Scattered Hearts

30th October - 5th November 2016

It's amazing how much people start to care when you go to another country. It's like Italy now has a special meaning to people who know that I've come here. The significance of this comes to light when news about Italy spreads to other countries. What I'm talking about is the earthquake that occurred in central Italy. That area has more frequent earthquakes with the newer volcanoes (or so I am told).

I got a call this morning from friends in India who saw the news and asked if I was alright. I felt so blessed that Italy has now been elevated to a status of "place to worry for". Thank you dear friends!

It is true that home is where the heart is, when people who have an effect on our hearts are or could be distress, we care, we worry. In that way, we have our hearts scattered all over the world. Geography no longer limits us with the technology that our fellow humans have developed. The very fact that you are reading this post from a part of the world that I am not in, is proof of this fact.

(^__^)

While going back home tonight, I witnessed the driver of my bus get off unexpectedly. While coming down from Cognola (a hill near home), the bus made odd screeching noises when turning. This was quite a new experience, I thought it was the brakes failing and that is not a pleasant thought considering the forces of gravity acting on the bus while going down.

Thankfully, the bus driver drove as slow as possible and stopped at a bus station (FERMATA) to investigate. Something was definitely out of order with the bus. After stopping for a few minutes to check, the driver got on the bus and started driving again, he had about 10 stops left on this route (which was uphill from now) so I guess he wanted us all to reach home first. We thank this driver for his choice. Or I'd have been stuck just a hill away from home...not a great prospect at night in the cold (5 degrees Celsius).

(^__^)

HALLOWEEN is here! This festival isn't celebrated with grandeur here. There are events but I didn't see many people dressed to scare.

Since it was a long holiday with All Saints Day (1st November) in the mix as well, a lot of my Italian friends stayed at home for the whole weekend. For them, All Saints Day is about being home and spending time with family. I think that is quite nice.

So, what did I do for Halloween? I made chicken curry! My friends and I decided that it was time to eat some spicy Indian food. The eight of us (mostly spice untested) gathered and created a delicious (I hope) sweet chicken curry. If you're wondering why it was sweet, I (the cook) was as surprised. It was due to the tomatoes. European tomatoes are far too sweet as compared to the ones I'm used to back home. Thus, sweet chicken curry (great for the Europeans I guess!). It's a fun experience when people taste something different which has a different history. It was history and culture that made that curry (the knowledge of it all culminated into a dish). Which I find quite amazing. Our senses like novelty, which is one of the many reasons I love to try new things to eat.

(^__^)

It's right after Halloween and all the stores are filled with Christmas decorations! It's actually a bit sad that we have such few festivals (things to look forward to?)

(~__~)

I had a "conversation" or a "moment of clarity" with the lady at the supermarket counter. She asked me if I wanted a bag (in Italian), all I understood from the sentence were the words "SIGNORA, BORSA? (Lady, bag?).

I replied with "UNA BORSA PER FAVORE" (One bag please)

After I had paid she said "ARRIVEDERCI" and "GRAZIE". I responded as required. It was after a few moments that I realised that I had not spoken a drop og English in that space of time. It was a stark ontrast to the times that I have pretended that I didn't  understand any Italian (which is understandable since I honestly didn't know what to do in this sort of situation)

It is like we prepare for particular situations. We are just racking up experience in different scenarios so that we know how to cope, how to manage. We don't actually know a language but we know particular day to day context based exchanges between people. It's like we're literally learning about a language 'part by part'. Isn't that fascinating?

Albeit that this is was a rather fundamental exchange. Hopefully, I'll just get better and better now!

(^__^)

The following phrase was taught to me by a friend from Sicily (the south of Italy) Apparently, the south doesn't understand the north very well, and vice versa. The context of this phrase is when you like someone romantically. Interesting right?

TI FANNO SANGUE - You make my blood run wild

[Yay! We're finally in the same month! I'm catching up :D I'll put photos up soon! Slow internet... A DOPO (later!) 26th to be specific!]