Angelina Maria Theresa Bocacelli is my name.  I live in New Boston, Ohio.  I am 11 years old.  As you can tell by my name, I am Italian.

Look it too, with my dark hair, olive skin tone, and dark eyes.  I look just like my mama, whose name is Sophia. 

Besides mama, I also have my papa (his name's Arturo), five brothers (Tony, Marco, Pepe, Fabio, and Roberto), and three sisters (Magdalina, Graciella, and Carmen).  There's also grandmama and grandpapa.  We are a very big family, as you can see.

My parents and I were born in this country, but grandmama and grandpapa came from Italia, the old country.  They didn't learn to speak English until they were well in their fifties (they're now in their seventies).  I speak both Italian and English.

Like most Italians, I am very passionate about food, especially foods from Italy:  rigatoni.  Pasta fazul.  Pizza (though people say it isn't really Italian, I still say otherwise!).  Cacciatore.  Spaghetti.  Yumm!  Just talkin' about all this food is quickly making me hungry!  Very much so!

I'd best stop while I'm ahead!  LOL

I also talk with my hands besides my mouth.  I picked it up from my parents and grandparents.  Italians are known to be very expressive in their speech and gestures, and I am no exception.

My friends think it is cool that I can speak two languages.  I learned both English and Italian when I was really small, so it was relatively easy for me, and I am used to it.  I usually speak in English, but if annoyed or angry, I usually switch to Italian.  People know I am mad whenever they hear Italian spewing forth!  LOL

Then they know to stay out of my way!!  LOL

I also love classical music.  Opera is one of my great passions.  I would love to be able to sing opera like the masters (Pavarotti, Caruso, Bocelli, etc.).  I have been taking opera/voice lessons since I was seven; I still have a long way to go, but I think I can sing halfway decent.  I would love to be a world-renowned opera diva and sing in the world's greatest concert halls (La Scala, for one).  That is my biggest dream.

Besides singing opera, I love to play soccer.  I am deadly at it.  I'd also love to be a world-famous soccer star if my opera career doesn't pan out.

More interests of mine include reading, writing stories or poems (mostly about my Italian heritage, friends, or school), playing with our Wii game system (that is, if I'm not wrestling with my brothers or sisters for a turn!), roller skating, ice skating (in the winter, of course!), and jazz/hip hop dancing.  I am a very active girl, as you can see.

Well, mama is cooking scrambled eggs in the kitchen, which can only mean one thing:  it won't be long before we, the Bocacellis, start our day.  I will write again one day; until later, this is Angelina saying ciao!  (That's so long or goodbye in Italiano!)

~Love, your friend, Angelina.   :)