There was also ANOTHER TERRIBLE storm last night...so that was fun.
My day started way too early, and I am almost out of oatmeal. It was storming when I woke up, and I was so bummed. This meant I had to wear my Mary Janes (crocs..) because I did not bring rain boots. Also, my long jeans were drying, so I had to wear cropped jeans and it was sooo cold. I bundled up in my Alabama fleece, Alabama scarf, Columbia rain jacket, and tobbogan. Thankfully by the time I walked to the bus there was a break in the rain. I probably could have walked to school, but decided not to risk it. There were these ladies that were waiting on the bus, and complaining that it was late, but then they got off at the very next bus stop! THen, the controllare people got on and checked our tickets...this always makes my heart race a bit, even though I KNOW I have bought my ticket; however, most people on the bus have NOT!!
One of the first people I saw at school was E., my fave student. When I saw Virginia she said, "why did you straighten your hair?? And you have on make up." Umm...I did not really know how to respond to this really. So, I wanted to dry my hair, and I wear make up every day. We went to class and Virginia told me that she broke her other glasses this morning, which cost over 500 euros...which I believe because she was blind in one eye a few years ago and had surgery. I rarely see her without her two pairs of glasses. So, we started the class with grammar and once again I was reminded of how I have NO CLUE about English verbs and grammar because I just use it. Virginia asked my input about a few things. I would be so lost in this class because the topic of conversation or study changes by the minute I feel like. Then, their homework involved reading something about Prince Charles, and when Virginia was trying to come up with Prince William's name, she asked me. I of course knew his name because as a middle schooler I was IN LOVE with Prince William. Virginia immediately turned to me and said, "OH MY...do you know that Nick looks like and reminds me of Prince William??" I just wanted Virginia to stop saying his name outloud in front of the students.
Some teacher came in and Virginia immediately said to get our stuff and go to the lab so that I could finish the election presentation. It went well. Virginia was in and out, and the students were very interactive. I felt like I did a particularly good job of explaining the electoral college today, so I felt rather accomplished in that. Then they (& Virginia) started asking me which states were which. Virginia chimed in with, "where is Nick from??" Umm..Virginia, please stop talking about him in front of the students...please and thank you! However, I explained that my friend Nick, whom they met, was from Washington STATE, not Washington D.C. She kept asking me about where he studied, which was also Washington state. We talked about some other random things, and then Virginia told me that some students may have an opportunity to go go NYC...ummm hello, don't they need an extra chaperone!?!?!? ;)
With this, class was over. Virginia stayed to talk to me for a few minutes. She is so excited that my mom is coming to visit. She wants to know what all she is interested in seeing. Then she started talking about Nick again, and I told her how "in love" I was with Prince William when I was younger...she said, "ahhh you found your prince charming!" OOOOOHHHH Virginia...always a million steps ahead of everyone else!
So, Virginia had to go to class, so she left me in the lab. The internet was not working, but I was able to get a lot of planning done for the week, and thus my week will be less stressful. When I went to get the key to the bathroom, the guy also gave me some of that insanely strong coffee they make. It was sweet though, and so I drank a little bit of it. I eventually went to give Virginia the key back and told her that Nick was coming next weekend. She was so excited and said that she would make us that chocolate cake she had not been able to deliver on for Thanksgiving. Haha...Virginia! She also started telling me how beautiful she thinks I am...sweet Virginia.
Next up was supposed to be Angelino's class. When I was waiting outside of the classroom, the students all came from upstairs and greeted me. Have I mentioned how much I love this group of students? They started telling me how I did not need to be in class because Angelino was not going to be there. They were all gathered around me talking when this strict looking teacher came up and shuffled them into the classroom, gave me a quick apology, and then shut the door. I was left standing there without any real explanation as to why I was not going to have my hour with them. 1. I had waited for 2 hours for this class 2. I love this group and actually look forward to them, despite the noise level some days! So, I ran upstairs and asked a lady where Angelino was and she confirmed what the students said about him being in some sort of test. I ran to ask Virginia what she thought...then, without asking I ran back to see if I could find Francesca, or someone who spoke English because I knew I missed a lot of what that other lady said. However, when I could not find anyone, I went back to find Virginia. She said, "well, I think you can go home!" Haha...okay...not complaining.
