Ischitella. Home of.....

Well, home to these great kids we got to spend a couple days with doing a day camp! For all you savvy on Italian geography, Ischitella is not a part of the island of Ischia despite the name meaning "little Ischia," it is a small town located outside of Naples. When I left Naples, I felt as if I was in a third world country, I looked around and thought, "is this Europe?,"The town reminded me of central America. There are many immigrants living and working there. On the drive into the town we saw many women working in prostitution in the middle of the day, and according to the locals that is completely normal. The houses are small, the streets are filled with trash. The town is on the sea, but the sea is not swimmable because it is so polluted, really, no one swims because sickness is almost inevitable. Many of the children are uneducated and only speak in the Neapolitan dialect, making it a little difficult for me to understand them and vice versa. 

     A group of local believers, some from Naples, some from Ischitella, put on this kids camp each summer for a few weeks, doing it every other night. The structure of the camp is like VBS; the kids sing, hear a bible story, play games, have a snack, and just hang out in a small square in the town. There were around 50 kids each night with many other spectators, consisted mostly of teenagers and some parents. The kids did so well listening and engaging, and I had a wonderful time with the children and partnering with the believers in southern Italy to put on the camp. Although I was only there for the first week, it was encouraging to be apart of what God is doing in Ischitella and Naples and I pray He uses the believers and this kids camp to reach the community and share his love with these sweet people. Here are some photographs from one of the nights. 

Setting up. 

The neighborhood.

Snow cone? 

Beforehand leader shot. 

Pop the other kid's balloons and take the clothespin off their shirt without letting your balloons get popped or losing your own clothespin. 

   This month Elizabeth and I had the privilege of going to Napoli to stay for a week and help with a kids camp. There we stayed with colleagues Bethany and Amy and spent time in the city as well as in the country and by the sea. We had a great time with the kids and enjoyed the touring as well.

    Napoli is a different world. The people speak in the Neapolitan dialect and were really quite difficult to understand; I could not understand anything said to me. The city was compact, hilly, dirty, and half of those riding scooters and motorbikes weren't wearing helmets! Shocking... The pizza was delicious and the coffee superb. I had a good look into Napolitano life, which is so different from that of Rome and drastically different from that of any northern city you would visit in Italy. Here are some of the lovely places we went. 

View of the City

The beautiful girls, Amy & Bethany on the left were our wonderful hosts for the week. 

This was my attempt to take an "artsty" "hipster" picture. Nature meets city.

The girls striking a natural, happy pose. 

As I was adjusting the exposure, this photograph happened and I love the way it turned out. No editing.

Castel Dell'Ovo  

The Center 

This is the Funicolare, a small train that runs up and down a very large hill in Naples. 

 This is the Ischitella train stop. Just to give you a good insight into the look of the town. 

Here we are in the acclaimed, "nicest metro stop in Europe." I'd definitely say its a step up. The stop was very colorful, I felt like I was walking through a modern art museum. 

[Photo credit goes to Amy]

Pizza at Da Michele's...where Julia Roberts ate in Eat. Pray. Love. And one of the most famous Pizzerias in Naples. They only serve the simple cheese and sauce pizza because it is just that good. 

[photo credit goes to Amy again!]

    

Our Friends Have a House in the Country...

     Rome is a beautiful city, filled with the typical hustle and bustle of city life, so every once in a while it is nice to escape to the countryside. The small hill towns and farms outside of Rome are beautiful, quiet, and a bit old fashioned; maybe it is the old and original construction of the houses and streets, or the gigantic rosemary bushes and lush olive trees that have taken decades to grow and cultivate that gives it this old feeling. Although I am quite adjusted to the consistent sound of sirens, car horns, church bells, loud street people, barking dogs and all other city noises, the quiet of the country is still very much welcomed and makes the evening and morning hours more pleasant - especially if they are spent with friends and constant eating...

     Our friends Francessco and Sharon have a house in the country, it has been in Francessco's family for several years and has served as a summer home, until now. Franky and Sharon decided to move out of the city and have settled into their new home and lifestyle beautifully, enjoying almost every moment of it. Our kind friends invited us to partake in their country life for a weekend in which we celebrated the May birthdays of this particular circle and enjoyed the fruit of their land (quite literally) as well as many other treats that came along with this house. We are a multicultural group, and I am so blessed and so thankful to have these good friends and to be able to share all of our Italian experiences together. 

We made a new friend on the drive

[And no, there is not a sears here, this bag was imported]

Walking through the town

The lovely house with lovely people

I know this one is blurry, but I love this fountain and the thirsty dog. 

The view from the roof, not too shabby. 

This lone shot is for you mom

Our Dining Room 

Touring the cherry orchard and enjoying our finds

Getting the brick oven ready

Another table shot, but I had to get one with the enchanting candles. It was taken on my iphone so excuse the grittiness

Pizza for Dinner

Walking through the Olive trees..there are so many

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme. Are you going to Scarborough Fair?... 

 Goodies 

Breakfast... I've decided we all need a brick oven, it just makes baking better. 

Emma is serious about breakfast. 

Another cherry shot of Sharon, proud of her crop.