Train...train...bus...train...bus...home

I was really sad for Monday to come because it meant that I had to leave Mattea.  We got dressed, walked to her school (not easy with suitcase and laptop bag in hand), and I met some of her students and other people she works with.  THe only class I was going to get to attend was Gianluca's class, the boy from Saturday night.  They are 5th year students, but they were soooooo quiet and Gianluca was definitely the best one in the class; he has to hold his tongue from giving the answers because he knows most of them and everyone else does not.  So, we had them do "running with words" using an article from "The Onion" about Burlusconi and his sex scandals and such.  She talked a bit about satire and then they did the activity.  They did a pretty good job, but most of them skipped parts of the speech, and then told us that they were finished.  So, Mattea had them read their results, and then she went over some vocabulary. 

When class was over, we said goodbye to them, and her teacher Patrizia.  Then, we met some of her students in the hallway, and I was SUPER impressed with their English.  Also a bit jealous that they are willing to/capable of carrying on conversations with her in English.  They talk to her about so much; my students can barely speak to me in English!  Anyway, so we talked to them for a bit, used the clean bathroom, and then grabbed my stuff.  Mattea walked me to one of the streets I had to take, and then I was taking the route she showed me yesterday.  It was a pretty decent walk, and again while dragging my stuff behind me.  However, I made it to the station with plenty of time to spare; I bought one last small pasticciotto, but this one had apple in it and it was SOOOOOOOO good! 
Here are some pictures of a typical pasticciotto: 

Here is a website

 

 
My first train was a nicer train, and so I was able to plug my phone in for good measure, and talked to Nick most of the way to Bari.  The Bari train station was HORRENDOUS...I hated it. I was lost, and there was nobody to help you.  The customer service was in a completely different building...I stopped and got a sandwich in a bar that was unattached to the station....and then the platform had a weird name and it wasn't labeled anywhere.  I had to ask a girl and she showed me.  Then, I was confused and so I just followed a crowd, hoping they were going the right way!  They were all waiting outside of the train, arguing in Italian.  I asked an official looking guy if this was the train to Taranto, and it was.  So, I pushed my way through the awkward crowd, and got on the train.  I asked one other girl, just to be sure, and then I settled in.  I slowly ate my sandwich, wrote some things, and just tried to relax about the upcoming bus ride. 

I had about ten minutes to get on the bus, so naturally, I ran and put my stuff on the bus, and then went back to the bathroom!  The bus ride turned out to be just fine because I talked to Nick the ENTIRE time!! For the almost 3 hour bus ride we talked...and talked...and never ran out of things to talk about!  How amazing is that?  The coastline was beautiful again, but the annoying thing was that the ride was taking longer than expected.  It was about 7 minutes until my train when I realized that we were definitely NOT going to make it!  Others on the bus were becoming agitated as well, but there was nothing we could do about it!  Sweet Nick looked up the train schedule for me and found that there would be another train about an hour and a half later, which was not ideal, but at least there would be a train!  So, we finally arrived around 5 or so minutes after our train was supposed to leave, and there was a MASS EXODUS off the bus and everyone was rushing to grab their things.  I had to pee so badly, but there was no time for these things; not until we saw if the train was still there.  So, as we were all running into the station, they were announcing that the Cosenza train was leaving soon!  So, I was slightly freaking out because the train was on Binario (platform) 2, which meant I was searching for the sottopassaggio, which takes you under the platforms.  Then, I saw all of the Italians jumping down on to the train tracks to get to the train.  So, if all of your friends jump off a bridge, would you do it to?  Hmm...this time...YES!  So, when in Sibari, I did as the Italians did...I jumped down on to the tracks with my luggage, and then boarded the train!  It was somewhat crowded, and the lady I was sharing space with was not willing to share much of that space.  Then, the train was so miserably hot all the way to Cosenza, that I thought I would throw up.  I talked to Nick on and off, and then finally arrived in Cosenza. 

I only had to wait for the bus in Cosenza for like 5 minutes.  Then, when I tried to pay for the bus, the guy told me not too! So sweet!  Thanks guy, for saving me that euro!  There was a stop right by my apartment, which I never knew existed, and so then I was home. 

When I arrived at home, I found the garbage that had been there for almost a week...annoyed that she was here all weekend...filling it up more...plus, she is here most of the day, every day, I was so annoyed.  So, I left it there...(and I ended up leaving it there until my friend Andrea came on Thursday)...but I just could not believe it!  She has NEVER, not once, taken out the garbage. While annoyed, it could OBVIOUSLY be TEN TIMES WORSE!!   So, I had oatmeal for dinner, with an apple and some tea;  I planned some lessons...talked to Nick...looked around on facebook...talked to my momma...talked to April...skyped with Nick....went to bed!!!!!!!!!