We are finding there are so many things that are different living in Italy. Shopping is a whole new experience. We walk to the grocery store--it is underneath the apartment building next to ours. It is quite small but has a lot of what we need. When buying fruits and veggies, we found out that we need to weigh it ourselves and then the price comes out of a little machine and we put the label on. Here is a Vaughn with our shopping cart and a picture of the grocery store near our home.
I love all of the small little family run businesses located all within walking distance of our apartment. There are pizza shops, fruit and veggie stores, flower shops, hardware store, and pharmacy. We also live close to the largest open market in Rome so we go there at least once a week to get the fresh produce--straight from the fields. We live on the 6th floor of a large apartment complex located in the Monte Sacro area of Rome. We are about 3 or 4 miles from the temple site. I love our apartment--we have 2 large bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, a nice sized living room, and a small kitchen but it is adequate. We do have a washer but it takes about 3 hours to do one load. Our dryer is two racks so we are learning that it takes about 2 days for the laundry to dry so we have to judge accordingly.
Driving is crazy here--we got the car 2 days after we arrived and Vaughn is doing an amazing job of figuring everything out. People literally park their cars in the middle of the street so you have to go around--Parking is minimal and nearly everything is parallel parking which I don't do so I don't think I will be driving very much here! I have to get out of the car and guide Vaughn in because the spaces are so small. There are so many motorcycles and scooters that it is crazy trying to get around everything--they just buzz past you with little room to spare. Everytime we go out it is a new adventure!!!!
We love our mission. We are working with the Young Single Adults (called GANS here in Italy). Our schedule is busy but mostly at night--On Monday evening we have Family Home Evening with 10 -15 in attendance--the missionaries in our district come also if they have someone to bring. We bring a light meal, have a short lesson, and play a game. They love FARKLE!!!! Tuesday we don't have anything with the YSA so we usually try to do our shopping that day--today we found a really awesome store called Auchan--it is located in the Porta di Roma mall. It is also located right across from the temple site. On Wednesday, we cook a meal for the evening institute class which is located about 30 minutes from where we live--Rome 1 building. We do not teach that class but are there for support and to meet the YSA's and associate with them. On Thursday we attend BYU-I Pathway--there are about 12 YSA's who are currently taking BYU online classes--there is an institute class and then a math, English, and life skills class. These are being currently taught by a senior missionary couple who are from Bountiful, Utah--Elder and Sister Memmott--they are an amazing couple. This is their 4th mission. Prior to that, Elder Memmott was the financial advisor for the Utah State Legislature and also for the Salt Lake Olympics. This is also located in the Rome 1 building. On Friday, we provide a meal for the institute class held that evening in the Rome 2/6 building. Vaughn teaches this class which is taught in Italian. There are approximately 12-15 in attendance for this class. Saturday is busy with activities for the YSA's and with the ward we have been assigned to attend--Rome 6 ward. Sunday is church--we've only attended our ward once because we had stake conference and then were in Switzerland last weekend.
We are amazed and touched by the church members here in Italy. Most travel great distances by bus, train, or the metro to attend church. Many of our YSA's travel 4 hours or more on Thursday to get their education from BYU-Idaho. The pathway program is amazing and is helping so many receive a college education that they can afford. We are in continual awe as we watch these young people extend themselves in their educational pursuits and their spiritual efforts. Here is a photo of one of our Family Home Evenings.
Vaughn is doing well in the language--me--I'm working on it. I am trying not to use the translator at church but I only catch a few words. Today at the store someone asked me a question and I just looked at him blankly--I have to ask my husband to speak for me! We are both working on the language at least 2 hours a day.
Now for one last picture. We were invited to the villa where the mission president and his wife live the Wednesday after we arrived. We had a lovely dinner with the other young missionaries who had arrived on that day and then the young missionaries were assigned to their areas. It was an inspiring evening. Here we are with our mission president, President and Sister Waddoups.
We love Italy--we love the Italian people. I love walking around our neighborhood and seeing the every day life of how the Italians live. Many people walk, many shop in the little stores and shops, many ride the busses and the metro--most things open up at 10 in the morning and close from 2 until 5 for "naptime". Things reopen from 5 to 10.
Our Roman Adventure continues. Each day is a new story.
