I Hope They Call Me On a Mission! Oh Wait, They Already Did...

Well as probably all of you reading this know I got my mission call! So I thought I'd blog about it and share my inner, juicy, and ever so exciting feelings. Was that enough hype for this post?

Let me just say that the last two weeks of waiting have been SO nerve racking! I have checked the mail  approximately 1,234,983 times in the last week (not an exaggeration at all). It got to the point that I was starting to get nervous stomach pains. Not exactly the best thing to happen the week before finals! On Monday night I had a horrible night of sleep and had even worse dreams. In one of the dreams I got a rejection letter that told me the Church already had enough missionaries and wouldn't be needing me. Yikes! I foolishly hoped that my call would come a day early and arrive on Tuesday. What foolishness! Of course it didn't come. So on Wednesday I frantically waited for my roommates to check the mail while I was at school and work.

At 3:30 on Wednesday I finally got the text. My. Mission. Call. Came. What?! How did this become real? I was so excited. I called my mom and sent out the texts to all of my friends. I set the opening time for 9:30. Just six hours to wait. Then came the pacing. Lots of pacing.

Thankfully I had work, the temple, and dinner with friends to distract me for the first five of the six hours. However, the last hour was spent at home staring at my call. Who knew a plain white envelope could be so interesting? Side note: holding your call up to the light will not allow you to see through the envelope.

Finally, at 9:30, it was time.

Before I talke about opening my call I think I should tell you about my thoughts about where I was going. Of course I wanted to go to Italy, but that wasn't why I put my papers in. I am going to serve the Lord, not to travel back to my favorite place ever. So I didn't really think it would happen. I mean I thought it was logical, but in the week before I got my call I was pretty convinced I was going to end up in the South. Somewhere humid, Bible belted, and deep fried.

So it was with much excitement that I read "You are assigned to labor in the Italy Rome Mission."

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I am pretty sure that I am going back because I threw several coins in the Trevi Fountain. They say if you throw a second coin in the fountain you are guaranteed to come back.

Actually, I know that I am going to Rome because that is where the Lord wants me to serve. I know that that is where I am needed. I know that there are people waiting for me to talk to them. I know that it is where I will grow the most.

Anyways my call to Italy feels like a call home. Somehow I had always thought that if I got called to Italy it would be to Milan. I am bummed that Siena won't be in my mission, but I am excited to see more of Italy. I feel so blessed to go to a country where I know how things work. I get to share the gospel I love in a language I love and to a people that I already love. I am literally going to my favorite place in the world. How many people can say that?

The only downside is the impending weight gain. I gained 20 pounds in 3 months in Italy. How much am I going to gain in 18 months?!?! But who can really complain about a little more insulation when you're eating Bucatini all-Amatriciana, Giolitti, and San Crispino? No one! (Rome really does have so many of my favorite foods and restaurants)

I am so humbled by the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father and share His truths with the Italian people.

The Gospel is true, I promise.

Me and Alisa with my call!

Oh you know just one of my favorite pictures I took of my mission!

The Life of an Italy Loving, Tree Hugging Foodie

So for my Multicultural Education class I have to create a cultural diorama about my cultural background (how many times can I say "cultural" in one sentence?). This meant that I had to pick three items that gave insight into my daily life and way of doing things. I also have to write about it. So here it goes.

I thought about putting the Book of Mormon because it embodifies (a kid said that three times in Sacrament so I decided to adopt the word too) the most important thing about me, my relgion. However, at a church run school I figured that was a given and decided to go with more original things.

Item #1: My Cinque Terre Head Scarf

Me five minutes after buying the scarf.

I wear it every night before I go to bed.

During my study abroad in Italy I went on a weekend hiking trip to the Cinque Terre. That is five seaside towns that are connected by the steepest hiking trails. In one of the cities I decided to buy this head scarf because I wanted a souvenir and it was practical. I could keep my hair out of my face and have a material memory. The scarf is representative of me for multiple reasons. The first is that it is from Italy. My love for Italy may sound like a quirk, but it really does affect my daily life. It changed the way I see the world and the things I value. Another reason my head scarf ties into my culture is that it was purchased while I was hiking and I wear it on hiking trips now. I love hiking! I love being outdoors and enjoying nature. I grew up in Washington and that nature loving mentality is just a part of me. 

Item #2: My Washington Conservation Corps Hat

Wearing the hat on the job.

A little bit closer view of the hat.

