Playing Hookie

Saw my favorite Italian movie on tv last night- La vita è bella. In italian, while I was in Italy. Wow!

Wake up early this morning to my hostel mate's alarm clock going off. Open the blinds to see lots and lots of rain. Contemplate going to Florence instead of school. Don't know if I'll be able to go before I leave and decide to just do it. Best decision this week!

Walk past school on the way to the train station and feel a little guilty, but keep going. Train ride goes well; arrive in Florence where it is also raining, but won't let it get me down.

The nice thing about Italy is you can walk around and then bam! Out of nowhere comes some massive beautiful building. Definitely doesn't get old.

Came to Florence with one goal: see David. I know there is a ton of art in Florence, but after seeing Pietà last time in Rome I know I need more Michelangelo. I pretty much make a beeline for the museum- I read online that the wait can be horrendous. Arrive and literally walk right in. Do a happy dance. The museum won't let me take pictures, so I can't show you what it looked like from my perspective. Google "David" and then hold your computer 20 feet above your head. It looked like that (plus goosebumps and yes, I almost cried. Think it was remnants of last night's movie or something.) I loved it.

Leave the museum and wander in to a giant street market. I passed it earlier, but was in a rush to see my man Dave. Now it is raining less and I have time to look around. Buy a couple random things and look around for a place to eat.

See a menu in an alley and start reading. Decide it sounds okay and close my umbrella  fight with stupid cheap umbrella. A waitress opens the door, takes the frustration out of my hands and drops it in a bucket next to the door. I like this restaurant already. I come in and sit down. It's mostly empty but there's a man who looks possibly English-speaking at the table next to me. The waitress comes up and I attempt Italian. She is incredibly patient with me, which I appreciate. I order a spicy dish, but I think on the menu it was labeled "angry." I ask the waitress, but I'm not sure she understood what I was asking.

The food comes out and I continue talking with the waitress and the man behind the bar (the owner?) They do the friendly "my city is better than yours" bicker that Italians are so good at. I laugh a lot and try not to take sides. Lunch is absolutely delicious and I eat too much. I order coffee at the end of the meal and they try to make me choose who will make it, thus determining which city I favor. They bring the coffee and offer a piece of the absolute best tiramisu I have ever had. I'm not sure what face I made when I took my first bite, but the owner called the waitress over to look. I'm telling you, it was amazing.

I'm not sure how long I stay, but I'm happy for every minute. When I am getting ready to leave, I say my goodbyes, take a few pictures, and walk towards the door. The owner corrects my rudeness and reminds me Italians part by kissing cheeks. I apologize for my American-ness and take part in a ritual that no longer freaks me out. I leave with a feeling that can only come from a good meal with good people.

Tuesday

I notice today (or rather, someone else bluntly states) I am starting to get a routine. I understand the bus system (take it in the morning and just walk home.) I know where the supermarket is, where to buy credits for my phone, where to go for medicine, how early I have to wake up to rush and finish my homework, I understand it takes 2 days for my clothes to dry. I'm doing pretty good.

So I should stay here, right? :)

Brussel Sprouts

This time next week I'll be back on a flight to America. : (  Time has definitely gone fast, but I hope to enjoy this week to the max. I'm not sure when I'll be able to return, but I will return!

Class has been going well. I still feel like it's a little fast, but I'm doing the best I can. This morning my head felt horrible and I was choking on something in my throat. (Side note: learned today I do not want to speak anything but English when I am not feeling great.) Actually attempted to leave in the beginning of class, had my folder closed and ready to shove in my bag, when the teacher misunderstood me and I couldn't leave without being completely awkward. I felt better after about an hour though, so I'm glad I stayed. I will continue to refuse to be sick while I am here.

After class, I walked around Corso Italia with two of my classmates. It was so nice to get a few things off my chest and not spend most of my day wandering solo. Of course I would start to make friends right before I leave.

