Tears....

I woke up late this morning and did NOT want to get out of bed.  I ate breakfast, and chatted with Kelly for a few minutes on facebook.  I got dressed, in many layers, and started walking to school!  There was one moment on my walk to school where I thought, "oh my gosh...I live in Italy!!!" I love these moments because they remind me to be grateful for this opportunity!  I also saw this random broomstick, literally it looked like it was from "The Wizard of Oz" and my first thought was, "I did not know my momma was here already!!"  HAHA..I knew I had to take a picture and send it to her later!!

When I got to school I was dripping sweat down the back of my neck...but at least I was not cold!  No really though, my neck and forehead were sweaty from being so bundled up!

View from school this morning:

View of the mountains

When I went to class, one of the students said that Virginia was going to be late this morning.  So, I gave them a few minutes to greet each other and settle in.  Then, I got them to all sit down so we could talk!  I asked them to tell me about their weekends.  Surprisingly, they were pretty willing to open up, laugh, and share their weekends.  One girl went to a discoteca until 3:30 a.m. The others told me about how they spent Saturday with their families for the immacolata.  We were talking, laughing, and enjoying the time.  Virginia came in and seemed a little surprised that we were already talking, and seemed a little shocked at who all was talking to me.  They all seemed to shut down though. Virginia was going to leave to make copies, but then decided she did not need to, and started doing grammar and literature.  So, for me it was another day of just sitting there for two hours.  I have some input when it comes to differences between American and British English, but otherwise I am consistently a little confused and lost.  Even when I am asked questions, I am unsure of exactly what is being asked of me.  It's also hard to see some of them look so defeated.  I know how they feel; i've been there, and some days I am still there!  It is hard when you feel like you are not saying the right thing.

Break was good.  I worked on my to-do list, looked at some train schedules for future trips, and talked to Nick a bit!  I was telling him that I felt like I was not needed at school today, and had not felt very well, and wished I had stayed in bed.  Then, I took the computer lab key back to Virginia; she started petting me, telling me how beautiful I am, and how much she loves me!

Then, I headed to the other building to make some copies for Angelino's class and such.  I ran into two of his students: E. and another girl I like.  The other girl was dressed nicely and I found out that it is because she is a hostess for the school and some of the middle school students were there visiting.  E. hugged me and then we stepped inside because it was so cold.  She told me that we did not have class today because Angelino was not here.  WHAT?!?!? So then I saw one of the teacher's that I had dinner with one night.  She started talking to me and introduced me to some of the teachers that I think were from the middle school.  We started trying to explain Fulbright, etc.  It was nice to talk to them (in Italian).  I did not understand all that they said, but they were nice and that's what counts; they were so sweet to tell me how beautiful and young I look (a common theme here...the young thing...they all think I am 18 or 19...thanks, Ill be 27 in January...jaws drop)!  The teacher I know offered to buy me something to eat, but I was not hungry!  I thanked her many times for the offer, but just could not eat anything!

I walked out of the bar, and ran into E. again.  She hugged me sooo tightly, and reassured me that there was no class; that Angelino was gone.  She told me that she loved me and gave me kisses.  I love to love on my students.  I ran upstairs to find Francesca if I could and double check about Angelino!  She reassured me that he was not here.  So, I would have been so mad at this point, if it had not been for the sweet teachers and the love I received from E.  I was already feeling like I had wasted my day, and then I spent the two hours in the freezing computer lab only to find out that my last class was not going to happen! However, love from others helps!

So, I walked home, had lunch, found that Sofia had returned home, and relaxed a little before I headed out to the post office.  On the way there I saw this poster for a new bar...I am slightly offended by the connotation that this is what Americans ALL dress like, and thus it is an American bar...actually I cannot fully explain why I am offended, I just am!

The post office:  Well, I was so excited when I saw that it was NOT the same lady, and I was feeling REALLY optimistic about my chances of leaving with a package.  The man that went in before me was so grateful that I left him go before me, and then it turns out that IIII was glad he was not stuck in line behind me.  I handed the lady two pieces of paper and the ids of Lila and Ernesto, and from there it was all down hill.  It was a flurry of Italian and misunderstandings.  Another lady came up to help and they were confused and I was confused (and getting flustered, which meant my Italian was going out the window); at one point the lady suggested (being mean) that my "cap" (my knitted head wrap thingy from the Averys) was keeping me from understanding.  Really, I may not be able to speak to you, but you should NOT assume that I cannot understand you.  However, I could not understand the post office stuff.  So, I guess she was making a rather safe assumption, but say those things after I leave if you just have to say them...not in front of me.  A man behind me took pity on me and asked if I spoke English.  I said yes, and he spoke some English too! SO, he helped a little and they needed my passport.  Then I signed two pieces of paper, they handed them to me and said, "finito!!" What?? Excuse me where are my packages?? I could not make them understand, so I just left!

I immediately started crying...like uncontrollably.  I pulled my head thing lower in hopes that noone would notice, but I saw the helpful ENglish guy.  He asked if everything was okay, and I could barely speak so I just said yes, and thank you!!  I called my momma crying and told her that no one should send me anything!  It is not worth all of this!  I eventually hung up with her.  Nick had recieved my "I just want to go home" text and called.  I then just walked home crying.  I eventually dried up, called Lila to ask for help, and went to the fruit/veggie place.  Lila had been waiting at the post office for over 2 hours for something, which just reminded me that it happens to the Italians too, and they hate it just as much as I do!  So at the fruit/veggie place, the mom, daughter, and a friend were in there!  They were SO nice, friendly, and talkative.  It immediately made me feel better!!  The mom was "bragging" on me to the friend, telling her that I was an English teacher here.  I talked to them about living here, explained what I am doing, and just random stuff!  It was such a wonderful reminded of why I DO love living here!  She kept saying, "brava!" I thought this was so sweet of her!  I eventually headed home, with a smile on m face!

I ate a banana, which was cold and soooo good! I talked to April when I got back, and saw an email from my Erin.  I wrote blogs, messed around on the internet, and relaxed a little.

Lila came by to look at the paperwork, and turned out that they were not for my package AT ALL!!  They were just paperwork for her and Ernesto.  As soon as I got back upstairs I burst into tears again!  Soooo frustrated!! So, my two packages are still lost in limbo!! Who knows when I will get them!  If you are thinking of sending something...dont!  Or send it DHL...or just wait until I get home!!! I appreciate the thoughts, but I hte for you to spend the money and it not get here!! So, think twice before doing so!

Once everything was reopened I went out in search of books and Christmas gifts!  I went the wrong way at first, but it was good because I looked in some new shops.  I bought some bread for the week, and found the bookstore I was in search of! I did not see many things to buy, but it was fun to look!  I did find Nick a Christmas present...and I think it is PERFECT!!  I am excited!!  I walked to another store where I had seen some "Buon Natale" kitchen things, but they were out of them...BUMMER!!

I came home, made dinner, and worked some more.  For my veggies I used a new mix of spices: rosemary and oregano = AMAZING!!  I talked to Nick on the phone, Erin & April on skype, and plotted Erin's move to Italy!! ;)

I have some amazing, loving friends! 

I talked to my momma again, wrote blogs, talked to Nick, took a shower...SLEEEEEPPP!!!!