Dear Mom and (your name here) ,
Wow I can hardly believe a week has passed since I last wrote! But I guess that could be because it's only been 3 days... I actually do have some interesting things to share though. One of the most exciting things that happened this week is that I have started helping the missionaries teach English lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the church. Even though I have only gone these two times, I'm already really excited about it! It's fun to meet new people and it's also helping my Italian vocabulary. I'm assisting with the beginner's course, but I'm learning that it's actually hard to teach English! (For all those grammar nerds and wordy people in the family, I need a little bit of help. How do you explain when and when not to use "do"? Many foreigners to the English language think that you have to put "do" somewhere in every question, or invert everything single verb to ask a question. For example, I was asked if you can say "Do you are happy?" The answer is obvious to me that it's wrong, but when I tried to explain inversion and "Are you happy?", they wanted to know when to use "do" and when to invert the order of the subject and word. Is there a rule somethere that says when and when not to invert and when to use a helper such as "do" or "will"? Some kind of guide as to which verbs are inverted and which ones are left alone? I can tell them which phrases are right and which are wrong, but I'm not sure how to explain it. Anyway, any input y'all have would be appreciated.)
OnThursday after the lesson, I went to eat dinner with one of the people from the English course and some of the missionaries. Apparently, Catania is quite famous for its horse meat and some of the missionaries were in town from other areas so they wanted to try it. They were all incredulous when they found out that I had never eaten it, so I found myself at the restaurant with them trying horse meat for the first (and maybe last) time in my life. I have to say, it's actaully pretty good but I couldn't help but imagine poor Strawberry and Lady at Scott and Valerie's house, blissfully unaware that I was chomping down on one of their kind. Although to be honest, I have never thought of little Bully Bogeywart when I eat hamburgers. But maybe that's because I have a fear of cows and its almost like a small form of revenge every time I eat a scrumptious burger. Anyway, I hope Strawberry and Lady are doing well and won't hold a grudge against me for eating some long-lost relative of theirs.
My last bit of exciting news comes from yesterday. Despite being at school on a Saturday, at least one good thing came out of it. I got an 8 in my math interrogation! I won't take another page and a half to explain the grading system here and all the horrors of interrogation, but trust me, an 8 is a pretty darn good reason to celebrate. Also for the sake of space, I will try not to talk too much about arancini but I'll answer the questions. One of the really good ones is filled with rice, cheese, and little chunks of ham, but the typical arancino with the sauce, meat, peas, and rice is always a good fall-back if you can't decide. A lot of the smaller places that sell arancini only carry that type. They are normally about the size of a fist or maybe even a tiny bit bigger, but I would love to come try yours Karyn! I'd love to come anyway though, I think some of my niece-phews are forgetting who their favorite aunt is.
I've been downloading the pictures from my camera, but I still haven't reached the ones from the trip to Palermo and Agrigento yet so I will try to put them up sometime this week. I hope everything is going well with everyone and I love you all!
Carolina
...
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Sorry I'm late!
20 Feb 2014
Dear Mom. And y'all.
I had planned on updating once a week on Sunday, but I was in Palermo last Sunday and then I got caught up in everyday life, so I apologize for being a bit behind. We spent last Friday-Sunday on a little "Mini-Tour" that Rotary organized, and I was able to see more of the west side of Sicily. One of the incredible things I got to see was Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples. It is quite an experience to be standing in front of Greek Temples! While I was talking to my friend Marlene (an Austrian exchange student) about how many pictures we take of everything, she said something interesting that I've been thinking about for a little while. She was telling me how she likes to have pictures of herself and people she cares about in her photos because you can find gorgeous pictures of any place on the internet, but how many pictures will you find of Carol Burton standing in front of a Greek Temple? I always hated being in the pictures, but it's been fun to look back through them and think "Hey! I was really there!"
Another interesting thing to think about came when I asked someone if he preferred the mountains or the ocean, because I get asked that question quite often here. He responded that it depends on who is there; he said he wouldn't want to go to a beach if he was by himself, but he would love to go with his friends and family. I've have been to many really neat places, and quite a few beaches too, but it really is the company that makes the difference. I think that's one thing Dad has always understood quite well. I was writing a paper for my Italian teacher about the book The Thief Lord because I had just finished reading it in Italian, and the main topic was about every child's dream of being an adult and how many adults wish they could go back to the simplicity of childhood. I think we've all been guilty of this one time or another, but I know it was an eye-opener a few weeks ago to realize that I turned 18 without even realizing it. Oh my heavens to Betsy, I'm old! Maybe it's just the sun lightening my hair, but I think I even found a couple white ones... Time passes so quickly. I officially booked my return flight last week and I will be home on June 28, just a little over 4 months away! That means I've been here for 6 months. How nutty!