Bought an interesting assortment of vegetables the other day. Sometimes I'm not completely sure what I'm buying, but I'm here for an adventure so it doesn't really matter. Really couldn't figure out what the green round balls were, so I googled "green round balls" and eventually figured out they were brussel sprouts. Absolutely awesome. I don't know who gave brussel sprouts a bad rap, but they really are good. They taste like peanuts and Christmas. I recommend you try them as soon as possible.

Interesting fact: In Italy, Ricola is candy, not cough drops. Benagol is used for miserableness. They work really well for about 10 minutes. 5 points for the braille on the package, the blind get sick too!

Would also like to note the "antisettico" claim. I'm not sure that's possible, but I will save a few to lick and smear on my hospital shoes, just in case.

Hello!

I'm falling so far behind on the blog!

The picture is from Wednesday night, when Sabrina (one of my classmates) had a get together at her house. Everyone brought a dish from their country. All together there was German, Chinese, Portugese, French-Canadian, American, and (of course) Italian food. It was all good and definitely interesting.

I brought green bean casserole (there's nothing that's truly "American" besides McDonald's, and I refuse to bring that!) The only problem was finding the ingredients. I found one can of "mushroom soup" on the top back corner of the last shelf in the grocery store. It had a little dust on it, but it hadn't expired yet. Cost about $5... no wonder no one buys it! Couldn't find French onions and didn't think to make them myself. Also couldn't find pepper. I considered making peanut butter cookies instead, but I couldn't find the sugar. I KNOW Italy has sugar, but when I asked where it was, the clerk just said "in front." In front of what?! Decided to stick with original plan. Bought potato sticks hoping it would be at least a little like onions. By far not the best thing I have made, but oh well!

Class has been going well. Right now we're going over "conditional" verbs. I don't really understand it because there's not an equivalent in English. It's basically a way to use a verb when it's a possibility, an opinion, or said politely. I suppose sticking "may I" in front of verbs is as close as English gets. I understand how to conjugate them, but thinking about how to use them just hurts my head too much.

>2 weeks In

I can't believe how quickly time goes by. I've got less than 2 weeks before it's back to America :( I looked in to extending my stay, but I can't think of a good excuse and it's probably best if I don't spend extra money for nothing.

I arrive at school today without any problem. I do see my old teacher and wave hello. She comes over and asks why I didn't come to my tutoring session yesterday. Guess I misunderstood that I will be tutored every day this week. (For free! How's that for good luck?) Couldn't decide if I should tell her I misunderstood and risk her thinking she sucks, or admit it and prove I do need the extra help. I made sure I came back today.

Have a new teacher (the fast class teacher is randomly in London for the next 2 days.) Dread the introduction. I'm not sure why, but I am incapable of answering a question without making a question. I think I am trying to mimic the sing-song of Italian, but the closest I can get is just raising my voice at the end of the sentence. What is my name? Amanda? How old am I? 22? Do I like Pisa? Yes? By the last question I am determined to answer without asking. She asks me where I'm from and I say Flor-duh. She stares at me and the girl next to me explains I'm from Flor-i-da. My nervousness is bringing out my southern accent.

Unfortunately the teacher doesn't see this as a cue to discontinue questioning and asks me why I'm here. I tell her I don't know (because at this point, I don't.) She asks again, but slower, why am I here? I tell her I understand the question, I just don't know my reason. She asks if I work in America, and I answer I worked in drug rehab. She gives me another weird look and goes to the next person. I'm sure she thinks I confused the words "work in" with the words "went to".

P.S. Sorry for the reuse of an old picture, forgot to take one today!

Lucca

Sorry, I haven't been kidnapped, just busy.

Saturday Mona and I go to Lucca. I'd heard a lot about it (and it sounds like my nephew's name) so I was excited to go. You can definitely see the effects of autumn, everything is in shades of yellow, orange, and red. I love it!

Lucca is not nearly as big as I expected. I do find it quite charming though. There are not too many people, lots of ancient buildings, and it's enclosed in a pretty awesome wall. 

I wish I could say, oh I saw _____! And it is so _____! But really, I have I have no idea what I'm looking at. I just occasionally glance at the photos in the postcard shop. I figure if someone made it in to a postcard, it's worth seeing. Even though I would love to know the history of everything, I'm happier than I expected just to wander around where I want, and take pictures of anything I find interesting.

