I’ve been here less than a week and it seems like it’s been months. I’ve gotten more information thrown at me in six days than I’ve ever gotten in that amount of time before. Add to that, the fact that it’s been in a foreign language that still sounds like drunk Spanish and you get my experience thus far.
All in all it’s been a blast so far. My last night really set the bar pretty high. Alisha really knows how to plan a surprise party. Right now, a shout out thanks to all of those who participated. Let’s try and remember that those marghs were DEFINITELY as large AND strong as they appeared. Thanks for the words of wisdom (if a bit slurred) from Garofalo and Tannenbaum. Parl (& cousin) were a fun addition as always. My soccer lasses always putting in a hundred and ten percent. I’ll be sure to tell Matt & Eva about it. Love you guys, keep it real. Sneaky Asher and Netta just loving the party. And of course Topanga, as always, the life of the party. Just ask her for the pics.
The group flight was great. There was the usual awkward introductions at the terminal then the 7-hour flight. When we finally arrived in Bologna it was very early in the morning although my body definitely thought it was about 11pm. The first day was long and I moved into my still empty room. I live across the street from my program office and about a five-minute walk to the city center. I probably have gotten lost and then found again a dozen times since I got here but I’m slowly getting the lay of the land. My second day I was asked for directions by a fine looking young lady and I saw it as an opportunity to try out my best most European Italian accent. I smiled and gave her directions best I could. She said something (really unclear at this point) and then said thanks. I think she thought I was from here so that’s awesome. Let’s pray that she got to wherever she was going because a lot of my directions were extrapolations from a map I saw on a napkin on the flight from Frankfurt to Bologna the day before.
We’ve had a couple of tours of the city and it’s beautiful beyond belief. Old red stone everywhere. It seems like every bench and statue is older than either country I’ve lived in. N. B. D. The lady who leads us around is awesome and tells us crazy stories about the city and all the history. I of course geek out about it constantly. We were in the original building to the University and as we were glazing over all these different emblems on the walls of past graduates from like 17-hundred whatever, she paused and pointed out one of a dude from like 18-hundred whatever that had as its symbol the three wise men. I then started to smile and nobody in the group knew why. The lady then explained that the three wise men is the symbol of Lima and that that particular emblem belonged to some Peruvian dude who studied here way back in the día. DATZ. WHATZ., GOOD. BOI.
I’ve really stepped my game up when it comes to my clothes. I wear my fancy shmanzy Italian shoes a lot more. I’ve found from just walking around that the pointier the shoe the more Italian you look, so I don’t mess with success. My (many) pairs of sunglasses are finally socially acceptable in all their forms and even at night. It’s pretty baller. Also my (very) loose relationship with time rules like law in these parts. I couldn’t have picked a better place. I don’t think it’s even legal to wear sweatpants out in the world. But hey, I could be wrong. Regardless, I’m dressing like a real person these days, now I just have to maybe start to try to think about maybe acting like one. [The previous statement is UNLIKELY]. Madras to be whipped out when it gets warmer so don’t you worry yourself Eleanor.
[aside: Not to blow up Elle’s spot or anything but because she’s missing the first few days of orientation she bought herself Rosetta Stone: Español Edition. Feel free to make fun of her on facebook or at eceleste@wesleyan.edu]
My dorm is awesome. I live with all dudes on the second floor of the studentatto (aka Italian dorm) Poeti. It’s awesome. My roommate is this really weird film major from the south but we get along. The other guys on my hall hate on him hardcore but the situation is stable. Everyone here now is in the middle of exams so it’s weird to roll in and party like it’s 19 90 whatever but we’re making it work.
THE FOOD IS AMAZING. There is no stressing this enough. If you don’t read anything else in this post just take this away from it. The pasta, the cheese, the ham, the fruit, and the wine among others things are the best I’ve ever had. They have meals here that bookend other meals, which leaves little time in the day for activities that don’t involve eating. At this point I’ve given myself to the food. It’s just the easiest thing to do.
Somehow I was put in the highest level of our orientation language class. I think there was some kind of clerical mistake but hey, I’ll have to deal. We had a meeting with the doctor that works with our program. He started the STD section of his speech by saying: “Let’s not have any of you leave here with anything you didn’t bring. Use protection.”
That’s it for now. I’ll be sure to check it later.
Holla at my gurl in the DR!
Best,
JD
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