Can Italians dance?! Erm...

Erm, possibly not. That's according to this video anyway.

Some annoyingly catchy Italian pop to fill up your Tuesday afternoon.... Enjoy! ;)

L'Italiano Balla- Fabri Fibra & Crookers

p.s- If you fancy something a little less 'pop', check out these songs chosen by the lovely Sarah at Not Just Another Dolce Vita blog.

Terrapin Tuesday!

In case you had forgotten, a little while ago I acquired 2 tiny little terrapins. Turtles and terrapins seem to be the most popular pets around these parts. At least two of my boyfriend's brothers (yes, he has a big family..) have them as pets, and a whole load of my students have them.

They really are tiny little things, but don't let that fool you. They aren't that easy to look after. After I got them, I did a good amount of research. I want to take care of them properly, and avoid any illnesses or deficiencies (which they can get fairly easily, because they're so small).

I got rid of the small container that I was given when I bought them, and swapped it for a much bigger one, adding in little stones (for a 'basking' area..oh how Italian they are) and some nice shells. Oh, and a fake palm tree of course. They seem very content in their habitat.

Unfortunately, Jennifer recently had a bit of an eye infection. This could have been down to a lack of Vitamin A, so I fed the terrapins more veg (they now love parsley and basil leaves, and are slowly coming round to chicory) and some chicken liver (...yum..), and got some special eye drops. Within a week, she was as right as rain, and is more active than before.

Tim is a little wild child who likes to rampage all over the place and steal food from Jennifer. He also likes to hide under shells, sometimes covering his body completely and subsequently giving me a fright because I think he's escaped. Not that that's possible, seeing as the container is a lot taller than them, but still....

This week, Tim has been mostly: stealing Jennifer's chicken liver. And hiding under things.

This week, Jennifer has been mostly: Having food stolen from her mouth. And trying to find out where Tim is hiding.

Officially an expat arrival...

Check out an interview with yours truly on Expat Arrivals, a website which has lots of information for expats all over the world. You can find my interview, as well as loads more expat stuff here:

Expat experiences in Italy...including me!

Watch this space for my upcoming article on teaching in Italy!

Life's a beach...

...with the odd sandcastle on it!

This weekend I spent some time with my boyfriend and his family at the beach. We swam, we sunbathed, we had a fantastic barbecue and, of course, we made a sandcastle. I'm definitely 25 going on 5. It was a lot of fun though! :D

Location: Torremileto, Italy 

This week, I have been mostly....

One of the benefits of being a teacher is, of course, the glorious summer holiday. As well as spending time blogging, cleaning my flat from top to bottom (ish), eating many lovely lunches with my boyfriend and his family, and preparing myself for the drizzle of the UK (I leave at the end of July), I have also been doing, well, other things. Such as:
 

1. Drinking far too much of this. I've already mentioned in another post about how much I like it, but now I'm getting seriously involved. Even realising that it's more sugary than I thought (we're not talking coca cola proportions though) didn't put me off.

2. Lusting after vespas. I'd wear a helmet with mine. Honestly!

3. Being followed around by my favourite stray, Muccchill' (yes, odd name/word/spelling I know..) I'm planning on doing a post about stray dogs in the future, but until then, here's a photo of this lovely (and looked after) canine:

4. Practising my cooking skills. Behold, a feast of antipasto! Details to follow shortly!

5. Seeing lots of naked flesh. And not just this week. When the sun's out, the clothes come off. 

6. Spending time with some fantastic people (and sitting on random doorsteps...ahem..)

Hope you had a smashing weekend!! :D

those troublesome little vampires!

No, I'm not talking about a certain Cullen family (Ha, never thought I'd use a twilight reference!). Actually, I'm referring to what one of my students likes to call mosquitoes. 'Little vampires', because they come out at night and suck your blood. How very apt, seeing as I am being bitten alive my the damn things.

