Amo il sole

I've only just realised how much I love the sun! I don't mean that harsh bit of sun where you need to squent your eyes and then have an undesired itch as if you are baking and need to flip over like a roast! I mean the sun that shimmers across your body as you sit and sip a glass of wine or shine across your body with a light breeze! I'm enjoying that moment as we speak! I couldn't drag myself out of bed as where I'm lying the balcony door is open with gusts of wind and the sun is gleaming across my legs! And I LOVE IT!
The last two days I've woken up to this scenario and just lay here thanking God for the sun that finally cane to visit England.

( Dear mr. sun if you are reading this please stay! We like you even though the pasty bodies bouncing around don't seem to like you when they turn lobster red, I promise we love you!)

Even though I definantly do not need a tan, I love lying in it when I'm partially shaded and there is a breeze! Haha
Of course my brain relates everything to thoughts of Italy these days! I suppose it's a mind transitioning thing as I prepare for a life changing event!

Every morning I think about how waking up reminds me of summer mornings in Italy! It feels the same except when I look out the window or have a coffee on the balcony it is not at all the same, but none the less the weather is beautiful these days and I'd have to say is greatly preparing me for our future to come!

For now I'm just thankful the sun is here and enjoyable!

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mamma le scarpe (mummy's shoes)

Wow what an insane two days...I’ve been so busy with Livvy and entertaining her friends and their mums. It’s been completely wonderful although I’ve only just realised how much I will miss all our days together, however it made me think of what sort of friends I might come across in Italy. I’d imagine that things would be completely different but I do hope I’m able to find someone to gossip along with on a sunny day. Today we sat in the sun, drinking appletinis, kids splashing about in the pool and sandbox, whilst we laughed and yapped about my pushy neighbour. I suppose once you make a major decision in your life like moving to a different environment you come to think about how things might be and how people might perceive you. As much as one says they don’t care what others think of them...in reality everyone cares to some capacity. I just hope that I don’t dwell or focus on that aspect of our move.

Then of course my mind always gravitates to what the appearance of my daughter might be, especially with her being mixed raced, non-Italian and well a little bit crazy...oh well who am I kidding she is a hell of a lot crazy…if you don’t believe me…have a look at todays photo… those would be my shoes after all!! hahaha

See just as crazy as her parents!

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parli italiano??

Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking to my close friend’s family in Reggio Emilia. I made a point to ring around to everyone to see how they were after the Earthquake. It was definantly an interesting conversation with mumma Morena speaking only Italian and me…well I’m not sure what I speak Italiaglish…hahahaha
My Italian seems so great when I speak it to my daughter LIvvy…I mean she can’t tell me if my pronunciation is incorrect. But could you imagine speaking to someone in another language over the phone, long distance, whilst they are upset from a natural disaster and in their local dialect. Yes I was just as lost as you might be at the moment…We must have repeated ourselves to each other at least twice each time to make sure we both understood what was being said
The good thing is I did manage to speak Italian the entire conversation and although it was rough it made me realise how I really need to take my language skills up a notch. Being able to hold a conversation just isn’t enough. I really would like to engage a bit better and I do believe there is only so much one can learn via studying. Total submersion is defiantly key but until then I’ll be dusting off my old binders from the Italian Institute...I’ve actually realised that a lot of the content I’ve forgotten over the last 2 years. I’ve re downloaded my Rosetta Stone program and currently searching for an Italian instructor. I’m defiantly dedicated and focused on this. Poor instructed …whoever takes on the job...have no idea what they are in for…
Don’t be surprised if I began to inject a bit more Italian words or entire sentences into my blog here and there. I can’t promise it will be entirely perfectly correct..hahaha so my Italian readers feel free to correct me!! I think it might be good to even do some blogging in Italian completely (don’t worry mum Ill translate to English just for you!) :)

So for now I’ll leave you with this…
anche se la mia Italiano non è molto bene, mi sono determinato a essere fluenti!!