I don't count the number of churches I see in any city, because there are just too many. If you think there are a lot of churches in the "bible belt", you haven't been to Italy.

I like how all the churches have bell towers. The little songs are a nice way to announce the time (unless it is 12, then they go on forever.)

The town is completely deserted when Mona and I arrive. The only people we see are other tourists. Mona decides I am in charge of the map (she doesn't know me well.) I do quite well with it, and I am even able to help a few other lost tourists.

We wander around Lucca for an hour and realize we've seen everything. Really didn't expect that! Mona chooses a place to eat lunch (everything is the same to me) and we talk about the differences in Denmark/Italy/America. We also continue to discuss how unfair it is that the school is splitting us. I really enjoy her company, and giving her the crazy face when our teacher is talking fast.

After lunch we continue our walk. At every intersection we have a quick discussion on which way to go. Some how we end up on the top of the wall, which is wide enough for pedestrians, lots of bicycles, and a car or two if they could drive up stairs. The views are wonderful. There's plenty of grass, mountains, blue skies, and leaves in all shades. The wall is lined with trees.

Because it is not a responsibility many people trust me with, I forget I am in charge of the map. My impulsive decisions brought us up the wall, but I can't find a way back down. I ask for help from a middle aged man and his wife, and for the first time in Italy I am rejected. I am really shocked, because Italians as a whole are extremely willing to help, especially when you attempt to ask in Italian. I ask the next person I see, who unfortunately isn't from Lucca but points us in the general direction.

On our way back to the train station, Mona and I agree that Lucca is smaller than expected but a great place to spend an afternoon walking.

Sunday I go to the mall with Dany and his cousin. Apparently everyone in Lucca, Pisa, and Tuscany in general wants to shop here. Dany is surprised I don't go crazy shopping- I am an American woman, right? (I am tempted, but I'm with two boys and I know I would make them crazy.) He also tells me I am amazingly pale for a Floridian. I want to tease back, but unfortunately the only thing I can think of is "yo momma", and I know that is not an option to say in Italy.

I'm in Trouble

At the 10 minute break halfway through class, I get called in to the director's office. Why does this feel like going to the principal's office? Stop freaking out. What did I do? Did I accidentally offend someone? Maybe something happened with my payment. No, I already paid. Crap. Crap. Crap.

Director greets me and tells me to sit down. A woman I've never seen before closes the door behind me. No! Closed doors are bad! The woman then sits next to me, and I look at her and awkward smile and look back at the director. Try to think of what I did while silently practicing "sorry" in Italian.

Director: "We talked to your teacher."
Me: Oh no, this is about the penis thing.
Director: "She says you are learning very quickly."
Me: Huh? "Me? Learning quickly?"
Director: "Yes. Why, you don't think so?"
Me: Crap, I gave the wrong answer. "Oh, well, maybe...?"
Director: "Today your teacher will give you private lessons after your class. We are going to teach you what the other students in your first class know. Then you will go back to that class Monday."
Me: Noooooo! "Oh, okay."

Spend a total of 3 hours in morning class. Leave for 1 hour break and talk with Mona (from Denmark) about how much I don't want to go back to my original class. I don't know how on earth my teacher thinks I can handle the fast class, I still can't remember whether I am cold or I have cold. And if I have cold, whether I am a man or woman. (For the record, ho freddo.) Mona isn't thrilled about me leaving either, because now she will be with a new group of students. She orders wine for lunch and apologizes for drinking so early in the day. I remind her we're in Italy, no worries.

Go back for one-on-one tutoring with the teacher. Learn to speak in past tense (while constantly accidentally referring to myself as a man.) Teacher cuts lesson short when she sees my eyes rolling back in to my head (literally.) Decide not to speak any language for the next two hours. Brain is beyond dead.

