Arrivederci Cali: Fish Out of Water

So we have now been in Italy for three days and already it's setting in with how difficult, but fun this is going to be. From the moment we got picked up from the airport, our driver asked me in his broken but decent english how I was feeling about our move. I told him of course I'm excited, but I feel like a fish out of water. Him not understanding that phrase said it all. For the next several months I will not understand what is going on around me, nor will others understand what I'm trying to say. Yes, I have been here many times now for vacation, or 'holiday', but it's a different feeling knowing it won't be a temporary state of being. Carlo, Enzo and I are already joking how fluent in Italian I am already. Needless to say, I carry my little phrasebook around everywhere and have been studying and practicing as much as I can. It is interesting how interested in Carlo and I the Italians are- him speaking fluent Italian, and me speaking none. Being from California certainly doesn't hurt either because everyone has been there, wants to go there, or knows someone who has been there. At any moment I feel as though they will start poking and prodding us to feel a Californian!

Bacon and Onion Spaghetti the tavern owners gave us because they liked us. We must have been drooling looking at their plates or look hungry! Delicious!

We have had some fantastic food already! Meals have included lasagna noodles with pesto, a potato torte, pan fried calamari, sausage risotto, braised beef over cheese polenta, little fried cheese balls, bacon and onion spaghetti, an antipasti buffet of veggies, pan fried sole, and a deconstructed tiramisu. Of course there has been a sprinkle of vino in there too!

Carlo has already taken me shopping for a more Milan weather appropriate jacket. Spent the afternoon on Friday in the town of Como, wandering through it's streets and shops. Got a few more 'Italian' clothing and a pair of boots, so now I will be warm and not stick out too badly. Forgot what euro sizes I am, so that was interesting trying to figure that out.

Saturday evening after our plans to head up into the alps were scratched due to late planning, we decided to head to the town of Varenna on Lago di Como. It's a picturesque little fishing town that looks across to Bellagio. While during the high season of summer Varenna is a gridlock of people, we found it to be sleepy and quiet. Stayed in a hotel right on the main piazza, and were able to stroll on the waterfront path with barely passing anyone. Lovely quiet night but it's hard to get used to having this so close. Trying hard not to take my circumstance for granted and to not stop appreciating surroundings such as this!

We officially start work tomorrow, although I have a feeling the first couple of days are going to be somewhat short, as we still have plenty of other things to get in order before we get in any sort of normalcy.