Going to work in Bologna

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Dear Max and Dominic,

This week Justin and I have been getting used to living in our Italian house, eating Italian food, and going to work at the University here. It has been tricky at times, but we are getting used to it. We have still had lovely weather, so that has been nice.

Justin found someone at his work who has let him use his bicycle, which is much better than going by car. Not only does the journey take much less time by bike because he can zip around the traffic, but he can go right through the middle of the old part of the city, which is very beautiful.

I go to work on the bus. I have to change half-way there, but sometimes it only takes 25 minutes which is not to bad. After I talk to you on Skype in the mornings, I walk out the door and it is only a few minutes until I reach the bus top. There is a dog that sits at the next door gate. I often say "Good Morning Mr Dog" in Italian, but he usually ignores me. Perhaps I don't have a very good accent yet? When something is very close by, like the bus stop is to our house, in Italian you say it is "a due passe". That means it's "two steps away". That's quite a cool turn of phrase I reckon.

Not many of the people that I meet speak English, so it is challenging to communicate with people, but a smile, some Italian words, and lots of handwaving usually does the trick. I am trying to practise talking in Italian as much as possible.

The photos show where we work. Justin is at the Chemical Engineering Department and I am at the Psychiatry Department. You can tell which one is in the older part of the city and which one is in the newer part!

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