Great day...and a guest

So today started out early.  I got dressed, checked emails/facebook, and headed to school.  I did do a little cleaning today since Nick is coming, but then I headed to school!

First up was Patrizia's class.  We were like 30 minutes late starting class, and class was a little all over the place because, well, it just was.  THe computer was not really loud enough for the songs to be heard.  So, I had to improvise a bit.  This whole teaching in front of students thing is really FORCING me to get over my public speaking fears...like right fast!  So, we made a list of their favorite Christmas songs in English; talked about whether they understand them or not (ehh...not really), and talked about other songs like "The 12 Days of Christmas", which they do not know.  They seem to REALLY love Michael Bublè, but who does not!  The whole class was a little disorganized, and I taught the entire class standing at the radiator (soo coold), but they were respectful of me, Patrizia, and each other!  So, while it was not quite what we had wanted it to be, I still felt okay about it!

During my 1 hour break, I had planned to buy a stamp for Brookie's card, but all I had was a 50 euro, so no dice!  Then I killed time in the bookstore!  There are SO many books I want to buy, and I discovered more today!  After this, I realized I needed to head back towards the school.  I went to the newer building to print some things before I went to class in the other buliding.  I was able to print lesson stuff, and a few of my train tickets!  Yay!

My next class was Linda's.  We were about 20-25 minutes late because the students were arguing with teachers about having to take two tests on Monday.  They said it was not fair to make them study that much for a Monday, a day which apparently has a rule about not having homework, tests, or oral interrogations.  They said that because Saturday was a holiday, and a day to be spent with family, it was not fair to make them study for two tests on Sundays.  Then they told me that their solution would be to just not come to school.  When I asked if they would still have to make up the test they answered, "umm...no? Umm we dont know!"  Umm...You can't find that in the United States.  This blew my mind!  Students can just not show up to school for a test, and the teacher cannot reschedule it and make them take it at a later time?? Do they not get a 0 for a grade?? We would certainly have to adhere to rules about make-up exams and then failing grades if we, well, failed to make up the test.  They asked me what students would do in the U.S., and I said, "well, we would just have to study for the tests!"  They were shocked...so it was a mutual feeling!  Where is the accountability in this?? Where is the grading system?  Where is the sense of responsibility?  When Linda came in and heard them complaining and arguing, she essentially told them to suck it up and take the tests; they were not having this!

So, once we got started, we made it through 3 more student presentations!  It was awesome! I love learning about Cosenza from my students!  I love that they are willing to stand up and speak for me, and I just enjoy that they seem happy in class!  This group is very respectful of each other, and listens.  THey were very involved today in what everyone was saying, and excited to see if I could pronounce the dialect words!  I love when we are having fun, they are speaking English, I am learning Italian, and everyone is respectful of each other!  This in my book = MAJOR SUCCESS!!!

During my second break, I made copies for my "Christmas in Dixie" lesson, spoke in Italian a good bit, concluded that the Questura did in fact send me a text message about my Permesso being ready to pick up, and studied some Italian vocab!  THe Questura thing shocked me...everyone said this would never happen!  Let's hear it for Cosenza!!! Also, I had my first coffee out of a machine.  I chose the cappuccino, but decaf.  Do not judge.  This was really cheap, and by my standards it was really good!

My last class of the day was Rosina's class.  EE. came up and gave me a huge hug!! I love that at both school's I have a student who hugs me almost every day; makes me happy!  So, I had forgotten that today was the day this class was going to sing the 'strina for me.  So, one of the boys brought his guitar, and they all looked up words on their phones because the words change, and so they were trying to find a common version!  This is the link to the version that they have used to teach me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P9YvBaD_Wk
Again, this is dialect, not Italian.  I had so much fun videoing them doing this!  Ill try to post the video later.  So, once we were finished with this, one of the students whose mom made me some chinuliddre (a traditional Christmas treat, again, in dialect), shared the treats with the class.

Students with their teacher (next to girl in red sweater)

Me with the students!! 

