A New Blog is Born!

Hey everyone! JR and I now have a new blog together! Please continue reading at

figuerrez.blogspot.com

Love ya!

Dani

Together Again

Wow, It’s really been a long time since I’ve written. I’ve been telling myself I’ll sit down and catch up on everything so I’m going to try and attempt to do so.

The last time I wrote it was for the 6^th of July.

The 7^th of July

was a GREAT day! It was the day that I had been dreaming about my whole time in Italy…the day that I would be able to come back to my LOVE! I got ready in the morning. I had hardly slept from all the excitement. I got my things packed and organized and then I said goodbye to Jackelin. It was extremely bittersweet. I absolutely love that girl! Her brother Yickson was nice enough to accompany me to the airport so I didn’t have to carry and pull all of my luggage by myself. So we went out around 7am but Milano must have been sad to see me go because it was raining CATS and DOGS!!! Seriously! It was raining so hard that the water was up to our ankles! Poor Yickson had no other option that to just try to drag my suitcase through it all. I prayed that it would be amazingly waterproof! I had gotten all pretty so that I could look good for JR when he came to get me at the airport but with all the rain I just looked like a drenched cat! I had packed my sweater so I was freezing but nothing could get my mood down because I was so excited to see JR. We had to take 2 metro’s and 1 bus to get to the airport. After we finally got there the rain slowed down…grrr! I went into the bathroom and changed my clothes. I held my cute outfit under the blow dryer to see if it would dry so I could still wear it when I met JR. It was DRENCHED!! I opened up my suitcase and everything was moist…I guess the bottom of the suitcase had done it’s best to survive the flood but water still got in. I packed everything back up and headed to customs. My first flight was from Milan to the Netherlands. I slept most of the way. Of course, just like the Italian way the flight was late. In the Netherlands I got on a different flight for Detroit. I sat next to this cute little girl and her mother. The mom was from the Netherlands but she was married to an American and lived in America. The little girl was so cute and spoke both languages. As I was sitting next to her I said, “Are you going to be my friend?!” In a very excited voice and she just looked at me, smiled, and nodded. She was very friendly and did well most of the flight. Whenever she would say the word “no” she would say it in dutch, “ni”. The flight was long. SOOO long I think it was like 8 hours or something like that. I watched a few movies and slept for a while. When we finally got in to Detroit I had missed my connecting flight so I was put on to a later flight. I called JR and let him know. It was SOOO nice to hear his voice over the telephone instead of over the internet. I found a bathroom and tried to make myself as presentable as possible. I finished drying my things with the air dryer and brushed my teeth. I called JR again and we talked for a while until it was time for my flight. When my flight got into Salt Lake it was around 10 pm. I was extremely tired! I went downstairs to luggage claim and there he WAS!!! Oh, he looked so adorable and handsome! We walked towards each other and hugged for a long time. It was a beautiful moment. After that we got my things and headed to the car. JR pulled out my engagement ring and put it back on my finger. I was so excited to have it again! I had left it with him because I was afraid of taking it to Italy. We talked on the way to my grandparent’s house and it was hard to say goodbye for the night, I just wanted to keep him forever.

Girl hang out.

July 6, 2009

This morning I got up, called my fiancé and had some breakfast before heading out to the train station.  I walked because I didn’t have money in francs for the bus and I didn’t want to bother with it.  It was about a twenty minute walk and luckily it wasn’t too hot.  It was sort of sad to watch Como get smaller and smaller out the window; it’s such a beautiful place and I’m going to miss it. 

I got to Milano around 2:30 in the afternoon and I told my friend Yami that I would meet her at the Duomo so we could hang out.  I stopped by Jackelin’s house to drop my back pack and luckily she was there so I brought her along as well.  Yami brought her little sister Eliana so us four went to McDonalds.  It was fun just talking and getting to know each other.  Yamila was a big help to the sister missionaries when I was here as a mission.  She was actually at Jackelin’s baptism.  Yamila got her mission call and will be serving on Temple Square.  She leaves next month.  It was fun talking to her because she had questions for me about the mission and about what she needs to take and things like that.  It’s fun to see someone at this stage who’s so excited to start this great experience. 

I was really glad that Jackelin was there because she seemed like she had a lot of fun chit chatting and having girl talk time.  After Mc Donalds we went down the shopping stores and looked around.  We had fun trying stuff on and admiring window displays.  Afterwards we all came back to Jackelin’s house and watched music videos for a while.  Then they all sat around and watched me pack since I’m going home tomorrow.   

