Success!!

After a loonnngggg day of travel yesterday (9 hr. plane to London, 4 hr. layover, 2 hr. plane to Milan, Italian customs, 1 hr. shuttle to Milano Stazione Centrale--the driver jammed out to Backstreet Boys and Shania Twain the entire way, haha--, a 2.5 hr. train ride to Torino's Stazione Porta Suzo, and a 2 hr. car ride) I finally arrived at my first farm: Finnocchio Verde. Overall the trip was smooth and easy to handle. The only rough patch I encountered when I realized that I couldn't buy a SIM card for my cell phone at the airport or at Stazione Centrale. So, I decided to buy a 5€ phone card. But, unfortunately for me, I had no idea how to use said phone card. Needless to say, the phone kept saying something in Italian about 'solo emegenzia' and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to text Isa (my host mom) and tell her my arrival time. I was hungry, though, and my train was about to leave, so I rushed to buy a quick panino caprese from the bar and hopped on my train. I ended up borrowing a cell phone from a girl sitting near me on the train, who kindly let me send a text message. Luckily, Isa and I were able to meet up, and she even stopped and got me a gelato on the way home!! (My first one since being back in Italy--yum! But Isa claimed that the housemade gelato from Murazzano, the town near our farm, is much better).

Arrived at the farm at about midnight. Was promptly greeted by the menagerie of sheepdogs (I have yet to learn all their names, I only remember 'Nacho'), and then got to meet Isa's husband Mario (a short, funny, middle-aged Italian with slightly crooked front teeth--he's awesome) and Marie (another WWOOFer from Belgium, a few years older than me, who speaks fluent French and some English and is a blast to be around). Our conversations switch from being in Italian to French, to English, and all possible combinations. It's really fun.

Marie and I each have our own rooms in the agriturismo. I have a great view out the window of the garden, the woods, and the hills beyond. It's gorgeous. Last night I was so jet lagged that I slept very well (until 10:30am our time). Unfortunately, I had a nightmare that my entire day of travel had been a dream; I woke up back at home in Seattle and wasn't actually going to go to Italy. It was terrifying and seemed so real. I woke up to myself talking in my sleep, telling my relatives about my dream that seemed so real that I could taste the gelato and feel the turbulance in the plane, and didn't want to open my eyes for fear that my nightmare was true. EEEK! Fortunately, I was actually in Italy when I woke up, as per the loud bleating of the goats and sheep as they were being milked. Thank god.

Ate a small breakfast of bread, some cheese (yes, from the farm!), fresh fruit, and honey along with a sweet breakfast drink that Marie made (water with syrup of Meliloto flowers). Mario left early this morning for the fish market in a town by the ocean, about an hour away, and brought back a huge box of freshly caught sardines, mussels, and a big tuna fish. Marie, Mario and I spent the morning tearing the heads off the sardines, gutting them, rinsing them with salt water from the ocean, and packing them tightly in layers in glass jars seperated by layers of course sea salt. We filled up about five large glass jars, and used about 10 boxes of salt in the process. Later on, we made lunch and finally ate at about 1:30 or 2pm. First course included tuna (cooked lightly with herbs, lemon, and oil), olives, sardines (dipped in acorn flour and lightly pan fried in olive oil and garlic, served with lemon juice...amazing!), sauteed zucchini (which I made), lettuce from the garden with olive oil and vinegar, and delicious bread. Second course consisted of the mussles (spelling?), which Isa sauteed with olive oil and garlic, and then steamed with pomodoro (tomato), oregano, and marsala (a sweet Italian port-like wine). They were to die for. Of course, both courses were served with delicious wine from their neighbor's small vineyard. Finally, we ended with a delicious multi-flavor sampler from their favorite gelateria in Murazzano and coffee. AMAZING!!! All of the flavors were delicious (cioccolato, peche, stracciatella, cafe, mentha, limone, need I go on? My mouth is drooling.)

After lunch, I explored the gardens and the woods beyond with the dogs. Just from the first glance, it looks like they cultivate the following: lemons, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and many many herbs. I'll be more detailed when I get a formal tour.

Well, I better get going. More to come (probably pictures too) later on!

Lots of love, <3