Oh mio Dio…

So in my last post I stated how important it is to stay on The Nonna’s good side. So I’m sure you can appreciate the irony I’m now about to tell you…

I think my snail collection brought me up a few points but as of yesterday I believe I did something that will keep me in the negatives for many many many years to come. Possibly an eternity…

The whole family was out yesterday but I stayed back to do some work and to also keep The Nonna company. I took a wee little break from doing work and started “chatting” to The Nonna…i.e. sputtered out some words that seemed coherent at times, but also involved a lot of hand movements to demonstrate what I was trying to say. I’ll be totally honest here, I did go to my computer to have Google Translate come to my aid as well.

Everything was going fine and dandy for a while…I told her how my sisters are doing, she asked about my parents, she told me about life in Rome and everything was all great and pleasant. Then somehow the topic of religion came up. Next thing I knew I was asked what religion I was…

*oh shit* is what went through my mind. “Non sono religioso…” was my answer. I thought it’d be better to be honest (when I told M later he told me I should have lied and that I’m basically done for). The shock (disgust?? horror??) on her face was almost more than I could take. She asked if I was baptized…I told her no. Oh if looks could kill…

The Nonna- “Catholic? Christian? Anglican? But don’t you believe in God? That there’s something above?”

Me- “Um…I’m not sure…I don’t know!”

Then I may have gone into panic mode…”my parents aren’t religious! I didn’t grow up going to church!” How I managed to say all this I have no idea. Maybe there is something divine out there. I would’ve started believing right then and there if there had been some kind of divine intervention to help with my struggle.

I can’t recall exactly how I managed to wriggle my way out of the situation..it’s all become a vague and hazy memory. I think I mumbled something about needing to prepare dinner and scurried away.

The Nonna came by today and I had actually forgotten about the whole situation. But I knew immediately the conversation was still fresh in her mind when after M and I dropped her back off at her apartment M told me his nonna had said “tell Hazel to brush her hair”. She would’ve never said anything like that two days ago. I think my angelic image has been forever tarnished.

So I beg of you, please give me some advice. What is a girl in my situation to do? Convert? Pretend to convert? Or just accept the fact that I’m no longer the portrait of perfection I’d so gotten used to being?

Help…