Laundry Lessons

Wake up to rain this morning, which was very bad news because I decided to do laundry last night. Unfortunately, I ran across a few problems and simple chore turned in to yet another lesson in Italian culture. Must add the following mental notes.

a) Italian washing machines are super small.
b) Italian washing machines are written only in universal symbols.
c) Universal symbols are universal only to Italians.
d) Tiny washing machines take a long time. A really long time.
e) When finishing laundry and Italians are home, they will give strange looks and offer to help confused American girls.
f) In Italy all laundry is dried outside on a line.
g) If you are unsure about hanging brightly colored underwear like it is a new country's flag, you must hang it inside across the foot of  bed.
h) Italians give more funny looks when hanging underwear on bed.
i) No matter what weather.com says, if there are clothes on the line it will rain all night and the next morning.
j) Americans are spoiled, and sometimes it's a very nice thing.
(Eventually I found a lavanderia and dried my clothes there.)

Later I conclude that I am overly eligible for the consistently misunderstood award. The more I attempt to speak Italian, the more I learn not everything translates well. Use word "stupid" in front of Dany's family and eliminate it from my vocabulary immediately following shocked faces. (Also decide not to let waiter choose pizza for me because he chooses a pizza that looks like a salad. Very tasty, but extremely messy to eat and thus I also qualify for slob award.)

Will close with this lovely exert from class:

Assignment: Describe picture on worksheet aloud to teacher and fellow classmate. Have teacher and classmate draw picture based on what you say.

(several minutes into assignment.)

Me: In the center of the plaza, there is a statue.

Teacher: What does the statue look like?

Me: Uh, it's tall.

Teacher: Is it a statue of a man or of a woman?

Me: Uh... no... 

Teacher: ...

(Rack my brain for a word to describe it. Hate having limited vocabulary.)

Me: Un pene.

Teacher: What?

(Feel face turning red.)

Me: Un pene. It's a penis.

Teacher: (laughing) Let me see.

(Hand her worksheet)

Teacher: (laughing) There are better words to describe that.

(It kinda looked like this.)

Sunshine!

Wake up this morning and peek out of the blinds to see beautiful sunshine! Am so excited it is not raining I get dressed in record time. Grab new, very expensive hair dryer and try to shove plug into tiny holes in the wall Italians call an outlet. Will not fit. Try every outlet in room before giving up. Make it to the bus stop quick enough to catch the early bus. Early bus does not come early because of horrible traffic. Fellow bus riders look quite angry, but I am smiling because the sun is shining!

Early bus that is running late gets me to school exactly on time. My teacher has a lot of patience, but I can tell by the look on her face she isn't thrilled by my horrible pronunciation. I try my hardest to guess, but sometimes g is guh and sometimes it is juh and sometimes c is chu and sometimes it is cuh. Usually, our conversation proceeds with the teacher reminding me this is not english class. So I try again. Then she reminds me this is not spanish either. I will learn one day, I hope.

School ends and before I know it, I've wandered halfway across the bridge that divides Pisa. All of this walking is improving my knowledge of Pisan roads, so I'm not too worried. Stumble upon tiny open market. Nothing too interesting, but the vegetables at the stand smell amazing. I never realized vegetables could have such a powerful smell. I walk back and forth in front of the stand sniffing until woman selling vegetables looks at me funny. I walk by one more time then sneek a picture.



I keep wandering around window shopping for clothes and jewelry that will never be in my price range (unless I one day marry a millionaire.) I do see a bookstore further down the road and never quite having enough willpower to resist any bookstore, I make a beeline. Most of the books look the same but in Italian. A few have different covers. I do notice the first book I ever learned to read in English and immediately know that this will be the first book I learn to read in Italian. I continue to be thrilled with today.

Get home after wonderful walk around Pisa and decide I can't just sit at home; there is always a possibility of rain tomorrow. Walk around and see Carrefour, which I'm quite sure is a giant car dealership. I definitely want to see how much a car in Pisa costs (solely to shock myself.)

