Around the World : Abbraccia La Notte

     Wow, so this was the longest day by far I have ever experienced in Lecce. It was productive, fun, and full of adventures! The day started at 7:30 when I woke up extra early before class to go to an outdoor market with friends. The market reminded me of Rices, the market close to home where I go to buy clothes, jewelry, sunglasses and other little trinkets. However, we only had forty-five minutes to spare, and had one mission: to buy gypsy pants. These pants are very popular in Lecce, and are light and comfortable. I decided I really wanted to buy a pair to remember my times in the south of Italy and in Lecce. We looked all over the market and found tons of gypsy pants for only ten euros. I ended up buying ones that were a darker shade of green, blue, and purple. I can't wait to rock these pants during my stay in Italy and when I get home.
   After running around the market, we all walked the two miles to the courtyard and made it back with ten minutes to spare before class. It was nice because I got around a four mile walk in the morning before class even started. It was a productive day thus far. Of course while I was walking I was thinking about my Grandma and Aunt Dianne and their morning power walks in the morning. Walking is such a great exercise to do everyday and I encourage everyone to take a walk in the morning, during the day, with a dog like my cute puppy named Chaos or an evening after dinner. I haven't walked so much in my life since being in Italy. My mom was right! You walk everywhere but I enjoy walking and the fresh air.
    During class we talked about the Mafia. It was by far the most interesting class. We learned about famous people involved with the mafia like actual members, judges and newspaper writers. We also learned about the rituals to become a member (Fratelli di Sangue which are blood brothers) and about the different criminal organizations involved with the Mafia. We learned about La Sacra Corona Unita in Puglia, 'Ndrangheta in Calabria, La Camorra in Campania (Napoli) and La Cosa Nostra in Sicilia. Overall it was a very informative class and I really enjoyed every minute of it. I also noticed that everyday I am using my dictionary less and less to look up words, and reading passages in italian has become easier for me.
       When class was over I rushed to my favorite fruttivendola guy and bought some more fresh peaches and apples because who can't have enough apples and delicious peaches. I then made two eggs with tomatoes on my friselle d'orzo for lunch. I am so happy I bought eggs at the market the other day, because I really need the protein. Then I took a very long nap, because I could not fall asleep last night. I woke up around 16:00 and felt refreshed.
    Before I could workout I had to do my three challenges for this birthright competition. Basically, all the members of my group are participating in a three week challenge called Bring Israel Back. If we all compete the three challenges every week for three weeks we will get a sponsored reunion in New York City with the Israeli soldiers. We have to win! So I completed all three challenges, including making a short video about my favorite experience during the trip. Of course I said climbing Masada, because seeing the sunrise that morning was one of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. I will never forget the image of the Israeli flag on top of the mountain blowing in the wind while the sun was peaking out from behind the clouds.
    Anyway after reminiscing about Birthright I lead another workout in the courtyard. My friends and I did a very hard circuit called 100-5 that I made up. It involves 100 jumping jacks, 50 crunches, 25 squats, 15 pushups, 10 squat thrusts and 5 jump squats. We did this circuit five times, and after the last set we were all exhausted. Then my friend Elena showed us this great stretch called murder to improve your flexibility. It involves laying very close to a wall and spreading your legs as far as you go above your head for certain period of time. We probably stayed in the murder position for five minutes, and let me tell you it was murder. But hopefully my flexibility improves because right now I am extremely stiff.
    Then at night we had pot lock dinner. People paired off into groups and made different meals and then we all shared the meals together. After working out, I made dinner with two of my friends. We made farfalle pesto pasta with eggplant, hot peppers and chick peas. The dish was delicious and it had a nice kick to it. For some reason I have been really into spicy foods since coming to Italy and its awesome that I can make what I want to eat everyday. The other dishes we had were eggplant parmesan, orecchiette with chickpeas and sundried tomatoes, rigatoni with red sauce and onion, and eggs with peppers. Of course I loaded up on my protein with eggs and ate my pasta dish. However everything was delicious.
