Lovely time at the Italian Assembly

I also had two sisters drive down from another part of Italy that is not terribly far like Tuscany but they came on Saturday too just in case we wouldn’t be able to see each other during the course of my trip but I think it would be possible. They live in Castle Sangro in the mountains of Abruzzo. It’s about an hour by car from Pescara. How sweet my friends are. I keep in touch with a lot of Italians. Pretty much every person who gave me their email address at the international convention which is A LOT!

Also little Talita found me at the convention. For those in my congregation, when I first returned from the international convention I sent yal greetings from a family in Italy who the little girl became an unbaptized publisher after her experience of going to her first international convention. She was so moved by the unity and even witnessed to her classmates about her experience. She always found me throughout all three days. And her mother told me that she was very very excited about this assembly because she knew I would be here and that she loved me. She is soo cute! This family also wants me to return to their particular city before I leave but Im not sure if that is possible. So many people including Simona and the elder in Amandola that I will be staying with after the assembly all want me to come back to spend more time but I’m really not sure due to time and money. I think sometimes people forget the main reason I came to Italy is to serve ;-). If I was staying in Italy for 6 month then it would be more possible.

After Saturday assembly because those brothers went out of their way to drive all the way from Tuscany for a visit me, Luciana and elio returned home in pedaso, had a quick dinner and then met the brothers in Grottomare AKA ITALIAN MIAMI! This was one happening area right on the beach. We had a nice time all together walked around, had gelato of course and just talked.

Sunday of the assembly was the drama which was pretty cool to hear the drama in Italian. All the children unlike in the states all sat on the ground in front open area in front of the stage as if it was story time. So cute!!!! Now I really have an appreciation for traveling overseers and missionaries. Because for me, I will have slept with 4 different families in a week and that can be very overwhelming. Sleeping from place to place and talking with some many people. Don’t get me wrong I had a great time with everyone. By Sunday morning I was mentally exhausted. Being pretty much the only black person, you get a lot of attention and everyone wants to talk to you and find out where you are from, why you are here, why are you learning Italian, etc. Sunday morning I simply didn’t want to talk to anyone. I think within the past two days I met like half the assembly hall and I was in much need of “me time”. It made me think of circuit overseers how they are constantly going to different congregations and meeting and talking to people and everyone wants to tell them something. It’s exhausting and hard. But im sure it was an adjustment that took some time to get use to. So I explained to mamma mia and Simona that for the morning I didn’t want to walk around and meet people but just stay in my seat since we had to wake up and leave the house so early because since both Elio and Simone have responsibilities at the hall. They totally understood and knew everyone kept wanting to talk to me.

But we did go to a nearby bar where all the witnesses had coffee and cappuccino where I also had my first cappuccino. It was good but I don’t drink cappuccino or coffee but I’m sure to those that do it would be excellent. Well the brothers who came from Tuscany, came to Sundays assembly and we all went to a different bar that was nearby for coffee. When we got there it was a pretty cool sight to see! Many young ones and some families from the assembly were there socializing about the days assembly, drinking coffee and eating gelato all together. It really did feel like “happy hour” The bar was playing upbeat American music, everyone was having a good time and taking pictures. It was something that I wouldn’t think I would experience at an assembly…the atmosphere and all. But I had fun and met many new people there too.

So after the assembly was over I had to say some quick goodbyes to Simona, Simone, Luciana and other friends that I met at the international because the new family I will be staying with in the mountains of Amandola needed to leave right away because they live kinda far off.

The drive to Amandola was very scenic and beautiful! When we got to the house it was this big beautiful country type home. I had my own room and bathroom upstairs next to the terrance with an awesome view of the mountains and houses on the mountains. It was quite nice. We all took a shower which made me more relaxed and refreshed. Then we went to a nearby pizzeria with their daughter, son in law two other friends and their 97 yr mother who lives with the Tamagnini. I was not a big fan of Italian pizza I guess from my Rome experience last year. But this pizza was really good however service was really slow for some reason. Then afterwards we went to the gelateria for some gelato! Yum!

written by  ItalianaCinzia on July 4, 2010 from Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy
from the travel blog: Serving in Italy 2010
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