A few summers ago I had the opportunity to work for the Washington Conservation Corps. The. Best. Job. I got to hike around, build trails, kill invasive plants, and hang out with awesome people. My hat was always worn. It kept the sun out of my face and just made me feel cool. This hat shows the crunchy granola side of me. For those of you who don't know what crunchy granola means it is synonymous to tree hugger, but cooler. I already said this, but I love nature. Conserving and appreciating it is really important to me. My sophomore year the first thing I said to my new roommates was that I recycle. Yep, stereotypical Washingtonian right here. 

Item #3: Lucini Olive Oil

This is a bottle of some pretty nice Tuscan olive oil. Actually I bought it at Target, but it is imported from Tuscany and it does have an amazing taste. Once again my love for Italy is coming through.... When is it not? However, I chose this item because it shows how much I love food. I love to eat, I love to cook, and I LOVE to feed people (I don't know if I should admit that to the public). Cooking is a part of my daily life. Obviously... However, I do take the time to try a new recipe or creation of my own at least a few times a week. I am also kind of a food snob. I like to have quality ingredients. I also love to try new restaurants. The adventure of trying some new food is just so exciting to me.

Well I hope this helped you understand me, entertained you, or at the very least helped you procrastinate your homework. 

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-da (Life Goes On)

Well for some reason I haven't been blogging very much lately. Perhaps it's because life in P-Town just is not as exciting as Europe. Or maybe it's because I am ridiculously busy. Who knows? But I know that you all have been dying without my ever enlightening blog posts so I thought I would have some mercy and write one.

Life continues to be ever so busy! I am currently observing in a middle school... Take me back to high school! Well at least I figured out what grades I want to teach!

Let's see... What else is new?

I went to Park City during Sundance. I didn't actually see any films, but it was still pretty awesome. That town is SO cute and there a ton of fun little shops. We just wandered around, got some hot chocolate, and enjoyed the city.

I found a cow hat!!! I love cows!

We matched! And it wasn't even planned.

They continue to be pretty dang cute.

The next weekend I went up to Salt Lake with some of my favorite Italy ragazze to go to Lush. Lush is this amazing organic cosmetic store they have all over Europe. It sounds really girly, but it is really cool. Their hand scrub is amazing! And WAY more expensive here... Should have bought in Italy. After checking out Lush we wandered around City Creek mall. It's pretty much the most amazing mall ever. I mean it has a creek running through it. How could it not be cool? We travelled back on the Frontrunner (that's also how we traveled there). It was SO nice to be on a train again. It reminded me of Europe! Except it felt a little sketchier... Who knew I would feel safer in Europe than America? Upon our return we went to Libby's house and made homemade gnocchi. Yum! Yay for Italy!

Le ragazze!

Another highlight of my life as of late has been cooking with Natalie. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have been teaching her how to cook in exchange for a gym going buddy. It's been fun and we have made some yummy stuff. I mean REALLY yummy. I love cooking! Actually I love feeding people more... So it's nice to have Natalie to eat my creations.

Be jealous of our pesto chicken bruschetta wrap. But don't be jealous of my photography skills.

On Saturday I want to the opera with Jenessa. We saw La Boheme. It was pretty awesome! It was so wonderful to hear Italian and understanding it made the opera so much more fun. Really you all need to learn Italian. It will enhance your life. Think about it! It's the language of music, food, and in my opinion love (take that French)!

My Tips for Eating the Best Gelato

Ok. So I love gelato. Is that news? No. I have seen a lot of tourists eating gelato and I have noticed some common mistakes in picking and consuming the correct gelato. I hope that this post will clear all of that up. Not be pretentious or anything...

Tip #1: Be in Italy. I know that there is gelato elsewhere and I know that sometimes you're going to indulge because you miss it, but really gelato is best in its homeland. So go. Eat. Enjoy.

Tip #2: If at all possible go to San Gimignano. The gelato there won the world championship. Seriously  . It is so good.

Tip #3: Avoid gelato shops that have giant mounds of gelato. If it is piled a foot high in the container it means it's not fresh. Trust me. Don't eat it. There is better out there.

Tip #4: Avoid gelato shops that overly decorate their gelato. The strawberry does not need to be covered in strawberries. If it's good gelato it will stand on its own and doesn't need extra attention.

Tip #5: For flavor go with a cone. The cones provide a lovely crunch and savory flavor to balance out the gelato.

Tip #6: For quantity go with the cup. They tend to have more in them.

Tip #7: Eat it with a spoon. You'll eat slower and enjoy it more. I understand though that sometimes it is just so dang good that you want to shove it in your mouth as fast as possible. Don't feel guilty if you can't hold back.

Tip #8: Try it in hot chocolate. Life changing!

Tip #9: When in doubt Grom it out. If you can't find a local shop that looks appealing Grom is always good and it is in a lot of cities. (They even have one in Malibu. Road trip?)