Navigate crazy sidewalk towards Carrefour. I still close my eyes and hold my breath every time I step out in front of traffic, although this is probably not the best practice. The cars do consistently come to a screeching halt, thankfully. Cannot figure out how to get closer to the building, so I decide to walk up on-ramp. Not the best idea I've had, but the only car coming sees me and compensates their driving for my dumbness. See a sign for a store that sells food for dogs, cats, fish, birds, and toilets. Toilets?

Now that I am close to Carrefour I realize it is definitely not a place to buy a car. Walk in and am thrilled to realize it is another WalMart-like store complete with groceries and not nearly as full of people. I smile super huge at everyone and attempt to practice my horrible Italian with the cashier. Not really successful in speaking Italian, but really a great day overall.

Also learn via my dad's blog comment that mystery dresser is actually a well-disguised bed. Brava Italia, once again you surprise me!

All Saint's Day

Yesterday was a pretty simple day, filled with sitting around the house staring at the rain outside. Eventually Dany finished doing whatever he was doing and made the 45 minute trip to get me (a trip I'm sure he loathes by now.) We ate Chinese, and to say the restaurant was packed would be an understatement. Chinese here is a lot better than in America and no one questions if the meat is actually cat. 

Today I sleep in (again) because I am 99% sure I will wake up to the same rain as yesterday. Open up weird Italian blinds, and sure enough it is raining. I don't want to waste another day, so I get dressed, grab my umbrella, and head out in to the world. It is All Saint's Day in Italia, a holiday in which people celebrate the dead (and maybe saints?) In a Roman Catholic country this means everything comes to a stand still.

This indoor carousel is literally the only thing open.  It's still raining, and I keep walking around trying to deny it's slowly raining harder. After walking around 20 minutes under the now pouring sky, I decide to head back home. I give up on any significant adventures for today.

Attempt to watch Italian television, but only understand every 10th word. Try to watch The Office, but it is unavailable outside of the US. (Really want to smack whoever made this decision. The Office is the best thing we could possibly export.)

Eventually am bored enough to attempt wandering in the rain again. It's dusk, but I walk around until after dark in the rain. Find nothing open except tents selling key chains and t-shirts.

Come home to mystery that I have been unable to solve since day one. Some days, in the hall right outside my bedroom there is a dresser-like piece of furniture.

Other days, I come home and there is only a vase sitting on the floor. Sometimes dresser-like thing will disappear and reappear multiple times in one day. Someone is messing with the American girl's head.

Would like to add that the entire time I am writing, someone is outside holding their hand down on their car horn. As Dany would say, "Welcome to Italy."

Fine Settimana

Wake up after 9am today. First day sleeping late in Italy! I'm not meeting Dany until after lunch, so I have some time to kill. Want to attempt once again to find a grocery store and/or buy a hairdryer. Wish I have a pedometer, I'm curious how far I'm walking. I could use google maps, but that won't take in to account the multiple circles I seem to walk in.

Have no luck finding grocery store or hairdryer. Do find creepy looking church. It looks a lot happier in this picture than in real life. Just imagine the white skies as rainy-looking clouds. And add creepy music. And remember, you are alone.

At some point along my quest for groceries/hairdryer I become super hungry. Absolutely refuse to overpay for another hotdog at the Leaning Tower. Dany is also running late (although it isn't his fault.) Frustration+hunger+more frustration= Amanda in a bad mood. By the time Dany and his coworker pick me up, I am one sniffle away from breakdown. Act like typical person of my gender and insist I am fine, even with my sour face.


We stop at a mall and I eat. Am happier now, although still upset about general lack of being able to find what I want, when I want. Trying to learn some patience.

We go to a sports store to get appropriate clothing for tomorrow's adventure. Am not thrilled about how much jackets cost, but worth not feeling cold the rest of the trip.

Go back to mall, which contains a Coop (pronounced "cop"), a WalMart-like store that is big enough to eat anything America has come up with so far. Finally go grocery shopping. Grocery section is like the mall on Christmas Eve. Absolutely packed and chaotic. Find yogurt with a picture of acorns. Ask Dany what flavor it is, he points to the picture. I tell him acorns are for squirrels, but buy it anyway out of curiosity. Picking out fruits and vegetables is a nightmare. Here you have to wear gloves to pick out what you want, then you bag it like in the states. After, you fight to take it to a small scale to get a price sticker. Decide to just get tomatoes for now. 

