Birthdays, cooking, and finding my true love!

SHOUTOUT: Happy birthweek to Cameron McGraw and Nicholas Patterson! I love Florence, but I have to say that I’m a little sad that I missed two of my closest friends’ birthdays this week. Cameron and Nicholas both turned 21! Cameron, it’s still your birthday so enjoyyyy and don’t have too much to drink. Nicholas, it was so wonderful to see your face on Skype for your birthday and it makes me so happy to know you’re doing well in Texas! I will be at your games in spirit, cheering you on. I love you both so much! As the Italians say, “Cento di questi giorni!” [I wish you one hundred more years]

[We're so goofy]

I haven’t blogged in a few days, so this could be a long one…fasten your seatbelts.

Even though I embarrassed myself in my photography class this week by taking a roll of film without any film in my camera (thank you, camera guy, for not telling me you took my film out) and I had a slight emotional breakdown over my drawing class, it’s been a really beautiful week. Last night, a few friends came over and I cooked dinner for everyone. It was late and the markets were closed so I had to make do with what I could find, but I fixed something like a vegetable parmesan with some seasoned pasta on the side and had some bread with olive oil to start. Want to see??

It turned out to be pretty good! There were no leftovers, so the girls must have liked it. Granny and Aunt Marilyn, I hope you’re proud!

Speaking of cooking, I went to a cooking class tonight at school and had a really great meal. The teacher is the most amazing woman and I think I will go back next week just to see her. This woman was so lovely and her food was incredible. She made us bruschetta, white beans with black cabbage, and pasta with pesto, green beans and potatoes. So simple, so delicious. She did her best to tell us everything from how to buy olive oil to where to find the best produce in town. After the class was over, Alex, Madison and I stayed behind to talk to her and I’m so glad we did. She is so funny, so beautiful, and so Italian.

Things I learned:
1. Cooking is a labor of love. It’s not so much about the labor, though, as it is about sharing something you’ve made with your hands with the people you love.
2. Being old in Italy is a good thing, not a bad thing. I think that a lot of Americans are losing respect for elderly people, not because of heartlessness, but because of constant efforts to get ahead or to get things done more quickly. Italians respect every age for different reasons. My wonderful cooking teacher says that if you are old in Italy, you are not useless. Instead, you are “patient, wise, and have time to tell stories.”If you want a man to fall in love with you, cook for him. (see number one)
3. Eating real, fresh foods will make you healthier and more beautiful. Ok that one seems pretty obvious, but you should see this woman! I was shocked to find out that she was over fifty. Her skin is amazing and she looks and acts like she doesn’t plan on ever aging. She says that Italians live longer than any other people because they only eat fresh foods. Then again, I’m finding that Italians like to make up a lot of nice things about themselves. It seems believable to me, though.
4. If you want a man to fall in love with you, cook for him. (see number one)

I forgot to mention that I found my true love today. His name is Tiramisu. That was the best part of the cooking class…and now I [kind of] know how to make it! I’ve always liked tiramisu, but eating it in Italy just made it taste so much better. Alex and I were scraping be bottom of the pan.

As far as edibles this week go, a close second to the tiramisu was the discovery of Pocket Coffee. These little guys look like a piece of chocolate candy, but they have espresso inside. Liquid, ready to go, espresso. Yes, fellow coffee lovers, these do exist. The espresso is pretty strong, but boy, is it good.

Final thoughts: In Italy, just like in America, people really care about how they look and how successful they are. This week, I have felt a little bit like a failure in some of my classes. Beyond that, it’s really easy to feel judged here. Not only do I stick out as a crazy American, but I constantly have people looking at my work and I walk around looking at these beautiful, well-dressed Italian women everywhere I go. This verse has made me feel beautiful, despite those feelings of inadequacy:

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7

Happy birthweek, again, to two of the most wonderful hearts I know.

Buona sera!