Aspettate un momento

In this post, I will aim to give each moment of last week the attention it deserves, despite how many moments there were. I have never been very disciplined when it comes to keeping a daily journal (even those that were required). So this blog is kind of a miracle.

Let’s start with Saturday. I went to two different festivals last Saturday. In the morning, I volunteered with P.A.C.E., which has several programs dedicated to teaching English to Italian children. We had two arts and crafts booths. I spent my four-hour shift making maracas out of plastic water bottles. You basically talk at the kids, even if they don’t understand. First, you ask them what color rice they want to put in their shaker. “We have bluuuuue rice, and piiiiiink rice, and puuuurple rice…” Then, the kids get to put multicolored electrical tape on their bottles. Finally, we gave them each a cool sticker with English words: “Great!” “Awesome!” “Way to Go!” It was a lot more fun than I expected. In October, P.A.C.E. is organizing a Halloween party, so I am planning to volunteer then too.

Next, I met up with Grace to go to the festival in Via Broccaindosso, where we stayed with Eli. When we arrived, everyone had brought their tables outside, where all the neighbors dined together. Since it was lunchtime, nothing much was happening. So she and I (and our friend Natalia) continued back to Grace’s apartment. We did see Eli briefly, and he said to come by later. At Grace’s, we watched a fantastic and relevant film called L’Auberge Espagnole. It is about a young French guy who does a study abroad program in Barcelona. I really loved it, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know the truth about what I’m doing here (just kidding!). The three of us went back to Eli’s, where we had Eritrean food made by an Eritrean woman. Eli is such a sweetheart. It’s nice having a different kind of friend in a foreign country.

On Sunday, Natalia and I went to the antiques market near Santo Stefano. It is really fascinating how despite the geographical difference, many items were the same as American ones. At the same time, something typical of the 60s in Italy might be completely different from its American counterpart. Afterward, we ate at the Cremeria Sette Chiese, where I had coffee gelato and nutella gelato. (Santo Stefano, which is the place we visited in the rain, is alternatively called “Sette Chiese” because it is comprised of seven different churches). I am still on the hunt to find the best gelato in Bologna.

Monday, nothing of consequence happened, as far as I can remember. Tuesday night, we all went to this club called Sodapops. It was ERASMUS Student Welcome Night. The ERASMUS program is an exchange program for EU students (in fact, the guy in the French film was ERASMUS). Frequently Americans are grouped into ERASMUS as well, even though a lot of times that gives us a bad reputation. However, we are not technically ERASMUS. Anyway, a girl in my program found a job at Sodapops, and part of her first day of work was drawing students to the club. I think pretty much everyone in the program came by to support her. Despite the annoying, pathetic Italian guys, we had a lot of fun. I should probably clarify this definition. Everyone comes to Italy with the expectation that the male species are a cut above the rest: beautiful, romantic, sentimental. Well, they are certainly a different species. They will do anything to get a girl’s attention. I have been told that I have nice shoes, that I am loved, that I am cattiva (which can mean bad, awful, hurtful, bitchy…take your pick. I’m inclined to think the worst. Basically, I was on my way to class one day when this guy tried to say hi. He wouldn’t let me pass, and he stuck out his hand for me to shake. I said, “Devo andare a scuola, mi dispiace” and throwing his hands up in disgust, he exclaimed, “Sei cattiva!”… Che stronzo!).

Wednesday was Grace’s birthday. I stayed over Tuesday night because I didn’t want to walk back to my apartment so late. I gave her a painting of her favorite spot in Bologna, a pack of Italian playing cards, and a small alarm clock. We had an apertivo before going to see a movie with our class. The aperitivo is a wonderful concept. In the early evening, you can buy a drink and get a complimentary buffet of little dishes. It is a pretty cheap dinner/snack. The film we saw was called L’intervallo. It was in the Neapolitan dialect, and it had Italian subtitles. The story deals with the Camorra (the Neapolitan mafia) and two teens who have to deal with living under its tyranny. It was a very moving film, but very typical of foreign cinema: nothing happened in the movie. So if you are more inclined towards happy endings, or an ending in general, I don’t recommend you see it. For everyone else who is a little more adventurous, see it.

Thursday night, I went to Ilaria and Beatrice to the Festa dell’Unità. It was a lot like a county fair, except it was organized by the Democratic Party. There were several “restaurants” offering regional Italian food, as well as other ethnic foods. We didn’t stay very long, but we did walk home with two plants. We paid 1.30 euro to pick a number. Our number (20) gave us 20 points to choose a plant. So Ilaria and I chose two 10 point plants. They are now sitting on my window sill. Plants apparently make us happier, though I really don’t need any help with that now. The highlight, though, was riding in Ilaria’s FIAT 500 for the second time.

Friday, we had a wonderful meal for 10 euro each. The menu completo featured a primo, second, and dolce or caffè. I had risotto with shrimp and zucchini, a fritto misto plate of seafood, and a coffee sorbetto to top it off. The five of us – me, Grace, Natalia, Kelly, and Kelly’s friend Hilary – were having a last meal before Hilary left. She also goes to UCLA, but she studied in Berlin this summer. On her way home, she stopped in Bologna for two weeks. Peggy (our wonderful, indescribable academic coordinator) graciously let Hilary accompany the group on our many fieldtrips to museums and even to Ravenna. She was a great addition, and it is too bad that she couldn’t stay.

Yesterday was Saturday once again. It marked my two week anniversary of living on Via Tiberio Fiorilli…and I’m happy to say that I love it so much. It seems like the best possible spot for me in all of Bologna. As I’ve said before, Ilaria and Raffy are so kind and fun to be around. Ilaria and I talk all the time (which is of course improving my Italian!).

Grace, Kelly (I just realized…Grace + Kelly = Grace Kelly. Nice.), and I went to the flea market yesterday afternoon. There is pretty much a stand for everything. Prices range from normally expensive to ridiculously cheap. Of course, so does the quality. I found my prized possessions there, however: green leather ankle boots. (Don’t worry, Vidduch, they were well-priced). Pimpa the rabbit seemed to like them as much as I do, because when I was still wearing them, he came up and took a bite out of the toe! It was so absurd that I wasn’t mad (you really can’t tell that much, and I inevitably would have scuffed them anyway). It would be one thing if I had carelessly left them in my room with the door open, but they were still on my feet! What a ridiculous creature.

I made dinner for the girls, too. I wanted to buy fish at the fish counter, but I was intimidated by how whole they were. I have never learned how to clean a fish, sadly. So, I was reduced to buying cod filets in the frozen section. Please don’t judge me for it. (It’s possible that no one is judging me for it except myself. I am trying not to think about the environmental consequences of my purchase.) Anyway, I also made a tomato sauce with onions and potatoes. It worked out nicely, so I’m pleased.

And that was basically my week. Now that I’m enjoying every moment here, each one disappears more quickly than I would like.