What I Miss from A to Z

I have hit the one month mark of being here, which is incredibly hard to believe! I feel as though I have just arrived, and that I have been here for forever all at the same time. I truly love Rome, but that is not to say that I have not had to adjust to things. Trying to fit into another family is definitely tricking. Also, finding my way around rome and navigating the bus and metro systems are not easy either. But so far I am having a blast figuring everything out!

I have found a favorite coffee spot!

Its just a couple blocks from the apartment, and I love the atmosphere, the coffee, the food, the Sunday brunch, and the sweet people that work there.

I have learned to make coffee the Italian way...with this little contraption.

I will most definitely be bringing one of those home.

I have learned to embrace wearing leggings as pants. They totally rock, and I wish I had like 5 more pairs.

I have also made some new friends! I met a couple girls from church and they are great. One of them is actually from GA! Please continue to pray that I would meet some more girls as well, maybe some other au pairs to hang out with during the day.

I found a church I really like. It is called Breccia and is a really small Italian Evangelical church that meets on Sunday nights. The whole service is in Italian, but I really enjoy it and am picking up more than I thought I would. I still may go to the English service at Rome Baptist Church on Sunday mornings, if nothing else than just to meet people!

Though I have gotten to do so many great things, there are also things I miss from back home.

Other than my family and friends whom I miss so much, I miss...

a. oatmeal...all i want is some instant quaker oatmeal

b. skim milk

c. protein...specifically chicken

d. cake...I mean gelato is great but I really want some Ashley Mac's strawberry cake.

e. my own place to have friends over

f. vegetables that are not cooked in with pasta

g. whole wheat pasta...that is a foreign concept for the family I live with.

h. peanut butter

i. pumpkin spice lattes and anything pumpkin spicy cause it is now fall.

j. clothes dryers

k. Wal-mart (we really have no idea how cheap stuff is in the US. I spent 6 euro on hair spray...yikes!)

l. Publix (when I get home this may be the first place I go, there are just soooo many options).

m. my blackberry

n. pilates classes at Dawson

o. my little red car (not that i would want to be driving it here, but I miss being able to get in my car and drive places

p. a microwave...heating up things is much more difficult without it

q. American sized coffee...how I miss going to Starbucks or O'Henry's and ordering a tall cup of coffee that stays warm for longer than 5 minutes and takes longer than 7 to drink

r. Football...I mean American football. I miss hearing people talk about it and greeting one another with Roll Tide or War Eagle on game days

s. Mexican food. I could kill for cheese dip and a Cocina Superior margarita

t. my own bathroom...sharing with kids is harder than I thought haha

u. just having cereal for dinner...with skim milk

v. Cheddar cheese

w. knowing where I am going...Roman streets=confusion

x. funfetti (yes this is the second time I mentioned cake on this list)

y. being able to wear running shorts and a t shirt and not feeling underdressed (Roman mothers are dressed to the nines when they take their kids to school. I take the girls to school with no make up, running shorts or leggings and a t-shirt. I don't fit in.).

z. No smoking...everyone smokes here, and I do not know how the entire country of Italy does not have lung cancer

So maybe I miss a few things...but I love a lot of things too!! And you would too...so come visit soon, and when you do please bring me some oatmeal. :)