Benvenuto! Being born in the city of Kostroma, Russia I have traveled nearly 6,000 miles to my current home in New Jersey to share with you my very peculiar yet wonderful story. Spending the earliest years of my life surrounded by my mom's side of the family, I came to develop the majority of my personality traits through interactions with them. Now you're probably wondering what this has to do with being Italian and what the heck osmosis is?! Not to fear, as you are about to find out!

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary osmosis can be defined as an ability to learn and understand things gradually without much effort.

So now that that is cleared up, there is one major detail which I have failed to mention up until this point. My mom and her entire family are...ITALIAN...more specifically Cicilian and Neopolitan! Would you have ever guessed it?

So travel with me down this list of ways which will touch your heart and your stomach as I share with you all how I am -- and maybe in turn how you are -- Italian by Osmosis.

1. Your vocabulary includes an equal amount of hand gestures as it does words

2. In your home there is really only one main food group, carbs! Sub-groups include pizza, pasta, bread, cookies and pastries

3. Common phrases which feel like they are english like mama mia, ciao bella, mangia, vino, gelato, and bambino escape effortlessly from your tongue

4. MANGIA! You are constantly full because your relatives insist that you are too small and need to eat more

5. You prefer a Fiat to a Volkswagen, Armani to Calvin Klein, Gucci to Chanel, Dolce e Gabbana to Coach, Proseco to Champagne and Armaretto to Kahlua

6. When a guest arrives to your home they are always without fail greeted with a tray of antipasto and an espresso or cappuccino no matter the time of day or night

7. At all family gatherings you are typically greeted by immediate or distant members with a hug, kiss or pinch on your butt...unwelcomed or welcomed you don't have an option

8. Holiday meals consist of so much food to create luxurious appetizers, main courses, and desserts that is it without a doubt possible to feed a third-world-nation with the leftovers

9. Each time you are at a "family reunion" you meet 20 new cousins you never knew about

10. The love which your entire family shares with you is one of a kind and irreplaceable making all of the weird habits and mannerisms 110% worth every second of heart burn and surprise pinches

All of this speak about my Italian heritage has got me craving a cannoli...won't you join me and mi famiglia?

As always, stay beautiful and keep reading....

Your gal pal,

xoxo

Megan :D