    Once dinner was over, and the wine bottles were empty, I did some of the dishes and took a well deserved, refreshing shower. Then ten people from my program (9 girls and one guy) got ready to go to Gallipoli to a discoteca right next to the beach. With the advice of my friends, I wore my black leopard dress, with spandex underneath. I let me hair air dry and one of my friends Paulina did my makeup. She did an awesome job and it was the perfect amount of makeup (not too much) and looked very natural. We left to catch the bus at 23:00 and made it to Gallipoli a little passed midnight. Once we got to Gallipoli we met these very nice Italian girls (one goes to University of Bologna) who told us which bus to take to the discoteca. After two hours of bus rides, waiting on lines, and buying tickets, the group made it to the discoteca called Praja, La bella vita, right on the beach in Gallipoli. The club played all different types of music (American, Italian and rave) and everyone in the group danced the night away. We all had each others back and especially when creepy Italian men would try to dance with us. My most used phrase of the night was non voglio ballare con te, which mean I don't want to dance with you. I ended my night laying on the beach with my friends, listening to the waves crash into the sand, and seeing the moon shine bright in the sky.
    The group ended up splitting up into a group of six and a group of four on our journey back home. My group (the group of six girls) missed the early bus at 6:45 am, and waited until the 8:30 am bus in Gallipoli. During the two hours we had to kill, we hung out at a cafe, trying gelato flavors, eating pasticciottos with nutella, and drinking our morning coffee, and walking around a supermarket to buy fresh fruit for breakfast. I know this isn't an ideal situation, but I embraced the night, and the morning, and enjoyed being delirious with very little sleep. I also did not drink the whole night, so I was purely staying awake from adrenaline and the excitement of the night. Some of us felt like we were part of movie titled the hangover part four, but I truly felt like we were part of an adventure that was meant to be.
    After almost eleven hours on our feet all day, four bus rides, and a ton of memories that will last a lifetime, we made it back to our courtyard at 9:40 am. Even though it was a Saturday, we all looked at the situation of being only 10 minutes late to class. So now you are guessing what did I do for the rest of the day. Well first of all, it took me two hours to finally fall asleep, but once I fell asleep, I was passed out for almost five hours. It was a glorious nap, or for what some people call sleep.
    Once I awoke, I grabbed a snack to eat, and started catching up on my blog from the past two days. The time flew by and soon it was dinner time. I decided to go to one of the other apartments and catch up with my friends who were on the adventure with me. We discussed the whole night and made a list of every single thing that happened. It is too long to write all the details of the story on here but feel free to ask if you want to know more!
    Then I made a quick and easy dish for dinner. I ate greek yogurt with sliced banana and some granola. It was light and delicious. Then a couple of my friends and I went into the centro of Lecce for the festival of Sant'Oronzo. I wore my cool gypsy pants into town to try to look more like an Italian and less like a tourist. Let me know if I do!
                While walking to the centro you could hear the noise of the festival from miles away. The streets were so crowded and full of lights. There were a million vendors selling everything from food to kitchen supplies to more food. There was zucchero filato stands (cotton candy), mini ciambelle (mini donuts), magic ananas (magic pineapple slicer), olives, nuts, cookies, cooking supplies, bird cages, vacuums, and Native American bracelets. There was even a store called Macedonia Madness that was the equivalent to a hot topic in the states. My friends and I stopped at a Sicilian dolci table with fresh mandorla cookies, spiced nuts, marzipan fruits, and cannolis. One of my friends bought spiced hazelnuts and almonds while I bought a mandorla cookie to share between the six of us. It was delicious.
    The whole town was lit up, and full of life. Unfortunately, some of us were not full of life and very tired from the previous night. So I walked back with three of my friends, and we laughed the whole entire way back. It was a great ending to a night, and when my head hit the pillow I fell right to asleep. I can't wait to wake up at an appropriate time and be back on schedule. Tomorrow I plan on doing my homework, working out, doing laundry, and being productive all day.
          I miss everyone and I hope to talk to everyone soon. Don't worry Uncle David and Uncle Steven, I am being safe, using the voice in the back of my head and I have been thinking about you! as well as the rest of my family.
Con tanto amore,
Samantha