PERUGIA Tuesday May 6, 2008

I have set my cell phone to work as my alarm clock. Unfortunately, my cell phone thinks that it is still in Brookline and refuses to get on the European time zone. So, it makes me set my wakeup call for 1:50am (it really is 7:50am in Perugia)! So, at 1:50am, I am serenaded by Brooks & Dunn's "Play Something Country" I have to just keep reminding myself that it is really 7:50am here!
Off to class, out the door at 9am. stop at what I hope to become ny everyday breakfast spot -
A bar!

Perugia Monday May 5, 2008

The first day of class! We arrived at our language school, Comitato Linguistico for placement, orientation and a new class lunch held at a local restaurant. I found that most of the students were not 20 years old, as Mark had predicted, but a rather interesting age mix, with the median age being 40! A rather large constituency from the lovely country of Holland. I met my fellow classmates, some very interesting, others rather curious and others that you just can't or rather won't put a label on. Ruby the Rabbi without a congregation, need I say more!

Comitato Linguistico should prove to be a terrific learning experience and an even more interesting cultural experience. Only time will tell!!

PERUGIA Sunday May 4, 2008

Greetings from Beautiful Perugia!

I arrived in Perugia on May 3rd, checked into a hotel on the noisy and busy Corso Vanucci for one night before I could take occupancy of my home for the next 5 weeks(it was only supposed to be 4, but I changed my mind!!)
I woke very late on Sunday morning to a 12noon call from the frontdesk who wanted to know if I was staying another night. I don't think so. Ran down to meet my new landlord at the apartment that I had found online. It was already 12:10 and I was scheduled to meet them at 12noon. I ran!!! I was greeted by Ernesto who took one look at my suitcase and said he had no idea how we were going to get it up 5 flites of stairs. What happened to the advertised "lift"?? Does it mean something different here?? The solution was for Ernesto to call Nahid, a Bangladeshi who works at a nearby restaurant. I think that my landlords are also in the restaurant business.
My apartment on Via Ulisse Rocchi is a little gem smack dab in the middle of the "Centro Storico:" A cute loft with all of the comforts of home ( less DirecTV). Italian TV leaves alot to be desires. There is just so much MTV's Parental Control that one can watch.
Got settled into my apartment, explored my neighborhood and prepared for my first day of Italian lessons.
Can't wait for day 2 of my new adventure. I sure hope that the school has a "lift" like it had advertised.,too!
Donna