Sofia was awake when I got up, and I saw her briefly while I made oatmeal, which I am going to be out of in the near future...I suppose I can wait until my momma and Barbara come. I got dressed and was feeling rather American today in my polo shirt, columbia jacket, and houndstooth scarf.
My day was starting with Valeria's class, which was good because I really enjoy them. This one boy that has dreads and always has on band t-shirts came up and wanted me to listen to his music. He had nice headphones and had me listening to what was basically screaming and scratchy voices. I forgot who he said it was, but I was not a fan. However, I did enjoy that he wanted to share it with me! That made me happy! So, we eventually went upstairs to use the computer lab so that they could look at the "studying in the U.S." website I found for them. We looked (they had the website pulled up on the computer in front of them, and I had it on the big screen) at the information that the website provides; we talked about money, competitive nature of American colleges, things they need to do (study, participate in outside activities, etc.), and financial aid. Most of them want to get their bachelor's in Italy, which we learned in Rome is a good idea for them, and then study in the U.S. for a Master's. We looked at Alabama costs and Harvard costs. We talked specifically about architecture programs in the U.S., and I reassured them that when the time came, I could do my best to help them or point them to the right people. Overall, I thought it was a rather successful lesson, and I hope they found it helpful.
Next up was Patrizia's class. I started by asking them if they had heard about the tornado in Taranto, Italy. Some did hear about it on the news the night before. This was the class that I talked to about the Tuscaloosa tornado a few weeks ago. So, we looked at footage of the Italy tornado and then video footage of the Tuscaloosa tornado. They were shocked at how big these tornadoes were, and agreed that it was scary. They said that this NEVER happens in Italy, and Patrizia asked if I brought them with me! Oops..:I hope not!! So next I had them do the family word search and then talked about their families. They had smaller families than some of my other students. They still have a lot of cousins, but they were equally as shocked with the 35 cousins from the other day. We laughed a lot today in this class, and they did a great job of attempting to speak in the language. I was really proud of them! We agreed that next week we would do Christmas songs, but they had to translate them, and we would look at some songs in English. They are also going to translate part of the dialect song that I learned about from Rosina's students yesterday! I am excited to have these things and plan to keep them! So, I am looking forward to doing this with them next week!
Next I had a break, and I was headed to find the post office that is holding my packages hostage. I saw these booths being set up, and so I stopped at the tourist booth to ask for directions (Valeria's directions from earlier were not cutting it...not her fault though...). I spoke ONLY in Italian. So, I asked for directions and about the booths being set up. I was excited to find out that they were for a chocolate festival starting tonight at 6. Then I was off. I had to stop two more times for directions, and finally made it there. I took a number and started to worry that I would not have time to wait. So, I walked up close to the windows...just as the Italians do. This older man working there saw me and asked if he could help. He told me that I needed to go to another part of the post office, and was so sweet to explain it slowly in Italian! This new woman was NOT so nice. She said that I had no documentation that the name on the slips were me. I told her that they were not and that it was my landlord. She started barking at me about documentation and how I did not understand Italian (which she was saying over my shoulder to the people in line behind me). SO, I stood up for myself and told her that I do understand Italian, but I do not understand what I need and why i cannot have the packages that have my name on them. She told me I needed documentation that they were my landlords. I will not lie, I was so frustrated that I started crying after I was out of the post office and she could not see me; no way was I giving her the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I called my momma and complained. Then, I booked it back to school for my next class. The 1 hour break went by very quickly.