Later that night Jackelin’s sister Daisy did my nails and my hair so I could look cute going home tomorrow.  We had a lot of fun talking about things and just getting to know each other.  

Miracles!

July 5, 2009

SUNDAY!  We went to church this morning.  I saw my good friend Stefania and sat next to her during relief society.  She has a 8 month old baby.  She’s so cute!  I’m glad that they had a baby because I remember they wanted to start a family when I was here.  So many newly weds in the ward are starting their families and it’s great to see that the church is growing.  Before the  next class started I spotted Giustina and went over to say hello.  Giustina was a lady that I taught here in Como right before I went home from the mission.  She was interested at first but she refused to read whenever we would leave things for her to read in the book of moron and she never came to church even when she said that she would.  We dropped her for a whole transfer but then we picked her up again because the work was slow and I wanted to give it another shot.  Still she didn’t progress.  I begged her to come to church my last Sunday here in Como and she said that she would do it just for me.  She came but then when it was time to leave she left and we were like, “well, what did you think?”  She was sort of “whatever” about it so when I left I told my companion that she could go visit her once in a while but that it was probably best to just drop her since she didn’t want to progress.  Six months later I found out that she got baptized.  I couldn’t believe it!  Ahhh, what joy!  When I saw her again today she started crying and said, “I think I just saw and angel.  Are you real?!”  Awww, I was so happy to see her in church.  She’s come such a long way.  She’s actually going to the temple to receive her endowment at the end of this month.  WOW!  I’m so grateful to Heavenly Father who really takes care of each of his children.  Ahhh, I love the gospel!

After church I was invited to lunch at my friend Miryam’s house.  She’s from Milano and I met her there when I was here as a nanny my first time in Italy.  She’s since gotten married and now lives with her husband here in Como.  She’s SO funny!  She says the most random and hilarious things sometimes.  She makes me laugh and her husband teases her because of the things that she says.  It’s so cute to see them.  They got married a couple of months ago and they have their house decorated all cute.  Ahhh, JR, I can’t wait to marry you and set up our cute little place together!  I love you!

After we had lunch we sat on the couch and they showed me their wedding fotos on the computer.  I totally fell asleep so they turned on a movie and everyone sort of napped on the couch.  Hmm, it was so relaxing.  After the movie they woke me up and gave me a ride to my friend Linda’s house. 

Linda was awesome and totally loves the sister missionaries.  She also served a mission in Catania and she’s been home for about 4 or 5 years now.  She actually twisted her ankle just the other day so she was on crutches when I went over.  We just sat and talked. We caught each other up on our lives.  I told her all about JR and talked about how we’re totally and completely in love!  It was great. 

From Linda’s I walked over to Giustina’s house because she had invited me over for dinner.  Marisa (another lady from the ward) had been invited over as well.  I’m so happy that they’ve become friends because they’re a lot a like.  They’re both in their sixties, they’ve both been divorced and they both like to joke around and be silly.  I was so happy to see Giustina happy.  She seems so different now.  I love seeing her this way!

It’s so weird because this whole week I’ve sort of been hanging out by myself and not really talking to anyone other than when Viola gets home from work.  So today I had to be social and talk to people.  I sort of forgot how to do it and I really had to remind my self to concentrate on the conversation and give input.  Since that’s all that missionaries do I got really good at it on my mission.  I guess it’s just one of those things that you have to keep practicing to keep up or else you become an anti-social…maybe like me?  

Road Rage

July 4, 2009

After Viola came home from work we went to go pick her daughter up from her friend’s house.  Since we were late Viola was driving like a mad woman.  It was a bit frightening but cars drive rather recklessly here (in my opinion).  But even though they’re crazy drivers I think I see fewer accidents around here than in Utah.  Maybe they’re just used to it.  Viola says that she doesn’t want Vivana to drive because of all the crazies on the road.  Uh-huh.  I’d be scared driving with Viola on the road. 

So today is the fourth of July.  I’m missing the hot air balloons in provo as well as the parade and the fireworks.  It feels so weird…it doesn’t even feel like it’s the fourth.  Happy fourth of July everyone!

Lost in Translation

July 3 2009

I went to the store to go buy some bunny food for Viola's bunny while she was at work.  I was trying to get some hair conditioner as well but I couldn't tell if what I was buying was hair conditioner or something else since the label was in german and french.  i don't speak either so I was totally confused.  Also, all the prices were in CHF so that threw me off as well.  It's so weird being in a country where I can't even tell what it is that I'm buying.  I've never really had that feeling before.  Interesting. 

