Thursday, November 12, 2009

November splendor..

Ok I must keep my promise of updating my blog a bit more.. I can’t believe its already mid November pretty much. The time has FLOWN by and I need to go shopping for a wedding present for my friend who is getting married on the 5th in Texas.. And a few things that won’t “break the bank” . So I should probably plan on heading over the markets soon and break out my “ you are NOT going to overcharge me face”.. I learned in China that if you can’t bargain well you have no business being IN that market.. Hehe.. And I take that to heart.. But then again I negotiate for a living!

Halloween was fun! we met up at Naimas , a little bar in the center and had some drinks and basically our group got bigger and bigger, it was great seeing all of my friends, we did a little bar-hopping, ate some falafel and the only sore point of the night is when some idiotic american guy spilled his beer on my foot and accused ME of being in his way.. umm no knucklehead.. work on your hand-eye coordination next time. His GF quickly apologized to me "oh hes drunk" and i said " yeah well i would suggest getting another boyfriend.." .. hehe. Sorry but come ON.. I have never been SO drunk to be completely rude to a stranger that I did something to.. hjehdjkjk




So latest news.. I have been doing GREAT at work.. My job is NOT easy and it was very slow going to the point where I thought I may lose my job. I really had to take a step back and start believing in myself and realize what I was trying to do is difficult when the economy is doing well much less right now.. Also selling in another language can quite a trial and error. I have errr put my foot in my mouth at times.. Tee-hee. So lately, I have been more aggressive and organized and believed in myself and what I am doing and it has worked. I have made a couple of significant sales and made my bosses happy and me happy which in Italy can be tough! Working here can want to make you stab your brain with an ice-pick.. Seriously.. I hope my luck streak doesn’t run out. I have an important appointment tomorrow with a school here and must bring my A-Game to the table.. That way I can enjoy my weekend with PEACE of mind.. Woohoo ..and wine..and good friends.. And a great boyfriend..:P



Other news.. I just booked a plane ticket to go to Los Angeles in December and I am soooooooooooooooooooo excited. Yes the extras o’s were needed.. I haven’t been there since August 2008 and the cheap ticket, offer of a car was too much for me to turn down since the prospect of staying 26 days I n texas was enough to make me want to change nationality.. No offense Texas.. I love you its just staying with my mom/ limited use of a vehicle and boredom takes its tole on me.. You see I am a very social person, I need a constant presence with me.. ( I grew up in a big family ) and since tommaso is not coming with me.. Extra hard.. He hasn’t been back to the states with me since 2007! Crazy.. I know he has to work and I can’t do anything about it but to be honest I was really pissed and disappointed that he didn’t find a way to come for the wedding nor Christmas.. I don’t feel like he really got how important it was to me. I kinda freaked out one night and started bawling and telling him that U feel as if I put so much of me , living here in Italy with him and I really couldn’t understand how he couldn’t tell his work that he HAD to come.. Maybe since I am so upfront with my jobs about times I need off it was unfathomable that he couldn’t do the same.. To be honest its still a sore subject with me and him and I we will have to have a serious talk about it.. I think anyone’s partner needs to make the effort to come see your family and not have a convenient excuse such as money/work/timing.. Every year.., he said “well why don’t we go in February together” as if I could pull 1000$ out of my ear after my December trip and go.. Sorry NO… so for now I am not going to dwell on it anymore and have now reached “acceptance” mode.. Even if the aftertaste is a little “amaro” or “bitter”..



Something that crossed my mind the other day is how different my spending habits are here than in America.. When I was back “home” .. I spent money without thinking, a latte here- trip to target there- dinner out like there was no tomorrow. Its easy to see how we are the most consumerist country in the world.. While in Italy, I watch every penny ( also because of crap pay ) , have “buyers remorse” horribly and everything is to be considered- night out-dinner ect ect. Its crazy how different the cultures are with spending.. I see the bad and the good in both.. Which is kind of how you become as an expat. I will never say I can totally adapt to the Italian model of doing things ( hence a country does NOT grow if people do not spend-hoard money and cheat on their taxes like they do here in Italy) .. But nor can I say I totally adopt the American model of “SPEND! SPEND!SPEND!”. I think that will change as we have now been hit hard twice with a recession.. In my generation at least. But IT is a good thing to take a step back and realize that you need to save your money, be a little more frugal and be a lot more creative! Here I can go out and spend 5-10 euros, maybe for 2 drinks and have a great night out . Which I could never do back home… or just spend the day walking around with friends- making lunch for them at home, having wine. Watching movies, exploring areas of town you have never seen. Its all there for the taking..



