Today was my first try doing laundry with an Italian washing machine. The washer wasn't completely different. The settings were all written in Italian so I had to have Simona explain what was what. I could figure out the cotton setting and the hot and cold options, but I wasn't sure how to turn it on. The space for laundry was tiny, like everything else in this country. I fit my socks and underwear for two weeks with about 4 shirts, one pair of pants, and my bathrobe. Not too roomy.
After it was finished washing, I was looking for the dryer. Oh wait, there's not one. The dryer consists of about five lines on the balcony with these things called clothes pins. Ever heard of them? This is old school. It has been pretty cold, but during the day it is warm enough to hang up my stuff. I got nervous because there were little spider webs inbetween the lines and my biggest fear is putting on a pair of pants or a shirt that has a little 8 legged surprise just waiting to feast on my bare flesh. Needless to say I will thoroughly check my clothing before putting them on.
Now here comes the other difficult part...where do I hang my skivvies? Okay here are the options:
Option #1 - I can hang them outside on the line to dry for the world to see. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandma's, people from the road . . .
Needless to say, I choose to nix option number 1.
Option #2 - Hang them downstairs on the drying rack with everyone elses clothes so Mattia, Simona, Gianluca and any vistors we might have pop by (there has been at least one every day) will be able to see the bare essentials. This whole not having a dryer thing is really starting to be a problem. Instead I go with option 3.
Option #3 - Hang the skivvies anywhere I can find around my room. I start hanging them on the TV mount that doesn't actually have a TV on it. My desk is looking pretty good so I hang some there. I find two chairs in the corner that make for the best makeshift dryer. I have a little underwear tree chair in the corner of my room. Hopefully Mattia will choose not to play in my room after school. I'll keep my fingers crossed! :) 
November 20, 2011 at 12:48 AM
Baha! i say you're a world traveler and citizen of the world. Hang ya skivvies outside. -Bek
November 20, 2011 at 12:50 AM
better yet... don't wear skivvies!! -bek
November 29, 2011 at 5:13 PM
We had that problem in Mexico. Lorrie says that unless your underwear is stained or extremely provocative, you just need to bite the bullet and hang them outside :) Just put some shirts or something in front of them. Another tactic is to hang them in the bathroom.
December 2, 2011 at 1:27 PM
Practical advice from your brother - I love that where you are living has a change of seasons and colored leaves, the best
December 6, 2011 at 2:13 PM
You won't put your underwear outside on a line, but you will post a picture of them on your blog that is attached to your FB page for all to see?? Not seeing any real difference between these two actually. LOVIN the stories and pictures.