My last class for the day was Linda's class. We started late, but I had time to talk to them before. They are a group that tends to gather around me in the class as soon as I put my stuff down. We talked about meeting them somewhere to walk around Cosenza one day, shopping, and other small talk things. Then, we went to the lab and I did parts of my family presentation from the first weeks in other classes. I had them introduce themselves as well, and from this Linda had the idea for them to prepare something for me about their villages and Cosenza. They told me some historical information right then, and that was the most information I had since arriving. It made me excited to learn from them, and it gives them a great opportunity to practice their English. I asked them to do some of the written work in Italian if they could. I learned about a man being buried under the two rivers, and the statues in Corso Mazzini are actually an "Open Air Museum". We did have to stop once for me to ask that they listen to each other because it is respectful. I told them it was rude to talk over their classmates, I cannot hear when they do this, and neither can they! Linda chimed in an agreed with me, and they were very respectful from here on out. They were shocked when I told them about the 35 cousins, and they do not have this many. They did have big families, and they said it is crazy at Christmas and such. Overall, it was a GREAT lesson, and I am excited for them to start teaching me tomorrow.
Next up was home for lunch. This was the view from my room today while I was eating:
Now begins the FREAK OUT! For some reason, trying to book a hotel for New Years in Rome and for my momma and Barbara is FREAKING ME OUT TO NO END!! It was the most stressful hour or so. It does not help that I do not understand Rome, and Rome is probably my least favorite Italian city. I was just frozen in stress and trying to think about what all we needed and how it was different for each night. Thankfully Nick was helping me, and it does help that we have decided to also go to Gubbio for a night, so we will not have another hotel night. STRESSED...I WAS IN MELTDOWN/SHUTDOWN MODE!! Poor Nick..my poor momma got it also! It was not a pretty sight, and sweet Nick did book a hotel for all of it that CAN be cancelled, so I will look some this weekend and book trains. I had to shut down and walk away, so I hung up and went to the chocolate festival with Sofia. This walking away coping mechanism is MUCH healthier than my older habits of pushing myself to the true breaking point.
So, Sofia and I started walking. Conversation is a little bit difficult, but we manage to talk about some things, and it is good! The "festival" was not quite what I wanted it to be, but we walked and looked at each booth thingy (Ill take more pictures Saturday). We saw chocolate pasta (does not look appetizing),
However, it was nice to have something warm. Overall, I was happy we went, and I plan to go back for some gifts later.
We walked home in the rain, and then I started making dinner. We talked while I cooked, and it was nice to spend time with her!! I think I am going to really like her. It is still difficult at times because her English is not very good, and I am missing so much Italian vocabulary and my grammar is slipping too. However, I learned that she does have a boyfriend, she went to a classico high school, and her sister is at a university in Bologna. She is super sweet, and we agreed to help each other out. We had dinner Italian style: pasta first (con pesto) and then our chicken with veggies. It was really nice. I did have to get my dictionary out at one point. However, due to the storm we were having, and the fact that I had to defrost the chicken, I learned some new vocabulary! She was so sweet to wash all of the dishes once we were finished. Sofia is a very clean person, and sweeps waaaayyy more than I ever thought of doing.
After dinner, I came to my room and almost immediately skype rang and it was Meagan. I feel bad that I have missed her in the past few weeks on skype, and I keep missing Neal these days too! Meagan and I talked for a bit while I worked, and I just enjoyed talking to her! She has a super cute new haircut. It is so nice to talk to my bestest friends and people who love and support me!! It is so comforting, and I cannot wait for Meagan to come visit! While I was on the phone, Virginia called to talk to me about the translation thing. It is going to be translated from English to Italian, and is some sort of business document. She said, "you speak Italian", so you should be fine. I am thinking, "GOOGLE TRANSLATE!!" I am not a fan of people overestimating my abilities because it feels like I am being set up for failure (not intentionally). However, I agreed to look at the document.
It was raining and storming like crazy at this point, but oh well. I talked to April on skype, then took a shower and got ready for bed. I then talked to Nick for a while...it was good...deep...fun...
It was storming like crazy while we were on the phone. The lightening was so big and bright that I could see it through my sleep mask...it was serious business!!
Impara con me: congelato- frozen
scongelato- defrost
lampi- lightening
tuoni- thunder
So glad I got to see your face and talk! And I can't wait til I come visit either! :) Love, Meagan
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