Bari

Hey everyone. So it has been very long since I have wrote a blog. I wrote one on the 27th about the 26th, so I will take you from there.

BARI-
I love Bari!! Not because there are tons of Amazing things to see, although there are some, but because there are tons of amazing people! I can now call Betta, Elana, Enrico and Germani my best friends! They are great people who are very interested in the United States. When I arrived in Bari, the four of them were there quickly to pick me up, even though I got in to the station an hour later than I had told them. I missed ma connecting train back in Switzerland that caused me to miss my overnighter and a bed to sleep in. Instead, I had to sit upright, touching knees with 5 other dirty Italians, for nine and a half hours! I was so thankful that Elana picked up her phone when I dialed her from a strangers phone. Very thankful the stranger let me use his phone, because I had no internet and had no idea where to find any. I gave them all huge hugs when they jumped out to greet me. It was so nice to see them all again. I threw my pack in the back and we were off to Enrico’s Hotel for breakfast and to check me in….FOR FREE! Breakfast was awesome and we all had some good laughs. The man serving us was new and had no idea he was serving the owners son and his friends. Once he found out, I could tell, because he shook his hand for a long time while jabbering in Italian. Elana translated for me…..The best English speaker of the group. Enrico, you are very good as well, along with the rest of the group when they actually tried to speak English to me. After breakfast, they all escorted me to my cool and elegant room that was steps from the pool. I literally took 3 steps from my door and was in the pool. -I made the mistake of jumping in the pool one day without a head cap and got yelled at for it. I learned my lesson and now realized why every single person wore the silly things with their speedo bottoms. Lol. I had no head cap, so it was strictly pool side from there on out.- After a rest and finally getting some sleep after the grueling train ride, the crew piced me up for a pool party.
We all headed over to Elana’s parents’ vacation villa for a swim. She had told me that there were some of her friends coming over to meet me, because they are very interested in “The American Boy.” About 10 minutes later, there were about 10 Italian girls all laughing and trying their best at their English. We swam for a while and had a great time playing chicken and other pool games. After we all showered off pool side, we jumped right into a drinking game. All day they had been asking me about what opther drinking games there are and what they needed to play beer pong. I introduced them to a game called Wingman, a common game we played at college. Some loved it and others hated it. Italians don’t ever play games while drinking. Italians are not very big on drinking in the first place, so this is all very new to them. They were introduced to beer pong in Dublin when Enrico and I dominated, and ever since have wanted to play again.
The next 3 days were fantastic, filled with more drinking games, clubs on the beach and visiting some of the sites in Bari. One of my favorites was the Trullis and this spot we visited where the houses were built on cliffs and everyone had sheets flying from their balconies to dry. It is common to cliff jump and go swimming down below the cliffs in the ocean, but the waters were way too rough for all three days I was there. The views were fantastic though. What surprised me the most about these 4, “Porn Star Stache, Ron,” Giovanni and Davide is how generous they were. Elana did not let me pay for a single thing, until the last day I begged her if I could pay for our Italian desert (Grinitas), which she finally accepted to.
Some highlights were me teaching everyone big boots and them teaching me a game called “Don’t show your teeth, don’t move a leaf.” It is a game played were everyone is in two single file lines, parallel and facing each other at 2 feet apart and their hands held high next to their ears. These people can not show their teeth and can not allow player B see them move. Player B is volunteered by the group to go first. He has to say the name of the game and then proceed through the gauntlet of people trying to catch them showing their teeth or moving. Here is the catch. When player B has the back of their head to the players in line, it is freegame to give him a good whack on the back of the head. It is hilarious to watch and difficult to now show your teeth. It takes a certain technique by player B of moving both slowly and quickly and moving his head around constantly to catch someone slapping his head or spotting a set of pearly whites. A little hard to explain, but the game is simple and hilarious!!
I also introduced them to “The Fruit Basket” It is along the lines of Mooning someone, but better. If you don’t know what it is, ask any 19 to 25 year old and they will be sure to tell you the answer. Or you can just ask me when I get home and I will show you. Lol.
On the day I had to leave, it felt unreal. I couldn’t believe I was leaving these amazing people. I really wanted to stay forever, but we all know , that just isn’t possible. The last day there was one of the most memorable nights in my entire life! We all went to this pizzeria place to have a dish that is special to Bari. (Sorry Guys, I have no idea what that hot bread filled with cheese was called. I do remember the specific directions on how to eat the thing, given to me by Giovanni to: stand feet wide apart, bent at a 45 degree angle at the hips, elbows pointing out to each side and chin stuck out straight ahead while enjoying this mess of a treat.) I also had a classic pizza and took a group picture with the chef, before Giovanni and I rolled to a shots-bar for a couple drinks with everyone and a few last games of “Don’t show your teeth, Don’t Move a Leaf.” It was getting close to the departure time of my train, 11:50pm, and I needed to head out! I figured Elana and maybe the other three would take me, but everyone made the journey to the train station with me! I felt like a celebrity with my entourage of at least 15. We all chanted and yelled on our way through the train station before my train arrived. As it was arriving I exchanged many hugs (with a kiss on each cheek. A greet to a good friend in Italy) with some of the greatest people I have ever met. It was a very emotional experience for me and the others. Enrico couldn’t wait his turn (I was saving him for last) and he stepped through a couple people to give me a huge long hug. It was a good little bro moment shared by, at this point, very good friends. The train rolled in behind me and I had to get on without giving everyone a hug, but I said my thanks a million times and jumped on. I found my bed in the 2 bed cabin and saw everyone outside my window. The train was still stopped and I pulled down the window to exchange some last minute words and a last minute Fruit Basket! Lol. As the train pulled away, I had my head out the window and everyone started to follow the train. It was so awesome, words can’t describe. They started off walking next to the train, then to a run. The quick sprinted as fast as they could and as long as they could, until the train and I were moving away too fast to keep up. Everyone was yelling their last words to me and when I was far down the platform from them, I yelled as loud as I could, “Gratzie Famiglia!” The train picked up some serious speed and I situated myself in the cabin, not believing what had just happened. It felt like a scene straight out of a movie. I remembered the advice Giovanni told me…..”If there is no lock, wrap your belt around the handle and sleep with anything valuable.” The door had a lock on it and my computer was in my pack tucked under my bed. Everything else valuable was on me in my money pouch. I was set and laid down for bed. It was hot in the cabin and few drinks didn’t help any. I sat awae for a while thinking about what had just happened and the past 3 days. I thought about if I will ever see these guys again and remembered Giovanni’s promise to me that he will find me in Seattle some day and knock on my door asking for me. I eventually got some sleep and was on my way to Florence.
I hope to see and host anyone of my Bari friends anytime they like. Thanks for everything guys. I will miss you all!

Sincerely,

Kurt