WalMart on steroids also has (guess!) hairdryers! Am super thrilled until I see the prices. Seriously contemplate pros and cons of having wet head. Decide to go ahead and spend more euros on tiny travel size hairdryer than I did on home hairdryer that includes attachments. Hairdryer is half of my total bill. At least it promises a "model look." End up with this collection (clicking on the photo enlarges it, if you're curious about packaging.)


Google "nocciole". Happy to know Italians don't eat acorns, they eat hazelnuts.

Sweet Home Alabama

Woke up yesterday to another cold day. I'm starting to really like it even though I'm almost never warm. School was fine with the exception of the end of the class, when my teacher asked (in Italian) if I had learned anything. I told her I didn't understand what she was saying, she repeated herself slower. Still didn't understand. After several attempts she said in English "I'm asking if you learned any Italian!!" Guess not?

Even after that conversation she told me I should probably go back to the fast class Tuesday. (Monday is a national holiday and everything is closed.) I've never dreaded progress so much in my life.

After class I wandered around some more. Because I still cannot find the grocery store, I walked back to the leaning tower and got a hotdog. After eating, I went on the hunt for a hairdryer. For the life of me, I can't figure out where Italians buy hairdryers! I looked everywhere!! I did accidentally find the Arno River, so pretty.

I also went with Dany and his coworkers to November Fest (in October) to celebrate Germany. It seems like everyone in the world likes to celebrate the land of beer. Of course there were the Italian girls dressed as Germans, giant hotdogs, beer, pretzels, and more beer.  I did try some, although I am far from a beer drinker. It kinda tasted like apple juice, until I swallowed. Then it just tasted like beer. 

The way they sold beer was a little different. You pay a ridiculous amount for the mug and the beer. Then when you are done, you bring back the mug and they refund your money- if you didn't destroy anything.

My favorite part of the whole night was when the band started singing Sweet Home Alabama. I started laughing and Dany said "What? It's Deutsche!"  Yeah, no. Definitely about as American as you can get.

And no, he is not drunk in this picture. He hadn't had anything yet. 

                                                                          
                                                                          

Age of Aquarius

Wake up this morning to fog on the inside of the french doors. Not a good sign when your room already feels arctic, because that means it's even colder outside. Walk across tile floor in socks (I have never worn socks so often!), check computer, 37 degrees. Look out window for snow. No snow : (

Buy ticket at tabaccheria, where it is .50 euros cheaper than on the bus. I kinda like the cashier, she's patient with me and my horrible italian. Tabaccheria is a really small convenience store, without convenient things (except tickets.) Really have no clue what else she sells. There is a slot machine though. Italians will put a slot machine anywhere there is an outlet. No wonder Dany stays busy.

I am back in the slow class. Love it! I spend 3 minutes reading the homework that took me 2 hours to do (with some help from Dany's cousin.) At break, go downstairs with Mona (woman from Denmark) for a cappuccino. Age of Aquarius is playing on the speaker which makes me laugh (at odd choice of song) and randomly think of Maddie's mom. Cappuccino has consistently tasted awful after first day but we still go to the same place. Need to find better coffee shop. This is Italy, after all!

Class ends and I make my way to the bus station. I realize I don't have a 1€ coin to buy a ticket (and no change is given in the machine.) Decide to buy an umbrella from street vendor for 3€ (in case of another monsoon and to get change.) Street vendor speaks no english (fine) and is rude (not fine). I pay with a 10€ and he gives me a 5€ bill and a 2€ coin. I hate euros. Somehow the math makes no sense to me and I insist on getting a 1€ coin. Rude street vendor is now quite angry with me. I refuse to leave him alone. Eventually he digs through his pockets and gives me a 1€ coin. I hate euro coins!