Can you see how excited I am in this photo?? This was moments after I ordered what we wanted from the local grocer in Reggio Emilia..and to my delight she understood what I was asking for and how much I wanted..she understood the questions I asked about the bread...and I understood her reply..I couldn't contain myself from expressing my joy...and well seems all the Italians thought it was just so 'cute' that I was excited to speak THEIR language...something they just did naturally!

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Earthquake

Today I was saddened to hear about the earthquake that stroke early hours of this morning in Bologna. It was dear to my heart even more so because I know people who are living in Bologna...and not just that in case you didn't know Reggio Emilia is only 1 hour from Bologna..so all of my friends and 'family' are living there. It was such a close call as I couldn't imagine what I would do if we were there right now..the thought has never crossed our mind about an earthquake since living here in the Uk..I cant even remember the last time there was one here ..or maybe Im jut simply behind a veil by not watching or reading news reports..whatever it is ..I was hurt by this Earthquake and not even in the city itself. I suppose it just reiterates the fact that I stated before in the last post..that things happen everywhere and tragic can hit you at anytime and anywhere..so now I must go research and prepare for this little thing called an earthquake..just in case it decides to return next year...

So bring on the new day for those who have been hurt or homes destroyed in Bologna or anywhere else in the Emilia-Romagna region..sending a special prayer out for you!

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Misconceptions / idee sbagliate

Todays photo comes from my last visit to Italia..Reggio Emilia of course...I really love the pizza from our region..I know Im bias but really after this time ordering and saw what my family was coventing over..the newest thing in Italy..pizza with fries on top..really really ...I mean REALLY...
This should be posted in Wikipedia under misconceptions to ordering pizza in Italia
....for some silly reason I thought Id get something authentic.

Sometimes the decisions we make in life are based on some really silly opinions and misconceptions. I refuse to be one of those people if I can help it... Seriously if some people knew why I chose to live and do certain things that I did they would probably think Im mad. Actually I am pretty sure that most people who truly know me well enough have come to the conclusion that I am indeed quite mad but for some reason they still choose to spend valuable time with me so meh...opppss!

Really what spurs on this topic results from a conversation over lunch today. I was telling a friend of mine about my previous post (things I love about Italy in 400 words). She commented umm and ahh..oh yes..Italy is best for this and the people are this and the atmosphere is that...
I did agree with her but I had to correct her in stating that honestly people are just people and although living in a different culture does bring on certain advantages and pleasures..we are all humans which means that there are lovley people in every country and really evil people everywhere as well. I don't want to give anyone this false idea that everything and everyone in Italy is so fantasticly perfect that there could be no wrong doing between Italians..Lets be honest they all have smelly poop just like everyone else....which means we are all the same..
Some people are really generous, loving and friendly and some people have personal agendas that spure on selfishness.

A great example was given in a group that I am apart of..this family attended a local restaurant in Italy where I should say they are currently living and had terrible service, horrible food and even had to purposely confront the owner in order to refuse paying for food they had not even eaten. From every country I have lived in, visited or even had a short stop over in the airport to, Id have to say that this happens everywhere and the response from the manger/owner or whatever she was at this famous locali resturante was appalling, I literately had to slap my jaw shut after reading about the encounter ..I really couldn't imagine someone arguing that they were a famous restaurants and because so the customers should basically suck it up, after all no one else had a problem. I think this would have lead me to being kicked out of the country at that point if it had been me..really this no confrontation to authority rule would have been lost in my mind..and I wouldn't have been thinking 'when in Rome' ..more like 'when you hear the wrath of Jessa'

Now, one who was a tourist and witnessed this event could have easily return to their home country and say..oh yeah that Italy...never going there the service sucks...you wont believe how they treat their locals.
Or on the opposing side someone who is completely pro Italia could completely be turned off..ready to pack their bags and head to the hills. But I think that life is life..and no matter where you run to someone is waiting to take their misfortunes out on you...And not to sound completely negative but it is reality but the other side of this reality is that for every person who is like that there is someone who is there to completely honour and cherish you.