Tip #10: While in Italy eat whenever you get the chance. You'll miss it. I guarantee.

Tip #11: Don't worry about the weight you'll gain. It is healthier than ice cream after all!

This is what you should look like while eating the right gelato.

I hope this fills you with the joy that can only come from gelato.

Buon appetito.

The One in the City of Many Rivers

My final days in Italy were spent in Venezia (aka Venice). After a bus ride from Ravenna we arrived at the docks on the main land. We had reserved a boat ahead of time so we didn't think getting to the island would be any problem. That was before we saw the boat. I should explain that we were a group of 24 girls, 2 adults, and 3 months of luggage per person. That is quite a hefty load. We thought that the boat company would plan accordingly, but the boat we approached was worrisomely smaller. However, with impressive skill our ship captain (that was fun to say) loaded all of us and our luggage. So space wasn't a problem, but we were still slightly worried that Titanic 2 might occur that day. We even sang "My Heart Will Go On" as we rode to Venice. Fortunately nothing went wrong and we made it safely to the city.

On the boat.

View from the boat.

We landed on a dock along the beautiful Grand Canal. Then came a challenge fit for an Olympic champion. We had to drag all of our luggage over bridges, through crowds, and down tiny side streets in order to get to our hotel. And the gold medal goes to..... (drumroll) the Siena Study Abroad 2012. We did it! We made it to the hotel. Our hotel turned out to be absolutely adorable! At this point I was high on love for Venice. It was gorgeous and our hotel was nice! Life was good.

Just a side canal

The Grand Canal from Rialto Bridge

Another canal

After checking into our hotel we ventured out to find lunch. That was when I realized that food in Venice was costly and touristy and not that good. But hey, it was still Italian food so it was still pretty darn good. After lunch we met up in St. Mark's Piazza and headed to the Doges' Palace. It is the building that used to house the government of Venice. It was SO beautiful. I have been in a lot of beautiful buildings in Italy, but normally they are filled with art so you don't really appreciate the architecture and design, but this building focused on it. It was a lot of fun, even if the security guards were very strict. When I attempted to dance in one of the assembly halls I was told that it was not a room for dance. I wasn't doing any harm! In the Doges' Palace we also got to go over the famed Bridge of Sighs. The Bridge of Sighs connects to the prison and was the prisoners' last view of freedom. Fortunately I was allowed out. In the armory Anne and I picked our weapons of choice and planned out our new lives as a lady knight and squire. I'm the knight of course (sorry Anne).

In the courtyard at the Doges' Palace

The Bridge of Sighs is the one in the back.

Then came the really exciting part of our day. We went on a gondola ride!!! So cool. We went at dusk and were accompanied by a boat with musicians. It was seriously SO cool. There is just nothing like riding in a boat down small canals and listening to O Sole Mio. How did my life ever get that cool? Also, I may or may not have freaked everyone out by mentioning that the boats could tip. Or maybe I just freaked myself out. I don't know. Luckily we made it and I'll never get to swim in the less than clean waters running through Venice.

On a gondola!

The final activity of our day was a group dinner. Some of the girls were heading out that night so it was our last time together as a group. Gah! I miss those girls. The food was pretty good and it was nice to spend one last meal all together.

The next day was Sunday and we had planned to go to church in the local branch. However, we learned that it was a long boat ride away on the mainland and so we decided to go to mass instead. We went to mass in St. Mark's Basilica. Well I'd say that was a pretty great place to go for my first mass. I actually really liked mass. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I understood. We spent the rest of the day just wandering around Venice and sitting in our room talking and enjoying each others' company. That night we went out for dinner at a restaurant recommended by Rick Steve. I had a full round pizza for the first time since Rome and it was SO good. I guess that was my last pizza as well. Sad day. After dinner we headed out in search of Grom and some hot chocolate. We never found it, but we did learn about how sketchy Venice is at night. The streets are almost completely abandoned and it's spooky. I think that might be because the streets are so small that they all feel like alleys and there are absolutely no cars. Quiet and empty. Not my favorite.

St. Mark's!

Grand Canal at night

Anne and I

The next day was my last full day in Italy :( Take me back! We started the day by feeding pigeons in front of St. Mark's. Now when I say feeding I don't mean throwing the food to them. I mean putting it out in our hands and having pigeons land all over us. Some of us were really enthusiastic (Anne and Libby). Actually, I am pretty sure that was the happiest Anne has ever been. Others were a little hesitant (Jenessa and me). And one was totally freaked out (Janelle). Janelle actually batted all of the pigeons away from her with an umbrella. 

