Solo in Italia: Antonio Preite

Antonio Preite is the man who showed me what a real Italian family is like. Today, I set about exploring the university area before I was supposed to meet the father of the landlord of an apartment that I was checking out. I walked up and down Via Zamboni and Via Belle Delle Arti, the two main streets that run through l'università. Despite the foggy and dreary weather, it was beautiful. Caffe's and bars were found on every block or so, spaced between the different "facoltà" (departments) of the university. Porticci lined both sides of the streets and the buildings were unbelievable. I ate lunch at a hole in the wall "Osteria" near the university called "L'Osteria di Orsa" (Bear Tavern), and enjoyed a delicious plate of tortellini. Afterwards I headed towards "Il Centro," or the center of the city (where Piazza Maggiore is located), where I was to catch a bus to the outskirts of Bologna to meet the man who was to show me my apartment. I was supposed to meet an old man with a beard at 16:00 (4:00 PM) at the bus stop next to a "Supermercato" called PAM. I got there early, and it seemed like the only people walking on the streets were only old men. And I was told that this man would be easily recognizable. As the clock hit 16:02, I saw Antonio. He was scurrying across the street at a pace extremely fast for men his age. He recognized me immediately (I was, after all, the only person at the bus stop) and warmly greeted me, kissing my hand, and quickly leading me towards the apartment. It turns out him and his family lived in the apartment adjacent to the one I was checking out. The two girls who lived in the other apartment were really nice, and the open room was much bigger than I expected. I spoke briefly with the girls, and then Antonio insisted I come to his place for some "dolce" or cake. I agreed, and followed him across the hall. We were greeted by his grand-daughter, Maria, who was 20 also, and studies religion at the university. She spoke English pretty well, and Antonio did also, but he mostly rambled on and on in Italian. He never ran out of anything to say, and I was surprisingly able to keep up with most of what he was saying. Not only did he treat me to some delicious "Fior di Latte" which is like a sweet flour cake, but he served me a two course meal, starting with home-made Bolognese Tortellini, and followed by a Mediterranean dish with chicken, potatoes, onions, and some other vegetables. It was out of this world. He also offered me wine and caffe italiano, which I informed him I had never had before. I told him I didn't drink "caffe americano" and he told me caffe italiano was much stronger, but encouraged me to try some. So I did. He even insisted that it was even better with just a drop of whiskey (and literally, I mean a drop). He stood there leaning over the bottle for almost a minute because he was being so careful pouring the whiskey into a tiny espresso spoon. I must say, it was very tasty. I've never liked coffee before, and it seems I have been shown the light. I have never received such hospitality from a stranger before. He was so kind and genuine. And before I left he gave me an orange and a clementine to take with me as well as a tiny plastic/wooden "barca" (boat) with a tiny jar of nutella in it. He gave one to Maria as well and told us that he imagined we were on the boat sailing on the highest of the seas and headed to port. He ended by explaining it was for luck in our classes at the university - which start tomorrow for Maria - and for good fortune in life in general. He then walked me back to the bus stop and pointed out every bar, caffe, farmacia, and negozio (store) we passed on the way. I thanked him for everything once the bus rolled up, and as he walked away I was still blown away by how much this old man had done for an American girl he had barely just met. I'm not sure if the apartment itself is going to be the right fit for me, but I don't think I will ever forget Antonio Preite. Afterwards I walked back to the hotel, and then wandered a bit more around the city before calling it a night. But not before I witnessed some locals dancing to live music in the Piazza. I'm not sure if it is a popular/traditional type of Italian line-dancing, or if it was just done on the fly, but it was really fun to watch, and I was even able to take a video of it. Tomorrow my program officially starts, and despite all the fun I've had exploring here, it will be nice to have some other students here to enjoy it with me.