So really what am I rambling about ..I have no idea..its far too late for me to be posting a blog..but for those out there who think that any place they live is one dimensional (either all positive or all negative) try unveiling your eyes for a split second and see the other side of things..you might be surprised...


All we can do in this world is live the best life we can within our means..and try to make the best decisions within our capability. I personally believe that we are created in this world to love and help those around us as best we can so in my life that's all I can do..but whilst doing so I plan to be bloody happy and have ALOT of fun and laughter whilst doing it.

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ufficialmente

This photo is a very very old photo with my Italian family..its very special to me as this was the day we first discussed (half italian/english) that we would one day live near them in Italy, this was in Australia over 5 years ago.


The funny thing about planning a big move is how fun and stressful it can be all at the same time. When we left Australia everyone thought we were off our head from every moment we planned to go, until the moment we actually left. And the funny thing is that even after we had boarded the flight and landed in London we were continuously asked when we were coming home. As it turns we haven’t planned to return any time soon…and actually moving even future away. We haven’t really let many people on to the idea that we’re looking to move to Italia soon, but it’s quite interesting to see the responses from our friends who have been let into the loop...its like the same experiences all over again. But the best part of our move this time is that we are fully prepared for various opinions. Most people find it fascinating yet sad to hear of us going away...and then you still have those who think it’s a silly decision to make…especially with a small child. After all how could you expect someone to understand your dream for something they don’t desire? I sort of give them a nice smile and think whatever I want in my mind. Hopefully none of them are mind readers…yet if they were I’d imagine they probably would have stopped talking to me a long time ago.
The more we discuss our decisions the more we feel at ease about it all. Well when I say WE I really mean the man I married. I love when something unfolds in his head at some random moment…such as when he says…

Him: ‘oooh hunny I think it would be good for us to move to Italy because if we did then blah blah blah…’. Or ‘oh it’s a great time and idea for us to live our our dreams now because blah blah blah…’
Me: ‘Yeah as if I didn’t tell you that months ago…’

Yep that’s when I go into inside thought mode again. And I’m defiantly sure that He isn’t a mind reader as we are still married.

Although he is very happy about living in Italy..its great to see that his eyes are even more so open to see a small glimpse of what I see within Italy and hopefully we will actually see the same picture that we imagine life to be like for us…reality you just never know. I mean honestly I never saw life the way it is for us in the Uk 4 years ago before we moved here. So this time I won’t even attempt to imagine too much about what it could be. What I have learned from my countless hours of research is to just go with the Italian flow...life is completely different and well to be honest...this is what excites me the most. As overly organised and critical of planning ahead I am, I’m actually looking forward to the unexpected outcome of our future. Mind you I’m just hoping and praying it will happen to be the outcome where you say: ‘wow never thought it could be this good’ hahahaha

So now it seems much more official. We are moving next year to Reggio Emilia. Now let’s see how long it will take us to decide which month next year….

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Home is where the heart is

Enjoying the markets




Awhile back I read about this initiative where people wrote the things that they loved in 400 words. Its meant to inspire you to be thankful for the things you have and hold dear instead of depressed about the things you desire. I've always reading them when others write them as you can sort of see inside someone' soul when you see what is dear to them..or you can understand who or why..a person is the way they are by just reading about the things they love. So I was reminded when I saw it recently on some one else's blog and thought I should do that about my love for Italia. Because lets be realistic as hard as life can be really its wonderful..well I can say for me... life is wonderful..no mater what happens it will still be wonderful..and I'm just thankful I have the opportunity to have a general love for a foreign land..so many people are so closed they wouldn't even ever consider moving from their birth land...this move to Italy will make my third move and well...Im still trying to find home...I suppose its like they say..home is where the heart is and we all know by now ..my heart is in Italia..so here is my list...

Things I love about Italy in 400 words...

