I have fallen in love. Italia sei perfetto. The countryside is more beautiful than words can expain. The language is as sweet as the gelato which drips onto my hand as I sit in piazza navola watching the people bake cosi panne in the sun. The people are wonderful-loud and full of life. If I wasnt so far from home and my family, I would wish to stay here forever. Alas, life is never so easy.
On wednwsay night, Sandro and his friend Matrwo brought me to a family resturant in the next town over. The food (cibo), was absolutely incredible and I have never had more food at one sitting! We started with fresh baked bread and delicous red wine and then we were served the antipasto which consisted of olives, artichokes and prosciutto, and bufalo mozzorello. After that came the first course which is always sphaghetti and I ate fetucine con ragu-pasta in a red meat sauce. At this point I was quite full (sta gonfia) and I was surprised when I was told that the dinner had only just begun. The second course was the carne and I had the privelege to eat spiadini di pacora (sheep), agnello (baby sheep) and different kinds of sausage. And it never stopped coming. Abour five minutes later we were served the vegetables (verdure) which was potatoes and cicoria-a common weed that is cooked with plentiful salt, garlic and olive oil. Speaking of olive oil, it is unbelievable here...like nothing you have ever tasted. It is like magic, making everything that it touches delicious. Fara Sabina is known for their olive oil and anybody who is anybody in la campagnia has olive groves where thet make their own oil. After veggies we ate dessert which was an assortment of biscuite...one of which is meant to be dipped in vino rosso. During dessert we were served a very traditional liqour which is only found in Abruzzi and the surrounding areas-ginziana. Very potent but good in small sips. Matteo e Sandro thought it was very funny that I had so much trouble holding down the taste of liquor so they made me drink another when the waiter came back.
Sandro and Matteo (and most people around here) curse a lot so I am learning some very funny slang words. One of the most common is perche ma donna (basically-why my mother) and santa maria and another word that Matteo said I shouldnt write.
I know I shouldnt feel bad because Sandro is supposed to be feeding me, but I feel bad because he buys me so much cafe, and pizza and croissants. I dont feel too bad though because everything is so delicous! Today I ran for the first time through fields of olive trees, past barking dogs and through winding streets where you fear that at any moment a crazy scooterer could run you down with their terrible driving. The roads here about three times as narrow as those in America so it is quite exciting riding through towns. My favorite ride however is the tractor where I sit on one side dodging tree branches and Matteo or Sandro's tiny sons-Massimo e Lino-hold on on the other. The rode to Sandro's house is tiny and dirt with divets and rocks everywhere, making every ride exciting and interesting.
Yesterday we went into Rome because Sandro had to deliver some of his produce around the city. Rome was crazy but I loved every second of it and with the map as my Bible, I successly navigated the city from St. Peter's to the Collosseum. Tomorrow I will write all about my adventures in Rome because right now at midnite and three glasses of wine deep, I an quite tired! Buona Notte!

Bella