Recap: Week 5

After re-reading some of my old posts, I realized just how many grammar mistakes and typos I have made. So, I am just going to apologize now for any illegible postings. It is difficult to say everything I want to say in a timely fashion without some mistakes. Please don't judge me!

This past week has been a relatively simple one. It is now that I finally feel settled in, finally feel like Via Martelli 3 is my home. When I see the top of the Duomo peaking over the buildings on my way home, I do not feel the same surreal amazement that I did the first few weeks I was here. Instead, I think to myself: only a few more blocks, and I will be opening my front door. Even though sometimes I still do get lost trying to take a new way home, I always have some vague idea of where I am and it is when I see the big red dome again, that I am reassured that I have found my way home.

Not only does my little apartment feel like home, but we have all pretty much figured out the Italian way of doing things. We now know Grana Padano cheese is way cheaper than Parmesan and tastes exactly the same. We now know that if you want good bread, you have to go shopping early in the morning or else it will be all gone or stale. We now know that you have to distinguish between Acqua Naturale (regular mineral water) and Acqua Frizzante (sparkling water) and the house wine is always the cheapest wine to order (and never bad!). We know that you can't expect to go out to dinner before 7:30 and that ordering a Cappuccino past noon is a big Italian no-no. Meaghan finally figured out what baking soda is called in Italy and we discovered that you simply cannot find cheddar cheese in any Italian grocery store. These are only a few of the many things that we have simply learned to adapt to...

This week I accomplished many things: I finished my first real painting in my painting class. I learned how to make simple, yet delicious, seafood spaghetti in my Food & Culture class (which also included learning how to clean and dissect calamari, squid, mussels and clams). In my Religion & Women's class I learned that there are many open doors in Florence that I have yet to explore. And in Ethics, I was reminded that happiness is not just about momentary pleasures and that the simple things in life are what truly make me happy.

This is all for now. Tonight, I have been invited over to dinner at John's host family's home. I am a little bit nervous about speaking Italian with them, but I am also very VERY excited about experiencing my first true home-cooked Italian meal. Wish me luck and arrivederci!