Social Experiments!

So, I had a lovely Independence Day celebration here in Rome. Alas, no fireworks, but God provided lightening! I went to hang out with some of the few remaining American Agape staff here in Rome, and we had a cook out! Hot dogs, hamburgers (with bacon, cheese, and bbq sauce!), watermelon, potato salad, casserole, potato chips, veggies and dip, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream... doesn't get much more American than that! It was really fun just to hang out on their terrace and enjoy each other's company!
In addition to myself and the staff, a guy named Jonathan came. Jonathan is an American living in Rome and coaching an American football team. Jonathan is a HUGE African American football player. He's tall, but not overwhelmingly tall, but he is all muscles. Think Ryan Kirst, but a little bigger... You get the picture. Well, he was telling us how he gets funny looks sometimes because, well, he just doesn't look Italian. We left the party together and were both headed to the Metro. Seriously, I felt like a celebrity couple, because the whole way to the Metro, people were pointing at us. When we passed by a restaurant, people put down their forks, stopped their conversation, and watched us pass. I think people were worried for my safety, and they were freaked out by the sheer size of this guy. Italian guys in general are really skinny and kind of twerpy. Some of the older ones have beer guts. But it is really rare that you see one who is muscular. It was seriously hilarious. When we got on the train people were looking down the train at us. I couldn't believe it.
I have noticed in the past that Italians don't share the American rule of not staring. Italians will straight up stare at you for like 5 minutes. It doesn't matter who you are. Add to that me, a blonde girl who's pretty tall for this country, and Jonathan, a big Southern black guy who talks loudly and at one point laid his head on my lap (!) while telling a story, and we were just asking to be stared at. Oh, it was funny. When I had to get off the train to switch lines, he gave me a big hug, knowing full well that we'll probably never see each other again, and people stared even more.
Ohhhhhhh Italia. I try to be really American for one day, and she reminds me just how far from home I am :)

Things I miss the most about America:
English speakers
not being stared at
eating dinner before dark
regular hours
fabric softener/ dryers
hygienic men (at least some of them...)
not being harassed by vendors
the Ohio sun that doesn't scorch my skin
bike-riding without fear of being killed by a rogue Smart Car
really good granola
family and friends (of course!)

Two weeks left! I'm gonna soak them up and love them, but I'll be excited to be home! Love you girls!