I just don’t know where to begin. I wanted to blog about the view today, but the picture I wanted to get was unavailable because lovers were trysting at the best spot on the hill. So another time I will get an amazing panoramic view of the hills. So we begin:

This is a view from the garden.

This beautiful building on the right is the church of Pecetto, the little town where the family lives. These other pictures are over the hills of Torino that are covered in trees.

I wanted a picture of the straw bales because paintings always show them as round, but I never knew if it was true. Here is proof for any who care (I might be alone on this one)—in Italy the straw bales are cylindrical.

The church rings the bells and has that foggy sunshine that shows God is, at times, an Impressionist. It was in Italy that Monet first painted the sunrise that started the movement. But the greatest painter in the world can only reflect a fraction of what the Creator has already accomplished. The view is breathtaking.

I take walks straight up the hill from the house and the path eventually opens up into a meadow that makes me sing like Frauline Maria. (But today I touched some plant with my leg and now it stings and has bumps. Don’t worry, the swelling has dwindled jk—I just have to wear pants from now on.)

I have been to the city twice, but very briefly. Some time I will get pics there. It is incredible. I asked Gaia why she liked to live here for our English discussion and all she could say was “It is beautiful, no,” as if there is no need for another reason. I agree. It is fantastic. Except I can’t really look at it because I am too terrified driving.

It is so cliché to talk about driving in Italy BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT DRIVING IN ITALY. Every time I get in the car I say a prayer so that I can get to point B safely. It is insane. Do you see this road?

This road is what we drive on in the hills of Torino. It is approximately 6.5 feet across. The cars are probably 4 or five feet wide. I don’t know. These are estimations, but I feel like if I laid down in the street I would get hit from both ways. And notice I said HILLS. I did not say plains. First gear. This stupid red car is something I hate.

My first trip to the city was in this car. When a hill comes (from the 20 yard break of flat road) it won’t go faster than 16 kilometers an hour, which is under 10 mph. Everyone behind would rather go 40 kph. So I am driving so slow thinking any second we might start going backwards while the entire line behind me is plotting an assassination. Also, as you can imagine, the roads on the hills are quite curvy. So you have to honk every time you come to a curb so that someone coming the other way can think about slowing down. So getting there was really scary. Then of course in the city, the traffic was so weird. I don’t know who thought of this method. There are NO lanes. Everyone just kind of goes where they want to and then 100 cars will merge at once. Magically, it works. The stoplights are no bigger than a child’s fist. And they come out of nowhere. All the sudden Gaia is like “NO TIME NO TIME” meaning that I went through another red light.

And let’s talk about the finale. Getting out of the parking garage is like defying gravity. It was straight up. So I went and of course I have to stop right on the steepest part at the top. So I try to go when it is clear and WHAT HAPPENS—after I killed it 15 times (yes, to all who are going to suggest or ask, I know the parking break trick). The lady behind me was laughing and everyone behind her was honking. Finally a guy from the back comes and motions that “the hand brake needs pulled” so I say (with my hands) “you try it”. He does and tells everyone behind us “Morte”. It dies every time. So I say “We push it?”

“Si.” So the nice lady behind me starts rounding up everyone from behind. “Vene, vene, spingamo” “We push it.” So I got in the car and steered while they pushed me up the hill. The kids were laughing and I was shaking. I killed it again out of shock when I tried to pull out onto the street, but WE MADE IT OUT ALIVE. I was silent the whole way home trying not to get killed on the curves or other places. When we pulled up to the house Tommy jumped out and said “Earth. Earth!”. I was still shaken. But I was starting to laugh and now I can’t stop when I think about it. I walked in the house and met the grandparents. Nonno’s first question was “Are the Italians good?” And I thought of the honked horns and the hand gestures and the yelling and the near death experiences and then those pushing me up the hill and I said, “Molto Bene, they pushed me out of the parking garage!! Of course the Italian people are good!”

But always:

God Bless America from the mountains

To the prairies

To the oceans white with foam

God bless America my home sweet home—with its turning lanes and visible stoplights

Am I Me? I feel as if there are now two Megans

One in Rupert. One in Italy. Maybe even one in Boise. I think right now I am the one in Italy. So I can tell you this.