Oh and I found the most wonderful website ever:



http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/



We all know Walmart and its classy clientele but this site basically is a slideshow of the craziest sightings at wal-mart and I can attest to this having grown up in Texas.. Walmart can be open 24 hours and let me tell you how many freak shows I have seen wandering about the aisles at 1 am ( I can be a bit of an insomniac). So hilarious!





So for now, I am determined to make the most of my winter.. Going out.. Doing things.. Like this film festival, I gotta get my hair done which I have NO idea what I am going to do. Ugh.. I hate decisions.. Any advice?? I was thinking light bang and edgy layers and dyed darker.. I don’t want to pay for a haircut that will make me look the same as I did yesterday hehe..



So for now.. Its Thursday… going to il centro commerciale with my shopping-addictive boyfriend but as long as he treats me to some Brazilian cuisine… IM GAME!
 

We finally found that ever elusive pizza place in the center.. so GOOD!



me taking a break from my overdose of mozzerella


t-man hypnotized at the fact a pizza napoli will soon he his ( and my pizza too)


Halloween shenanigans..


My friend Hoda and he bucket o'eyes


crazy friends.. and good memories


tommaso .. scary even on a good day


what i remember from hoda this night was "ragazzi, ho mangiato un occhio!"


acting like a mad-woman.. what halloween is all about

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Another story morning glory..


Tommaso with our AWESOME pumpkin.. I am quite proud!

...
another photo of the pumpkin


pumpkin in the window.. eery!!!!!!!!!


The inside of our "Palazzo Vecchio" where politics take place in Florence.. impressive

yes this is where i belong.. giving a speech in the palazzo vecchio in firenze.. magari!

This room made me think of my father who loves to collect maps/globes .. very impressive maps btw..

me at the festival delle creativita.. weird chair that somewhat resembled a inner tube covered in velcro..


Pomegranates from Tommasos uncles garden.. HUGE and quite wonderful ! ahh tommaso!

ok so I got it in my head to post more pictures of my daily life since frankly , its more appealing to the eye and makes me seem less frustrated than my earlier posts hehe.. I really am a happy person , its just when im happy im not usually at home writing a blog ( except for this morning! ) ..

Its late October.. work has been going well, the mullet-3 wheeled car was broken monday so I didnt take the kids i teach english to tennis, i suppose i am more worthy as a driver than an english speaker .. like i didnt already know that! yesterday I met a girl ( Gianna) who will be working with insiderabroad with me ( thank god! ) .. and we spent a great brunch drinking coffee/eating bagels and recounting our lives stories.. I can pretty much tell in 5 minutes whether or not I "click" with a person and she was such a sweet girl! More good times ahead I presume, and the fact that she was from Boston gave her some points.. everyone I have ever met from there is amazing.. why was I born in Texas? i kid i kid

so work has been going better, i have developed more of a selling routine and am MUCH less nervous getting out there and selling .. I believe in insiderabroad very much and I even though its slow going for ad sales in Florence, i do see potential.. most italians are like "what the hell are you selling or why should i spent money on this instead of buying google search words ".. but the more resistence I get the more passionate i get.. at least at  this moment. wait until next blog! LOL

I love october-nov-dece. something about the winter-fall that gets me excited! ironic since i was born in the summer and i HATE it,, to hot, sticky, no air conditioning.. while winter style is sooo much more fun. boots, scarves, sweaters, hats.. i never got to do that in texas!

I feel less-stressed than before but I am still very aware of the problems to come with italian bereaucracy..

tonight im going to dinner with friends since Allie ( an american friend who is going through similar visa problems) is going home to get her visa and work a bit before coming home ( to fLorence :) ) . .. is leaving.. pizza and laughter.. what more could you want.. ( 2,000,000 euros would be nice ) ..

so until then.. have a glass of wino on me!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Octobers already almost over?

fun times with my brothers girlfriend amanda!