Teaching English and Blogging.

July 1, 2009

This morning I got up early with Viola and cut some watermelon for her to take to work.  After that I talked to JR on skype for a while before going back to sleep.  In the afternoon I walked to a nearby mall and looked around.  It’s interesting to see that all the prices are in swiss francs instead of euro.  I bought a few groceries for Viola since she was out of some things.

Viola just got home from work.  She’s making up some yummy pasta…

She wanted me to show her how to blog so I’m going to help her set one up.  She tries to speak as much English with me because she wants to get better at it.  She’s really good at practicing and at not giving up when she doesn’t know how to say exactly what she wants to see, which is really great. 

Since tomorrow Viola will be working late I’m going to meet up with a few friends in Como.  

not much to tell...

June 30, 2009

It’s the last day of the month.  Every day that gets closer and closer to me going home I get so excited because I can’t wait to be with my fiancée and my family again.  Viola was at work all day long and I just hung out around the house.  I watched a few movies and finished up my internship projects that were due today.  When Viola came home we had dinner together.  I also showed her how to use the interactive music thing on lds.org so she can learn the parts to hymns on her own.  

To the swimming hole!

June 29, 2009

Today was a national holiday here in Switzerland so Viola had the day off.  Viviana left for girls camp so Viola and I went to the swimming pool with Maria Mabilia and her son Amadeus.  Maria’s husband Angelo wasn’t able to come.  The Mabilia family is really strong in the church and they are really good people.  The couple is actually leaving on Saturday to go work at the temple for six months.  We spent all afternoon at the swimming pool getting sun.  The pool was really big and there were a lot of people.  It’s so funny because a lot of the Italian women wear bikinis…no matter what their body type is.  And…yeah it was kinda gross.  It was just so funny to me how even the older women wore bikinis and walked around freely like they didn’t care how many pounds of cottage cheese they had hanging off their butt and their thighs.  I laid out and tried to tan a bit but I guess I put too much sun block because I don’t think I got any darker.

After we got back from the pool I went with Viola to the store and then we went home and had dinner. 

The Mabilias came over for family home evening later that night.  Viola gave a message on reverence and then we ate some fruit that the Mablias had brought.  It was a good day!  J

In the park.

June 28, 2009

Sunday!  Church was so great.  Viola didn’t tell anyone I was going to be there so it was a big surprise for a lot of people.  I said hello to as many as I could between classes but mostly I just watched because I don’t really care if they remember me, I care more that I see them well and that they are still strong.  It’s interesting how it works because since this was my last area of my mission and I was most effective as a missionary and confident in the language I feel like I grew closer to the people here than in any other city.  The people in this ward are so amazing!  A lot of them are from the south of Italy, mostly from Naples, and it was so cool to hear them speak in dialect again and speak Italian with their southern accent.  I saw so many of my good friends.  I was really happy to see the young women.  I didn’t realize how good of friends they had been because they all remembered me.  During relief society we had a lesson about virtue.  It’s interesting to see how much this ward has grown.  They were actually a branch when I was here and have just recently become a ward.  It’s also interesting to see how different the members are here than the members from the Milano ward. 

It was also great to see the church building again.  A long time ago the building was a villa that belonged to one of the cardinals of the catholic church here in Como.  I think it might have been empty for a long time before the church bought it.  Now its completely redone inside with a sacrament room and classrooms.  It's a great building because there are still figures of the Virgin Mary etched on the outside wall.  And there are two roman arches that frame the front entrance. 

After church we came home and had lunch.  Vivana had a friend from the ward over and they played while Viola and I took naps.  Later in the evening we went to a park where a bunch of members get together Sunday evenings and bring desserts to share with each other.  Their kids play in the grass and the young women catch up on each other’s lives.  All the girls are excited because they’re leaving for girl’s camp tomorrow.  I had my camera out and took a few pictures because they were all so cute just sitting on the park benches and talking.  I asked to take a few pictures of the girls and they totally got into it and wanted me to take lots. 

I got a few good shots but unfortunately I left my usb cable in Milano so I can’t download them onto my computer until I get back to Milano next week.  

**PICTURES WILL COME LATER!  CHECK BACK!**

June 27, 2009

I went to Como today.  Ahhh, bella Como! 