So, I decided to walk home because I never saw a bus, and for that matter, one never passed me....(later found out there was a strike of sorts). So, I talked to Nick as I walked home in the...HAIL!! Yes, it was hailing most of the time I walked home. Never really rained, but there was so much hail and it kind of hurt my feet. I stopped and bought some bread at my new favorite bakery, and then headed home. I had lunch and looked for a hotel for the last night in Rome. Nick was waiting on news about whether or not his students would protest this week. If they do, he will come to Cosenza, and if not, he will just come next weekend. However, his plan is to come both times if they protest.
Then I talked to my momma, made some tea, and called the contact guy that Alessandra gave me for the church. I talked to him and he was really sweet! He said that we could meet tomorrow so that I could meet his family and such. He said that it is an International church, and a lot of South Americans. I hung up not really sure what to think, but I felt excited.
I then laid down to take a nap, but I only slept 20ish minutes out of the 50 minutes I had allotted. My phone buzzed what felt like a million times. First it said "unknown", and then a US number. I looked up the area code and it was a Washington D.C. number. I tried to close my eyes again, but then my phone buzzed with an Italian number. I answered and it was the guy that Virginia spoke with about me translating some sort of legal document. He was speaking in Italian, and miraculously I understood him. He told me that his son tried to call me and then in a rather harsh tone said, "why did you not answer????" I was a little taken aback by that, but I just told him that I had not known the answer (by the way I had to think on my toes in Italian...and I succeeded!!!!). He accepted this answer and then called his son while we were on the phone. He told me that his son would call again. So, once that was over, I was officially awake. The son did eventually call, and asked if I preferred Italian or English and that it was all the same to him. This did confuse me because why is he needing someone to translate from English to Italian if he is fluent in both languages?? However, he started telling me that it was a 30 page document that he would need before Saturday (at the latest)....excuse me what?? Virginia has got to stop overestimating my Italian skills. So, I told him that I am NOT fluent...which made him immediately say that this was not a job for me...umm...DUH!! So, with that off my back, I decided to slowly get dressed to go out for a passeggiata.
So, for passeggiata I walked down the Corso, taking my time a bit. I went in Zara and tried on a coat and dress...hated them both! I walked in a few other clothing stores, but let's face it...I do NOT want to spend my money on these things!!
I walked slowly and talked to Nick on the phone. I love being able to just go out for a leisurely walk with things to look at and enjoy! I walked down a different street and found this store that Nick and Mattea told me about called COIN. It has clothes, household items, etc. Towels for the equivalent of $50...these people have lost their minds. They had some beautiful Christmas things, some 500 euro down comforters, etc. They had some cool kitchen stuff that I highly doubt that the Italians actually use. However, it is good to know that this place is here!!
When I got home Sofia was there making dinner. She sat down to eat, so I made dinner behind her. I was not starving, so I had two eggs with a little bit of cheese, an apple, and one tostate thing with jelly. It was such an "American" meal I felt like. However, the soup stuff that Sofia made smelled really good, but came from a packet; proving that the Italians do not make everything fresh!
After dinner I talked to Nick, "wrote blogs", played on youtube listening to music, talked to April, etc.
One thing that is bothering me: The principal at my school does not seem like she likes me; the one that made the comments to Nick about me not speaking Italian very well. Every time I see her now and try to speak to her she barely responds and will not smile. I continue to smile and speak to her, but I do not understand this. It is very frustrating to me because I genuinely want to be kind to her, but I want her to respond and reciprocate. I know that I am not fluent, but I am trying. I am learning more and more every day! How can she write me off so quickly. I learned at an early age that not everyone is going to like you, and that is okay. However, to not want to speak to me because I am not fluent in Italian, well that is just silly.
Anyway, I am trying not to let it bother me too much. I spent a lot of time on the phone with Nick tonight...
It is so good to see prayers being answered...God is so good and faithful. I already knew this, but He amazes me each and every day. He blesses me more than I can even say!
With this, class was over. Virginia stayed to talk to me for a few minutes. She is so excited that my mom is coming to visit. She wants to know what all she is interested in seeing. Then she started talking about Nick again, and I told her how "in love" I was with Prince William when I was younger...she said, "ahhh you found your prince charming!" OOOOOHHHH Virginia...always a million steps ahead of everyone else!
