Oh yeah, we have class too!

Today I had my first class. I’m in the lowest class with only 4 other kids. Everyone else has studied at least twice the number of semesters as us. It’s ok though, cause we are reassured that we will learn fast. We are in our “intensive Italian month” which means we have two hours of Italian four days a week until March. I love my ‘professoressa’. She is young, energetic and so easy to understand. She speaks with perfect diction, and lots of emotion and gestures. She speaks just slightly slower than regular Italians and so I have time to translate her words. Usually what happens is someone starts speaking and I catch only the first couple words before I get hung up on a word that takes a split second longer to recognize and then I’ve completely missed the rest of the sentence. I’ve been really worried that because my program is entirely in Italian that I was going to struggle, but I don’t think that will be an issue. By the time the intensive section is over and we begin the other classes, I think I will have a great understanding of the language. We are even starting with a basic review. Today: pronouns and regular verbs; tomorrow: irregular verbs. The theme of our intensive month is fairytales. We are going to read three short story books in Italian. I have never had to read more than a paragraph or two in Italian. I will feel quite accomplished finishing three books.After class I went to the mensa. With our Padova Ids we can get into about 12 cafeterias around the city for 2-3 euros. The food is soooo good, and there is wine and beer on tap. However, it’s a little intimidating eating with several hundred Italian University students.

I am still getting along with my family. The oldest boy and I played basketball on Sunday and I watched the Simpons and ate pizza with the kids Sunday night. The littlest still does not like me. When I came home yesterday I stopped to talk to him and he pushed me and said “Vai!” (go!) I’m kinda disheartened but trying not to take it too personally. My Italian has improved a lot the last few days and so now the housekeeper and I talk a lot more. We went through my picture book today and she was very curious about my family and my friends. Later she helped me with my homework.

There are many quaint things about Padova that I adore. The town is closed between 12:30- 3:30. I mean nothing is open but restaurants. I keep forgetting this and then I try to run errands in the afternoon. I also love the graffiti. Instead of vulgar words and scribbles 90% are love notes, and the other 10% political messages. Anyway, I am thinking about taking a modern dance class with a friend at an Italian fitness club near the Duomo. My host mom says it will be a great way to improve my language skills and meet some locals. My friends and I have found a bar near the Piazza dell’ Duomo that we like a lot. We have decided to become locals and to make it our meeting place instead of standing in the cold and the dark piazza at night. The big nights to go out are Wednesday and Sunday. Wednesday is “Happy Spritz”. Spritz are a drink made of wine, some other liquors, and tonic. It is the drink of Padova. Everyone has spritz between 5-8pm. Many restaurants don’t even serve food until after the spritz time is over, and on Wednesday’s the spritz are 2 euros. I think it is the worst tasting drink imaginable. Monday night I physically couldn’t drink it so I had to order wine. Sunday, is the clubbing night. I don’t know when I will go. I plan to spend many weekends traveling, and this Sunday I will be recovering from Carnivale. What is Carnivale? It’s like New Years Eve in Times Square but with more dancing, lots more alcohol, and everyone is masked and in costume. I’m so excited. Our program is taking us Friday and then I think I will come back with others Saturday and meet up with some Hamilton folk who are also in Italy.