Our first date with some Italians!

Today was the first full day in Ascoli Piceno. We stared off the day by visiting a historic cafe. I think it is hilarious that all of these Italian women are sooo skinny, yet they still eat pastries every morning with their breakfast! Now I know why my Nanno always likes his cookies in the morning. I had a creme filled crossaunt. AMAzing. That and a delicious cappuccino.

The coffee here is so amazing. Dunkin Doughnuts literally tastes like petrified swamp water compared to the delicious cafe they serve here. Their coffee is much darker and much more bold than ours. They do serve a lighter coffee, but it is called "Cafe Americana"....go figure!

After our breakfast we did some school stuff, mostly orientation. We got a walking tour of the city and there is so much to do here! Ascoli seems like a small town compared to Rome, but there are still sooo many things to do. There is even a movie theatre right down the street from out apartments. As I was walking through a little old man passed me and said "Bellisima Ragazza!". I love it haha. They just stop you around here to tell you that you're pretty! Soooo funny.

The food here is ridiculous! Everything that you try tastes good. They could make poop taste good here. For lunch today, our professors took us to the cafe next to the building our "school" is in. School is in quotations because it is literally an office with a couple rooms and a bathroom. Even though it is an office building, all of the ceilings are are painted and curved. They are GORGEOUS!! Pictures will be up soon!Anyway, I had a salad for lunch and it was simple but sooo good. Mixed greens, olives, fennel, tomatoes and tuna. The dressing was just a little olive oil, salt and lemon. SOOOO dilectible.

After our school we walked around a bit and then got ready to meet our first Italians. We were meeting Giovanni and his cousin Gino for dinner at 9:30. Yes, 9:30 pm...They eat dinner super late here. Giovanni is friends with one of the program directors and he was set-up as a speaking partner with one of the girls who was here this summer and came back with us. We gave his cousin the nickname of Papa Gino! So funny! We went to a cute pizzaria that I thought was this little hole in the wall but the restaraunt extended through three massive rooms. I got a Pizza Bianca con Zucchini. So good. I know I keep saying that but I don't know what else to say! It is all sooo delicious. Delizioso!

After dinner we headed to "The Murphy's" which, funny enough, is like an Irish bar in Italy. WE got drinks there with Giovanni and Gino and hung out and talked for sooo long. While I was waiting for my drink at the bar another old man....like 70 years old old, kept saying "bella ragazza! Belissima cara! Ragazza Americana! SO funny....until he started to pet my face..uhhh i don't really appreciate it when old men pet my face...

Before I knew it, it was 1:30am and we all had class the next day at 9am. Needless to say, we all decided to leave since we had class early. It was an amazing day!