the good and the bad.

i've always preferred the bad news first, so that's how i'll give it to ya. i checked my passport status online this morning. it's still being processed! ah! i am scheduled to leave so soon! *see countdown in the sidebar. it gave a number to call if you were traveling in seven days or less, so if i see no progress between now and then i will definitely be dialing that... but for now i have registered for e-mail notifications and will just be sweating it out i guess.

now for the good news: i just received an e-mail from nathalie, which is always exciting. she was writing to let me know that on sunday, may 16th (which is the day after my arrival) we will be visiting an old baroque city in the south of sicily called scicli. after some google magic (she spelled it differently in her e-mail... you'd be surprised at the difference little letter can make) i easily found some images of it. hopefully i'll be posting some of my own after my visit. it's beautiful, of course. and also classified as an UNESCO world heritage site. she said that while there we will be tasting wine, oil, essenza (essences, i presume) and just visiting the city. i am hesitant about a wine tasting, as i've never had wine, or any alcohol at all for that matter. but still incredibly exciting news! as each day passes i find it's increasingly difficult to focus on anything but italy. i just hope my passport is here in time...