Halloween!!!

Happy November Everyone!!! Yesterday was Halloween, Thanksgiving is in 25 days, and Christmas is 53 days away and I am in Italy living this holiday season a little differently. For the most part Halloween does not exist in Italy. In some of the elementary school there might be a party in the class, but I imagine it much different than those at home. Some of the stores carry Halloween things, like plastic pumpkins, ghosts, Halloween decorations, and even little kits for a costume (like devil horns and a tail), but each store carries the same things. I talked with my host family about getting pumpkins and on the 28th they arrived at the supermarket. Friday night I carved them with my host family. My host sister and cousin scooped out the insides and I scrapped the sides clean and carved them. One I carved a classic Jack, and the other was a spooky graveyard. Overall they came out really well. I then baked the pumpkin seeds with oil and salt. They came out all right, but not as good as mom's.

Hallow's Eve or mischief night I went out with my friends like it was any other Saturday night. We walked around the piazza and talked. A little bit into the evening I took out my camera and my friend asked to see it and the next thing I know he is running down the street asking to take pictures with random people!!!! This went on for the rest of the night. They ran after groups of people, couples, always asking first, to take pictures with them. We also had someone take a group picture which came out really nice. The next day was Halloween!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. In New York the weather is cooler, leaves changing and littering the ground. In general Autumn is my favorite season and I love candy and dressing up so Halloween by default is a fun holiday for me. It did not really like Halloween at all. Yes I carved pumpkins, ate pumpkin seeds and candy corn (my mom mailed packages and they arrived on Friday the 29th, thank you mom) and I listened to some "Halloween" music, but there was still something missing. I ended up going shopping with my host sister and her friends. I bought some books; Alice in Wonderland (but in Italian-Le Avventure di Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie), Hamlet-Amleto, and Shakespeare's Sonnets-Sonnetti. Then we went to see a movie. Like before, I got the basic idea of the movie and I could pick out words and phrases, but it wasn't complete like English.

When we returned home I got ready for bed and watched the latest episode of The Big Bang The Theory and after that Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride. Before I closed my eyes to sleep I thought about what my friends were doing back in New York and other kids all over America. Going door from door asking for candy, running from house to house in their costumes and when it was done dumping their candy on the floor and sorting what they like and don't like and trading with their friends. I don't think there is an age limit for trick-or-treating because inside we are all kids so what better day than Halloween to have fun. Yes people don't want to give "grown-ups" candy and yes they should save it for the younger children, but its just so much fun!!!!!

November 1st and 2nd I was off from school for a reason I am not sure of, something like the day of the dead, maybe...anyway, it was nice to sleep in and not worry about going to school. Monday night, November 1st, some friends came over and we were going to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas in Italian, but we lost power. Once the power was back we played wii sports and then watched the Italian version of Big Brother, Grande Fratello. I had baked chocolate chip cookies for everyone, and they loved them!!!!!! I was so happy they enjoyed an American classic. I also shared sweet tarts, sour patch kids, and Reese's peanut butter cups with them; which they also loved. Overall it was a fun night seeing everyone and just hanging out.

With the holiday season coming I am starting to miss home a little more. I miss everyone, but I am enjoying my time here. I have met some amazing people and I still have eight months of fun and adventures!!!