The End? Or a new begining?

Tomorrow is 21/12/12 or 12/21/12 depending on how you write it. Anyway, it's the Mayan end of the world, or maybe just a change...anyway, as I said at dinner, if the world did end tomorrow, for me, it would be sad, but also okay. It's sad for the obvious reason, that when I said goodbye to my parents on september 5th in New York, hugged them, it was the last time that I saw them, and felt their presence. BUT! On the good side, it would mean I died living my dream. Isn't that the best way to die? Not suffering, not from illness, or in a place you didn't want to be, but in a place you always dreamed of, a place that you took risks to get there, a place that you (and maybe other people) always wanted to be, and you got there!! Also, if we put a little christian into this, my family here, and my family in the USA will all be able to meet each other in heaven. Nonna Carmen will let my family try some of her amazing food, dad can let everyone taste what REAL pancakes and other baked goods taste like, Nonno Sergio will get to see God, who he has faitfully been following and reading about for so many years, all will be okay.

5 days till christmas. :) No tree yet. Going to do that Saturday...I hope. Tomorrow school, shopping in Padova with Diletta and Andrea, and the dinner for 3^C. Saturday is school, then lunch at Nonno Sergio's (it's his birthday), and Rugby dinner. Sunday should be free, then Monday is Christmas eve, Tuesday is Christmas, Wednesday is another feast day, Thursday-Saturday are homework days, Sunday-Wenesday (2nd January) we are going to the mountains to ski and have fun, Thursday-Saturday I go to Ancona to meet  "Franca" a person I have been hearing about for years but never met. Sunday rest. And monday the 6th back to school. Gosh. This break will go fast!

I promise to post pictures of christmas! Buon Natale!

Ciao!

Wait, what is this I am eating?

So, I have eaten some pretty strange things here in Italy. Mostarda, various types of squid, quail, cow's intestine, horse meat. Yesterday at lunch I ate something that was on the same level of gross as the cow's intestine. It was a calf's (baby cow) liver. I was not told what I was eating untill after I hade taken a few bites. It did not taste good, but it wasn't awful either. Once they told me I was eating a calf's liver, I almost lost it. That is soooo gross. Yuck! Good thing there was more normal meat being served as well.

After lunch we went to Verona. Not to like Verona Verona with the history and all that, but to a Villagio di Natale (Christmas Village).

There were soooooooooooooo many manger scenes, and things to add to your manger scene. Ornaments, yeah it just kept going and going. When we finally reached the end/main part there was this little kids Christmas play. Daniele (my host dad) was asked to be Babbo Natale (Santa Clause). Alessia was laughing because she said that Nicola needs to watch out because papa is Babbo Natale, can't be a bad boy, Babbo Natale may be closer than you think! haha anyway...

Today I made chocolate chip cookies. Enrico kept complaining that I was using the wrong bowl, and I was doing stuff wrong. I asked him if he would like to help, but he just said "no no vai vai" (no no, go go). But the cookies came out pretty well. I am always so nervous about translating recipes from cups to grams, because it never feels like the measurement is correct. Every sight has a different translation. This is the recipe I used to try and copy the Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies. Tea spoon meaning the spoon Italians use for coffee, not a soup spoon. 

300 grams chocolate chips

335 grams flour (farina)

1 teaspoon aking soda (lievita) 

1 teaspoon salt (sale)

225 grams butter (burro)

180 grams sugar (zucchero)

180 grams brown sugar (zucchero di canna)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 large eggs (uova) 

Then just follow the instructions of normal Toll House Cookies.