Karyn, the Nero di Seppia didn't taste bad, but it was still disconcerting to be eating black spaghetti! I have been eating many things I normally don't eat (in a good and a bad way. Bad because I end up eating a lot of things I don't like, but good because there are some delicious foods that are only found here in Sicily, and I get to eat them!) Some of those things are gli arancini. Delicious! I might be a little fixated on them... I'm learning the conjunctive tenses and hypotheses in Italian, and it gives my English teacher (who is pretty much my Italian teacher) a pretty good laugh when she reads my work because most of my sentecnes and hypotheses are about how happy Americans would be if we had gli arancini in America. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well at home and I love you all dearly!
Carolina
...
Dear Mom. And y'all.
I had planned on updating once a week on Sunday, but I was in Palermo last Sunday and then I got caught up in everyday life, so I apologize for being a bit behind. We spent last Friday-Sunday on a little "Mini-Tour" that Rotary organized, and I was able to see more of the west side of Sicily. One of the incredible things I got to see was Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples. It is quite an experience to be standing in front of Greek Temples! While I was talking to my friend Marlene (an Austrian exchange student) about how many pictures we take of everything, she said something interesting that I've been thinking about for a little while. She was telling me how she likes to have pictures of herself and people she cares about in her photos because you can find gorgeous pictures of any place on the internet, but how many pictures will you find of Carol Burton standing in front of a Greek Temple? I always hated being in the pictures, but it's been fun to look back through them and think "Hey! I was really there!"
Another interesting thing to think about came when I asked someone if he preferred the mountains or the ocean, because I get asked that question quite often here. He responded that it depends on who is there; he said he wouldn't want to go to a beach if he was by himself, but he would love to go with his friends and family. I've have been to many really neat places, and quite a few beaches too, but it really is the company that makes the difference. I think that's one thing Dad has always understood quite well. I was writing a paper for my Italian teacher about the book The Thief Lord because I had just finished reading it in Italian, and the main topic was about every child's dream of being an adult and how many adults wish they could go back to the simplicity of childhood. I think we've all been guilty of this one time or another, but I know it was an eye-opener a few weeks ago to realize that I turned 18 without even realizing it. Oh my heavens to Betsy, I'm old! Maybe it's just the sun lightening my hair, but I think I even found a couple white ones... Time passes so quickly. I officially booked my return flight last week and I will be home on June 28, just a little over 4 months away! That means I've been here for 6 months. How nutty!
Karyn, the Nero di Seppia didn't taste bad, but it was still disconcerting to be eating black spaghetti! I have been eating many things I normally don't eat (in a good and a bad way. Bad because I end up eating a lot of things I don't like, but good because there are some delicious foods that are only found here in Sicily, and I get to eat them!) Some of those things are gli arancini. Delicious! I might be a little fixated on them... I'm learning the conjunctive tenses and hypotheses in Italian, and it gives my English teacher (who is pretty much my Italian teacher) a pretty good laugh when she reads my work because most of my sentecnes and hypotheses are about how happy Americans would be if we had gli arancini in America. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well at home and I love you all dearly!
Carolina
...
Sunday, February 9, 2014
(Insert intriguing title here)
09 February 2014
Dear Mom. And anyone else who happens to read this.
I know there are way too many blogs floating around out there and they tend to get lost in the wind, but following the advice of a little bird who shall not be named [B. Crookston... No wait, Becky C...(Karyn please tell me you understood that reference!)] I decided to start writing my weekly updates and putting them here in my lovely little section of the internet. I'm hoping that it will work kind of like Christmas at our house, where I put all my things in this nice little "Carol's Corner" and then some kind soul wanders by later and adds some nice finishing touches. In other words, feel free to comment, I love hearing from you guys!
Before I can explain why I chose the title that I did, I have to share some exciting news (that I'm pretty sure you've all heard by now, as well as anyone else who happened to run into Mom at the grocery store). I'm going on a mission! I found out for sure when the missionaries came to give me a blessing in the hospital. I was actually there because of a concussion from a little bitty car incident and the blessing was for the headaches, but Heavenly Father answered another prayer also and now I know for sure that I'm going on a mission! I chose the name because I am the "little sis" of the family, but also because I'm going to be a sister missionary and I can use this for my weekly letters while I'm on a mission too. It's so crazy to think about the future!
Speaking of the future, I have another fun little announcement. After a lot of thought and contemplation, I have finally decided that I will be starting college at USU this fall. In the end, they offered me a good scholarship that can help me graduate without student loans and I know that they also work well with deferments for missionaries. As strange as it may sound, I was also thinking of my future husband, and what better wedding present to give him than entering our marriage debt-free? He might not have the same opportunity, whoever and wherever he may be, but I know that it will bless our future family.