My initial reaction

It got better

We then went shopping! Are you really surprised? I bought some glass earrings and new shoes... Yeah... I probably shouldn't have, but they're SO pretty. On this shopping trip we also went to Grom where I ate my last gelato (there are far too many lasts in this post). It tasted so good and life will be a little bit harder without it. That night we went out for dinner again. We sat around and told each other all about our favorite memories. 

With my earrings

The last gelato!!

The last dinner :(

After getting back to the hotel we started our goodbyes and then headed up to our room. We had a compliment circle and shared our memories. Then I had to say good bye to those girls. Then the next morning I had to say goodbye to Anne. That was definitely the hardest goodbye. I had so much fun with Anne. We were pretty much inseparable. We were literally always together. We never spent a night in Italy apart. Anne, you'll always be my Italian sister.

And then I had to say goodbye to Italia. My experience in Italy was one of the best (if not THE best) experiences of my life. I grew so much, saw so much, ate TOO much, and made so many new friends that are so special to me. I will never forget it. Italy has made me who I am now and Italy will always have a very special place in my heart. Italy, thanks for teaching me the important things in the dolce vita. 

Ci Vediamo, Italia.

The One That Came After Siena

After leaving Siena bright and early on a Friday morning we headed off to Ravenna. The first part of the drive was really pretty. We drove through mountains covered in the orange hues of fall leaves. The ride was uneventful for the most part. There was one instance of near accident bladder fullness, but you don't want to hear about that. Let's just say that when an Italian says the rest stop is five minutes away it's actually over half an hour away... Va Bene!

After a few hours we reached our first destination, Sant'Appolinare. It's an early Christian church with some really old mosaics. And when I say really old I mean it. We're talking 400 AD. So yeah, that's old in my book. The church was really cool to see. I am so used to churches being elaborately decorated with gold leaf and sculptures and that mosaics were a nice change. The colors were so light and happy. Soft green. Gold. Cream. It was like springtime in a church. Outside the church we found some water buffalo statues. Photo op? We thought yes!

The church from the outside.

The beautiful mosaics

Why not kiss a buffalo?

So after our little stop we headed into Ravenna, or rather the ghetto of Ravenna. By ghetto I do not mean the previously Jewish section of the city (that's what ghetto means in Italian), I mean the sketchy part of town. It was in this area that we found our hotel. The Hotel Roma had been a source of excitement for me. I was staying with my best friends in Italy. It was going to be a party. At that point I hadn't seen my room yet.... Turns out our rooms had very interesting floor plans that were nearly impossible to maneuver three months of luggage through. Also, our room smelled a little bit like smoke. Even our towels were smoky! But that wasn't the best part. The best part was that our beds were leopard print. I am not going to lie that part was awesome! Also, oh so tacky. Let's just say that my first impression of Ravenna was not the best.

At this point we were set loose for lunch. After a bit of walking we entered downtown Ravenna. Fortunately, the city center is actually adorable. It kinds of looks like Main Street Disneyland (yes, that means I loved it). We ended up at a cafeteria that Rick Steve's recommended. I am not going to lie I was not thrilled about eating at a cafeteria. I thought it was intimidating and a little too mass produced for my new Italian taste. One piadina (kind of like a quesadilla) later I was convinced otherwise.

I told you it was cute!

With my piadina. I was obviously excited.

We then met up with the whole group and went to see more mosaics. They were all so incredible. The colors were just awesome and they were so different from everything else we had seen. I particularly like the church of San Vitale. Ravenna used to be part of the Byzantine Empire and you could really see that influence there. I may or may not have contemplated robbing the coins thrown in one of the fountains there.... Hey! I was pretty broke at this point! But I didn't do it. So be proud.

In San Vitale. Maddie thinks it looks like a Dan Brown movie.

The outside of San Vitale.

Just some of the mosaics.

After our educational visits we set out for entertainment and dinner. Of course my group did the most childish thing we could find. We rode a carousel! It was so fun. The worker gave us the strangest look when we bought our tickets. Also, riding a children's carousel when you've gained a lot of weight is not the best idea. My horse made thudding sound every time it came down... Yikes! The restaurant we ate at was VERY good. Ravenna is in Emilia-Romagna which is the most famed food region of Italy and it lived up to its reputation.

The Carousel

My tortellini in broth. Yummmmmmmm.

Our walk home (to the ghetto) was interesting... We were stopped by an elderly man speaking English to us in an American accent. We were surprised and talked to him for a while. Turns out he was actually Italian. We were shocked! I mean his American accent is probably better than mine. As we parted ways he told us not to walk towards the train station at night because that area wasn't safe. Little did he know that that was exactly where we were headed. Of course our sketchy hotel really was in a dangerous area! After a strange encounter with a white van we made it home safely, but not without a few freak outs on my part. 