 Living in Italy is fantastic, as you will discover from reading, erm, every other article on my blog. It's a sunny, happy place. But unfortunately, as said sun shines and said people bumble around being all happy, poor Amy gets attacked in her sleep and is left with little itchy bites everywhere. (Yes, even on my nose.) I think it's because the little buggers have discovered that there's some foreign cuisine available, in the form of my blood. My sweet, English blood. 'Why dine on Italians when you can try something new and different!?' The mosquito billboards are saying. 'Who needs Italians? There's enough Amy for everyone!'. OK, you get the point. Basically, I'm a little fed up with being a constant source of nourishment.

Italians are prepared for these little beasties. They have numerous items available to prevent mosquitoes from nibbling you. Autan insect repellent for example. Spray it on, choke to death on the fumes, and then see if the potent liquid wards off the mosquitoes. Hmm. It doesn't work too well for me I'm afraid. When I was in Kenya I used a repellent with a high DEET content, and that was pretty good. But while the mozzies don't like it, nor does your skin. It's really strong stuff.

The 'normal' stuff

The 'strong' stuff

So what else is there? Citronella candles of course, but all the Italians I've spoken to don't seem to rave about them too much. They prefer to use a little plug-in filled with insect repellent. Stick it in a plug socket and watch the mosquitoes die in front of your eyes (apparently this does happen, as my 'little vampires' student told me). Brands such as Raid seem to be pretty popular and get good reviews, and the one I've tried (Baygon) is quite good too.

I've yet to try the more, erm, brutal method of getting rid of the blighters. There are machines that emit a light that attracts the mosquitoes and zaps them, or you can even buy what can only be described as 'rackets', that you swat at the mosquitoes and they meet a similar fate. Not too sure about these, but if it sounds like your kind of thing, prices seem to be around €4 for the rackets and I've been told that you can get a zapping machine (it's technical name I'm sure) for about €15.

It's also a fairly well known fact that if you wear lighter colours then the mosquitoes are less attracted to you. Peppermint oil, lavender oil and garlic are also said to be useful in keeping them away. Although using all three at the same time may create a bit of a stink. 

So what does one do if such methods fail to work, or one is out and about in areas where carrying around giant zapping fly swats is not socially acceptable? Well, the little vampires are going to get you, whichever way you look at it. Personally, I don't suffer from extreme allergic reactions, but I do suffer from major itching. I've done a little research online to see what methods are used to alleviate the pain and itching. If I've personally used any of the methods, I've written a comment about how (un)successful they were.

• Spit. Dab a bit of your own (because surely you don't want to use anyone else's...ick) on the bites to relieve itching. This doesn't work for me, and it's a bit gross...
•  Alcohol. Again, apply some directly onto the bite. I used antibacterial hand gel (which has a high alcohol content) and that worked fairly well, although didn't last too long. 
• Lemon/Lime. Yet to try this one.
• Antihistamines. Work well, especially if you're reacting badly to the bite. 
• Toothpaste. Recommended to me by my boyfriend's family, but for me it didn't work too well. They are fans of this method however.
• Ice pack. Put an ice pack on the bite to relive the swelling/itching. This worked quite well for me, but after a fairly short while I was suffering again.
• Heat. Put some hot (very hot, but not boiling as this is definitely not a smart thing to do) water on the bite for 5 or 6 seconds (I put the bite directly under the running water of use a cloth and hold it against the bite) to relive the itching. This is my preferred method. The heat hurts a bit at first but it definitely relieves the itching for at least a day, if not completely. 

 So, they you have it. Some tips and ideas for coping with these little vampires. If you don't get bitten, pass this on to someone who does, and I'm sure they will thank you for it!

FOOD FRIDAY: polpette della nonna

Yes, this does mean some kind of yummy Italian recipe every Friday!


That's not to say that I won't be talking about food the rest of the week. Being as golosa as I am, that would be quite impossible!

This one is my favourite recipes so far (or at least, it's up there with the lasagne): Italian meatballs. Italians do meat very well. Yes, they are masters of pizza and pasta and gelato...but never underestimate their ability with meat.

