Homecoming

The last time I flew to Italy, I had absolutely no jet lag; I went to bed at a decent hour, woke up super early and repeated that every day with a smooth transition. This time? Not so much. Since I'd acclimated so well last year I figured it would be the same this time around, so when I woke up around 6:30am the next day I thought I was on my way to smoothly transitioning my internal time clock...not. I learned that nausea is a symptom of jet lag, and let me tell you...it's not fun. But anyway, It's all good; I get hungry and tired at the right and normal times now :)

Aside from jet lag, I have had an amazing first few days here. So far I have wandered through the foreign streets of Pisa and Orzignano to get to know them as well or better than I got to know Florence, taken a foreign bus, had meals with the family and friends of the one I've adopted for the summer, had many chances to practice my Italian and of course, eaten some delicious food! At this point it can only get better!

I absolutely love living in the countryside...It's much quieter and more peaceful than the city, yet it's not too far from it either so I can have the best of both worlds. It feels nice not to get awoken by drunk people yelling or singing in the streets at 3 in the morning :) There's also something very slow-living about it that I love. In the city, there's always a lot going on...and not that it's a bad thing, it's just nice to experience something different. There's a big backyard with a wide range of things growing in it that is a luxury of living away from the city: tomatoes, zucchini, basil, lettuce, cherries, walnuts, grapes, kiwis and many different species of plants and flowers that are non-edible but fill out the backyard so beautifully. Having a good-sized garden of my own back in the States has really made me appreciate meals that are made with fresh ingredients from right outside the front door. There's nothing better than knowing exactly where your food comes from...it makes eating so much fun!

These are her gorgeous tomato plants! We can never get them to grow like this in our garden, unfortunately, but anyway, I can't wait to make some bruschetta out of these beauties when they're ripe :)

     This grape plant looks so awesome growing out of this rundown wall. I love the way it's leaves look!

The cherry tree (the walnut tree is to the left of it). Instead of eating the ones near the top where we can't reach them, the birds love to eat the ones we can reach...funny how that works.

Zucchini, basil and lettuce!! If you grow zucchini in your own garden, cut off and fry the flowers they produce...they are so yummy!! I never would have thought to do such a thing.

To the right is the kiwi vine. I always thought they came on a tree or bush but nope! Vine it is. In this climate they ripen in November, and they are sooo delicious!

This is the view as you look out the back door...so, SO beautiful. I love the pathway and that bright red door!
















As my first week in this new Italian environment comes to an end, there is a sense of peace in my heart that has never been there before, as well as a deep knowing that whatever comes my way while I'm here will only add to the person I become. While walking on the quiet roads of Orzignano and even in the crowded, tourist-filled streets of Pisa, I have a smile on my face because I know that I have come home.