Finding Chu Pito

“So here’s to all those summer nights 
when my feet hit the sand, 
the waves break my fall, 

and my friends out number the stars.”

Tonight marks the beginning of Summer in Ostia as the discos (dance clubs) on the beach open up for the season. I'm slightly nervous, as this is a new world to me, but excited as I recall the many evenings I spent with some beautiful friends at the discos in Reggio...

Dancing on the beach, next to the Mediterranean.

Cold drinks (expensive, but cold)

Great friends...

La Bella Vita... 

And how can I forget our "spot?"

Ahhh Chu Pito...

...Chew what?

Chu Pito - the infamous “shot bar” in Reggio. Literally, a complete hole-in-the-wall. The size of a small bedroom, packed with bottles of alcohol, sweaty, greasy Italians, and bartenders who could quite possibly out-rank any professional mixologist.

Chu Pito.

This is where it started. 

All of our summer nights spent dancing in Calabria along the shore of the Mediterranean.

“Posso avere una Margarita?” 

I laugh thinking about my first attempt ordering my first “drink” in Calabria. In my hot pink halter dress my mom bought me from Victoria’s Secret...the bartender was certainly not listening to me, just starring at my chest.

Probably a good thing though, I sounded utterly ridiculous trying to annunciate and pronounce my Italian phrase - they could tell I was American and it was embarrassing.

I can only hope that now I sound a bit more Italian - and less like an American!

From that moment on, our nights in Calabria relied on our pre-game at Chu Pito. And often on our way home, we relied on Chu Pito for a bathroom stop, or a much-needed water break :)

Our first stop at Chu Pito came after our group dinner at Via Veneto, my favorite place to eat in all of Reggio! There, we met our new friends who would make our Summer 2010 unforgettable. 

When we ventured out into the evening, Chu Pito seemed nothing more than a typical Italian bar (cafe in our minds), but it quickly became a favorite meeting point, a familiar spot for us all.


Tonight, as I begin my summer in Rome, me and my friend Sabrina will walk along the marina, and stop for a drink somewhere.


Will it be quite like Chu Pito? Absolutely not.
There is only one Chu Pito!
But, if there's one thing I'm sure of, wherever we go, I'll have a chance to make new friends and find a new "spot". A spot that could become my new Chu Pito where lots of memories will be made and smiled upon when I look back on this summer, Summer 2011.


This is true for everyone. Memories are not made because of where you go, or the places you frequent- memories are made by the the people you're with - together, you create the memories that last a lifetime.

Say Your Prayers - Marissa's Cooking Dinner Tonight

"The trouble with eating Italian food is that 5 or 6 days later you're hungry again." -George Miller, British writer

As we speak, I am preparing my first home-cooked meal for Francesca, Vincenzo and Beatrice. Honestly, this is a scary task at hand. It’s not only the idea that I have to prepare a meal for another family, or prepare a meal that they will enjoy, it’s the fact that I must prepare this meal for an Italian family in ITALY. 

Italy. 

The mother of all kitchens; restaurants; recipes; the best food and wine you could ask for. The country known for the way they prepare their meals, celebrate with food, etc. The list goes on.

I should stop now. I’m most likely going to fail.

But if I stop, then tonight, no one will have any food for dinner.

(Not quite sure what is worse; my cooking, or not eating...)

I nominated my Dad for providing me with his famous chili recipe after discovering both Francesca and Vincenzo had eaten this in America, as well as my mom’s chocolate chip recipe.

Hearty, fresh, homemade Chili. Mom’s old fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Sounds great...now only if I succeed. We will see!

I’m off to check on the cookies - I already burnt the first batch. 

AIUTO! AIUTO!
....
Well, it's 10pm. Dinner is finished. And I am happy to report it went amazingly well :)
No one died, the house is still standing, AND to top it off - everyone loved my meal.


