They call me "Miss India"

So I was kindly informed by Elise that my Blog isn’t that engaging. Apologies! I will try to fix that.

I started writing this blog for my parents and didn’t realize that my friends would be reading this as well. As Kevo mentioned, it didn’t sound like Ladini—there was no sarcasm and random ranting. And this is very true, so this post I dedicate to Elis

e and Kevin—I promise to make my future blogs sound like me, and not a boring textbook. J

(Though this is not meant to be negative but…) Things that annoy me about Italy:

• PDA: I realize Italy is a romantic place, and seeing people holds hands and lightly kiss is adorable. But what I have seen isn’t adorable. It’s sex standing up. Couples on the street will be walking hand in hand strolling casually and then BAM—intense make out session. They don’t even move to the side of the wall, just in the middle of the sidewalk causing serious traffic jams. But then I feel like other couples see this and engage in their own make out session. Now I have sidewalks clogged with intense passion. I swear its like they are trying to suck the souls out of each other…its borderline violent. When we were in Lucca, we took a bike ride and when we started we saw a couple sitting on a ledge making out. After we made the 45-minute loop around the city…the couple was still there but this time awkwardly rocking back and forth…we took pictures…and made up our own commentary as we stupidly watched. I was on the bus back from Fiesole and two 13 years olds sat behind me and started kicking my chair. I turn around to see them making out HARD CORE! It disturbs me. I know that on Valentine’s Day…I’m going to have to stay inside. I just may kill myself
• Sidewalk etiquette: the sidewalks are rather narrow in Italy, but what is difficult is that they are right next to walls of buildings (where in America either side there is a space of grass or dirt usually). People, especially old women, love to walk down the center of the sidewalk and when they see you coming, they don’t move. I actually had a grandma poke me in the stomach with her umbrella for me to move. It hurt! I always have to walk in the street or press myself against the wall to make way for them. But nooooooo, they don’t move for me! I had to walk to the train station with my massive hiking pack and people still wouldn’t move… I was so irate that I was about to body check someone and scream.
• Aggressive Men: I knew Italians men were very forward and it don’t really mind. Usually the girls in my group get the typical “Ciao Bella!” But for me…there is a whole different phrase. Our instructors informed me that my skin color was a rarity in Italy. When Italians see foreigners, they are typically Caucasian Americans. So when they see me, who appears to be an American foreigner, they feel the need to isolate me with a different phrase of choice…which happens to be “Miss India.” Its like they all got together and decided to call me that. I walk on the street and hear “Miss India…kiss kiss...!” ALL THE TIME I don’t know what is more entertaining—that every man has called me the exact same title, or that they feel the need to use this phrase in the first place. But even more hilarious is that I keep getting free stuff. When I was in Pisa, a guy called me “Miss India”—without thinking I responded, “I’m not INDIAN!” and ended up having to talk to him…he gave me a free turtle statue…random. Then when I was in the market, someone asked me if I was Indian, and I said “No, I am Sri Lankan.” Immediately he grabs my wrist and ties a bracelet on it, telling me that he LOVES Sri Lankans. Then he proceeded to give all the girls in my group free bracelets and an extra discount because he loved Sri Lankans. Yet again, random. But it’s okay because I LOVE free stuff.

So hopefully that was a more entertaining blog, trust me there are more to come. I just didn’t think you wanted to read about it. Enjoy, and leave a comment for me

Ciao!

Ladini aka “Miss India”