Buy ticket and board correct bus on first try. Feeling quite proud of myself. Sit in front of bus in attempt to locate super market (have eaten nothing but lettuce and noodles for 3 days now.) It is a woman bus driver; women tend to be much more aggressive and impatient than male bus drivers. Notice bus is going to middle of nowhere. See a sign that indicates we are leaving Pisa. Start to wonder where we are going. Check sign, I am on the correct bus. Driver stops. Tells me she is going on break. Insists I get off bus. I look behind me, I am the only person left. Uh oh. I ask if another bus is coming, she says yes. Get off bus. Am in bus stop in middle of nowhere.

Houses in background are mirage of civilization. Read bus sign, no bus will be here for at least an hour. Figure I can walk home in that time, or at least get back to Pisa. Start walking. Can not remember from which direction I came. Open map. Can't find any streets on map. Walk for another 20 minutes. I am in farm pasture territory. Chances of never being found again increasing with every step. See a guy on bicycle and wave frantically. He stops. I ask where I am and hand him the map. He stares at the map and raises eyebrows. Car almost hits us and driver honks and yells in Italian. I almost pee my pants. Guy on bicycle doesn't flinch.  He opens the map wider and I open my eyes wider. He points about six inches off the map and says "We are here." Flips map over to all of Tuscany and points. I am not at all where I want to be. He points in the direction from which I came and tells me good luck. I start walking again and find same bus stop. Am walking in giant circles. Decide it's better to wait it out.

Bus eventually comes. I board and the driver turns the bus off. I try not to scream. Bus driver looks at me and says he is just taking a smoke break. I shouldn't worry. I decide I should look in to becoming an Italian bus driver. Apparently I can do what I want, when I want.

2 hours of travel time and I make it back to my room.

The only way I will ever be able to live with the Pisan bus system is to accept that I will never understand it.

Dizionario?

Wake up this morning to frozen face and check computer... 45 degrees. Ahh! I haven't consistently felt this cold in a long time. I decide to do something with my hair despite temperature and lack of hairdryer. I wet it and attempt to dry it via radiator. Waste of 15 minutes.

I am now a pro public transportation user. Get to school without problems, enjoy freezing cold morning. A teacher tells me I can go back to the slow class, which could be an insult but I consider dancing. Slow class is two students, a woman in her 60s? from Denmark and me. I learn how to describe my daily routine and change favorite word to poi which sounds more Japanese than Italian. We go on break and I go with Denmark lady downstairs to get espresso (yay!) Denmark lady (Mona) proceeds to speak to me in Danish. I look confused and she laughs and switches to English. Run in to confused asian couple on way back to class. They're carrying around a piece of paper with "torre di pisa". I ask if they speak English and they look like they want to hug me. I explain how to get there, but say the bus system is incredibly confusing and I wish them luck. Their face drops and they look less like they want to hug me. I must have looked like them my first day here.

Class ends early because it is smaller and "more intense." I'm just happy I learn something. Take correct bus home on first try (double yay!) Stand around apartment bored for 10 minutes. Decide to go to tower and look for italian-english dictionary. The walk there is beautiful. The sun is shining and feels warm and I am tempted to dance for the second time today. Settle for bouncing as I walk. This cannot be reality.

Wander around Piazza dei Meracoli and find 4,000 t-shirts but no dictionary. I ask a street vendor where I might find one. In a weird mix of Italian and English we understand each other. Realize I am looking for a book during the two hours of the day when everything is closed. Stare at tower for awhile. Eventually I get to the book store and find what I want. After, I realize I am super hungry and stop for pizza. Carry pizza back to piazza because how often can I eat by the leaning tower? A sign in front of the tower says the grass is closed (looks nice and green to me), so I move further down. End up sitting next to American girl (from California) who is randomly traveling around Europe as she pleases. How lucky! We attempt to make plans but she is staying in Florence for a day then moving on to Venice. We discuss shortness and lack of significant lean in tower. (See below.) Still cool to see and really pretty architecture.

Allora (or fake it till you make it)

Yesterday ended on a much better note than it started!

