Buon Giorno!
I'm scamming internet off of the neighbors. So if you need to get in touch with me via email, it's that much easier!
A lot has happened over the past week. I met some other kids from the program I'm doing.. the rest of the entire Syracuse University gets here this week, but for now it's just 12 of us doing this Italian language program at the "School for Foreigners."
By now we've gotten to know the place pretty well. We were given a tour of our villa. Yup. We go to class in a VILLA. It was once owned by a duke.
We had some dinners with some program coordinators. I ate chicken liver. Twice! In the same night! It was just that good. They like to spread it on toast, here.
Florence's streets are small, and they're like this:
- When you don't want to find a place, you will pass it several times.
- When you do want to find a place, you can't find it ever.
- Whenever I get lost, I look for the top of the Duomo. It has a big golden cross that is higher than all of the other buildings, so it's usually easier to spot. I never stop feeling amazed that I'm using the Duomo as my navigation point. Instead of using street names, I use architecture to get around.
- Vespas and other motorbikes don't stop.
- Cars will stop in a pinch if you're in the crosswalk.
- Busses will pull this magic Santa Claus trick and squeeze through the city streets like a birth canal. Sorry for the mixed metaphor. But you get it.
On Wednesday I met my family. Actually, my new Italian mamma. Her name is Anna. She's traditional Italian Mamma. Anna wants us to wear slippers in the house. Laundry is done every Friday. We must keep our rooms neat. Dinner is at 8pm sharp every night. Breakfast is out before we go every morning.
Anna cooks like there are 8 of us and wants us to mangia! mangia! Eat it all. But that's just impossible. I've had veal twice since I got here. She gives us 3 courses and always dessert. The other day she made her own focaccia and stuffed it with mozzarella, prosciutto, and tomato. Last night she made a cake out of honey, grapes, and apples. She is a food magician. She's also a little feisty.. she told us that she used to dance on tables. Also, our shower has a mirror in it.
Last week when I got sick with a stomach bug, she took good care of me. Especially after what happened.
A little embarrassing, but we're all friends.
So I was sick. With something. I don't know how.. but Anna says maybe it's because I ate dinner and then went outside and it was too cold for my body to digest? Maybe. Long story short, I threw up in bed while she was out for the day.
I swore a couple of times, but then I decided I had to fix it all without Anna knowing. I went out with friends the night before and I didn't want her to think that I was a drunken American right off the bat.
SO I washed the sheets. Hung them out to dry. Went back to bed. I'd get them later.
Well, later, Anna comes home. I was taking a nap when I suddenly hear RAGAZZZZZZEEEEEE!!!! (GIRLS!!!!!) She starts jabbering in Italian and I can't keep up, but I knew she had found the sheets.
Well.. she found one sheet. The other one blew into a neighbor's yard.
Me and David in class. David is mid-yawn.
So then I had to explain everything in Italian and I had to use my hands to speak because sometimes the language is difficult... and then Anna helped me make my bed and that was that. Just got new sheets from the cupboard.
Man. I'm an idiot.
My roommate's name is Alex. She's really into politics.
School is great so far. I'm taking an 8-credit course in Italian at this place nearby. It's called Centro di Cultura per Stranieri. I met some awesome people, and the other night I went out with a guy from Brazil (Felipe!), a girl from Norway (Gerd-Helen!), a guy from Java (David!), and a guy from Spain (Julian!).
Scotty also came to visit before he heads off to Prague before he goes back home to Australia. It's cool seeing someone from the other side of the world somewhere in between your home and theirs. He got told off by an old Italian lady for wearing flip-flops, though.
I think that about wraps it up. Anna just came in with my laundry. What a lady. Nobody's ever folded my underwear before.