I did it! I can cook!
Vincenzo said I'm becoming a real Italian woman.
I think I'll take that as a compliment!
Buonanotte amici :)

A Long, Hard Week...And It's Only Monday

I’m exhausted. And It’s only Monday. 

My head is spinning and I can’t wait for sleep tonight. That’s sad, considering it’s only 10:05. 

Today was a rough day with Bea. After school, I could immediately tell something was wrong; she wasn’t smiling, she wasn’t happy...and somehow I felt this was my fault?

Patience. Just be patient. 

I tried telling myself this over and over today, but I couldn’t for long; she wouldn’t listen, she wouldn’t eat, and she was not her typical self. 

Finally, I had enough. 

I turned off our songs, cleared the table, told her she wasn’t allowed milk and biscotti (a tradition of ours) and let her sit by herself without paying any attention to her.

I felt horrible inside!

I’ve never had to be stern with her before, but today I had too show her that I wasn’t a pushover and that she couldn’t get away with misbehaving (not that she was). 

I could see in her eyes that she knew she was not behaving like herself, and that she was hurting my feelings by her behavior. 

She is intelligent; smart, clever, and I appreciate this about her. I think it makes it easier to communicate with her, since she is observant and smart. But still, I wanted to scream.

But I didn't know what was wrong!

What was I doing?

After different attempts, I realized to get her to play and be herself, I needed to play; I put on our music, started coloring and she would peek her head in the kitchen to see what I was doing. I asked her to help me, and she did.

Thank god...

We played, ate strawberries and milk, and we sang.

The day got better, but I am drained.

This is a terribly difficult situation. I want nothing more than to have fun with Bea, but I need her to realize this is not a game and that I am serious.

Confession:

I never realized how difficult it was to watch children (let alone raise them). I can now understand what it’s like to be a mom, but the scary thing is, I don’t know if I could ever see myself being a mom...at least a good enough one.

How would I ever have the patience?

Props to my mom; for her patience, constant love, understanding and discipline.

I guess I can only hope my efforts help Bea grow and learn, and that she loves me just the same; no matter if I turn our songs off or not 

Fulfilling Our Dreams

 Who ever says dreams don't come true? 

A dream is a wish your heart makes...and believe me, I'm a perfect example of conquering your fears and fulfilling your dreams, as is my friend Travis! 

On one of our final days together in Reggio last summer, Travis and I stood on a balcony over looking the sea, and the beautiful beach of Scilla.

Together, we promised each other we would return to Italy.

On Saturday, our promise to one another came true!

We both have returned to Italy; venturing off onto two different paths, but our promises, our dreams, came true.

I was thrilled to be with him in Rome. It was nice having a familiar face around! We ate Italian food, drank some wine (and some more wine), traveled around Piazza Venezia, and finished our evening eating gelato in front of the Pantheon...

The beauty of Italy is something we both treasure.

I’m excited for his adventures, and although we are missing many links to our Summer 2010 group, the memories remain in our heart, and on our minds constantly!

Conquering My Fear...Cutting My Hair In Italy~

Ieri, mi sono tagliate i capelli

Before leaving for Italy, I had dinner with one of my dearest friends. Jill has been my friend since we were 14, and I have gone to her with all of my problems, including hair issues!

She was the first to cut my hair (taking a whopping nine inches off in the Spring of 2008) and to this day, has remained the mastermind behind this lovely mop on my head.

When we met in Grove City, I told her my biggest fear....

Getting my hair cut in Italy! 

Ok, this might not be my BIGGEST fear, but it’s a close second...

How would I be able to survive without her? She knows my style, what looks good on me and what doesn’t...AND here’s the biggie: she can speak English, fluently.

I mean, I’m not sure, but being able to express to your stylist how you want your hair to look is pretty important.

But I braced my fears, and the fear of split-ends and I went to una parrucchiera “Mito’s”.

And.... 

here is the result!!

I don' think I need a bag over my head!