Having dinner at our house with tommasos parents.;; yes it was amazing!


listening to music in Piazza Signoria next to Mr.. yeah i jumped off a mountain, saved a baby seal.. ect ect


my brother "not" looking like a tourist in Venice


venice splendour


so beautiful


the perfectness that is an "antipasto" platter

soo I have been lazy, i need to write more.. so one day I can look back and reason that I was once insane or
merely quite chipper! I just love that word.. chipper.. update on life.. we filed the visa so we wont have any problems until january but it IS Italy so who knows what CRAZY roadblocks Italy will create for me to live legally here.. I dont even care anymore.. its to be expected.. :P

work is going well , hustling but the apartments are starting to annoy me , whereas before it was simple as baking pie , now i get all these emails demanding that I lower the price because " of the recession" .. umm do I look like I own the apartment? and whats worse, unlike many would-be landlords, booking agents ( like me ) , I listen attentively , answer everyone almost immiediately and give advice about coming to Italy.. and what i get in return is people backing out the last minute after confirming and I am just sooo done with it. I know I need to be more strict as in.. 48 hours confirm or no-go like alot of agencies demand but I like to assure people and help them out the best I can but maybe since its the internet people lose sight of ALL manners.. business is business i suppose!

the best was after i spent a month or so showing this apartment to these two italian/english girls. literally they came to see the place like 3-4 times asking last minute and i did since I thought they were a good fit. all was smooth and they were ready to move in, but THEN the next day after they moved in . They sent this longgg email to the landlord ( my boss ) saying how DIRTY the apartment was  and they demanded that it be professionally cleaned. I was sooo shocked it was like getting socked in the stomach.. After all, i was there when they moved in and they were jumping in glee not disgust! The owner actually cleaned the apartment herself with her husband and anyone who knows an italian knows how super clean and precise they are.. the worst part is that they wrote directly to her and not to me.. which was a little strange since they only had contact with me thus far., i wrote them back a scathing email asking why they A. didnt call me so i could come over and look and B. why they wrote to her instead of coming to me first... the landlord actually wanted to kick them out when she found out why the apartment was so filthy, apperently the washing machines tubes werent gleaming nor the window frames.. WHAT????? I have decided I no longer want to work with people anymore.. or i may be arrested one day for assault..

Its been a crazy month so far, first insidersabroad finally merged with the English Yellow Pages which was nice even though we weren't in any of the "pasta party " pictures which was kinda disappointing.. why even take pictures of us if your not going to post them? then my brother and his girlfriend came to visit which was AWESOME, I got to (finally ) see Venice and just go out to dinner guilt free almost every  night. I was hoping they would have a great time and noone would be rude to them, albeit a few experiences in Rome ( well it IS rome ) , i think they had a great time and it gave me a semi-vacay as well! there is NOTHING i like more than friends/family coming to visit so i can show them why i chose Italy as my home!

whats the plan now? well .. besides going out too much ( lol.. i kid, i love staying home watching movies. ANTM, sex and the city ect ect ) , halloween is coming up.. i dont really have any plans but i do hope a last minute halloween party will happen.. you never know here! november i want to work my a** off to make some money for my trip home to Tejas in december.. i realllllllllllllly hope that i will be able to afford to go to los angeles.. its been FAR too long! but i hate bumming rides off people because i obviously have to fly in there and renting cars is not cheap so we shall see... please god send about 10,000 my way?

ok back to work.. until we meet/write again..

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

There may just be a visa god !

I wonder if others I have met in intercultural relationships can relate.. sometimes and by sometimes I mean often.. I look at an Italian couple or even an American couple and listen to them fight or make-up and whatever meaningless problems they may have and I want to punch them in the face. Because Imp psycho? NO rather when you immigration is Number 1 in your relationship ... everything else takes a backseat!.


I WISH I had normal problems like "ahh he peed on the toilet seat again" or " his obsession with Twilight is causing some distance between us".. no none of that virginal couple problems for me.. Ours are more like .. " oh my god the last day of the application is the 30th! " or him holding me while I tear up at the comune when they tell us we can;t get married due to me not having a stamp in my passport.. ahh the innocence of same- country couples!!!!!!!

well after the failed marriage attempt and the decision to wait for marriage for the "right reasons" and not just "legal reasons" didn't leave me very many options . Once again I was at square one with a boyfriend who wanted to help but didn't know how or want the stress .. sometimes you do feel very very alone. Just handing me a packet of permessos doesn't help me. Obviously any expat has pretty much looked over every visa known to MAN and concluded that 99.9 % would never work for them as they are .. not married/ millionaires/ George clooney/ shakira/ EU citizen and a country where political asylum is the #1 reason. ( would be interesting to try that one , but better in the Bush era)

Back at square one is like being told for one year you were finally going to get your drivers license and car, or better yet a house or better yet a witness protection program to escape some stalker..extreme disappointment ensues. You get much sympathy from said European friends and offers of passports/ blood transfusion.. ahh if it were only that easy,. I consider myself usually a rational person but wow, with this kind of stress I can turn any happy Lassie into a Kujoe in a matter of minutes..

