oof. head hurts quite a bit actually. went to a party that a friend of mine from rome was having, sort of a house warming type event. brought along a new friend, a boy named ryan from New Orleans. i was in the kitchen yesterday around noon, making my morning coffee (school starts soon) and chatting with vinny, a brazilian who works at the hostel who is getting his italian citizenship and has offered to marry me so we can make a trade (american passport for italian, that sort of thing), and this kid comes in and about 3 sentences in to our "hello who are you where you from" thing declares that he would absolutely kill for some fried chicken. my response: well darling, you have met your girl. vinny, ryan and i took a walk through this fantastic neighborhood in the bright early spring sunshine, and stopped in the market on the way back for ingredients for our southern feast. fried gizzards, legs and thighs, green beans, rice and gravy, corn bread...
ryan and i went searching for corn meal and found it at this beautiful store across the street from the hostel where they import international goods, everything from oreos and quinoa to spanish cheeses and coconut milk. they had an american food section with fruit by the foot and various other blasts from the pasts. was wonderful being in there with ryan, who picked up a pack of Worthers Originals and asked, "do you remember this commercial? with the old man at the table in the tweed sweater?" and i laughed and said yes, i watched that weird commercial every morning while i did my Zoro (if i was up really early)-Lassie-Flipper-Munsters-Saved by the Bell run through.
the cornbread turned out a bit weird but delicious still, and the chicken was great, and while i cooked ryan told me stories about New Orleans during katrina. hes from the city and though his house and family was spared, instead of fleeing to memphis he spent the week in the city helping to reunite families and bring medical supplies to the sick and was in charge of a make-shift orphanage for little kids who couldnt find their families. was incredible hearing the first hand account, such a heartbreaking situation, and it was great to hear stories of bravery and selflessness and the little and big things that people did to help others. after dinner i asked if he would like to accompany me to a party, and i put on a dress and we were off. the party was nice, a small gathering of friendly, jovial italians who have taken a liking to me. the best part was late in the evening, when the italians were speaking in romano and ryan and i joked that we didnt have a dialect to fall abck on, and he was like, you know i bet if we spoke in ebonics they couldnt understand...and we were off, our ATL and NO exposure pouring out, and he was right, they had no idea what we were saying. was fantastic.

so im leaving this precious city tomorrow, heading in to barcelona. dear freddie from france is going to come meet me and i plan on eating alot of cheese and dancing into the wee morning hours. not so keen on the spanish men anymore but well see...

love, ele