Italy: Day 5

I haven't even been in Italy for a week and it feels like I have been here for a lifetime. Today was the first day of classes. I was excited and at the same time, not so excited. Bliss and I took the tram together to school, even thought her classes didn't start when mine did. On the tram, two Italian girls kept glaring at me and Bliss. I glared them down and they started talking in Italian behind their hands. I was about to go over and ask if they had a problem, but realized they wouldn't understand me. Which could have made the situation a lot more exciting.

Anyways....we stopped at a stand to get some fruit for breakfast before heading into the school. I got pinneapple and kiwi. Bliss got grapes. I don't eat pinneapple, but I really wanted the kiwi. The fruit bowl contained almost all pinneapple, except for 5 pieces of kiwi. To my despair, I dropped one of my kiwi slices on the ground. Bliss's grapes had three huge seeds in them. Which made them taste like choke cherries. I guess it wasn't the best use of 2,50 Euro.

After buying the fruit, a man on a moped stopped next to me on the street and winked at me. I panicked and started walking faster. Not even a yard down the sidewalk and another man stopped us and asked us for the time. Funny thing is, he had a cellphone in his hand. After giving him the time, he tried to start a conversation with us by asking if we were Americans. I just pulled Bliss and we kept walking.

My first class started at noon. History of Ancient Rome and Italy. To my dismay, the professor had an extremely strong Italian accent. It was a struggle understanding what she was saying. Which worries me about the rest of the semester. However, I did meet to guys who seem really nice and are from Michigan. One even speaks really good Italian, so I informed him that he was my new best friend.

Intro to Italian was my second course. Bliss and I are both in this course. The professor came into the room speaking Italian. She spoke Italian for almost the entire class and used very little English. It was a struggle the first day, but I hope I catch on. Foreign language courses are not my strong point. And the final exam is part oral.

Third class of the day was also with Bliss. Classical Mythology. So far I think this will be my favorite course. I about died when the professor came in. She is Americana!!!! THANK THE LORD! I have absolutely no trouble understanding her. She seems to be really "strict" about stuff, but in a way that she won't make you feel bad. If that makes sense. She has a great sense of humor. The only downer is that she says "okay" at the end of almost every sentence. I picked up on the pretty quickly. So I kinda tune everything out except when she says "okay" and it makes me cringe.

My last and final course was Statistics I. This is the one course that I was dreading, because I more or less hate math. I was especially neverous that the professor would have a strong Italian accent and I wouldn't be able to understand the lecture. Although the professor turned out to be Italian, his accent wasn't very strong in his English. So for the most part, I think I will be able to understand if I sit near the front of the class. I am hoping the the Middle Eastern guy that sat next to me today never sits there again. He had the worst smelling cologne ever.

Classes final ended at 8pm. That's right. I had class straight through from noon-8pm. I was shaking by the end of the day because I hadn't eaten anything yet. Bliss and I rode the tram back to the apartment. On the tram a crazy homeless guy and his dog started yelling at us. Let me just say....it was the longest train ride I have been on in a long time.

Once we got back to the apartment, Tim and Tynisha came over and we made pasta for supper. We also had a bottle of wine. Well, Tim had a bottle of wine. He basically drank the entire thing by himself. Then me and Tim talked about politics and greek life for over an hour, while Bliss and Tynisha sat there staring at the wall. We didn't even realize how much time had gone by.

On a side note, I learned an interesting fact about how Italians are tested for there classes. Inside of taking a written test, like back in the states, Italians give oral tests. The professor asks a series of questions. If you get one wrong, you are asked to leave and come back once you find the answer. This continues until all questions are answered correctly. Thank god I am going to an American University.

P.S. Ringo treats are amazing. I would say they are a cross between an animal cracker and oreo cookie. It is my new favorite thing.