Last week in Rogliano! plus meeting my mom!

Ciao Tutti!!!
So I think I left off with Tropea, I’m sorry I’ve waited so long to write this, I have been soooooo busy with my family!!!! The last week I just tried to spend as much time with my family as possible. Friday night we got a tour of all the chiese (churches) in Rogliano. It was pretty sweet. But after we saw the churches it was about midnight and some of us decided to go sneak into the cemetery at night. We walked up the hill and luckily the door was open. So we sat and hung out in the cemetery for a bit. It was kind of spooky not gonna lie. Ahah our families were shocked we went up there, they thought we would have been terrified. But it was super cool since it was almost a full moon. Haha then Sunday me and Michelle’s family (the sisters and mom and dad of Vanessa) and also the family of Andrea (the aunt and uncle of Vanessa) all went up to the Sila Mountains for the day. We had lunch in the forest of the squirrels (scoiattoli), then drove up to the highest point, which had a gorgeous view.
Monday was our last day teaching the bambini (kids) at the schools. Shayna and I had gotten all their work they had done with us and made little packets with their name on it tied with ribbon. But the kids had a surprise for us, they had organized a party for us! The kids organized it! And it was only our class (which totally means our class is the best). Haha but it was sweet, the kids had their parents make cakes and other sweets for us. I was really sad we had to leave them ☹
Oh Monday night we stood waiting in the rain for 3 hours waiting for Mauro Fiori to arrive. Mauro Fiori is from Marzi (the town next door where some of the people in my program live) and he just won an Oscar for Best Cinemetography for Avatar. It was a huge deal because I guess this is Italy’s 3rd Oscar. So we all waited in the pouring rain for him to arrive. He came and said thanks, but didn’t stay long because his big party was on Tuesday.
Allora, Tuesday was nuts to say the least. My family got to Marzi at 330 because Aldo had to be in some show thingy for Mauro. It turns out that their “spetacolo” was just wearing shirts with Mauro’s face on it and holding balloons so it looks like the Italian flag. Except that they kind of waited too long and the kids got anzie so all the kids eventually dispersed. Then a bunch of important people gave super long speeches in Italian, which I kind of ignored. Then Mauro came out and talked for a bit and they gave him the keys to the city. Then that night Miss Italia came because she is from about 20 min away from Rogliano and is the first person from Calabria to win Miss Italia. I didn’t get to see her shoes but they must have been high because she was suuuuuuuper tall! There was some bands playing later that night along with everybody and their mother from Calabria. Haha it was nuts. They also had a gorgeous firework display. It was so much fun! I was there from 3:30 in the afternoon till about 2:30 at night. It was a white night in Marzi so everything was open super late. I even got to talk and get a picture with Mauro!!! My Italian aunt Emilia knows him and she introduced me and I talked with him for a bit in English saying how much I love rogliano and a tad about my program. He was super nice! Then again everyone from rogliano and marzi are super nice! But apparently his wife doesn’t like italy or Marzi and doesn’t like coming. She said bomino instead of bellissimo when she was thanking Marzi. Hahah
Ok so Wednesday was a national holiday in Italy so my family and Cesare’s brother and his wife and another couple all went to the beach for the day. We were there from 10:30 in the morning to about 5:30 at night. Unfortunately I had a final exam the next day so I had to study while I was there cioè (therefore) my back is burnt!!! I never get burned, and I realize now I don’t like it! But it was fun, and at least I got a little tanner. But apparently there was supposed to be a concert/music lesson by a local rogliano band, but when it came time for the concert they couldn’t find the band members. Haha so typical southern italy. Haha apparently the band members thought it was the next day.
Thursday we took our final exam, which I don’t think went tooo badly haha. But at least it’s done and it’s SUMMER!!! Then Vanessa made my favorite for lunch. Pasta alla Milanese (pasta with saffron) and her specialty zucchini!!!! It was amazing! As much as I wont miss being forced to eat way to much every meal, I will miss vanessa’s cooking because it is fantastic. Then the afternoon after my family went to work me and Michelle and Emily went out with some good Italian friends to the beach. Its cool to have made good friends here that we can keep in touch with and hopefully see when we come back (yes when). Then Thursday night we had a goodbye diner with all the families. It was fun to hang out and take pictures with everybody, but really really really really sad too because we will never again be all together at this wonderful place! Then my family and michelle’s took me to the bus station where I had to say goodbye to everybody and take the midnight bus from Calabria to Rome. I didn’t start crying till the bus pulled away and then I lost it. Im getting sad just thinking about it. I couldn’t have asked for the most generous kindest family! I will miss them forever and I am already thinking about when I can come back. It surprised me so much that I loved rogliano way more than rome. Rogliano just seemed perfect to me. Everyone was so kind and generous and loving, it really made me feel a part of the town and the family. Michelle and I have decided that we will always be Tucci’s for life! TUTTI SONO TUCCI TUTTI SONO PAZZI (Cioti in dialect).
I got into rome at 6 am at the bus station, then took the metro to the train station and sat and waited and tried to avoid all the creepers in the station for about 6 hours until my MOMMY CAME!!! Yes my mom made it safely to rome and we took a eurostar (first class!!!) up to Venice. It was nice and relaxing. We are now in our hotel and we leave for our cruise around 12 tomorrow. Its so weird that my program is over and I do miss everyone terribly but I am excited to start the next part of my adventure! Arrivederci! Ci vediamo!
~Alyson~
☺
p.s we are now on the ship on our way to croatia!!!