I don't have any other exciting news, except for being able to eat a Subway sandwich the other day (actually, that might have been more exciting than finally deciding where to go to college but I really shouldn't admit it). Funny story about that though. By the way, I hope you've all eaten before reading this because it's making me hungry just thinking about it. The sandwich I always get at Subway is oven-roasted chicken on Italian herb and cheese bread toasted with Swiss cheese and topped with ranch and lettuce. I found this Subway on the Naval Air Station a little ways away from Catania so everything was written in English, but on that sticker thing with all the names of the bread someone had crossed out "Italian herb and cheese" and written "Parmesan and Oregano." It had never really occured to me that there were actually herbs and cheese on the bread, but it makes sense that the Italians wouldn't think of it as "Italian herb and cheese" but as what it really is, just parmesan and oregano. I'm a little disappointed though, my already-boring sandwich just lot the only exoticness it had. Oh well, I'm sure Mom and Dad are just happy that I'm not just ordering a few slices of turkey on white bread with mayo anymore. Just so you know Dad, I have eaten quite a few crazy things here. I don't think even you would have eaten the pasta al nero di seppia (spaghetti with a black sauce that is made from squid ink) but I can add that to my list of "Funky Things Eaten." I won't even mention all the tomatoes I've eaten here either.
Well it's getting quite late and I'm too lazy to go back up and change the date to "10 February 2014" so I'll wrap it up for this week. I love you all dearly! Thank you so much for your love and support!
Carolina
...
Dear Mom. And anyone else who happens to read this.
I know there are way too many blogs floating around out there and they tend to get lost in the wind, but following the advice of a little bird who shall not be named [B. Crookston... No wait, Becky C...(Karyn please tell me you understood that reference!)] I decided to start writing my weekly updates and putting them here in my lovely little section of the internet. I'm hoping that it will work kind of like Christmas at our house, where I put all my things in this nice little "Carol's Corner" and then some kind soul wanders by later and adds some nice finishing touches. In other words, feel free to comment, I love hearing from you guys!
Before I can explain why I chose the title that I did, I have to share some exciting news (that I'm pretty sure you've all heard by now, as well as anyone else who happened to run into Mom at the grocery store). I'm going on a mission! I found out for sure when the missionaries came to give me a blessing in the hospital. I was actually there because of a concussion from a little bitty car incident and the blessing was for the headaches, but Heavenly Father answered another prayer also and now I know for sure that I'm going on a mission! I chose the name because I am the "little sis" of the family, but also because I'm going to be a sister missionary and I can use this for my weekly letters while I'm on a mission too. It's so crazy to think about the future!
Speaking of the future, I have another fun little announcement. After a lot of thought and contemplation, I have finally decided that I will be starting college at USU this fall. In the end, they offered me a good scholarship that can help me graduate without student loans and I know that they also work well with deferments for missionaries. As strange as it may sound, I was also thinking of my future husband, and what better wedding present to give him than entering our marriage debt-free? He might not have the same opportunity, whoever and wherever he may be, but I know that it will bless our future family.
I don't have any other exciting news, except for being able to eat a Subway sandwich the other day (actually, that might have been more exciting than finally deciding where to go to college but I really shouldn't admit it). Funny story about that though. By the way, I hope you've all eaten before reading this because it's making me hungry just thinking about it. The sandwich I always get at Subway is oven-roasted chicken on Italian herb and cheese bread toasted with Swiss cheese and topped with ranch and lettuce. I found this Subway on the Naval Air Station a little ways away from Catania so everything was written in English, but on that sticker thing with all the names of the bread someone had crossed out "Italian herb and cheese" and written "Parmesan and Oregano." It had never really occured to me that there were actually herbs and cheese on the bread, but it makes sense that the Italians wouldn't think of it as "Italian herb and cheese" but as what it really is, just parmesan and oregano. I'm a little disappointed though, my already-boring sandwich just lot the only exoticness it had. Oh well, I'm sure Mom and Dad are just happy that I'm not just ordering a few slices of turkey on white bread with mayo anymore. Just so you know Dad, I have eaten quite a few crazy things here. I don't think even you would have eaten the pasta al nero di seppia (spaghetti with a black sauce that is made from squid ink) but I can add that to my list of "Funky Things Eaten." I won't even mention all the tomatoes I've eaten here either.
Well it's getting quite late and I'm too lazy to go back up and change the date to "10 February 2014" so I'll wrap it up for this week. I love you all dearly! Thank you so much for your love and support!
Carolina
...
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