Sunday, September 6th

I am so excited about internet at my apartment. If you had read the last post, I fixed my typos...I Was just so excited about getting a post on here! I should be out enjoying the sun, but I will be honest...resting is something I have not done much of lately. I have had zero contact with t.v., news, media etc. Our school has specific hours and then it is locked so when I am at school I work away and then until yesterday I haven't had access to internet, etc. Basically, sitting on my bed, typing on the internet is familiar and relaxing for me!

When I say zero contact, I mean it......today I am going to check for the first time.
Italy is taking this huge precaution with Swine flu....the kids wash their hands before lunch, after lunch and change their shoes from inside to outside. It's a lot of transitions for little 6 year olds, but it's becoming routine....I bring this up because I think the flu is spreading in the US? I don't know I will look.

Our school has a guard and is gated with a buzzer. I have noticed that all around the apartments are gated with a buzzer. When you first approach my apartment, there is a large gate, push the buzzer, then approach the apt. push a buzzer then inside. Why the heck am I talking about doorbells and buzzers? Well...everything here is just totally different and everywhere I go it seems like I push a buzzer or there is a guard and a gate.

Appertivos...o.k. these are cool. Basically it is a spread of food.......GOOD food. You buy a drink for like 8 euros and then you eat as much as you want. I guess it would be something like a happy hour. I enjoy them....they are from around 7-10.... SO I have been meeting different groups of people for "appertivo" . The spread is more than typical. It's like stuffed olives, every kind of cheese known to mankind, oils, lots of breads, amazing veggies, fish, everything!
For those of you that really know me I have never been that into food. I just eat it, like most of it, but haven't put much emphasis on it. I am lucky in the sense that I haven't had to monitor too carefully,etc
Here all I think about is food!!!!!!!!!!!! All the time.Last night I had this amazing pasta. It sounds sick but it had veggies, rabbit, and cheese in it. It was marinated with butter and sage. It was the table winner........incredible! The menu was handwritten in Italian...like this sloppy cursive. I can't read Italian so I Had no idea what to order. I can decipher some words because they may have the same beginnings like butter started with a b. I can't wait to understand the language. And everyone that has moved here says it takes time to learn so I am assuming it will be awhile.

The kids in my room are beautiful. Most of you know I taught first grade then left it and have taught fifth for the last four. The age gap is so emotionally, socially, physically different. I LOVE the little ones. I would take them home if I could. Absolutely precious. And I really don't have any behaviors. The first day of school one of the little girls came in and clung to her mom. She had never been in an American school, speaks Italian, spent three months in California for her father's work. And now mom would like her to learn English so she can talk with the kids when they spend time in L.A. It is mandated that I speak English to the kids as the purpose of me being flown out to Italy is total immersion of English for the kids. I could connect to this little girl abit as I am imaging I have the same feelings when I go into a grocery store. It is so overwhelming, people talk to me and I have no idea what they are saying, and I am frustrated because I want to communicate but can't. I feel as though I am playing charades quite a bit first word......anyway these kids are amazing.

So I am sure everyone is wondering about the men. I have been so busy thinking about food that I have forgotten about men for now. It's really good for methink......food...work...food..work. There are DEFINITELY good looking men all around me which is nice to see. But seriously I haven't been looking...I am just over it for now. I also think in Milan it is not quite the "typical" Italy you think of. It's metropolitan like NY. I was walking to the subway and the men do just kind of blurt things out to you. I haven't quite figured out what is being said but it's the same word over and over....I think it's pretty maybe....or something like that. Or who knows maybe their calling me a bad name...I honestly have no idea!!!

And I am so excited to travel. I should probably be doing it right now as the weather is still good. But I have been so overwhelmed. I did have a teacher ask me if I wanted to go to Ibiza, Spain........I was like yes....she said the plane ticket would be cheap. I was absolutely awe struck when she told me the price. 39 euros round trip ticket. I guess you can find these sick deals out of the Milano airport if you keep your eyes out. So Columbus day weekend I will be in Ibiza, Spain.......lying out on the Mediterranean. I may need to slow down on the gelato!

Well I Am off to explore the city today. I may post another one today later as I don't want to forget everything that has happened since I have been here.

Chow!
Laura