So what are we going to do?? Well since the Italian government passed the security package basically tightening up immigration and so forth and since I can't afford an immigration lawyer, we are trying to get a visa via colf and badanti. Or in english domestic worker ( cleaner/ caretaker) . The Italian government has been nice enough to open up these jobs to the people who do what no one else wants to do.. literally clean up peoples shit and their house.. for less than the average wage. lol..

I have my hopes well, and this would be SUCH an opening to magic world of a permesso di soggiorno and eventually a carte di soggiorno.. I want to kiss that document more than Brad Pitt any day! bring it on!

I am starting to seriously believe that first generation immigrants really are more successful than their lazy offspring ,well I will make sure of that in my case! That said I have a ticket to go "home" to Texas from the 2nd to the 28th..a LONG TIME since my best friend is getting married on the 5th and I am maid of honor and then Christmas. I am nervous about this since my parents can make my vacation more stressful than the immigration process. I am starting to get questions like " can't you and t-man move back here " um NO ( there’s a reason I left Texas for California when I was 18!) and I wish you were around more.

I do feel truly sad about the fact that my family is so far away but I feel like my life is here. Going back home is just a mixed bag of emotions and to be honest, I just don't have allot in common with the folks back home. They don't really ask me about my travels or experiences and I don’t want to "brag" which is how I feel when I talk about Italy/ Europe. I feel like me and my wacky world of expat life is la mia pista ( my path ) in life.. whether or not its "mainstream".

Hopefully I can spend quality time with family/ no arguments or stress and guilt trips.. if not I am coming home early LOL who cares if it will cost me an extra 100 euros to change the ticket! I kid I kid .. I love my family and cant wait to down some Mexican food that undoubtedly make my stomach churn but will be good for the 10 minutes took eating it..

then I will drive around everywhere in a car, never walking except if I go to the gym and target while grasping a large coffee and a copy of OK! with that douche bag Jon Gosselin on the cover.. what is UP with that family? Its bad enough I have to see his face on every cover of magazines when I’m back but and he left his wife? ( ahh why I know these things.. my brain is getting dumber by the 2nd ) ..

I will say reasons why I want to live here in Florence instead of America

  • the FOOOOOOD, I miss Mexican food/ BBQ so much but honestly after 2 days in America I miss fresh Mozzarella, basil, and stuffed tomatoes.. there is no comparison.

  • the struggle. Yes that seems to be a constant topic of mine but even though it truly is a STRUGGLE, I feel so good when I achieve something, interview in Italian/ get a sale/ do basically anything I would have considered normal back home, getting internet connection in Italy is on the top of that list.. I need the constant struggle to feel ALIVE

  • weather, ok Texas sucks for weather, if its not HOT its hailing ice at your car or making impossible for you to drive due to slick roads. Not to mention the gas guzzlers hurtling by at any given moment! California’s has great weather but no seasons! I LOVE that Italy has spring/summer/autumn and winter.. Makes for fun shopping!

  • friends, I have AMAZING friends anywhere I have lived but here in Italy we share a common goal, to live here since we chose Florence for whatever reason. That already filters 99% of people before I meet them which is why I find it easy to make good friends here.. and a couch to crash while visiting Europe ;)

  • Lifestyle., yes you average Joe American probably get paid DOUBLE of what I do.. this is without a doubt but I don’t think I will EVER be in debt, or obese here because both are pretty hard to due. Banks don’t give out loans easily , everyone saves, and obese people virtually DO NOT exist here even though everyone eats pasta almost every day! I love the fact that I can call a friend and arrange to meet her in the center. I feel like as you get older back "home" , everything takes so much more planning to get together due to everyone’s busy schedules! no one goes out on the weekdays. Here its the opposite. You always make time for an aperativo or beer with a friend even on Monday .. I need that constant social interaction to bitch about immigration and Italians ( jk jk ) .

  • inspiration: after living here for almost 3 1/2 years, I find Italy/ Europe extremely inspiring such as when the first Europeans settlers hit Boston ( ok maybe that was a bit dramatic but you get the idea ) . I feel since I have been an abused nanny/ leather seller and whathaveyou here I can do ANYTHING, start a business/ fly a plane/ make a deal.. u name it or just google Georgette and you will see exactly how many jobs I do. LOL.

