I feel as if I live here now. I'm comfortable and used to my surroundings, which is good if not great. Cortney's family is wonderful and beyond hospitable and uber hilarious. I am pretty much familar with the small town of Altavilla Milicia, so if Cortney and I fight, or get overly annoyed with each other (which has happened a few times), I can walk down to the street and sit. Being here resurrects any happiness that was stiffled by work, school, and my stressful social life. I am so in love with my surroundings and the Italian lifestyle and Cortney's cousin, that negative emotions do not exist or surface at all. I can't really imagine going back to Orange County at this point. Thoughts about going back to work at the old folks home is truly depressing. I love the old people more than anyone knows; they are like the grandparents I never had - and I happen to have 120 of them. But come August, I will have worked there two years. I didn't even plan on reaching the one year mark, so two is like an undesired milestone. I have enough waitressing experience at this point to get a job at any restaraunt I feel like, but I am so utterly attached to the residents that it will be impossible for me to quit. The decisions I will have to make when I get back from Italy are going to potentially make me sick....
But back to Sicily! Cortney and I have pretty much already fulfilled all the things to do on this side of the island, except go to the beach. We've been to Palermo twice and seen all the tourist spots and what not. We've gone to a discoteca. We've woken up in an Italian cathedral with a bottle of vino and a Sicilian boyfriend in our laps.....nah, I kid about that one, but at the rate I'm going I wouldn't be surprised if that is somewhere near in the future.
The men in Altavilla Milica are disgusting and don't do the negative Sicilian-man stereotype any justice. Cortney's Zia's pad has a nice view of l'asierra, which is a wall that overlooks this side of Sicilia to the beach.'The wall' is usually occupied by a slew of Sicilian juveniles and old men smoking pall malls and harrassing us two Americanas when we walk past it each night. They either fall completely silent when we saunter by and stare with their big, bulging eyes .... or holler English words like 'Fuck!' and 'Hell-oh' with thick Italiano accents. Sometimes they lick their lips or growl, but I've only noticed that in Palermo from middle-aged men. Men in Palermo are a bit more bold with their sexual passes, and Cortney and I have no sense of direction in the city without a map that screams 'I AM AMERICAN COME GAWK AT ME!'
The whole town of Altavilla Milicia is aware that there are two reckless American girls around, so its only a matter of time before they get used to my singing in the streets and ever-present canon rebel. The only Sicilian man I have eyes for is Cortney's cousin, Sergio. He is good-looking and subtley flirtatious. He steals a wink or blows a kiss at me when no one is looking, and before I can react, he is gone. His mother translates what he says for me, which adds to the hilarity of the whole situation. The other day he said to me, "With me, you don't need to worry about size...", clearly referencing his Italian sausage. He also said he would see me later after he took his girlfriend out to dinner. The whole boldness of the kid just gets me. He kisses me 'hello' and 'goodbye', which is a normal European greeting and leaving sign of affection. But as the days went on, the kiss got closer and closer to my mouth. I see what that little fucker is doing. TOO BAD HE'S FIFTEEN. Many thanks to Sergio though for giving me something to write about.
I'm sick and fucking tired of the horrid techno music here, and my ipod died the first night. I am stuck in this world of hectic dance music which I hear blasting from cars at all hours of the day and night, I kid you not. I pick something to sing everyday while walking so I don't forget my fabulous music taste. Yesterday it was Biggie Smalls (because I sincerely miss my rap), and Pink Floyd's 'The wall' (because we were walking past a wall...). How creative I am, no?
Cortney and I are leaving to Catania for a few days to see another part of Sicily, since we have already conquered Palermo. We have another week and half here, and hopefully we will escape from Cortney's Zia's grasp and have a night of drinking in Palermo. Palermo nightlife is where it's at, apparently. In two weeks we are leaving Sicily for Florence, Rome, and Venice for six days and then coming home. Onto the next part of Italia, please.....capiche?
CIAO
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