Alla mia famiglia e amici.: :the start of {week 2}

2.07.2011

:the start of {week 2}

Buongiorno, come va? (Hello, how are you?)
   Today was our first conversational Italian class with Ms. Corinna Torregiani. We learned basic phrases and words that we'll use in greetings, ordering at the market and deli, as well as the "to be"verb. By the time I get the hang of this language I'll probably be sitting in my seat to fly back to the states in April, but I feel like I'm picking up what I need to know pretty fast.
   Before our first class we went to the Ariccia market. The locals literally had everything to buy, from candy to bras, vegetables to hair bands. We also finished touring the Cardinal Rooms of the Palace. My favorite part of the day was a cooking lesson with Prof. Mary Lou Grey. Mary Lou is originally from Scotland, moved to South Africa, and now is married to Marco (another professor), who grew up in Switzerland but was born a Roman. Mary Lou showed us how to make a basic tomato sauce with onions, white wine, and bacon, as well as, a sauce without bacon (that's the one I had). Bacon over here isn't what you think of, not like the one we buy in the United States. Needless to say, it was amazing and filling. Mary Lou said over here Italians rarely eat pasta for dinner because it's to heavy on the stomach, since they don't eat dinner before 7:30 or 8 at night. Usually dinners consist of their proteins and vegetables.
   I hate to admit it but after we had our break for lunch we watched a movie on architecture in Rome and the second I sat down I fell asleep for almost 2hrs. I thought my sleeping schedule was back on track but that afternoon nap just makes me feel a lot better...I wasn't the only one. Tomorrow is another day of classes, Roman Architecture, "History of civiliation of the Mediterranean", "History of Philospohy and Mythology", and an introduction to the South: "The Italian social structure, the southern case." I'm not one to sit all day in a classroom, but Wednesday thru Sunday we get to go to Roma!