  • food festivals : enough said!

well that’s all for now folks, next post: update on visa and whether or not I have "maimed" t-mans mother due to impromptu bedroom visits she makes when we aren't home. Creepy and very very intrusive.. but t-man doesn’t blink an eye,,, ahh Italians moms will be next post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Working Hard and the woes of staying in Italy legally...

So I know its been many a month since I have wrote on my blog.. So much has happened and happening that I have had less time to sit here and spout /rambled away my nonsense. First off a short summary will suffice?


Since January ( actually last July) I have quit “crazy lady” or “devil” as I like to call you, basically anyone close to me knows about this notorious lady from countless stories over aperativo/din din or basically any chance I get to complain about her. I usually don’t let many people get to me but it was hard when you had pure evil staring back at you day after day.

Of course I DID choose the job and I loved the job, just not “devil” . Why is she so offensive to dear Georgette? Well take every rational problem-solving thought and deductive thinking and get a shredder and put them in there when it comes to dealing with her. I've seen hyenas with better patience and manners.

Basically my job consisted of finding clients for her vacation rentals ( she didn’t own them but rather managed them ) from abroad and finalize contracts/ do check-ins, follow-ups. Basically at the end of the day I was doing her job and then some and after many long and arduous months of me putting up with her bad vibes, I left her and the job in May ,collected my moolah and hightailed it outta there. Of course in the meantime I had contacted many private owners who had apartments in Florence and offered my services to them which they happily accepted to my delight so all was good in the world again.

Consequentially , I was hired by an American company called www.Insidersabroad.com which is a community portal/forum ( website) for people interested in traveling , studying, or living in Italy. There are reviews, forums, classifieds, and information about Italy’s various regions on the sites and they are partnered with the EYP ( English yellow pages) .it’s a great concept and I love the job, I am their Florence rep. and handle advertising in my region. In June , I went home to America for a long awaited visit to the fam, dad, mom, brothers, friends and then some. I hadn’t seen anyone in a verrrry long time and you better believe that I gorged on Mexican food, star bucks and various crap hehe..

I had a traumatizing travel back to Italy ( longgggggggggggggggg story which is not going to help anyone or my sanity by writing my experience here , maybe someday or over a cup of cafe) which made me realize how much I love the chaos that is Italy./. I nearly kissed the ground upon leaving the plane and realized for the moment this is where I am meant to be.. I have a good job, great boyfriend and a starting point of residency.. Forza!

Soooo to the fun legal stuff. As anyone who has ever eaten pasta in Italy and thought about staying there may have had to realize at some point is how hard it is to become a resident/ get a visa to stay longer in “Il Bel Paese”. Yes ive stayed, I studied here for a year, but now as a college graduate with no desire to spend money I don’t have to come back here and spend many frustrating weeks in America , I know this is something I have to take care of.
Italy does not take too kindly ( especially now) to people staying in their country without holding residency and Italian residency is like the pot at the end of the rainbow for those who want to spend their life here.

For me the study visa is out as I have had so much trouble with that and I want permanent residency at some point ( not just renewing every year or two) and access to Italian health care. Getting the correct info is like finding a needle in a haystack or watching TV without hearing about John & Kate plus 8, and at this point I would happily wrestle two midgets on Jerry Springer to gain this carte di identita!

Me and tommy are working on it and tomorrow will include a “fun” trip to the Questura to get yelled at/ or turned down by the Italian police. I am hoping one of them will have had a nice cup of cafĂ© and a leery stare at a beautiful woman before I go so I can get at least a smile?

Immigration is a pain in the ass anywhere and I know how hard it is to get citizenship/residency in America but these are issues that concern me therefore why not blog about it :-P .
I will keep you posted on that process and my permesso di soggiono.. Why why why was I not born with 1,000,000 in assets to prove that I never have to work grrr.
I just came back from Lake como and Milan to work which was an amazing experience and good work wise.. Hopefully I can get insidersabroad.com more hits and action on the forum but it is new and I have to have “pazienza”

So for now I will lay back on my double ( two twins pushed together) bed and wipe the sweat off my brow and stop looking on those stupid expat sites for permesso advice and just do what I need to do . Its hot and sticky and I don’t have air conditioning but well that’s what Gelato is for..

Next week Amsterdam and the company of a very much missed friend .. I have to admit I have a pretty “bella vita” ..

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

A New Year... ehh its not that different!