Dany called to check on me, and I described my crazy morning/afternoon. He told me about his coworker, who is definitely having a much harder time right now and I realized if transportation problems were all that happened to me, I didn't have it so bad. He also fixed a few problems including calling my land lord Francesco because my room felt arctic. We ate dinner together at Mcdonald's. I wasn't too thrilled but it was late and Dany drove 45 minutes to get me so I kept my mouth shut (or tried.) We did eat shrimp though, which was pretty random.

This morning I found the place to buy bus tickets so I managed to get on the bus without any problems (yay!) I rode the bus to the train station, which is also a bus station, and also a mess of people who don't understand how to get where they want to be. Managed to crop out the chaos in this picture (you can see a bus on the far left.)

Class was difficult! I was put in a new (completely-lost-like-me) class. I really enjoyed it because I felt like I understood what was going on. At the break the instructor told me to go back to my original class. So I went back and struggled to understand the people who can actually carry on a conversation. I am too fast for the slow class and too slow for the fast class. Story of my life!

I spent a significant amount of time trying to randomly guess what the professor was saying. I did pick up a new word- allora. I have no idea what it means, but the professor says it a lot and at random times. I figure if I just replace all of my "uh..." and "um..." with allora I will definitely sound Italian. Or like an idiot.
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P.S. Random picture of something that I constantly struggle with: door locks. If anyone ever wants to hide something from me, put it behind one of these bad boys.

Day 1

Today was a little... rough.

7:30am Alarm clock goes off. Jet lag is horrible. Hit snooze.
7:33 Decide to just get up. Floor is freezing! Slippers are soaking wet, probably from the monsoon last night that I thought for sure would break the glass doors in my room.
7:58 Attempt to make espresso using machine in kitchen.
7:59 Cause red light on espresso machine to blink. Red=bad. Give up on espresso.
8:03 Try to turn on hall light. Press doorbell instead. Pray roommates don't notice.
8:15 Board bus to school.
8:16 Make mental note to never stand in front of bus again. Bus driver is lunatic.
8:21 Realize I forgot to buy my ticket. Try to give money to bus driver. Hand him 2 euros. He looks at me and says something I don't understand. I tell him I don't speak italiano. He says five to me. I assume this means a ticket is five euros. Look through wallet and realize left euros at home.
8:22 Jump off bus and avoid eye contact with bus driver.
8:23 Decide to change previous mental note. Front of bus= can find my way home.
8:35 Enter apartment. Turn on light. Hit doorbell again. Rush to avoid potential angry roommates.
8:50 Back on bus, different driver. He tells me it is 1.50 euros. Want to scream. Realize I won't make it to class on time.
9:10 Can't find school. It's raining. I'm wet, tired, and cranky.
9:17 Pace street hoping to magically see school's sign.
9:20 Find sketchy street vendor home base. Turn around trying to avoid being noticed.
9:26 Call school for third time. Still don't understand what secretary is saying.
9:27 Tell myself not to cry. Call Dany for help.
9:28 Cry anyway.
9:50 Find school. Can't get door open. Completely soaked.
9:53 Secretary tells me to go use bathroom hand dryer to try to dry off before taking placement test.
10:00 Write my name on placement test. Stare at placement test.
10:01 Know nothing. Give test back to secretary.

1:00pm Decide I am happy about taking Italian lessons despite minor disaster this morning. Head back to bus station.
1:10 Can't figure out where to buy ticket. Call Dany for instructions. Find ticket machine.
1:16 Realize ticket machine is actually taxi line. Find real ticket machine.
1:18 Watch bus drive away without me.
1:30 Board bus.
1:40 End up back at bus station.
1:45 Try to find real bus. Frustrated. Decide to walk.
1:46 Realize map does not measure distance. Too frustrated with buses so decide to walk anyway.
2:05 Walk in to ghetto. Turn around. Starts raining again.
2:30 Completely lost. Want to cry. Instead keep walking.
3:07 Find two Americans just as lost as me.
3:45 Recognize apartment. Shout for joy.
3:52 Collapse from exhaustion.

I think tomorrow has to be better!