Jackelin was sad to see me go but I promised to be back next week.  I left most of my luggage at Jackelin’s since I’ll be spending one last night there before I fly home.  I packed just a backpack for Como, stopped at a bakery and got myself some breakfast and got myself to the train station.  It was so weird being on the train heading back to my last area of my mission.  It was like watching my life rewind. 

On the train, sitting near me, there were was an African lady with her two kids.  Wow, they were so loud and her kids were really fussy.  She kept yelling and hitting her little boy.  I really hate it when moms hit their kids and I hate it even more when I see them do it in public. 

I took the train from Milano to Monza where I had to switch trains.  Luckily I made it to Monza on time but then of course my train from Monza to Como was late.  Right before the train was supposed to come I ran to find an ATM and I barely made it back.  Every time a different station was announced they told also how late we were getting there and apologized for the tardiness. 

While on the way Como I was hit with a sudden surge of gratitude.  I started counting my blessings and thinking about how awesome it is that I’ve got this chance to come back to this beautiful city that I love and see people that I’ve missed.  Ahh, when I saw it my heart surged with happiness.  The beautiful mountains filled with homes and historic buildings surround the clear blue water of Lake Como.  I actually didn’t even stop in Como, I just saw it from the train window.  I went all the way across the border to Chiasso, Switzerland.  Viola’s daughter Vivana came on the bus and met me at the station.  She helped me change some euros into francs so I could buy a bus ticket.  Vivana and I went back to her house on the bus.  Viola’s got a nice spacious three bedroom apartment and since Viola had to work until six Vivana and I made some lunch and hung out.  It was so fun seeing Viola again.  She was tired from working all day long but she made us some pasta and then I took her little rabbit Michelle out for a walk (actually for a bounce).  It was kind of fun because I hadn’t ever really spent time with bunny before other than the time I ate some. 

Afterwards I helped Viola make la moose.  It’s this yummy chocolate creamy desert stuff that Viola likes to make and that’s really good.  It’s super chocolaty and I can only have so much of it at a time but Viola and Viviana seem to be immune to it.  Haha.

 

La Coca Cola

June 25, 2009

This morning I woke up late.  I packed my stuff and jumped on the metro because  I was supposed to meet some people for lunch but they had to cancel so I went to Jackelin’s house and left my stuff.  Then I headed down by the duomo and looked around for a bit and waited for Jackelin to get home from work.  After Jackeline got out we went to the ward family home evening where we saw all the missionaries and played a game.  After that Jackelin really wanted a coke so we walked all over to find an open super market but they were all closed so we waited forever for the bus that took us to a McDonalds so we could finally get Jackelin her coke.  Then we came back to her house.  I went to call JR for a bit and Jackelin and her brothers and sisters ordered some pizza.  When I got back we popped in a movie.  So we’re just sitting here all together watching a movie.  They’re so funny…they all make fun of and tease each other.  They especially like to gang up on the little one. 

It started to rain really hard outside.  The thunder is SO loud!  I don’t think I’ve seen a thunderstorm since last time I was here in Italy.  

Hello Verona!

June 24, 2009

VERONA!  Rachel made really yummy pancakes this morning.  Hmmmm!  I can’t wait to get home!  I miss so many American things.  After, we piled in the car and drove to Verona!  

It was so nice having two hours to bond with Rachel on the way there.  Charlotte was really good and just slept in the back seat.  In Verona we first stopped at Esther’s house.  Esther’s a super strong African member that we had a really good relationship with as sister missionaries.  

She was really surprised to see me. Rachel and Esther have been really good friends throughout the years and Esther hadn’t seen Charlotte yet so she was super happy that we came over.  After Rachel’s we went over Edda and Remo’s.  They’re another super strong member couple that Rachel has kept in touch with over the years.  They really love her and were so happy to see Charlotte. Edda especially went nuts over her!  They made us really yummy tortellini with mushrooms.  After dinner I took Charlotte into my arms and tried to get her to fall asleep because she was tired and cranky.  She didn’t go down without a fight.  I had to hold her and sing to her and then she fell asleep.  She was so cute!  She just put her little head against my chest and got heavier and heavier as she was falling asleep in my arms.  Ahhh, it was an awesome feeling. 
After we left Edda and Remo’s we went into the center of the city to walk around a bit.  It was a really weird feeling being back in the first area of my mission.  I forgot how beautiful Verona is.

