Language Difficulties: I Put Lotion In My Hair Instead of Conditioner...

Yesterday started off interestingly as I was almost late to my walking tour because I forgot to set an alarm and would usually be up at that time anyways. However, because our windows not only have shutters, but also a heavy wooden panel that we lock over the window, my room was pitch black and when I woke up in the morning I had assumed that it was early in the morning so I went back to sleep. I was really freaked out when I woke up, since I don’t really do things like that but it worked out fine. Won’t be making that mistake again…

The walking tour was less informative than I had hoped, as we just learned rather random places and some places to get transportation. I had thought it would contain more helpful things, like bringing us to the school and showing us the bookstore and the best grocery stores or laundromats, that kind of thing. Guess I’ll have to figure that out on my own.

After the tour I showed some girls I had met before our apartment, had some lunch, and then went with them to find the school buildings and see where their apartment was. I then met with Chris to finish things for our permit of stay and we walked around with one of the girls to explore the city a little more.

Later Chris and I studied some Italian, as the placement test is tomorrow, went to a really small grocery store that’s actually open on Sundays to get some more bread and blood orange juice (it sounds nicer in Italian- arancia rosso), and then got a pizza pie from a place nearby that was quite good.

Today was our first day of intensive Italian and it was okay. They seem to expect us to know way more vocabulary and less grammar than we have been taught. In the mornings we are with more people so it’s more stressful, as some of them are more advanced. The afternoon was nicer because it was people at a more similar level. I am looking forward to being used to the class so that I feel more comfortable, as well as hopefully remember more things. We were also asked by a classmate, who actually speaks Italian fluently (get out of our class!) if we were brother and sister, which was funny.

This evening we went to the butcher for the first time, which I was a bit afraid of, as I’m never been to one but it went very smoothly and the man was very nice, even rounding down the price for us. It was nice to get to eat chicken with pasta tonight. Definitely fresher tasting (since it most likely is).

It looks like the internet password does get switched everyday, which is too bad. It would have been so nice to have it every day but at least we can get it sometimes. I guess we’ll see how often.

And to conclude, three random things about the experience here in Perugia:
1. As our bathroom light is motion activated the light will shut off while you are in the shower. Therefore, one must open the doors two or three times while showering.
2. When driving to our apartment our driver had to fold in both of his rearview mirrors because the road was so small. I have since seen a few other cars have to do this.
3. There is a bar/café below and whenever there is a soccer game on loud cries can be heard whenever a goal is scored (along with some more colorful phrases).




Science be darned, I always want to roll around in clouds.


It was amazing to pass over the mountains.


One of the views. There's no way pictures can do it justice. Assisi is just to the left of this picture and on the slope of one of those mountains.


Exploring.


Pirates in Perugia?


Picnicking with pizza in the top level of my bedroom. (Why yes, I am wearing my coat and scarf.)