So, this is my first blog entry from Italia. After living here a month I can safely say that I'm falling in love with Italy..(sorry England). This blog is a larger summary of my last month (the rest I write will be shorter) since it is my first !

So far I have visited so many wonderful places..it's hard to know where to begin. I came to live in Italy on the 12th August this year , on my own, a little bit apprehensive to leave everyone behind, but very excited! My main motivation for living in Italy, is my passion for Music, Singing and OPERA! Where better on earth to come than to the birthplace of Opera! Hopefully when I come back I will be fluent in Italian, which will be a massive advantage to me as a singer!

I've been staying in a little village (quiet but really pretty) with my boyfriend's Grandmother. An amazing little lady who is a wonder in the kitchen with Pasta! I've also got to know her son (my boyfriends Uncle) and his wife and children who have been brilliant with me!

What to say about Scandiano..well it is how I guess you would imagine an Italian village to be! The buildings aren't terribly old here but the village definitely has its charms..the local church is beautiful and there's also an old castle! I think I found the ice cream shop on my first day and the surrounding hills are absolutely beautiful. The Italian's thought up a good name for the nearby village of Ventoso in the hills, which means 'Windy'.

My first few days in Italy I felt fantastically welcome, Nonna Emilia is so chatty she made me feel right at home, even though I had no idea what she was saying. Her house is pretty large and my room is really large here too. Her cooking is excellent and I have eaten THE MOST wonderful food here! All kinds of Prosciutto and pasta and desserts, all home-cooked. A few times I have eaten out in local restaurants and experienced local Emiglia-Romagna food...Gnocco Fritto and Te gele! Each region in Italy has it's own local cuisine and let me tell you, GNOCCO FRITTO is amazing..it's like fried potato parcels which are hollow, which you eat with gorgonzola or Coppa or Salami. Te Gele are like little bread slices which you put cheese and nutella on (but not at the same time). I have been invited to family meals and gatherings here, the other night with 20 Italians (including children) for a birthday meal! It has to have been the best Birthday meal I have ever eaten and Italian hospitality is amazing, people are so friendly toward me!

I have been and visited a lot of places as well. I have been lucky enough to have been taken on trips with the family to the beach in Riccone ..twice!..to Venezia (Che belllllllllo!) and to a mountain lake! Venice was absolutely beautiful, like stepping back in history (just full of tourists). I saw the Ponte Rialto, Piazza di San Marco, molto Gondole e La Fenice, but I am definitely going again to watch an opera in La Fenice! Speaking of Opera, that is one of my motives for coming to Italia! So I decided two weeks ago to ventureto Verona alone and stay for a night for the Opera festival in the Verona Arena. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!!...Verona is the one of the most beutiful cities I have seen, it's built within Roman city walls on a hill around the river adige and the views from St Peter's castle are gorgeous! The night at the Opera in the Arena was A MAZZZZING! The arena is huge, the set was beautiful and the singing was world class....all of this for 26 euros and I forgot about my numb bum on the stone step lol!

On my own I've also ventured to Reggio Emilia (the city closest to where I#m staying), Peschiera del garda, at the mouth of Lake Garda where yes I saw the lake..but not enough of it so I'm going back for a boat trip..watch this space! Bologna also, where I went to the International Music Museum and saw some amazing original scores and signed letters by composers. I also climbed the Tower of Asegnli and had the best views of Bologna. This last week, I visited Roncole di Verdi where G. Verdi was born and also Busseto next to Roncole, where he grew up and got married etc. I even watched an Opera recital, featuring a famous Italian Baritone in il Teatro di Verdi, where he conducted his first concert! Oh yes and I touched his barrel in his cellar of his house and his organ he learned to play as a child......must have been blessed with his musical magic now!

So that takes me up to today really..there are soooo many things I haven't mentioned but I would write another essay for that lol! I have plans this week to visit Parma , home of the famous cheese and ham and then also maybe to Ferrara (I've been told another beautiful citta). My au-pair adventure will begin on the 18th September in Genova..but I have had so far the most amazing month in Emilia-Romagna, and unforgettable experiences!