  I saw this girl named Natascia in one of the popular piazzas.  We used to teacher her sometimes.  She and her dad run a little stand that sells souvenirs.  I sort of just went up to her and said hello and asked if she remembered me. She did!  

And she let me take a picture with her.  She was really nice and gave me a pair of cute earrings from her stand.  After we walked around a bit we headed back to Milano.  In Milano we met Giovanni and had went to an aperitif at this place called the Bhangra Bar.  It’s this really fun place that I learned about when I was here as a nanny.  

They have Indian food and yummy exotic non-alcoholic drinks.  I held Charlotte while we ate and she made friends with the people sitting next to us. 

She just flirted and smiled at them and they loved it!  Rachel said that 

Charlotte makes friends wherever she goes.  

A healthy A.

June 23, 2009

This morning Rachel took me to another bridal place.  It was a smaller place than the last one and they had some of the same dresses but they also had different.  I tried on four dresses all of which were really really pretty!  This time I had a little better idea of what I wanted as well as what looks best on me.  They lady was really nice and helpful.  There was one dress that was absolutely gorgeous!  I had lace and beadwork and I almost didn’t want to take it off.  After this we went back to Rachel’s house.  Givovanni had gone to work so Rachel and I had lunch together while Charlotte took a nap.  

After lunch I worked on some of the reports that I have to turn in for my internship.  I finished all of the exercises, my hours logs, and my experience reflection and emailed them in to my teacher.  He wrote back saying my work was done in an exemplary manner and that he was going to give me a healthy A.  He also asked if he could use my work as an example to other students.  I still have a couple of other papers that have to get turned in and then I’ll be all done. 

In the afternoon we went on a walk.  Charlotte was so well behaved and it seems that she likes to go out.  Rachel was making a dress for her baby niece and needed some ribbon so we stopped by a little fabric store.  Wherever we went everyone looked and Charlotte and said how cute she is.  The lady at the fabric store especially loved Charlotte. I asked Rachel if people act differently around her when they see that she has a baby.  She said that they do.  I love how cute babies are and how people are sometimes automatically more soft-spoken and kinder around little babies.  We then went to the supermarket to get some things for dinner.  The watermelons looked really yummy so we got one.  Ahhh, I love watermelon! 

Rachel made yummy curry rice stuff for dinner.  She’s a really good cook.  I helped chop the veggies.  Haha! 

UGH!

June 22, 2009

Jackelin’s family, the Ovalle family, is SO funny.   Last night Jackelin and I were just talking and I wanted to take a picture of us but she was like, “NO!  I don’t have any make-up on!”  

So I opened up my computer to the little photobooth program that I have and that can take funny pictures.

  Jackelin loved it so she called her brothers in and they all crowded around the computer making funny faces and they were laughing so hard that they called their mom over and then she laughed so hard and called her husband over so everyone was there taking pictures on my computer. 

We all laughed so hard we had tears in our eyes. 

This morning Jackelin had to go to work so I got ready to head over to Rachel’s.  Rachel Criscione is a friend that I met when I was serving in Torino.  She’s an American that’s married to an Italian man, Giovanni Criscione.  They are super super nice and are letting me stay with them for a couple of days.  They have a new baby girl named Charlotte who is the cutest thing ever!  So I took the metro and a bus over to the other side of town and found their house.  Rachel and I caught up for a bit and then she took me to a bridal store that’s near her house.  When we went in they thought that Rachel was the bride…maybe I look to young to them to get married since people here usually get married at an older age.  The lady took us into a big room that had lit up closets all along the walls with dresses in them.  

There weren’t all that many dresses but they were all very pretty.  She had me pick out the ones that I liked and then had me narrow it down to three that I wanted to try on.  Some of the styles were really different than what girls in the states wear but it was a nice to see different styles.  Every time I see a pretty dress I would go, “Ugh!”  I meant it as “Ah, this is so pretty.”  When I saw the one that I ended up liking the most I  said really emphatically, “UGH!!”  The lady helping us looked really offended and said, “Non ti piace?! (You don’t like it?)  Haha!  I had to explain to her that when I went, “ugh” I meant that I LOVED it and that it was disgustingly beautiful and awesome.  LOL!  I guess I’ve never thought about how weird that sounds until I had to explain it. 

