Tre giorni in e già sposato con un venditore ambulante...

" Three days in and already married to a street vendor. . ."

We were told that you're going to have to be a little rude to certain people if you want to avoid getting sucked in to every little thing they offer or try to sell to you. I figured I would be fineee acting the way I always do while still avoiding things I wouldn't want to be a part of. Nope.

A few days ago a couple of us went wandering and found a piazza full of vendors. While Kat was off buying her Italia sweatshirt, Hazel and I decided to go look at some purses but even before we got there a vendor selling jewelry called us over. Looking back now we probably should have just said no and kept on walking toward the purses but we're just too nice. The minute we stepped foot in range of him he grabbed my hand and made a kind of eye contact that should have warned me right off the bat that this might not end well. He asked me if I was Italian and I said that I was half. He asked if it was on my mom or dad's side and I said both but he just stood there (still holding my hand) smiling at me as if he hadn't even heard my answer. He then went on to say how he would give us all a great discount because of his friend here (me), flattering I guess. I went to go look at the jewelry but he then decided to give us all home made string bracelets. He passed them out to us but when he got to me he took my wrist and tied for me... He then asked me how long I was here, which I told him, and then where I was living, which I did NOT tell him. He went on to say that if I EVER need any help with money or anything to come to him and he will help me because we are best friends now. Right then I should have just walked away but instead I started to look at the jewelry. . . .

I ended up finding a ring. I asked how much and he gave me a price while giving me that creepy smile full of uneven, discolored teeth. The whole experience was just messing with my thinking so I didn't even try to bargain (which I really regret now). Right after I paid he took a silver bracelet and put it around my wrist saying it was a present. He gave one to some of the other girls too, thankfully. BUT then he gave me something else, a plain silver ring almost like a wedding band. As he was putting it on my finger (thankfully my middle finger on my right hand) he looked yet again deeply into my eyes saying "best friend, best friend!" Then he told me that if I bring my other friends he will give me commission. This is when I knew it was time to book it out of there. Needless to say I will not be living this one down any time soon lol. But if I take nothing else from that little encounter I did learn that saying no is not always a bad thing and it is definitely something I will be working on more during my stay here.

Here is a picture of the ring I bought and the one he gave me. Oh and might I add, my finger is now green from it : -\ O well. . . .

vita, amore, felicità