I have learned to live without a lot of VITAL things here in Italy.  Good natural peanut butter, hummus, tortilla chips, sweet gherkins, to name just a few.  But something I CANNOT live without is coffee.  I am one of those rare people who prefers American coffee to Italian coffee.  I've never been able to get used to espresso and even the "longer" coffee is too bitter for me.  The toasting is different, the grind is different.  Italian coffee is a different animal altogether.  So usually I fill my suitcase with enough vacuum-packed bags of joe to get me thru the year.  Somehow last September I miscalculated.  I will run out in 2 weeks!!!!  This would be very bad.  In any other country it would not be a problem.  Any other country.  Even in Istanbul, land of the famous Turkish coffee, (Not that I recommend it.  Imagine drinking silty tar), there was a Starbucks on every corner.  Starbucks are flippin'  everywhere!  Except Italy.  The first is set to open in Milan sometime later this year.  That does me no good.  There are shops that sell American products including things like coffee-mate and poptarts, but no coffee.  I've considered having Grace ship some from London, but I can't trust the postal service.  I have been distraught I tell you!  But then!  Amazon!  Three pound cans of Kirkland coffee, (for those of you not in the know, that is Costco's brand, and quite good I might add), shipped to my door at the same price I'd pay there!  I ordered two.  They arrived at school on Wednesday.  Happy happy.  I can remain my hypo caffeinated self.  xxoo me