It was fun trying on dresses with Rachel.  Afterwards we went over to her friend Amanda’s house.  Amanda is also an American girl who is married to an Italian.  They live in this villa/house type of thing that is about a hundred years old.  Amanda’s husband inherited it from his grandmother.  The house is four stories high with two bathrooms, three bedrooms, an office, a sitting room, kitchen, cellar, and about four other rooms that still haven’t been remodeled.  The house is really big and old styled!  

Amanda gave us a tour of the house and it was so interesting to see how a hundred year old Italian house was built.  It also has a pretty big back yard where she grows mint, basil, parsley, cranberries, and a bunch of pretty flowers.  

Amanda and her husband, Zeno, hang out with Rachel and Giovanni quite often so they’ve grown to be really good friends.  I think its so cute that they’re friends because they’re both the same: American wife with Italian husband. 

For dinner Rachel cooked a really yummy chicken with rice and then we had family home evening.  Giovanni gave the message on prayer and then we watched the movie Enchanted. 

I like it here.  Their house is really homey and there are pictures of Giovanni and Rachel at the temple around the house and their little girl Charlotte is so cute and smiley.  I like the spirit that is here.  

Luisa

June 21, 2009

Jacky and I got up and went to church this morning.  It was a walk through memory lane the whole way there.  The Metro, the streets, the chapel, everything.  The first meeting was relief society and after just ten minutes of sitting in that meeting I thought, “Woah, this ward is so strong!”  Everyone was involved in the lesson and answering the questions from the teacher.  It was great to hear the same funny ladies that always give their opinions during the lessons.  I remember a couple that got into a pretty heated discussion and then they called the bishop in to teach about charity on the next lesson.  It was so funny.  It was funny to hear their half Spanish half Italian again because there are way more Southern American members in this ward than Italian members.  The Latin people are so strong in the church and this ward is lucky to have them.

 I think I took this for granted while I was here and I didn’t appreciate it enough.  It’s never a dull moment in relief society in this ward.  They are just a big group of strong women with bold opinions.  It’s like they have their own little paradise.  I forgot how much I loved these people.  I love them so so much.  Besides tons of new people it was like my memories were untouched and there were still the same strong families in church.  There is such a different feeling here in church than there is in Siena.  It just felt like there was more strength in numbers and in the consistency. 

The lesson was about temples but the problem is that these sisters like space doctrine.  The bishop’s wife is really good though, she just kept turning it around to where the lesson was supposed to be with her comments.  She bore her testimony about how she hasn’t been able to get to the temple for ten years.  They’ve been trying to get her the documents she need so she can cross the border to go to the temple in Switzerland.  It was SO touching!  She told about how even through all these year’s she’s kept her temple recommend current and kept herself worthy.  Gosh, these people rock.  I love them.  

I got to see lots of friends from this ward.  I got news that a friend, Yamila, is going on a mission.  Yay for her!  I’m way excited because she’s such an awesome, good, worthy, and beautiful young woman.   I saw another one of my friends and they were like, “Hey!  It’s been a long time!  You’re getting married right?  To the big guy that we saw on your facebook pictures!”  Haha.  I love you JR!

During the gospel doctrine class the bishop came in a listened for a while.  This man is awesome.  He’s from Peru and he’s been the bishop since I was here as a missionary.  He’s friendly and very good with people.  He stresses missionary work in the ward.  He always gets to know the missionaries and encourages the members to do so as well.  During sacrament meeting the bishop had a few new members and old members get up and talk about how they had first met the missionaries and when they got baptized. 

During Sacrament meeting I sat with Marlena and her four-year-old niece Luisa.  Marlena is from the Dominican Republic.  She’s been here in Italy for years.  When I was here as a missionary Sister Davis and I would often visit Marlena’s sister Lucy and her daughter Luisa.  Lucy was sick; the doctors had just told her that she had cancer so we would go over and try to encourage her by giving spiritual messages and bearing our testimonies.  I asked Marlena how her sister was and she looked at me somewhat shocked and said, “Sister Puga, my sister is dead.  She died seven months ago.”  It was like cold water washed over me.  I had no idea.  I tried to act normal as my eyes swelled up with tears but alas…

Marlena was moved by my reaction and just picked up little Luisa and hugged her.  Luisa is SOOOO incredibly cute.  She just smiled and hugged Marlena.  I got the feeling that Heavenly Father sent Luisa so that Marlena could get through this and have motivation to go on.  Marlena invited me to come over for dinner at her house later today.  I’m really glad because it’s very close to Jackeline’s house and I’m excited to spend with them.

