Top reasons why I am absolutely in love with Italy

us with Iva's host family after lunch!

1. THE FOOD.   I know what you're thinking: "duh."  And I guess you'd be right in some ways, it's so be expected for the food here to be absolutely amazing.  I seriously can't find a bad meal here, at least in Tuscania.  But I'm not just talking about WHAT food they have, I'm talking about the quality of it.  Literally everything is fresh, and made right here.  Last week, Stacy, Noah and I went to Iva's host family's house for lunch.  It was like Christmas, minus all the Jesus stuff.  First, we had apperativo, which is pretty much like Italy's version of Hors d'Oeuvres.  Prociutto, fresh bread, bruschetta, sheep cheese, and these kabob type of things with lamb.  The bread?  Made fresh in Tuscania, actually in the bakery that our cooking teacher's family owns.  The bruschetta? Made here too.  Even the olive oil was made by Felice, Iva's host dad.  The cheese?  Also made by the family right here.  Same with the lamb.  Then we had lasagne which was DELICIOUS.  Then chicken, which of course was also raised (and killed) here.  The homemade poundcake filled with sprinkles and chocolate wasn't too bad either.  This is just a preview of the food here, in every restaurant all the food is just as fresh and comes from the area.  Even things you buy at the grocery store are natural (only like 3 ingredients at the most, all of which you know what they are...unlike stupid America.) Not only is it fresh, but you eat SO much.  It honestly still remains a mystery to me how nobody here is fat.

2. THE PEOPLE.  Everyone is so friendly!  And very patient if I'm having trouble understanding them or something.  Everybody in this town knows each other, and everybody says "ciao" on the street.  It's so cute.  In fact, perfect.  If only they didn't drive like idiots and yell at each other every 30 seconds when they barely avoid an accident.

3. THE HISTORY.  I just got back from Tarquinia on a school field trip for one of my classes.  We went to a necropolis and the museum.  Pretty much everything we saw was almost 3,000 years old.  No joke.  It's crazy.  In my classes, we're learning all about ancient history of the Etruscans and then the Romans when they took over...and its amazing how it all literally happened right on the ground I'm standing on right now.  Necropolises (cities of the dead...pretty much these caves where they've found a bunch of tombs) are found everywhere surrounding where I am, walls are thousands of years old, the churches have faded frescoes painted 2 thousand years ago...it's insane.  Today we saw old jewelry from the 4th century BC.  Some of the rings look just like rings that forever 21 or urban outfitters tries to put out as being unique and funky and pretend like they brought it into style...nope, sorry urban, you're a few thousand years late on that one.

What I see on my walk to school

4. IT'S SO PRETTYYYYY. For real.  I'll be just walking back home at night or something within the walls of the town and I seriously just can't believe where I am.  It's like a movie or a painting or something.  I still can't believe it!  My walk to school has the view of those rolling green hills one might see in "Under The Tuscan Sun" or something.  The cobblestone...so pretty.  Although, I must say, my feet are literally killing me at the end of everyday...and I do trip or twist my ankle a lot (but then again, that's no different than home.)  

Well, that's enough I guess. 
Last week in cooking class, I learned how to make fresh pasta!!  So cool, and tasted so good.  This past weekend we just stayed here in town, it was very relaxing.  On Saturday we took the bus into Viterbo and did some shopping.  There are a lot of cool stores there, yet I'm still on the prowl for a leather jacket...hopefully I'll find one asap.  Carnivale is going on right now.  It's pretty much like Mardi Gras, and Venice is the equivalent of New Orleans.  So, hopefully I'll get a chance to see it.  Although, there are a lot of parties and celebrations here in Tuscania.  Very excited for a masquerade-type party in a couple of weeks at a local bar!
I booked my plane tickets to London and Dublin for spring break! SOOOOOOO excited. Who knows where I'm off to this weekend.  Maybe Florence...but then again maybe Switzerland, or France, or Pompeii and Naples...or....who knows!  We'll see.
I miss home and everyone from it!  Love you guys.
Ciao tutti!

p.s. allison and erin: don't leave.  Rome is overrated, anyway.