So …there we were … 0900 …. Jun 7th …Giorno Numero Uno of the inaugural  8th grade “Odessia Italiana” waiting to check in at Norfolk International Airport.  All present and accounted for.  You could cut the anticipation in the air with a knife (an OSHA approved safety simulated dull knife … safety is paramount … of course).  What you’re seeing above is a lot of extremely happy campers.  Rachele exclaimed, “Hey, Where’s the gelato … you said there would be gelato … where’s the dog gone gelato ?”    “Hey, Uncle Alfredo, is it true we have a six hour layover in Philadelphia?” asked Alessandra.  “I don’t know if I can handle six-hours thinking about gelato,” she continued to say.  The rest of the campers busied themselves brushing up on Italian and discussing their favorite types of pasta….. which many have decided to adopt as their new surname.  So … Alessandra has become Alessandra Orzo-Riggatoni and Rachele is now Rachele Linguini.  Bravo!