So dinner was fun.  Marlena had some other friends over.  Two of them are from Peru and the other two were from Colombia.  We just talked about my upcoming wedding and they were happy and excited for me.  They were also talking about their lives in Italy.  I asked them if it was difficult for them learn Italian and they said that they sort of just talk however it comes out.    Luisa was so cute and she let me work on a puzzle with her and watch a bit of Winnie the Pooh with her while she held my hand.  She’s so cute!  Then I just came home and hung out with Jacky and her family and watched a movie.  

Okay, this picture made me laugh because it was right after church and the three sisters from the ward are looking over their brand new ensigns that they just got and next to them there were two men that had beer bottles and were drinking.  And it was only noon on a Sunday!

Leaving on a jet train.

June 20, 2009

The train ride was a long one.  My first train departed from the station in Siena at one.  I was worried because I had three changes to make and if even one of them were to be late then it would make me miss all the other ones.  When the ticket checker came by to check my ticket I asked him if we were going to get to Empoli on time.  He sort of laughed and said, “Of course!  If it isn’t then I’ll by the coffee.”  

I sort of got the feeling that he felt I was being silly for worrying about staying on schedule.  Well, we did get to Empoli on time.  Then my train from Empoli to Pisa was on time as well.  My bags were a bit heavy so I had a bit of a hard time getting in and out of the train.  

I almost killed a girl with my backpack while I was trying to put it in the overhang.  It accidently slipped but I was able to save the girl from my backpack breaking my favorite headband in the process.  Oh well.  Then my train from Pisa to La Spezia was really pretty because we started nearing the seaside.  My last change was from La Spezia to Milano.  The first part was all along the coast that is also know as the Italian Riviera or Cinque Terre.  I tried to sneak in a few pictures between stations.  About half way through the train ride a train worker came through the whole train announcing that there was something wrong with the train so we were going to have to switch trains at Genova.  Everyone of course was put out.  When we got to Genova we switched trains but then the train didn’t leave for another half hour because they had to change the motor or something like that.  Everyone was so upset, especially the people that were going to miss their connecting trains to other places.  There was one Italian man that was especially upset.  He was yelling all sorts of profanities.  I slowly moved away from him because I was kinda scared.  But he kept yelling, “bastardi, bastardi, bastardi!”, “porca madonna, porca madonna” and other bad words like crap and blames against deity.  He sounded funny: he didn’t pronounce any of his ‘r’s .  He was also carrying a bag with something in it.  It was probably meat but I imagined that they were parts from a dead body he had cut up.  It just kept getting better and better because he started yelling at another train worker and said that he was going to call the police.  And he did but I think they hung up on them.  I half expected him to snap and wave around a gun or something.   Then an African man tried to tell him about the fast train that was leaving from another platform but the Italian just pretended to not listen and be annoyed.  While we were waiting at the station in Genova we kept hearing the announcer over the loudspeaker announce late trains over and over. 

It was pretty boring on the bus.  I couldn’t do much because I get car sick so I sort of just had daydreaming and space staring time.  Our train finally got in to Milano at around 10 pm.  I went to where Jackeline was supposed to meet me but she wasn’t there.  I thought maybe she had left because my train had been twenty minutes late so I went to go try to call but right as I was picking up the phone she came and found me.  She brought her sister Candy and Candy’s husband Carlo.  I was glad to have a guy around that late at night.  Jacky and I stayed up for a while chatting and catching up.  Jacky’s family are a lot more party people than I’m used to so I guess I won’t be sleeping as early as I have been.  

Honey and Cherries

June 19, 2009

I totally skipped a day.  Yesterday’s blog was more of what I did today than yesterday.  So today is Friday.  Hillary and I got our last gelato and noon.  Then we went home and had dinner together around 5:30.  Mamma mia, Hillary leaves this evening.  She’s taking a night train to Paris where she’ll meet up with her family and I am so sad to see her go. 

It’s going to be weird still being here in Italy for a couple weeks without her.  We’ve been packing the last few days and it’s really depressing  I helped Hillary get her stuff to fit in her bags and then I went with Rita to go drop her off at the train station.  It was so sad!  I miss my little tall friend. 

After we dropped Hillary I went with Rita to go buy some cat food for Topi.  Then when we got home she showed me the honey factory that they have in 

the back yard.  It’s rather big.  Luda was in there preparing honey for tomorrow’s market in town.  Luda is Rita’s son’s companion.  She’s from Russia.  Anyway, she was super nice and showed me the different rooms where they prepare the honey.  The process begins upstairs.  After they gather all of the board things where the bees make the honey from the bee hives they bring them to the top floor of the factory. 