The One When I Had to Say Goodbye to My City

My last few days in Siena were really busy. I had finals and I had to pack so I didn't get to do anything too exciting, but it was still hard to leave.

On our last day we took our last few finals and then the school hosted a giant goodbye lunch for us. The food was great, but the company was even better. I am going to get all sappy now and tell you that the 23 other girls that I went with were incredible. I've made some of the best friends and definitely the best memories. Before I went I was worried that a group that large of all girls would have drama all of the time, but there was almost no drama. Our group was so fun and friendly. I have learned so much from them and I miss them all! Reunions winter semester!! After the lunch we had a little goodbye celebration. Anne and I made awards for everyone in the group and handed them out. Anne surprised me with the Obi Wan Kenobi award, because apparently I am a great mentor. Thank you my young padawan. Then we watched a video that one the girls had worked really hard on making. It was great! And a total tear jerker. We had so many great times together. From the most interesting hotel staff ever to funny gelato jokes to va bene we will always have so many great memories.

Then came the really hard part. Anne and I had to say good by to Marco and Paola. I loved living with them. They were so kind and so funny. I will always remember them! After giving them notes and a gift we looked through pictures together. It was fun to see more of their lives and to show them our families. We ended the night with an excellent dinner courtesy of Paola. I miss her cooking already!

After dinner Anne and I headed of to the campo to meet up with the other girls. We talked, reminisced, and just enjoyed our surroundings. A lot of the girls got gelato, but Anne and I were to full. Not that that was unusual. We were ALWAYS full.

Last night in the campo.

The next morning we headed to the bus and took of Ravenna. There may or may not have been cry fest. Va bene! I am still mentally kicking myself because Anne and I forgot our fried apples and never took a picture with our host parents.... I guess I'll just have to go back!

Oh Siena! I love you. I love your old buildings, your cobblestone streets, your market, your piazza, and so many other things. Gah! I miss you.

The One Where You Lived a Day in My Life

Sorry it's been a long time since I blogged, but I've been traveling. I'm home now so I will pick up where I left off.

In Siena Anne and I realized that we had lots of pictures of all of the exciting things that we did in Italy, but none of our everyday life. As a result we decided to do a "day in the life" day. So I'll let the pictures do the talking and you can marvel at Siena. Also, it's really long so no offense taken if you get bored.

Anne at our front door.

Road #1 on our walk to school (check out the olive trees)

Road numero due

The beautiful antiporto that we pass everyday

The worst/most confusing intersection in all of Italy

The cute little crosswalk stop signs.

Our local gelato shop that closed before we could eat at it.

The fantastic bakery we pass every day. It always smells delicious!

The city gate

The piazza you enter into

Cute little church

Another road to school

The cute sewing store (Mom, you'd love it)

My favorite door in Siena. It's to the theater.

The Monte di Paschi Piazza. This is the oldest bank in the world. Sometimes we eat in front of it.

A pharmacy sign.

The fanciest bakery in town. 

A chain gelato shop with amazing gelato!

Just a view of the campo.

One of my favorite stores!

Oh you know just another beautiful street in a medieval hill town.

A boar head. Not sure what to say about it...

The five star hotel in town.

The final road to school.

Filling my water bottle at the turtle fountain.

The door to the Italian Hogwarts.

Hallway in the school.

We ran in to Theresa and Haley

Entryway to our part of the school.

Reppin' BYU

The Contrada Mural in the Student Lounge

The also like U of U (boo)

My Italian Class (I don't like thinking about the person who took this picture)

My book

Where I study

On the way to lunch with Jenessa and Anne I found a beautiful vespa

The only Napoletano Pizza in Siena. Lunch here we come!

My pizza.

YUM!

I found a gnome on the walk back to school.

Just a view on the way back. That's the Basilica of San Domenico in the distance.

Jenessa's sewer (bahahahaha funny story)

We passed the Baptistry 

Up the stairs....

and to the Duomo!

Isn't it gorgeous?

European coke is way tastier and helps me get through the tough days 

History of Paradise class... ugh.

The view from our classroom.

The student lounge.

Libby found a carrot.

To the campo for some fun on the way home!

Beautiful at night.

Love this building.

We danced.

Then we Voldemort hugged.

Then we played a game (here we are landing in Italy)

Just a store I like.

My favorite store in Siena (yes, it is for men)

The road home.

I like to play with the plants

Hallway to our room.

Our host parents on their wedding day.

And this is how every night ends.

Yeah I know my life in Siena was awesome!!