My sweet student whose mom made them

One kind was made with Nutella, and the other with a grape jelly containing nuts.  They were both AMAZING!!!  So delicious, and so sweet of his mom to make them for us!  So then we made a list of their favorite English Christmas songs, which was almost identical to the list my class made this morning.  Then they told me that one of the girls in the class has an amazing singing voice, and she sings Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" really well!  So, we talked her into singing, but she would not let me video!  However, she has the most amazing voice!!  It was so beautiful!!  By the way, the music was provided by a student who was connecting his phone to his computer.  The students in Italy amaze me with what they bring to class, and get away with bringing to class.  So, then we talked a bit more.  They asked me if I knew the "Gangnam style".  I told them that I knew of it, but had not learned the dance!!!  So, they decided to demonstrate.  Let me just say these: 1. These guys were hilarious 2. This would never happen in the states 3. At one point one of them was riding the other like a horse 4. I could not stop laughing 5. I HAVE THIS ON VIDEO.  I also got a performance from the Mariah Carey student, and the guitar player because they had written a song for a school competition, so I videoed this.  She just has the most beautiful voice!  We planned some of our activities for next week, and then Rosina made them go around and say whether they thought today was fun! They all answered yes, but she seemed a little annoyed that we just had so much fun, and I did not make them speak more than they did!  However, I considered today a success because we had fun, they did speak some, I learned from them, and it was nice to just relax and not put pressure on them to speak.  When it was time to leave, I said goodbye to  Patrizia and Rosina, and I was off.

On my walk home I saw a potential Christmas tree, but did not buy it.  As I walked home in the sunshine, with homemade Italian treats in my hand (made by a student's mom), I realized, "HOLY COW...I LIVE IN ITALY AT CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!"  I went down to the pastry shop to see if they would be open tomorrow (a holiday), and I had to ask in Italian and understand his response.  I understood some, but enough to know that they were in fact open in the morning at least.

Then I came home, ate lunch, talked to April, and relaxed a little bit.  The conversation with April was long and interesting.  Ideas were formulated...schools were looked at...Ill write more about it when I know more about it.

In my impatience, I got dressed and went out to the Coros to see if I could find the free cuddruriaddri that Linda told me about.  There were some more lights up in the Corso; I saw one of my students (the boy who claims to be athiest and hates Christmas); I saw Santa on a sleigh; etc.

I slowly made my way down the Corso, and ended up at the "Christmas market".  This is really just a place set up for now to buy Calabrian meats, cheeses, wines, sweets, etc.  I accidently went in the wrong way, but it was a wonderful accident because I discovered that they were making cruddriarddri and giving them away for free.  I decided to join the little crowd waiting for them, and was asked by one man where I was from (because I was taking pictures), and was this my first time to have them.  He was so excited when I finally got one, and LOVED it!  They are made out of potatoes, flour, and salt, and then they are fried.  THEY ARE AMAZING!!!

Making them into rings (like donuts)

Making more...the balls before making them into rings

IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So then I walked around and looked at things while I ate it. At one of the cheese stands, I asked the guy if they were open tomorrow, because I wanted to bring Nick back.  He immediately said, "English?? Where are you from??"  Ahh, come on guys.  Am I that terrible??  However, it was amazing because a guy standing next to me turned and said (in English), "what state?"  When I said Alabama, he started telling me about how he lived in Huntsville, Alabama for 18 months working with the U.S. Army on something.  He had been to Birmingham, Alabama.  WHAT A SMALL WORLD!!!! Crazy!  HE was really sweet, and I explained why I was here!  He was so nice and wished me luck in my time here!  The cheese guys were even joking around with us, and would not give him cheese unless IIII said it was okay!!  I tasted a few things, but then I decided to walk home so I could write blogs and make dinner for when Nick arrived.  First I stopped in the grocery store nearby (one of my original destinations) and bought a few things I needed for dinner, including a local wine that was only like 3 euros.  I love that in Italy, cheese, wine, and olive oil are so cheap!

Nick actually called me while I was walking home, and asked if we were good with our table reservation at "Crazy Bull", and I had to cover and just say things were fine.  Haha.  I stopped and go the stamp I needed, because I had been able to break the 50 at the grocery store, and then I ran into a student from the school in Cosenza.  She is the one in Valeria's class who is awesome at English.  She was on her way to meet her friends somewhere on the Corso!

I came home to find we had a Christmas tree in the lobby

I came home, talked to April on skype, and worked on blogs.  I was so impatient for Nick to arrive though!!  His train was a little delayed, and so dinner was ready a little early!  I made him chicken, veggies, and pasta, while I just had some veggies and a few noodles (i'd already had enough to eat).  However, when he did arrive, I ran downstairs to meet him.  We ate dinner, talked, danced, and just had a great time!  It was late though, so we decided to call it a night pretty early!  I was so excited he was here though!!!  I was also excited to surprise him with dinner instead of having to go back out in the cold and wait a while for food!

Our local wine...we went to this castle the first time Nick came to Cosenza