So, Virginia had to go to class, so she left me in the lab. The internet was not working, but I was able to get a lot of planning done for the week, and thus my week will be less stressful. When I went to get the key to the bathroom, the guy also gave me some of that insanely strong coffee they make. It was sweet though, and so I drank a little bit of it. I eventually went to give Virginia the key back and told her that Nick was coming next weekend. She was so excited and said that she would make us that chocolate cake she had not been able to deliver on for Thanksgiving. Haha...Virginia! She also started telling me how beautiful she thinks I am...sweet Virginia.
 |
| Straight hair...and rocking my toboggan |
So, I decided to walk home because I never saw a bus, and for that matter, one never passed me....(later found out there was a strike of sorts). So, I talked to Nick as I walked home in the...HAIL!! Yes, it was hailing most of the time I walked home. Never really rained, but there was so much hail and it kind of hurt my feet. I stopped and bought some bread at my new favorite bakery, and then headed home. I had lunch and looked for a hotel for the last night in Rome. Nick was waiting on news about whether or not his students would protest this week. If they do, he will come to Cosenza, and if not, he will just come next weekend. However, his plan is to come both times if they protest.
Then I talked to my momma, made some tea, and called the contact guy that Alessandra gave me for the church. I talked to him and he was really sweet! He said that we could meet tomorrow so that I could meet his family and such. He said that it is an International church, and a lot of South Americans. I hung up not really sure what to think, but I felt excited.
I then laid down to take a nap, but I only slept 20ish minutes out of the 50 minutes I had allotted. My phone buzzed what felt like a million times. First it said "unknown", and then a US number. I looked up the area code and it was a Washington D.C. number. I tried to close my eyes again, but then my phone buzzed with an Italian number. I answered and it was the guy that Virginia spoke with about me translating some sort of legal document. He was speaking in Italian, and miraculously I understood him. He told me that his son tried to call me and then in a rather harsh tone said, "why did you not answer????" I was a little taken aback by that, but I just told him that I had not known the answer (by the way I had to think on my toes in Italian...and I succeeded!!!!). He accepted this answer and then called his son while we were on the phone. He told me that his son would call again. So, once that was over, I was officially awake. The son did eventually call, and asked if I preferred Italian or English and that it was all the same to him. This did confuse me because why is he needing someone to translate from English to Italian if he is fluent in both languages?? However, he started telling me that it was a 30 page document that he would need before Saturday (at the latest)....excuse me what?? Virginia has got to stop overestimating my Italian skills. So, I told him that I am NOT fluent...which made him immediately say that this was not a job for me...umm...DUH!! So, with that off my back, I decided to slowly get dressed to go out for a passeggiata.
So, for passeggiata I walked down the Corso, taking my time a bit. I went in Zara and tried on a coat and dress...hated them both! I walked in a few other clothing stores, but let's face it...I do NOT want to spend my money on these things!!
I walked slowly and talked to Nick on the phone. I love being able to just go out for a leisurely walk with things to look at and enjoy! I walked down a different street and found this store that Nick and Mattea told me about called COIN. It has clothes, household items, etc. Towels for the equivalent of $50...these people have lost their minds. They had some beautiful Christmas things, some 500 euro down comforters, etc. They had some cool kitchen stuff that I highly doubt that the Italians actually use. However, it is good to know that this place is here!!
When I got home Sofia was there making dinner. She sat down to eat, so I made dinner behind her. I was not starving, so I had two eggs with a little bit of cheese, an apple, and one tostate thing with jelly. It was such an "American" meal I felt like. However, the soup stuff that Sofia made smelled really good, but came from a packet; proving that the Italians do not make everything fresh!
After dinner I talked to Nick, "wrote blogs", played on youtube listening to music, talked to April, etc.
One thing that is bothering me: The principal at my school does not seem like she likes me; the one that made the comments to Nick about me not speaking Italian very well. Every time I see her now and try to speak to her she barely responds and will not smile. I continue to smile and speak to her, but I do not understand this. It is very frustrating to me because I genuinely want to be kind to her, but I want her to respond and reciprocate. I know that I am not fluent, but I am trying. I am learning more and more every day! How can she write me off so quickly. I learned at an early age that not everyone is going to like you, and that is okay. However, to not want to speak to me because I am not fluent in Italian, well that is just silly.
Anyway, I am trying not to let it bother me too much. I spent a lot of time on the phone with Nick tonight...
It is so good to see prayers being answered...God is so good and faithful. I already knew this, but He amazes me each and every day. He blesses me more than I can even say!
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