Ok, so I conquered the Italian hair salon...next up, conquering my Italian book "Batte il cuore"

This is going to take a while......

Race For The Cure...Ancient Rome Style!

La Corsa Per La Lotta AI Tumori Del Seno

Susan G. Komen Italia

Since becoming an avid runner, I always wanted to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure 5K. I’ve known many women who have fought the battle against breast cancer; it is a fight I have never battled, but running for such a great cause and for such a beautiful celebration of womanhood seemed fitting.

Not realizing the immense size of the Komen foundation, I was shocked when Francesca registered me for the race, in ROME! I knew Komen was huge in America, but had no idea it covered worldwide.

Today, my friend Sabrina and I were able to participate in this exact race - in ROME!

We went into the center of Rome, leaving Ostia at 8 am (on a Sunday, this was rough) and arriving shortly after. 

The size of the crowd was unbelievable!

Thousands and thousands of people; walkers, runners, spectators, survivors, families....you name it, they were there.

Not only was the company wonderful, the route left me speechless (maybe more so than the running) ! During the 5K, we passed through ANCIENT ROME;  Circo Massimo, Colosseo, Piazza Venezia (and probably several other sites I missed trying to avoid falling on the pebblestone streets). 

To me, it was a HUGE deal to be passing by such historical landmarks, but to everyone surrounding me, it was just another day in the life of a Roman....che bella vita!!

It was an honor to run in a race that matter such a great deal to so many people, and it was truly beautiful to run this race in Rome!

Eating Eggs - Breaking Rules!

Italians definitely do things differently than Americans. I have tried adapting to the cultural changes, and I think I’m doing a decent job. However, I couldn’t resist. Today, I decided to break a rule... and it was a doozy!

I decided for breakfast, instead of eating typical biscotti and a fruit, I would have a good old fashioned American Breakfast! One that I know will make me feel “full and focused” all day, and during my run!

So what did I eat? I ate eggs. 

Yes. EGGS!

You might be wondering why this is so strange, as eggs are a staple in American’s breakfasts, but here, not so much.

Eggs are available, and Italians eat them, but very seldom, and NEVER for breakfast.

But I did it! I brewed a nice espresso, cooked three eggs sunny-side up with freshly-grated parmigiana, and I even found some ketchup in the fridge to top it off.

Granted, I did this by myself, without any one watching, so it’s not that cool - 

but hey, at least I know I’m a bad-ass breaking all the rules! 

The Simple Joy of A Child

“If you carry your childhood with you, 

you never become older.” 

Tom Stoppard, Brittish Playwright 1937

I was blessed as a child to have a loving family dedicated to bringing me joy and happiness every day. My childhood was filled with many memories of happy, joyous days; trips to the park and to my grandma’s house, Disney shows on ice, weekends in Pittsburgh, Christmas celebrations, birthday parties...the list goes on. 

Even as I grew older, my brother and I knew we could always count of our parents to support us and to this day, they continue to give us the world. 

Childhood is a precious time in every life, and I’m beginning to realize that even more as I interact with a young child every day. I see the happiness the simplest things bring her; like a coloring book, or freshly-picked flowers from the side of the road.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all have the joy a young child feels day in and day out? As I watch Bea play, and tell stories to her parents, I’m immediately filled with happiness just seeing her smile.

This morning, I had Bea all too myself as her mom is in Texas and her dad had to fly to Milan this morning. Since she is so young, I know the sadness she feels when she wakes up and neither of her parents are here to greet her, but with patience and warm milk, her sadness evaporates to happiness (eventually).

As people grow older, and responsibilities mount - schedules to maintain, work to complete, bills to pay, many find it increasingly difficult to maintain a positive and optimistic outlook. For me, a warm and happy personality suits me, but I worry that as I get older, I will fall into the same routines that many people I know have fallen into - and their happiness is sacrificed for these ‘routines’.