Ok that sounds horribly pessimistic when here I am sprouting out optomism to anyone in a 5 feet ratio.. that aside, i do have hope for this new year such, as more fitness ( i actually shame in saying this knowing how very cliche this sounds. but nontheless the membership was bought and I actually just took a 4 hour nap instead of going to the gym today) more work opportunity.. hahahha im in italy lets see how that will work out and well .. we shall see. Life overall is good, Im happy doing what Im doing and im lucky to have a great man in my life who is always there to mame me laugh and pasta.

what i have seen so far in 2009

1. on my way to work gypsies smoking in a dumpster while dumpster diving, hazerdous much?

2. my inability to cut out "napping"

3. rocky relationships ( not mine but many around me ..yikes..

4. the crazy guy on the bus that I take who like to say hi to the ticket machine, a pole, not anyone ON the bus..

so whats been up..

work , sleep, its cold so more sleep, food. sleep , movies.

besides that I do partake in the occasional night out with nice people I have met here. We really should start a club for us here in Florence trying to survive the cold and radiators that dont work. That said we all went out the other night for the birthday of one of my friends here and like usual decided on aperativo first and then bar. I was kinda tired from work but I went along and brought my italian and all was peachy..until

so said friend had a friend that I will just refer to as douchebag. Why hold back? Hes Italian but unlike the many wonderful Italians I have met including my boyfriend and his friends who are nothing but nice and respectful, douchebag resembles a cocky american guy at times who probably got peed on at least one time in his life. Sure of himself, got the swagger, the floppy hair, hes not short which already gains him points in Italy.. not bad looking but not my type being that he is a douchebag. I tried to give him the benefit of doubt about his personality because maybe Im too harsh a critic. But once again, we go out , he meets up and starts to rail on Americans and blah blah , just basically vomit of the mouth. He doesnt speak english well but luckily? i understand him and his snarky comments to his friend and I was thinking at the time. I have been known to complain about Italy in front of friends ( not italian except my boyfriend) , and I actually feel guilty about it later because Italy is a wonderful country and I have a great time here, I can grumpy too but I would never spend an hour with friends shitting all over a country that I had friends from sitting at that table, the funny thing is .. he had NEVER even been there! NOT ONCE! or his snarky unattractive friend.

what ???? and i said in Italian, how could you have such definite opinions about somewhere you have never been? I dont claim to know hw the people of India work, eat, act, resemble because I have never been there and even though I have read up on it.. I have no place to come off that arrogant as douchebag came off as to at least me. HE of course says during the convo.. " oh why do u get so offended" but honestly... i wasnt offended until he said Why are you offended. When did having a different opinion than someone make you offended? Its called not agreeing ( which i think douchebag wasnt used to) and its not as if i was yelling so I was a bit confused at his statement.

and then he says to Tommaso " i have to give your girlfriend a kiss so know i dont want her to be offended"

um what?? Are we in 18th century france at the high court of the queen? Um I am perfectly able to have a conversation with someone and have my own opinions without getting so worked up to need to be kissed ( ugh) by him! does that make it all better ? hmm? oh please!

I don't care when someone says something negative about America, i do all the time! I dont live in America anymore! There are plenty of things to say! but he wasnt giving a thoughful insight regarding differences of culture.. especially when I have a degree in Political science and I enjoy having discussions.. he was just saying that americans are all hicks from the midwest and blah blah. i dont want to give douchebag an encour.

call me harsh but I dont think its funny or normal to bring up these sort of "my country is better than your country " during time with friends. I dont know.. maybe for them its ok, but what I learned from that is.. I am going to watch MY mouth and not get into arguments with people that arent worth me mentally translating from english to italian. Especially when they do that to get a rise out of you , as my boyfriend put it.

I told my boyfrind at dinner the next day.. I cant wait until I am mature enough to just "let it go" and not say anything but Im not yet.. and I dont want to be. I would rather just look douchebag in the eyes and speak in HIS language and destroy his meaningless dribble that he wants everything to believe, because with opinions like douchebag.. ( who by the way has a laugh like nails on a chalkboard) who obviously is a "guys guy" which means he thinks hes intellectually superior .. he is looking for reaffirmation of HIs thoughts instead of a normal conversation about different viewpoints.

Maybe its the pepperoncino I eat here or passion that is erupted in me in this country but part of me wanted to tell him " shut up, you talk to much " and punch him in the face, and I am not a violent person. but no i just went home with my boyfriend so I didnt have to see him overly gelled hair and his smirk anymore.. Ive decided thats the route to take from now on.. because needless to say I want to spend my free time with people I actually LIKE!

toast to 2009!!!!!!!! and my new resolution . see above..

moral of the story: shut the F*** up douchebag