Then they use this little tool to pick the top layer of wax off the board where all the honey is left. 

Then they put the board in this spinner thing and spin it around until all the honey comes out.  Then the honey goes down this tube that goes down through the bottom of the floor into the room downstairs.  It drips into buckets and then the buckets are emptied into big tubs.  The tubs have a type of faucet at the bottom and that’s how they fill up the jars.  Luda grabbed a jar and filled one up for me and then handed it over to me as a gift.  When the honey comes out of the faucet it’s surprisingly clear and colorless.  She said that that’s because they do everything by hand so the honey is more natural and uncontaminated by metals from extra machinery.  After this they either add flavors and fruits to the honey or they just leave it plain.  Luda puts labels that she designed on the jars and gets them ready to sell.  Rita’s husband and son (Alvaro and Stefano) are quite famous here for their awesome honey and they have a pretty good business.  It’s called Apicultura Franchi.  Franchi is Alvaro’s last name and the word for ‘bees’ is ‘api’.  The also make scented candles from the bees wax.  They design the wax into little animals or flowers. After this Rita let me go up and pick some cherries out of her tree.  She has a latter that’s always there so I climbed it and helped myself to as many cherries as I wanted.  The cherries were this amazingly bright red color and they were really yummy. 

After all this I packed.  And it was lonely without Hillary.  My train leaves tomorrow, SATURDAY at 1:40.  

Adieu!

June 18

Goodbye Siena!  Goodbye Hillary!  Goodbye bicycle!  Farewell little streets that overflow with tourists.  Goodbye Rita with your constant loud yelling.  Goodbye topi the cat who likes to hang out in our room when we’re not there and leave cat hair everywhere.  Goodbye annoying slow internet that doesn’t work at the school.  Goodbye beautiful hills and countryside that is full of the annoying little insects that I run into while riding the bike. 

Mamma mia, Hillary leaves this evening.  She’s taking a night train to Paris where she’ll meet up with her family and I am so sad to see her go.  It’s going to be weird still being here in Italy for a couple weeks without her.  We’ve been packing the last few days and it’s really depressing.  As a goodbye gift she gave me a pack of Ringo cookies.  They’re my favorite!  I got her a pair of socks that say “Happy Kiss” on them.  They’re really cheesy but she loved them. 

My train leaves tomorrow at 1 in the afternoon.  I’m going to be staying in Milano with some friends for a week and then I’ll be in Como for the next week.  I’ll try to keep writing but if I don’t for a couple of days, please don’t me alarmed (mom).  Love you all!! 

Il Duomo

June 17, 2009

Hillary and I hung out today because she didn’t have to work.  We went to go visit the Duomo of Siena and it was really cool!  The inside is really big! 

The dome is medieval in style and the inside floors are covered with mosaics.  It was really pretty.  After that we wandered around Piazza del Campo and then at home we had family home evening together.  Hillary gave the message and I said the prayer.  Then we watched some Harry Potter together.  We had a really yummy dinner too.  Rita made some ragu sauce with pasta and then we had frittata with breaded pumpkin flowers.  

Piazza del Campo

In the Duomo...there was a hallway with mirrors on the ceiling.  

The cool things on the floor.

During our family home evening together.  We spend so much time together that we're starting to smile the same. It's kinda creepy actually.  :)

Smoking kills!

June 16 2009

Tuesday!  Lazy Tuesday!  Today was the usual.  I exercised in the morning a bit and then got read and went to centro.  I talked to JR and wrote in my blog.  Hm...not much to tell.  On my walk this morning I noticed how many empty cigarette boxes there were along the road.  It's really sad because it's such a beautiful place yet everyone litters!  And most of what the litter was were empty cigarette boxes and empty gum boxes.  I like the cigarette boxes here in Italy because they say all sorts of interesting things on them.  I don't know if its the same way in other places but here the boxes say things like: Quitting smoking reduces the risk of

 cardiovascular disease.

  

Smoking causes lung cancer.

Smoking clogs your arteries and causes strokes.

Smoking ages your skin. :(

The classic: Smoking Kills!

Smoking seriously harms you and those around you. 

And the last one says:

Protect your children: don't make them breath your smoke.

You would think that they would get the message.  Hm...these people need help.