Catz

So many stray cats. One ADORABLE one has been on our roof for the past week making the most heart-wrenching noises. I think it's starving but I don't understand why it won't leap onto someone's balcony and get down already!!! We call it but it just stares at us. It screeches every couple hours. I could not believe a cat could even make that noise until I saw it coming from its wide mouth.

hiding from the rain -

view from our porch:)

On another note, I did NOT get the Family Club pairing, nor did anyone I know. What a joke. I did, however, get paired with "Patrizia" for conversation exchange. All I know about her is that she is "much older than me" (in her words - whatever that means), rides a bike, and lives outside the city center. I'm excited to meet her and also to start community service Tuesday at an elementary school.


update: listening to the poor little cat at the moment and it is seriously awful sounding.

i miss my best friends.

Winter 2010

New York I Love You - LCD Soundsystem

Once again, in love with a Skins song. I like the youtube video also - it's an undergrad's final video project at Manhattan College.

Chocolate, Paints & Family

I've never really been a chocolate person. I'd choose a burrito over chocolate cake any day, and that's still true. But I had the best chocolate of my life at the Chocolate Festival in Piazza Santa Croce by my school. The chocolate fountain with whipped cream on top was the best thing I've EVER tasted (until the chocolate hardens five minutes later). The festival is gone, but I still find myself wanting to sample the chocolates in every store.

I wanted to take a painting class while I was here but did not. I pass the coolest art/home supply store on my way to school every day. I'm going to buy some paints, a palette and 2 or 3 brushes. Along with some paper. Problem is, I don't know anything about painting supplies - hopefully a few employees can speak English. Acrylic or oil? I have no idea.

I'm extremely nervous that I'm not going to be paired with a family through the Family Club. 40 students interviewed and there are only 20 families!! I find out Sunday and I hope hope hope hope hope I get it.

Fotografie

cool ring I got from a street vendor:

Forever.

Music makes the world go round

I've been loving the music from Skins lately.

Frames can't catch you when you're moving like that.

Everything gets done in Italy, but much slower. Every time I speak with someone to accomplish a task, they are very personable, very helpful, and usually very slow. But it's refreshing. The fast pace in the states is definitely stressful. I went to Fiesole with two of my friends. They carried their digital SLR cameras (one of them is a Photo major) and it made me want one. At some point, I want to get one and actually learn to use it well. Actually, it would be fun to go old-school and re-learn how to use my mom's. It's a hobby I always wish I was more passionate about, but I think I just like to admire other people's photographs.

All my teachers are women here, and I love them all. I've had favorite teachers in Tampa, but the style is just different here. I don't want to call it easier (although it hasn't been difficult so far) but they're more creative, unique and use their hands a lot more (ha!). My favorite classes are Italian and International Terrorism. I also like travel writing because my teacher is cool, but so far she's basically offered zero constructive writing criticism. I think it will be hard to measure up to my recent journalism professor.

I can't wait until my first train ride. I'm thinking about going to the train station and buying the cheapest ticket to somewhere an hour or two away. I just want to stare out the window at the Italian countryside and take a lot of pictures. Although I'm finding that my digital camera does NOT do Italy justice.

Maybe I'll be lucky when I get paired with a family. Some of them, apparently, invite you to travel to their homes by the beach.

love and miss any of you PA people that might be reading this!

Pictures will come later.