I love when the sun shines on my face early in the morning to wake me up, the shutters on all the windows that either block the heat or invites the breeze, fresh prosciutto from the north, bidets with warm water, Lambrusco Reggiano, marble stairs, red houses with yellow shutters and green doors, pink Vespa, people on bikes everywhere no matter how large they are or how hot it is outside, erbazzone, Reggio Emilia, the excitement on someone’s face when they realise I speak Italian, proper pizzerias, the romantic landscape, Duomos, cool breezes on the veranda at night while watching the stars and drinking wine, drinking a litre of wine for under €4, attractive men in speedos at the beach, the markets in Parma, Consuelo Ferrari, morning pastries with a proper macchiato, bresaola, how Italian language sounds like poetry or a song, the universal love for children, Negroni, pink newspapers, the fact that I can be late and no one realises because they only all just arrived before me, simplistic ingredients to make something fantastically tasty, Nina Zulli, the old men at the markets, lengthy goodbyes and enormous amount of hugs and kisses, the discussion of food and cooking it with nearly everyone at least once a day, historical buildings, fantastic pizza, passionate personalities, i soliti idioti, aperitivos before dinner and the little selections of foods that are on offer at the bar to have with your drinks, Guiliano Palma and the Bluebeaters, watching Uk or American tv in Italian but with English subtitles, the way children are treated like adults or just real people and not babies, doing nothing and watching others do ….nothing, proper Gelato, pizza with truffle sauce, The police look stylish in their uniform and drive a Lamborghini as their police car, Parmigiano Reggiano, Firenze, when old people who stop to enjoy a tickle with your baby, 9th century cathedrals, produce markets, locali ristoranti tipici, tours to vineyards, people greeting you at the door when you arrive even just from work or sending you off at the airport when you go away, the many times someone has to say ciao, ciao, ciao before they actually end the phone call, the fact that I don’t have to sleep with a hot water bottle just to go to bed in the middle of May, Genova, mutual respect for mothers, flavoured salt, Italian shoes at decent prices, pancakes with nutella.

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sognando la dolce vita

- dreaming of the sweet life-

My beautiful Reggio Emilia!



Corruption, debt, slow judicial system, psychotic drivers, crooks waiting to rob you just around the corner,red tape everywhere, banks that withhold your money, unfriendly neighbours to ex-pats..ect ect...
Why would you ever want to move to Italy? After all the economic state of the country is a disaster...so what are you thinking Jessa??

This has been said to me more than once..and yesterday I had heard enough when someone said: "there is no sweet life...so whatever youve seen on tv is a lie."

Really..TV??? Seriously...do people really move internationally based on what they see on television? I assure you my heart's desires do not arise from ...Under the Tuscan Sun...however the film does make me smile with warm fuzzes....
I often dance around my bed screaming "I've still got it" all the time...

My question is...Is life really based on money ...do people really only think of money in life?
Im full aware that money allows us to eat, live, provide warmth, entertainment ect. But in reality I've yet to meet anyone who moved to Italy to make it rich and in fact most people who are wealthy might move to Italy to slow things down. That ...by chance is something skeptics just cant understand. I literately had a funny look from an Italian friend when I said that...

My dream consists of living ..of course comfortably, helping others in some way, providing a sense of community for my family, happy, and content with the ability to financially provide for my daughter's future. All else is bleak in my mind, I don't need to be rich, or famous..oh wait famous would be nice..but I don't need to be rich and famous..see I'm not greedy at all..hahaha

At this moment in our lives we are thankful that we are in a financial place to make such a move, especially since our last international move was just 4 years ago. So now we are aware that we must make every move and each step towards Italy carefully...prepare every step as if our entire lives depend on it.
So what's the first step. Research Research Research....Prepare Prepare Prepare...Pray Pray Pray....

And then we wait...

Now this is the hard part...because if it was my choice we would pack up right now and be on the move to Reggio Emilia, Italy. But sometimes we must sort out our present so that our future flows just as lovely. Especially if you truly want the sweet life.

I was reminded by a friend today about waiting...

“ The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right..” Psalm 84:11b
Oh yeah I should say we are bible reading Christians in this house...

This reminded me that there are benefits to waiting...think about it, if you learn to wait and observe then potentially you will make better decisions in the long run. Sometimes I think that I cant live without something today but realise in the future it was better off to have waited.

