"Parla Inglese?"

Amidst our busyness in trying to settle in, I have been thinking about everything that has happened since the children and I arrived in Rome 12 days ago. You know, I borrowed the title "Living in a Foreign Language" and it seems to speak volumes into our journey thus far. 


My first experience in trying to communicate with someone was while we were desperately searching for our puppies once we arrived at the airport in Rome. We flew out of Charlotte on US Air and the pups flew out of Atlanta on Delta in their climate controlled cargo. We were all scheduled to arrive within 2 hours of the other and as they say here, non c'e un problema. We knew that customs in Rome would close early because it was Saturday, so we were working within a small time frame. Important bit of info that we were not given was that the pups were dropped off across town in a separate cargo location, NOT where we were. I knew the word for dog was cane, and after a couple of attempts at "Parla inglese", we found an employee with a badge and walkie talkie who understood what I was asking. So, I have just arrived in Rome with 11 bags, 2 kids, and 2 missing puppies. Ok, the story has a happy ending...BUT, not before Jon had to take a shuttle to pick up the pups, leaving us to stay behind with the bags, AND leaving the paperwork he needed to receive the pups. He returns to the airport, grabs the paperwork, then off he travels again. Five long hours later, he arrives back at the airport with the pups who successfully passed through customs and the vet check...WHEW!


Throughout the past few days as we've become more familiar and comfortable with our new and unchartered waters, I have been on overload with the language, how fast the words seem to flow, how everyone around me doesn't have to try and decode every sound they hear, how I feel my brain is working overtime trying to fall in love with this foreign language and learn it's linguistics ALL at the same time...here are a few examples:


A very seemingly sweet elderly lady was peering out of her 3rd story window, at our new apartment, looking down on the pups and me as they were on a potty break. Well, she proceeded to speak to me in italian while looking at the pups. I told her non parlo l'italiano and she continued to speak to me as if I knew every word she was saying. I gently nod, smile, and pray that she is not swearing to me about the pups. I'd like to think that she was welcoming us to the neighborhood...HAH!


A couple of days ago while shopping at the market, I knew the Italian equivalent for turkey was tacchino. I was proud of myself as I meandered "with purpose" to the deli section of the store and found tacchino. Well, I never anticipated the wonderful, and I must add, patient lady waiting on me not to understand ANY inglese. After a lot of body language and communicating with our hands, she determined how I desired the meat cut and how much I needed. I felt as if I had just worked an 8 hour hospital shift.


Last example, although I could continue for hours. Graci and I decided that we must have boots, especially when every person walking the streets of Rome looked like they have just stepped out of a fashion magazine, seriously! Our first attempt landed us in a store where the very attractive young Italian girl spoke little inglese. She grabbed another very attractive Italian girl and asked her to help us, which surmounted to her then grabbing a very attractive young man that worked with them and asked him to help us, because she was "off" duty. HAH! After trying on several pairs of boots and Graci not seeing any she liked, we said grazie and dashed out thinking we must get a shopping translator. Albeit, I thought shopping included a universal code among us women!! We did end up landing some pretty cool boots and at least our feet look great.


I know with time "living in this foreign language" will start making sense and our Italian neighbors will be able to peer out their windows, smile while we play with the pups,  and not hear me ask, "Parla Inglese?"

Chaos to Calm?

If I am honest with myself, and those who have witnessed the past several weeks, can testify to the chaotic spirit that hovered and landed upon our lives and overtook our household. The enormity of this move to Rome snuck up on me like a preying lion. We had decided to wait until the purchase of Jon's office was approved and closed before embarking on the final stages of the transition abroad. Well I say final stages, actually it was more like the majority of all that physically needed to be done.
With the help of some special friends coming alongside during such an incredibly hectic and emotional time, we managed to salvage what nerves were hanging on by a thread and pushed forward and through to the bitter end.

As I sit here in Rome, writing the first of many experiences from this most ancient, historic, and amazing city, I am deeply moved by the outpouring of love that has been lavished upon the kids and me.....I cannot begin to express my gratitude....I love all of you!!! Most days leading up to the move were completed with little sleep and skipped meals, but wrapped with love and a lot of prayer from so many of you!!!

Now for the calm....
Although we are currently in a temporary dwelling that is still somewhat unsettled, there is a calm that is transcending all fear, anxiety, and the feeling of, well, a fish out of water! Our current landlord gave Graci some advice yesterday. She told her to write down and remember 5 words a day which will allow her to learn 30 new Italian words every week. She is on it my friends and is falling in love with the city. She told me just today that she feels like she has been here her entire life and loves it!!! We still have a lot of things to do which could continue to produce chaos, but the calm is waiting patiently to overshadow the chaos!!

I look forward in sharing our little corner with you and although in Rome, Carolina is never far away!!! Buona Notte!!

Bubble Wrap: Purpose or Pleasure?

Ok friends, by now most of you are aware of the tasks at hand and our upcoming flight across "the pond". Our items selected for the container "cut" are making their way to NYC, then hopefully across the sea to our new home in Roma, Italia! As previously mentioned, I have a few relocations under my belt, so to speak, and this move by far supersedes any previous experience or expectation for that matter. Boxes, packing tape, scissors, brown paper, sharpies, and BUBBLE WRAP have become permanent reminders of our eminent move.

This morning while packing some kitchen non-essentials that we can live without for the next 16 sleeps (thanks Freedom), I was contemplating my next blog...BUBBLE WRAP!!! Personally, I have never purchased bubble wrap, nor needed to, because newspaper was cheaper and served the same purpose for packing my most valuable possessions....actually now that I think back, I have lost a few fine crystal glasses along the way. Now that I am somewhat wiser to the arduous and delicate nature of packing those precious items, I have chosen bubble wrap to protect everything that may pose a threat of loss. 

Graci and Freedom however, have ascertained that bubble wrap is their recent, newly discovered pleasure and source of entertainment, while I continue to wrap. Freedom's scooter, skateboard and body have all destroyed "my" bubble wrap. Graci agrues that Freedom's body was the most effective...she enjoyed tossing him on top of the bubble wrap roll actually waiting for it's intended purpose!

If I can be honest, I actually enjoy sitting around with a piece of bubble wrap myself, squeezing them between my fingers and hearing "POP". Purpose or pleasure? BOTH!!!