How to "Blend In"

Before we arrived in Italy, we kept being told two things: Italians DRESS for everyday things and we were to "blend in". When we packed our clothes that should have worked for the summer, Patrick and I thought we were doing pretty well with our "blending in" choices. HA! First of all, the two of us don't blend well anywhere-especially when it seems the average height for a woman is around 5'4". Secondly, although we are presentable enough to go into the churches (pants, no tank tops, I've even been ironing this summer), we still can't figure out the Italian way. Khaki pants/capris are really only worn by the Americans. Strike two for blending in! So if any of you should relocate to Italy or come see us (the door is always open, literally) here are some tips to "blend in".

1. Ladies-always wear the highest heels you can find. Doesn't matter what you wear them with, I have seen very few flats/flip-flops/sandals. Even here in Little America, the nationals wear co-ordinating heels with their swimsuits at the pool. Who says (in reference to beauty pageants) regular women don't wear shoes with a bikini?
2. Gentlemen-find a pair of pink (any shade) pants and wear them with either a polo (any shade) or linen shirt. Make sure the collar is up and you have tassles on your shoes.
3. A cell phone and a gelato (ice cream cone) are other "must have" accessories.
4. Large lens sunglasses. Wear them indoors as well.
5. I don't think I'll ever talk Patrick into one, but many men wear what Jerry Seinfeld would have coined a "man purse". Its like a small satchel about the size of a day planner worn across the body. I think the popularity of them is due to the popularity of "borrowing" other people's wallets on a permanent basis. Coach and Gucci are popular choices. After all, you have to have somewhere to put your cell phone and sunglasses (should you take them off).
6. Back to the ladies...lots of gold jewelry. It isn't done in a Mr. T fashion, but there is a lot of it.

These were just some of my observations at the Jambo (big mall) and the Auchen (another big mall, but the Auchen itself is similar to a Super Wal-Mart) last night. Shopping is a big pastime on Sunday apparently because the place was packed. It was crowded enough that I had a hard time balancing my cell phone and my gelato.

Back Online

After two weeks, we have our computer back! We've been having to take quick checks at the Family Center for our email and not a lot of time to email everyone.

Our house that we picked has passed inspection. It is in Cuma (which the Greeks settled) and is down the road from the beach and the Greek ruins. It has 3 bedrooms, a large balcony off of the kitchen and a great view. The duplex overlooks an orchard and the ocean and not much else with a clear view of the island of Ischia. Our next door neighbors are the landlord's sister and brother-in-law, and he's part of the Carabinieri (Italian military police) which equates to no break ins. A big plus! We sign the contract next week and move in the week after. Farragusto (Italian national holiday-the entire country shuts down for two weeks) has ended up only delaying us by a day.

We managed to make it over to Herculaneum a couple of weekends ago. Nicely preserved and smaller than Pompeii. I still haven't figured out how to get the pictures to where I want them, so sorry! Michael wasn't impressed until he heard that it was from Vesuvius that caused all the destruction to the city. Emily had her heart set on Pompeii, but after a few hours of walking around, she was glad we went for smaller. We're aiming to hit the big archeological museum this weekend. She has declared that seeing the Pompeii artifacts at the museum and in combination with Herculaneum touring that it will be "close enough" to Pompeii.

The kids have made a few friends here at the Navy Lodge. Unfortunately for them (Em and Mike), their families have already found and moved in to houses. We've signed the kids up for the Montessori school that is on the same base Patrick will be at and only 15 minutes from the house. They just answered all of our questions and concerns without us asking them. No basketball for either of them until January or February (through the Boys and Girls Club here on base) and the only other offering in soccer which neither is interested in. Emily is going to try out for the swim team in September. She's in lessons now to learn the butterfly and breast stroke, but the coach said she seemed very "coachable" and has a "swimmers body", just some technique work is needed. Keep your fingers crossed.

I'm still doing the things that need to be done here. It seems that there is something that has to be signed up for, turned in, or found at the exchange everyday. From our room to the housing office and back is almost 2 miles (I bought a pedometer), so even if I don't get to the gym (and yes, I'm going to the gym and actually using the equipment), I've gotten some amount of walking in. My weight training program consists of going to the commissary every three days and lugging the bags back to the room (.25 mile with usually two-three half gallons of milk plus bottles of drinking water).

The fires are down, the trash is picked up, and unfortunately the fireworks have slowed since an explosion there a few weeks ago. My Italian is picking up, although all that time in high school French class is coming back to haunt me. I don't really NEED to remember how to say "I'm going to the beach tomorrow" in French, but it sticks out every once in a while.

Till next time, ciao!