Ok so there really was no chaos in Siena for the past MONTH that I haven't blogged. There was simply tonssss of chaos in my life (and since my life is currently in Siena...well, you get it.) which is why I have been the worst blog updater ever. Mi dispiace moltissimo.
Because I feel like this post would end up being longer than a Harry Potter novel, I will try to be short and concise (HAH who am I kidding? that never happens) and will provide short paragraphical blurbs of only the most interesting, necessary, and relevant situations from the last mese. (Also, if you haven't noticed, Italian words will be interspersed because I have been speaking it so much, it comes very quickly to my brain and my english grammar skillz have honestly gone down the tubes. so use your context clues or just make up your own meanings hah).
1. I moved out of my old host-mom's house and into a new family's home about 3 weeks ago. Reasons? Ex-hosty Giovanna was a NUT. I was very accepting of her irrational antics for a whole month of living in Italy because i was trying to be "accepting of the culture" but really she is unstable and just not a good person. Someone was just in it for the money. Anyways, I got a new host family and after packing alllll my stuff (and having an uncomfortable final dinner with G-lady) I moved in. And now everything is benissimo. My new famiglia is crazy but in a totally normal awesome way. Quick basics: Mom = Maria Pia, loud Italian woman probably around early 60s, wears every shade of eyeshadow you could ever imagine all at the same time, super into making sure I have everything I need all the time (what a change!). Dad = Franco, way older than Maria Pia and a super cute old man who is kind of a butcher that distributes meats to supermarkets around Siena. Brother = Andrea, 35 years old, lives in the house because he was going to get married but it didn't work out so he moved back home. Nice guy, wears braces, is treated like a middle schooler (his mom still packs his lunch...), we don't really talk much. Pets = Filippe, miniature pinscher dawwwg that yaps around and wears sweaters, really cute, Maria Pia's pride and joy, Chico could definitely eat him. Pet 2 = Yagermeister, 15 year old huge black cat, hisses at me sometimes, other times comes down the tiny spiral staircase to the kitchen to greet me in the morning.
2. Moving right along (told you I was bad at making things short! psh whatevs deal with it.)
So the past couple of weeks classes have really kicked in and the teachers have given us MOLTISSIMI projects, papers, homework, etc. It's been really hard to get done because it's all in Italian and I've had to write two 3page papers a week every week! The classes are interesting though. Mi piace la lezione di Cinema Italiano. We are watching famous Italian comedies starting from the black and white ones. In Emigration class I'm doing lots of research about the Baetti family migration and just Italians in Argentina in general. Interessante.
3. We've been going on tons of excursions recently as well. On one day trip we went to the small Tuscan towns of Pienza and Montalcino. In the latter we went to a vineyard where this crazy man Alessandro makes his own Brunello wine and we got to try the wine in three different stages of fermentation to test the differences. Pretty cool. The next weekend we went to Perugia and Assisi. In Perugia we got to go to the Perugina/Nestle chocolate factory! Factories are really fascinating to me (like that one time I went to the JellyBelly factory...best day ever) and the free samples after weren't so bad either (the stomach ache was though). In Assisi we just got to visit the town, which I loved, and of course learned all about San Francesco (St. Francis) because he was from there. Patron Saint of the Poor, what up ancient Mother Teresa!?
4. As part of some of the community service opportunities I took on the job of teaching English to a 5th grade class at one of the Sienese elementary schools. I've only been once so far, but the kids are really cute and eager to learn (drastic difference from demon child Ivan over summer) and I'm shocked at how well they speak it already! (Oh USA, please teach children foreign languages at a younger age, I'm begging you.) I'll get to go 4 more times before the program is over and that's exciting. We cover all the grades as well so one day I went with my friend who is assigned a Kindergarten class and it was just hilarious. Picture little Italian children trying to speak English! We taught colors and how to say "my name is___" :)
Alright well enough of the numbers. Siena is gearing up for winter and the holiday lights are already up (although not on yet). A little old man has started his annual chestnut roasting grill in the center of town and they are really yummy. I can't wait til the holidays roll around and the christmas markets start! It'll be interesting to see how the holiday spirit feels in Italy.
A couple of days ago we started our mid semester break. I went to Roma with my amica Emily from the program (we met her parents there too!) for three days and today I flew to Vienna to stay and hang out with Maria until Sunday! I'm looking forward to relaxing and getting to experience her daily life just like I got to do with Melina in Paris over summer. I'm also going to eat schnitzel and other austrian yummies and of course, not understand what anything says or what anyone is saying (oh german. how I loathe you).
It's crazy that it's already November! The program is already halfway over and I don't know how I feel about that. Once I get back to Siena on Sunday, classes will continue full force and at the end of the week Melina and Romain come to visit! I'm so excited to play tourguide again (first time was for Maggie!) and show them why I love Siena so much.
Miss everyone MOLTO!
Baci baci baci,
Bella Gabriella