Rocks. Burdens of rocks. The gravity is different in Italy. I feel like heavy rocks are set all over my body. The good news is that it only affects me when I am waking up. Or sitting down. They are so heavy that even my eyelids are unable to open. I think there is a name for it: jet lag.
There was no way I could sleep on the plane so I watched a lot of movies. That was good. I hated dropping something because I had to do acrobatics to pick it back up. But I finally got here after what seemed like two years. I recognized the oldest son and said "Tommy! Are you looking for me?" He helped me take stuff to the car. The first day with the family was awesome. I think me and the kids will get along--even if Tommy has a huge flair for drama "Papi I HAVE to drink this with dinner or I will DIE and I can't do my homework!" -- talking about carbonated water. Me no like.

I have already eaten the best pasta I have ever tasted. The mom's father made it. I mean he made the noodles. She added the zucchini and sausage and other stuff that was delicious. And the pizza. Holy cow. Amazing. So much better than Flatbread in Boise (but it is the best you guys will get so . . . keep eating there. Never surrender Bown Crossing to pride). The arrival and the meal gave me some adrenaline for a little while so I wasn't as sleepy. I walked after, so I was occupied then. They showed me how to work the TV and then got caught up in a movie so we relaxed. This is when the first gravity flux came. I was sitting there and then all of a sudden my head almost crashed into Gaia. Then, a few minutes later, Tommy was the next almost victim. My eyeballs went fuzzy and everything was heavy. The time would be about 8 am in America so at this point I had been awake through our night.

We played basketball (Tommy is in love with LeBron James). But they don't have a hoop. Or cement. So we played with a soccer ball and a garbage can. Again, it kept me awake for a while. Then I unpacked and showered and ate and finally it was 9:00 p.m. BEDBEDBEDBEDBEDBEDBED. I woke up at 11 this morning and the rocks came again. They almost got me to close my eyes and just respirate there for another 3 hours, but I overcame them because I was filled with urgency to get this first post out and tell you guys all about the gravity in Italy.

Here is my luggage (45 lbs for all of those who shared my luggage thoughts with me on facebook)

I think it is pretty dashing luggage, don't you?

These are signs the kids made. The first one was Tommy's ("I fail art.")

In conclusion I am here, I am safe, and I am full. I slept like a rock, literally because of all of them being pushed on top of me. (I hope all of you understand this is totally metaphorical so I guess it is not literally.)

Right now my computer is dying. I don't know when I will get an adaptor, so I might not be able to post for a while, but the next one will have pics about the incredible view from the house and garden. Thanks to everyone who is praying for me, thinking of me, and happy for me. I am feeling 100% confident and 100% terrified. But that was mostly on the plane, the terrified has dwindled significantly. But 200% of emotions is a lot to take in so I will end here . . . for now. Love you,

m.jean

Goodbye USA, Buon giorno Italia

This is the last post (& first one I have done for a while--sorry) that I will be doing in the United States. I am prepping to leave the morning after Nicki's wedding. Ooo. I have so much to do before then, but I am happy/sad to be going. I realize now that I have never said goodbye & meant it for more than a few months. I grew up in Idaho, went to school in Idaho, and lived post-graduation in Idaho. Interesting. So it is good bye Idaho. I have been preparing to start this year for almost a year now! It feels weird to have it finally be something I am doing. I have waited my whole life to travel and now it is just a matter of days. It might take me a while to be brave enough to plug my computer into the adapter. And it might take a while for me to get fresh posts up and stuff like that. But keep in touch and if you keep reading I will keep it interesting.

Love,

m.jean

A lil something

I made this video for my dad for him to have for the next year. I hope he likes it and I hope you all enjoy it. It was made with love for all dads & daughters.

I have a sweet tooth for Ace of Cakes

Yes, this is a Hogwarts cake.
Deal with it.

So I have only seen a handful of these episodes and after looking it up I realized why. There is no website that has full episodes! And, the tv times that this amazing show is on is never when I am available to watch. It makes me really sad. This show truly inspires me and I will tell you why.

1. Everyone employed at Charm City Cakes is an artist--not a culinary master. None of them went to culinary school, with the exception of Duff Goldman himself. WHY DO I THINK THIS IS COOL? I think this is cool because it fits very well with my theory.