These meatballs can be cooked in a tomato sauce (try this one, with or without the pancetta!) or you can choose the less healthy option (ahem, like I did..) and fry them in a pan. To make these meatballs, you will need to following (remember, I don't always work in quantities...too restricting..and often I just go with what feels right...or what the Italian boyfriend advises me to do..OK OK close brackets now):

 garlic clove

parsley

salt

grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

breadcrumbs

egg

minced meat (we used a mixture of pork and beef) about 300g for two hungry people 

 First, chop up the parsley and the garlic into teeny tiny pieces (if you're a clumsy oaf like me, watch your fingers..)

In a bowl, mix these in with the meat (get stuck in with your hands!)

Add the Parmesan (lots...don't be shy)

Add an egg, and then add the breadcrumbs (until the mixture is no longer really liquidy due to the egg)

Using your fingers, roll the meat up into balls

Then place into a pan of oil. You don't need a huge amount, about this much:

Then, while constantly turning the meatballs, ensure they are well browned and cooked through. It took me about 10-15 minutes, but this will depend on how big the meatballs are.

And finally, after soaking up the oil a little (not sure how much difference it makes but I always do it!)...

 ...enjoy!!

 

P.S- If you decide to cook these in a tomato sauce, it is of course healthier than using oil, but will take longer. Ensure the meatballs are cooked through.

I got the idea of having a food Friday from Shari over at The Daily Dish- check out her blog here.

A spot of sale shopping...

What does summer mean? Oh yes. SALES.

Yesterday I had a jaunt around San Severo, a small city near to where I live. And I managed to pick something up! Can you guess what's in the bag??

And no, it's not a bikini. Or a new pair of shorts...

I picked up this lovely jacket from the sale section in Sisley. Perfect for my trip to the UK, perfect for the autumn/spring, and it was HALF PRICE. Oh yeeeah :D

Early Morning Italy...or- Lazy Amy

Where I live, a lot of employment is in the agricultural sector. This means several things. Firstly, the scenery in the surrounding area is gorgeous. No factories or big industrial sites ruining everyone's view. Secondly, there are a lot of tractors. I mean a lot. But also, it means that my little town gets up early. This type of work definitely doesn't start at 9am.

I'd love to say that I am a total morning person, up at the crack of dawn, prancing about spreading morning joy. Well, I'm not. That's not to say I'm totally grumpy and in a trance at 8am, but I do enjoy a good sleep, and like to wake up naturally, whether than be at 7am or 10am. So, during my summer holidays I often don't need to get up too early. But unfortunately, the rest of my hard working, not so lazy town does.

It's not only those who work in agriculture however. It's pretty much everyone. Now you can see why they love coffee so much here- it's a necessity! But where am I going with this? You may be thinking. Why can't I just continue sleeping and let everyone get on with their business while I bask unashamedly in my laziness? Well, let's just say that certain people aren't so discreet in their early morning routines.

This is what I hear during the early hours of the morning:

Power tools.

The (insert rude adjective here) man next door has been using these for over 6 months now. I don't even know what he's doing with them. 

Men driving around with megaphones.

 Publicising their potatoes/mattresses/cleaning goods that are on offer.

Stray dogs.

It's not their fault, I know. More on this is the future. 

 

Choirs.

OK, this definitely isn't a bad way to be woken up. They sound a LOT better than power tools.

There are a couple of things I can do about this less than discreet morning routine that my beloved southern town has. 

1. Embrace said morning routine. Join the choir and sing myself into a becoming a joyful morning   person. 

2. Pop in the earplugs for a bit.

Hmm. Which one will it be...? ;)

Midweek memes...

If there's one thing that Italians are really good at, (apart from making pizza...and pasta...and gelato) it's having a sense of humour. My boyfriend, friends and even students can't go 2 minutes without making some kind of joke. So I thought I'd poke fun (very gently) at them by showing you some funny 'Italy' memes...

My dad actually showed me this last one..thanks dad! ;D