Start of the 2nd Week!

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Geo: 44.4944, 11.3492

Monday again, definitely a hard couple of classes today. My brain gets frustrated with the constant strain of trying to go back and forth translating Italian into English and English into Italian. Passed up the extra conversation class that was going to be 2 hours this afternoon as my brain couldn't handle any more! Was talking with the graduate student and her husband this afternoon and they were saying the same thing, It actually gets hard to remember the English words for things after awhile, I thought it was just me but I guess that is normal... In the past when I've returned home it takes me a bit to get the right words sometimes at least I'm not going crazy...

It was a good day though, I'm definitely learning a lot, I think the teachers are very good and are trying to teach us very practical language skills. I'm now learning how to conjugate more than just the present tense in the infinitive, which is a first, though it's really stretching my brain. Not even sure if those are the correct terms to use actually, anyway I'm moving onward and upward!

One of our homework assignments was to go someplace and people watch for 5 minutes and write down what people were doing. I've done that (in English) so after I'm done blogging I'll be finishing that homework, have finished the rest for the day.

Yesterday after I posted I went out for a couple of walks to get my steps in and not stay too cooped up here in the studio apt. The same as last week, the street was closed off to traffic and lots of street entertainers were out trying to earn some money. The Franciscans were hosting some sort of festival/information in the main piazza, many friars and nuns out and about. Have lots of photos to post of what I saw.

I was taking lots of photos of all the street entertainment while walking down the street. After one in particular as I was walking away a woman came up behind me and asked if I had taken a photo of her child. I said yes as part of the photo of the musician and group of people. She wanted it deleted. All this is said with hand gestures and little words ;-). I tried to delete it but didn't remember how, so her husband came up and deleted it for me, they were very nice but didn't want their child's photo taken, I said I was sorry and they were very gracious about it.

Continued walking down towards the two towers and just past them a church door was open so I went inside. It was very beautiful, all of them are, amazing paintings on the walls, elaborate decorations, etc... A very different thing happened here though, as I was walking around I heard a woman start crying or moaning pretty loudly, a man that was cleaning out the candelabras went over to her and was telling her to be quiet. I don't know if she is a regular here or not but she seemed to be genuinely in distress. After he left her I felt like I should go over to her. I put my hand on her arm and smiled at her, just wanting to show her that someone cared and now have forgotten what I asked her in Italian. She started talking in Italian and I told her I didn't understand (no capisco) I did ask her if she needed money (soldi) and I think she said yes... I had 5 euros in my wallet so gave that to her and she started crying loudly and grabbed me, pulled me toward her and kissed me on both cheeks and showed the few others what I had given her. The man from the church came back since she was making noise and then I left. It was an unusual experience and I hope the little I gave her helped and wish I had told her Jesus loved her but I was a little taken aback and totally lost any language and thinking skills I had in the moment....

I bought my bus ticket to the airport for Saturday morning and today wrote down the bus arrival times for the local bus to take me to the train station so I can get on the bus to take me to the airport. I was having a bit of "buyers remorse" as I thought maybe I should treat myself and have a taxi pick me up at the door instead of schlepping my suitcases down the street and onto two busses.... It really isn't too bad to do and it makes me a little nervous just in case the taxi wouldn't show... So am still thinking about it, may take my ticket back for a refund or sell it to another student, we'll see. The cost is probably double what taking the bus is probably 15-20 euros versus 7,50 for the 2 buses, so won't break the bank just not sure which I want to do right now.

Not much more to share, all is pretty much the same as it's been, am hoping that I retain my new Italian language skills. Though the term "skills" seems like an overstatement... EX: Found a shop that just sells the meats and cheeses this evening, as opposed to my little supermarket with no deli section. It usually isn't hard to find a place like that in Italy, but there isn't one on the Main Street here, I happened to get off the main drag and found one filled with the after work crowd of locals. I went in grabbed a number and was trying to remember how to say what I wanted in Italian. My number was called and I said what I would like, and the amount, the guy was super nice and smiled at my efforts. I then proceeded to ask him for advice on what kind of cheese to go with it and he helped me with that. So I now have some great stuff to try on my sandwich (panini) tomorrow, I'm sure it will be much better than what II've been getting... The point being, not feeling like I have lots of "skills" but the locals are super nice about my efforts.

A presto e a domani!
Wendy

steps: 8,510
miles: 3.66
floors: 7

P.S. To Karen, eating all the buffalo mozzarella as I can! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_mozzarella

P.S.S. To all my canine loving relatives and friends, trying to take as many pictures of the dogs as possible without the owners having me arrested for being strange.

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Photos

Dinner tonight, notice the delicious dessert? Mmm
Eating as much buffalo mozzarella as feasible ;-) pomodoro, basilico, mozzarella, Olio, aceto, sale, pepe nero....

Comments

[Karen Hull]

Has the buffalo mozzarella been as good this time as it was last time?? I'm very jealous!! But I hope you are enjoying every morsel!!

[Karen Hull]

What was it about?

[Karen Hull]

Only one euro??!