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Published: June 27th 2011
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The Runners
Ricardo Tosi, me, and (unknown name). We all have the common bond of running for a sport! These guys are actually really fast, and have both been to the Italian Nationals. It's really weird to me, looking back at some of the first entries I ever did... how I was counting down the days until I took off on this epic journey. And now I'm sitting here, doing the same thing, counting down, but for departure FROM this epic journey. I've been through a month here in Italy so fast, and I can't believe that it's wrapping up! But I won't get too ahead of myself... I still have one full day left to enjoy!
It's a Monday, meaning it's a weekday, meaning the morning and early afternoon is the same: I do pretty much nothing useful and exciting. The most exciting thing about this morning was me forcing myself not to read The Jungle... it was like the devil/angel on the shoulder type deal. Finally, the angel prevailed... I have to save it for the flight home!
Around 2 PM, Nico, Paolo and I left the house and we drove to a car dealership near Padova where Nico was getting his driver door's window repaired (it wouldn't roll down, so it was funny watching him at pay booths). So while we were waiting for Elena to show up in
Car Dealership
Ooohhh... shiny.... her car and pick us up, Paolo and I looked around at the other cars in the showroom. Now I'm not that terribly interested in cars, but I thought it was kind of fun looking into these European cars where everything was condensed into smaller spaces and such. At one point, we even test-drove a car. The car dealer we were with is a good friend of Nico's, and had some guts letting him drive a spotless, brand-new car while talking on the phone with Elena. I'd be freaking out if I were him. I'm not sure what the point was behind the test-drive... was it just for the heck of it? or was Nico considering buying a new Jeep? If so, was it for him or the new 18-year-old Paolo? (In case you forgot, in Italy, you have to be 18 to drive a car, but you can drive motorcycles before that. I feel like that's bass ackwards...) When we returned from the test-drive, Elena was there, and we returned back to the house at around 4:30.
Well I wasn't aware of it, but apparantly Paolo was going to meet up with his friends and leave at 5,
Voti
How they post final grades here in Italy... so I got comfortable and then he walks down the hall with all of his stuff and looked like he was expecting me to be ready. Hmm. Ok... It helps to tell me these things. So I got ready really fast and soon we were leaving the house to meet friends.
Now by the time we reached the post office, I couldn't feel my legs or my hands. Why? you may ask. Well you remember my 5.5 mile run in the sand yesterday? Well, I am extemely sore from it today, and I struggle to even walk around. So that's why I couldn't feel my legs. But my hands? That's because I had to ride on the back of the motorcycle. So the whole way, I was praying for my life and gripping the place on the motorcycle he told me to hold on to like my life depended on it! Actually, my life probably did depend on it... So by the time we reached our destination, my knuckles were bright white, and my hands without feeling.
Anyways, at the post, we waited 40 minutes before someone else even showed up- that person being Davide. So I at
Paolo, Pepe, and annoying guy
I can't remember his name, but they guy in the stripes is really annoying... asking awkward questions, saying awkward things, and looking up the word "condom" in my dictionary... least had someone I could talk to easily there. Another girl we know showed up too, so we all went on a walk randomly. We ended up stopping by Davide's school, where they had posted the grades in the windows of the front doors (it was the same as Paolo's if you remember). From there, we walked towards the post office again, with them gasping in disbelief that to my knowledge or memory I've never eaten a "kebab", and stopping by a store to buy some food for the starving Davide. (He ended up buying a pack of "croccantelle" which were like chips. Their flavor? Bacon. Hmm. He offered me some, and it wasn't amazing, but I thought it was more of an acquired taste... just like a wise-man's idea of bacon-flavored beer would probably be.
We got back to the post office where the others had finally arrived, I ate a gelato, and we just sat and conversed for a while. Davide left and he said he'd see me later tonight, but we never did. I hope I get to see him again before we go. But eventually we all split up to catch some dinner somewhere. That
Pele, Bacchetta, and... him again
I wish I could tell you the annoying kid's name. But the other two are the guitarist and the drummer for Mad Jokers... really good guys :) "somewhere" for Paolo, Elia and I was at Paolo's grandparent's house. We had a wonderful meal there and then watched some great youtube videos! (The "asdfmovie" series and "Cyanide and Happiness" series, in case you're curious). But with the good comes the bad, and upon leaving it was the last goodbyes with the grandparents. Hopefully I'll see them again someday!
A stroke and a half later, we pulled up on the motorcycle once again at the post office, where for the rest of the night I talked to several different friends of Paolo for 2 or 3 hours until it was time to leave for home and have another myocardial infarction along the way.
So as you can tell, today wasn't that extraordinarily exciting of a day... but for some reason I feel like tomorrow, being the last, will be different. However, I don't every know what's going on until it happens here, so I guess you and I will find out tomorrow! So until then, you know how it goes...
Buonanotte!
P.S., there is one other picture I took today that would be funny for you all to see. But it wouldn't show up unless
I found our country in Italy!
(Pssst.... It's in the basement of the post office) I typed just a little more. So here I am, just typing away, hoping I have enough text for just ONE MORE PHOTO to show up.... zippity-doo-dah... zippity day... my, oh, my what a wonderful Ok that should be enough. Ciao!
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