My theory is that successful people are those willing to become something, not just achieve something. The most amazing people I have read about and known have always had the most amazing opportunities because of who they were, not because of what they sought out. Kind of like the guy in Marley & Me. He thought he wanted to be a journalist that went everywhere and wrote the politically upsetting stories. In order to do that he became a writer. In the process he became a husband, father, and dog-owner . . . While he was busy becoming, he had to work a few jobs that he thought were the end of the world. He saw becoming a columnist as a "for now" job that would be a stepping stone to being a journalist. But, in the end he liked being a columnist so much that he didn't want to give it up. And, by trying to make his wife happy, he became the owner of Marley which was basis to his very successful writing career (because he wrote the book that is now a movie). If he had gone straight to trying to be a journalist, his family life would have been very different and he might not have been successful at all.

People best prepare for opportunity by becoming something, such as an artist. If any one of those artists thought the opportunity to decorate cakes would belittle his artistic status and obscure his path to becoming famous as the next . . . whoever, he would be denying an opportunity to create art for the illusion of achieving artistic fame. Duff said that by hiring artists, who are all his friends first, he has given them a job where they are creating art every day instead of waiting tables, or having any other job that is just to pay the rent and to buy art supplies. He has only given them a medium, but it is by their own skill, genius, and imagination that they do what they love. I think anyone who is able to do what they love is successful.

2. I just think Duff is really cool.

He is kind of odd and I really wish he would shave off the landing strip, but I think he had extreme vision when he opened up Charm City Cakes and hired his best friends who perhaps turned out to be the most famous cake decorators in America. In the end they are famous artists after all. I just like this video because he compares cake decorating to his former days as a graffiti artist . . . he is cool.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/35701/ace-of-cakes-graffiti-and-cakes

Weddings Weddings Weddings!!!!

There are so many weddings that have taken place since April 11, 2009. Dan and Rach kicked off the trend. Not only have almost all the women closest to me found their one and only (EVEN my SISTER), but many of my good friends have too (Scott, Scott Carter, Trevor, Jared, Danielle--high school friend). I think I understand the expression "when it rains, it pours", a lot better now. Only, it is like a rain that cures a drought, a good rain.

Sadly, I missed Lindsay's and Ashley's weddings, but I have had the blessed opportunity to go to so many others and laugh, sing, play, cry, and mostly thank God that my best friend's have married in the temple to such fun, good, handsome, smart, and worthy men. And, that one of them married a Harry Potter scholar, which may be the most important qualification when searching for a marriage partner.

So with the event of Anna's union to Cua--I call him Wow-- FINALLY being over, I feel bursting to tell ALL of you how it went.

The wedding day was a typical July day in SLC--hot, busy, happy. We all woke up at 6:30 a.m. because my sister Jessica's son was up. She literally said "I can't sleep so I will wake them up." Therefore we had ALL morning to get ready. It took me about five minutes. Somehow the time passed and we started getting serious about getting pretty. Anna was finished with her makeup and put on her dress. Short. Cute. Chic. Her. Her hair was so smooth and straight. It was perfect for someone who usually sports a pixie cut.

I, of course, was red. We ate Subway for lunch and finally made our separate paths to the temple. I waited outside with my adorable freckle faced cousins and my nephew. I started to see everyone come out of the temple so I knew Anna was only a few minutes away. The few went faster than I thought and she was actually ready before anyone was there to meet her! I made my way over motioning to the glass wall behind me, hoping those inside the waiting room would see. They did and finally she had a crowd to see her in her first 1/2 hour as a married woman.

I am bored of this so I will just skip to the reception in Rupert. I thought all the hard stuff was over. I was wrong. After getting NO sleep the night before till about 4 a.m., I woke up first thing Saturday morning to my mom cooking, singing, and banging pots (she claims she never bangs pots, but we all secretly know this is her passive aggressive way to say "GET THE H@*$ UP") I know what kind of day it will be. So I automatically start helping. We had wonderful eggs benedict for breakfast with homemade english muffins. That was a good way to start. Then the tent came and the dishes had to be done and the chairs wiped off and the tables moved and the yard raked and the house swept and the lights put up and the table cloths figured out and the . . .
Well, you guys are married, you know. Aside from all of this, I mostly was the muscles for the tables, my mom and I had to decorate cakes.

Of all of us, I am the least qualified person to do this. My mom is so good with artsy stuff. Anna is an artist. Nicki, Rachael, and Ashley are incredible with things that require fine motor skills. Lindsey is also an artist. I remembered my teacher looking at all my frosting techniques. He gave instructions and told me to "try again". My mom was extremely stressed so I said, "I have to do it."