This thought scares me. I never want to lose the joy I feel in my heart every morning when I wake up (even if I’m crabby and need 3 coffees to get my brain firing). I never want to lose the sparkle in my eyes, the same sparkle I see in Bea, or the carefree smile that overcomes me when my heart is about to burst.

I think it is important to interact with children, and see the simple joy of their happiness. It helps me realize that no matter what stresses we feel, or insecurities we have, if we take a few minutes everyday to enjoy life like a 4-year-old, we would have much more joy and innocence in our lives.

So that is what I strive for, and will continue to strive for - I want to carry the happiness I felt as I child, and am reminded of when I watch Bea, every where I go. And I think you should do the same! Stop and pick some wild flowers, or spend a day coloring - I promise your heart will thank you!

Four Weeks

“We don't have an eternity to realize our dreams, 

only the time we are here.”

It’s hard to believe, but an entire month has passed by since I packed my bags and headed through security at Philadelphia International. I was seeking out a dream; a wish my heart, mind and soul had craved for months and months and months.

In one month, I can honestly say I have learned so much; not only the fundamentals of a foreign language, but the difficulty of teaching a child, the strength of Italian espresso, what NOT to wear (including bathrobes), but, most importantly, I have learned a lot about myself. 

I’ve discovered strength; strength to get up every morning knowing that I have to challenge myself to adapt to a completely different culture.  Living out of my comfort zone is hard, but I’ve always liked a good challenge.

I have learned patience (and am still learning); I realize I need patience to successfully help Beatrice grow and learn, as well as developing patience while learning this language (I expected to be fluent in two weeks).

I have learned admiration; how to step back and admire the beauty of God’s creations. I know how to slow down and take in a sunset, or walk around the ruins of Ancient Rome and feel the power and magic they possess. I realize there is much more to life than the chaos I have experienced in my past. By stopping to smell the roses, I can enjoy life’s simple pleasures (and I save money too).

I have discovered loneliness; I live with a wonderful family, I’ve made friends, but I am on my own and lacking the security I had at home. But with this revelation, I seek the goodness and love that surrounds me day-to-day and I realize with time, this sensation will disappear.

Four weeks; it’s not a lot of time, but if I have learned this much in a month, I can’t wait to see where the next 5 months take me. 

Distance

"Just because we don't talk

 doesn't mean I don't think about you. 

I'm just trying to distance myself because I know

 I can't have you."

Sometimes I hold onto things I shouldn’t- usually, I hold onto people.  Even after our time together has long ended. I can, and will, openly acknowledge this trait might be one of my biggest faults. It’s a bad trait, because once these people are out of my life, I can’t stop thinking about them, or the memories I had with them. Even if the memories aren’t so nice. 

I’m a “people person”, always have been, always will be - so when I lose someone and reality sets in, it’s hard letting go. It hurts knowing things can never go back to the way they were, especially when the moments you have with certain people are moments you would give anything to go back to...

But I need to learn to stop living in the past; and live in the present.

My horoscope yesterday really knocked me off of my feet. I’m not someone who relies on my daily horoscope to run my life, but sometimes, I like to read what’s in the stars. And yesterday, it was quite fitting.

This is what it said:

“...If you're concerned about the love that certain close people have for you, you shouldn't try to over-compensate... This period is about keeping your distance and putting your relationships into perspective to see what they're really worth to you...”

Precise words which fit my mood.

Distance. 

Yes, I’m distant, very distant from my home. And yes, I’m very distant from my friends and family.

BUT - I must LEARN to distance myself from people, who have hurt me, or who I can’t have any longer. Memories are beautiful; moments in time which I will never forget. But they are the past - not my present. I need to bottle them up, and put them away in a safe place. That way if I ever want to relive them, I know where to find them, but I'm not relying on the past to get me through my present.

Heartaches, heartbreaks, sadness, loneliness; these are all emotions we can’t control. But I'm slowly learning we can control what we do to fill the void in our hearts. Distance will help; now I just need to master it.