Boomer and his Italian Friends, Family, and Foooood

Today, Boomer had the chance to visit a wonderful restaurant in Arezzo today named "Antica Osteria l'Agania" for lunch. The little place is tucked away almost invisible to onlookers. As he walked in, he smelled the sweet aroma of home-cooked Italian meals. L'Agania's website says that the restaurant has been family-owned for over four generations. Boomer got to talk to two women living in Arezzo, one woman originally from the UK and another woman originally from Arkansas. Check out this link to see their website and learn about all the food offered.

http://agania.it/it/index.php

As mentioned below, Boomer got to visit some friends at the local private school, Aliotti, and learned about the importance of food and family in Italy. Families in Italy gather together on weekends, inviting friends and relatives, to join in on long home-made meals. Lunches can last hours! Italians stress the importance of community. Here Boomer is with his friend from the USA Air Force.

If you want to read about the importance of food in the Italian culture and the role it plays you can read this article!

http://www.discoveritalianfood.com/italian-food-culture.html

At Aliotti, Boomer got to here about all the activities that the students get to do to show their parents! The teachers stressed that many Italians learn to draw, paint, and play a musical instrument. At the close of every school year, the students get to perform a play for their parents. Aliotti is taking strides to become more modern in their educational approaches, but like most things in Italy, the school is full of traditional. It's been around since the 1800s!! Boomer admired how talented the kids were in their artistic skills, and he imagined how excited their parents would be to see their marvelous work!

To finish off the day, Boomer returned to l'Angania's (the food was just too tasty!). Boomer appreciates how families eat together, talk with one another, and stress quality time. Family is important to the people of Arezzo just like his family is important to him (Hi Mom!). Even if they do not speak the same language, Boomer recognizes that their are more things that are similar about the his new friends than are different. BUT if you or he want to learn some Italian words to help order your meals check out this link!

http://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/12/14/100-italian-fooddrink-words-and-phrases