So for now I'll just continue... sognado la dolce vita...

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Eccomi

Well what can I say?? eccomi!! - Here I am!

I suppose Its only fitting and proper to introduce myself being that this is my very first post. My name is Jessica...Jess..Jessa...Jessabella (no not jezzabelle). Depending on my mood I may refer to myself as either..dont be alarmed I assure you I in fact do not have multiple personalities. However I can not promise that most of my rants and raving on this blog will make much sense but always feel free to comment, ask questions or even have an out loud giggle at my nonsense.

As this blog is created to follow my journey of (hopefully sooner than later) moving to Italy, you may find other topics floating about, such as quick injections of cuteness ...such as this

Isn't this the cutest child you have ever laid your eyes upon..yes I agree with you..she is ...
This is in fact my lovely daughter Olivia...and this photo was her very first full day in Italy. She in fact loved it..not because she had been dosed with an enormous amount of Vit D (which I should mention we are lacking here in the UK), and not even because she was being showered with hugs, kisses and gifts from our close Italian friends...but infact the food ..yes.simply because everywhere she went everyone shoved food into her face and she really could not get enough...
You might see a thread as time goes on that most photos of little miss Liv usually involve eating.


SO WHY ITALY??

Everyone seems to ask us (my husband and I) this question we talk about where we would love to live, or our favourite foods, or our favourite way of living...or even why our daughter is learning English and Italian at the same time when neither of our ancestry involves Italian culture. If only I could simply answer the question. I suppose there are some things that are just dear to your heart..sometimes you cannot choose these things and in fact they just might choose you.

The first time I had a desire to visit Italy was after seeing a commercial about learning the beautiful language ...something clicked..something went wow...boom..pop..whatever it did..it sure didn't happen when I saw the commercial to learn Spanish, Japanese or French.
But for the next 6 months I saw this commercial..and well you know how commercials go..over and over and over..just to get you to buy that product..well I bought it ..and I was so insistent on learning Italian. Well time went on ..illnesses crept up, hospital visits, surgeries..recoveries..ect ect..a few years past and although I still dreamt of Italy the dream was put to the back of my mind. Then it all surfaced when we discovered a lovely Italian restaurant near our house. We began to visit them regularly and well after a while..we knew the entire staff..owners and all....months passed and they really took care of us..to the point that Im sure that each meal and bottles of wine we drunk should have cost more than $19AUS but somehow every time we ate there that's how much our bill was...:) After a few months I became friends with a very special girl and to this day one of my closest friends, Consuelo. We had a common desire..to communicate..she needed to learn English and I needed to learn Italian..it was a win win situation...In the end I must say that she speaks fluent English at the moment and I still struggle during an Italian conversation so I think I might have been ingannato-duped-..hahaha
Our friendship became far more than learning languages, so much so that we rarely talked about languages at all..mainly after awhile she just spoke in English..I should have known what was up then..hahahaha

All in all to make this far too long story short..we have long left Australia (did I mention we are from Sydney? oops) and now living in the England...part of that reason was to be closer to Italy. When we arrived I joined the Italian Institute of Culture in order to learn Italian as quick as possible, 5 days a week for 5 hours per day of Italian classes with 10-15 other students in my class. I continued on to the Intermediate level but for various reasons had to discontinue..then next thing you know BAM..Im pregnant..and well we all know how that goes!!!

Our dreams of living in Italy are even more so present now that we have our daughter ...the community, simplistic lifestyle, availability of culture, history and language for our daughter, did I mention the weather??? oh yeah the weather...the food, our friends in Italy whom are now like our family, and Italian men...wait no no ..did I say that out loud...OOPPS...no really the Italian people are just lovely...somehow I think we also dream of the adventure...after all who wants a boring ole life anyway..

So now we find ourselves in a place of desire, with an open door... possible opportunities arise to help us fufill our dreams: una volta nella vita - once in a lifetime- and why not.. what's there to lose...
oh right EVERYTHING...

until next time
zzzzzz

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