Girl Time, Trains and Toasting S’Mores in Italy

by Melissa Reitcheck, Greenheart Travel High School Abroad Participant in Italy

This past week was by far the craziest and best week I have had yet in Italy.  The high point of my week was a trip to Pescara with my girlfriends on Thursday. After school, we went to lunch and I had my first (of what is sure to be many) kebab. I can’t explain what makes this sandwich so delicious, but I think it may have something to do with the magical Italian food ingredients they use. I seriously believe it is impossible for the Italians to cook something that is not delicious (one disclaimer, Antonella cooked Sardines last week and I did NOT find those tasty…).  This sandwich consists of fresh lamb meat right off the spit, mayo, ketchup, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and bun right out of the oven. Delicious.

Then we bought our train tickets, which only cost 3.5 Euros each way, and got on the train.  The ride was only a hour long, but when we got off the train, it was clear something had changed.  It no longer felt like I was the obligatory American guest who was following around this group of close knit friends; we had clicked during the train ride and were starting to become friends.  We were sharing secrets and gushing about boys and making fun of my awful Italian skills. It was a fantastic feeling and I felt a lot less homesick Thursday night.  It was the first time I felt like I would be sad if I left here right now…don’t get me wrong, Antonella and Giovanni and the boys are wonderful, and I would be sad to leave them as well, but they couldn’t fill the huge void I felt from leaving my family and friends and native language in America on their own.  I needed the companionship of girls my own age.

In other excitement, my package with the marshmallows finally arrived! Valerio and Francesco were beside themselves with excitement and they absolutely love them! We made s’mores last night, and at first they were a bit skeptical about the legitimacy of roasting the marshmallows, adding Nutella (we had no chocolate), and a graham cracker, but once they tried them, they were hooked! They are begging me to make them again, so now I am off to start a fire:) (not really…just turn on the gas stove 🙂 Read more of Mel’s amazing weekend…