Angels helped me do the crumb layer, which is the most important part. We have to make a good foundation. The crumb layer is a light layer of frosting that fills in the holes and seals the crumbs. That way no crumbs get in the pretty frosting. My mom made three cakes (if any of you know something about cakes you know there are about 100 things that can make a cake fail, all of them magnificently easy to do): Red Velvet with Vanilla filling and cream cheese frosting.

2. Three layered chocolate cake with lemony curd filling, buttercream icing and the most amazing dark chocolate ganache spread over the top. We had a little trouble spreading, but the taste more than made up for it.


And finally, a like-you've-never-tasted-before white cake with raspberry filling and almond buttercream frosting. After tasting all of these that my mom made from scratch, you might understand why with vehemence I treat boxed cakes as abominations--even though I used one once because I was afraid of ruining a good one and not having time to replace it.

So finally, I was done. It took all day. I took breaks, but not to rest, just to do more stuff. At 5:59 I was not changed out of my frosted outfit into my lovely green dress. Instead, I was taping and tugging tablecloths trying to convince them to stay down instead of flying away on the wind. So then I prayed that the wind would stop and as soon as I said "amen" i had the most brilliant idea and I forgot to get a good pic of it. We had lovely gute string that had been used in other parts of the decor. I wrapped it around the tables in a long continuous spiral--around cloths and all. It looked darling and people thought it was a normal part of the overall theme. So then the wind began to die down and we really started to enjoy ourselves.

Oh, on top of everything my mom did, she also did all the flowers with the help of my adorable cousin--only 14 but a natural florist. The bouquet was gorgeous. My momma is amazing. Infallible cakes, incredible arrangements, and the beautiful yard that she perfected all summer long. Well done mamma.

My life makes me jealous of MYSELF!

So I think by now most of you know that I found a family to take me in under the pretense that I will lead and guide their children (they will probably teach me the most). Everyone has shown such excitement and for the past little while my Boise/facebook peeps have said "I wish I had done something like that before I . . . (fill in the blank with: got married, went to grad school, bought a car, had a kid). I think those are really odd statements because I think if they hadn't done any of those things most of those people would do the same things they were doing in order to meet someone to marry, go to more school, buy a car, or start a family. Needless to say, I don't like statements of regret and projection because most likely we would make the same choices over again.

Anyways, that was a little sidetracking on my part. My family consists of two teenagers! I KNOW! I never expected this to be the case and it freaked me out at first. In fact, a few months ago it freaked me out so much that I turned down a family with teenagers and switched agencies to get a different perspective. After a little process of maturing and changing my mind, I decided to be more open to opportunities. On a mere passing of chance, I ended up applying to, talking with, and contracting with the EXACT same family that I had turned down a month or two ago. Does anyone understand how that happened? I don't really, but I am going with it.

My family lives in a small village outside of Turin. I looked up their address on google earth . . . when people say they live in a small village outside a big city in Italy and that they have no neighbors but can afford an au pair it means they live in a huge house/villa.



The kids are 15 (boy) and 13 (girl). They are also have a 30 year old son in Canada, I don't have to babysit him. Because of their ages, I will mostly be teaching them english (don't ask me how) and driving them to all their different activities. I don't really start working till the afternoon. I hope to make some village lady friends who will teach me all of their secrets of cooking. My neighbor grew up in Italy and he said that once the women around know I am on my own, "you will get about 20 more grandmas and mammas" that really made me feel good.

I am starting to learn Italian. I forgot how hard another language can be, but I really love it so far. It is fun to speak. I feel like me and this country will get along very well, but I have to stop daydreaming and just wait and see!

The parents are great. The dad speaks english very well, the mom is shy "but only in english". She is a psychotherapist (yeah, that is part of why i thought we would get along). I think the dad has his own business.

Now, the food. The food in the northwest area of Italy is very similar to France. Lots of butter and TRUFFLES. Now, if you have never had truffles, they are weird at first. But let me tell you, they are worth the hundreds of dollars that they cost a pound. I encourage you all to buy truffle oil at the grocery store and drizzle it over pasta, or look up another way to get it for much cheaper than buying the actual mushroom. Anyways, I have to go to work, but let me know what more you want to know! LOVE LOVE LOVE

m.jean