So I started this blog post about a week ago, and then got the death plague of flu so I'm only posting it now. Another one tomorrow, or the next day, at the latest I swear.

Unfortunately I've been really lazy with the camera, and have very few pictures for this post. Yesterday was my first shift behind the bar at Ciao Bella. I say this very loosely because I don't even think it was an official shift. Nobody said anything to me, it just kind of happened out of necessity. We thought it would be a lot slower because there was only one Top Deck group, so there was only my roommate bartending, another server, and myself. The hotel group from Top Deck ended up coming for the toga party, and it got pretty crazy. We have 6 shots for 8 euros at the bar, and I must have pour a hundred at least. I watched one girl drink 4 1.5 liter bucket cocktails. It was pretty crazy. It's so different bartending in Europe compared to Canada. Things are a lot more relaxed. Having said that, people are insane and 80% of the time not only incredibly stupid, but also rude. Enough of that rant. Over all it went pretty well, and Gino congratulated me on working so hard and well.

Today we went to Pico, which is the small town where the majority of Gino's family lives. It's literally the middle of nowhere, in farm country. There are tons of animals though, which makes me really happy. Today I say baby pigs, baby sheep, and baby bunnies!!!!! I totally fell in love with one and tried to convince Gino to bring it back to Rome with us. He would not cave. :(

Although there's a communication barrier with his family (none of them speak English,) I still really love being around them. They're all very warm, and welcoming, and typically Italian. There were about 15 of us for lunch today, and enough food to feed an army. His mom and aunts are food pushers. It's always the same: after three full courses, and nibbles on the table, 'mangia una salsica Claire!, voi olive? voi un po di panne con procuitto?' I've learned to start to say no, but it's hard when there's so much great food around you all the time, and people are pushing it on you. Since they have their own farm, today we ate fresh chicken from the farm, sheep cheese, and these incredible cured pork sausages that are spicy and delicious. I ate 2 by myself at home one day. Oink Oink.

xx