry and decided to mangier il mio carta. The machine ate my only debit card left- the only way I can get money; I only had ten euros on me! Thank God Stefano was walking with us to the train station to pick up his little sister Claudia. He helped me inside the bank to explain my situation to the lady behind the counter. It would take 30 minutes before I could get my card- my train left in 15 minutes. Once again I thank God. Stefano would retrieve my card for me on his way back to the train station and I would survive in Cervia, and getting there and back with ten euro. Rebekah, Jordan, Chelsea and I booked to the train station, hopped on our train and headed out for a wonderful beach day… in February. ( I will write of my catch of the Adriatic Sea after I write of the lost fishes (my credit cards) that let go of the hook).

After arriving back to Camplus Alma Mater Stefano gave me my card and I gave him the biggest hug. I had never been so happy to see stupid plastic. Multi colored plastic card with my picture and name on it. So stupid. Yet, so important. I hate to say this while taking a social justice class and making friends with people who have NOTHING. No plastic. And they are just fine. But it has made me felt so frustrated and terrible without this plastic. So stupid. They can smile without this plastic in their pocket, why am I filled with an overwhelming sense of loss without this card?

Thank God I had my debit card back. After an evening out in Bologna with some good wine and good friends I once again made it back to campus to go to sleep and wake up to breakfast and the news that some people were traveling to Ferrara! Chelsea ran to me to share the good news about Ferrara- I’ve had this longing to go eve since my English professor told me I couldn’t leave Italy without going- so without hesitation I ran from the breakfast table without finishing my coffee and put some clothes on, stuffed my purse with the necessities, my debit card and ran to Hans and Cory’s room. Perfect timing. They were heading out the door. We headed to the train station. Perfect timing. We bought our tickets and hopped on the train. We were headed to Ferrara! No seats on the train, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder, crying baby next to crying lady we stood. 30 minutes later we entered the walled city of Ferrara!... 2 hours into the day It was time for some cash, I had only a couple cents on me and Julia had already purchased my train ticket. Hans pointed me to a self-service bank. It was after lunchtime but this machine was hungry. The machine ate my card. The bank was closed. I wanted to cry. I was in disbelief. I didn’t cry because I was too shocked. There it was. There went everything. I have no money and no cards. Okay. I stood in front of the machine and though… My philosophy professor Caterina Zanfi is right. Us humans are crating machines that can defeat us. Was I just defeated? Yes. No. I wouldn’t let it defeat me. I will admit it was hard to smile the rest of the day but I did anyways. I frowned the whole time up until we got to the castle. I explored the moted castle, snuck into windows, snuck up stairs, and jumped on balled figurines. I was happy again. I wouldn’t let this bring me down now- I’ll figure it out when I get back.

Luckily I had a croissant in my bag from breakfast and Hans bought me a gelato- I could get by without spending much. Julia and Amy bought beautiful fossil jewelry. I wanted a ring so bad- a ring of coral. I have coral back home in my Miami beaches. I didn’t need to buy the ring.

When I got back everyone asked me how Ferrara was because they knew I was dying to go. I couldn’t say it was great but I said it was good. I went into my room and cried. I called mami and papi- I felt everything was sucked out of me. I had no money and I owed a lot of people some money for the train rides and lunches. I had taken pictures of the bank to see if I needed to return back to Ferrara to get the card. I skyped mami and was so overwhelmed. As Kristin would say, “get yo self together.” I tried. But I let myself cry with my mom. She told me what to do although I already knew what I had to do. I had to leave the bank a message- in Italian!?!? Telling them not to throw away my card. None of the pictures I took had the bank number. I had to call bank of America. I had to figure out a way to wire money. I need money for Poland in just three days. I have five cents on me.

I took a breath, finished my crying and got myself together.

I went to talk to Hilary, thank God. She helped me write an e-mail to the bank in Italian. We called Todd and he set me straight- do not got back to Ferrara- get a new card from my parents and have them express mail it to me. Wiring money is a plain headache and it would be to late to get the money for Poland. Confide in a friend who would act like a wiring money transaction and lend me money until I pay her back. Thank God for good people, good friends and good family. I was starting to feel a lot better. Kristin was in the room and heard me; she told me she would lend me money. Hilary gave me a hug and helped me translate everything. Todd led me and my parents are the ones behind it all. I am so blessed. It’s a perfect day for rain. I cried. But tomorrow it will be sunny.

I had visited the tesoros (treasures) of Italy, Cervia and Ferrara…I had survived without my plastic card. Today I was fed with American chibo with good American friends and Italian amicos. No need for such importance on this stupid plastic card.

Chelsea would say this was a gift of Buddha. And it takes a lot of me to say that this is yes a gift. A gift of an opportunity to learn that I will be taken care of when in need.  But I must help others to realize I am being helped.