Okay, so rather than try to send pictures and postcards home to all 8bil of you asking..... my roommate had the brilliant idea of starting a blog.... this way, time difference, slower-than-molasses snail mail, and the stupid skype-eating wifi in my apartment won't be issues :-)
Plus, this is a great way for me to keep track of all of the pictures I'm going to take (and those of you who know me, know that this alone could prove to be an insurmountable task....) and actually remember all of the historic landmarks, restaurants, and other things I'm hoping to run across/ into/ etc. :)
sooo.... without further ado... hopefully a tad bit more than making much ado about nothing :p
15 September 2009
Officially one week in Florence. I'm not sure if I feel at home, on vacation, at school, or all of the above... for now, I'll say stuck in summer camp limbo... It's past that awkward time of "what the hell am I doing here?" but waaay before "okay, now what??" phase... either way, I love where I am, and wish I were more comfortable getting around...
The language barrier is loads of fun... the biggest problem? actual communication. I understand enough Italian to know what someone says to me in most necessary conversations, but, I'm rendered completely helpless when it comes to actually opening my big mouth and speaking back... because I sound as though I know what I'm talking about (after 2 days here, it's hard not to latch on to the accent..... maybe it's a musician thing... maybe i'm just weird... I'm hoping it's the former rather than the latter... ehh...) and therein begins the fun.... if I answer definitively (Lord knows I can barely do that in English!) they start rambling off in this big, long, fluid, beautiful mess of italian.... if I answer in broken Italian, or worse, English, I get the "stupid American," "poveretta ragazza," or "how can I work this to screw you over" look.... none of which is fun, or helpful.... so, I either keep my mouth shut, smile, and nod, or sit through a beautiful monologue of babble that I may or may not get my answer out of... all the while picking out words that I know I've heard in at least one aria... whereupon my mind wanders, and yes folks, I've found myself completely distracted thinking of at least two arias, and possibly an enitre opera at this point... madon'!! what is a poor, dumb, blonde American girl to do???
Cross my fingers, pray to the Madonna, and live for my private language classes :)
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This is wonderful--what a good idea to do this. Interesting to hear how you are striking the balance. Listen your head off for now--soon you'll be chattering away. Your roommate is an English speaker, I assume?
ReplyDeleteHow's the food thing going? I want to hear about that next!