Day Due

Saturday, January 16, 2010

This morning we had a paperwork session to file our Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno). Those of us in the beginning of the alphabet, Conor, Emily, Mike, and I had the earliest session but then got out and got a few groceries. As the Rome Center sits on top of a hill, the walk was nice to the Supermercato, but the walk back was quite a hike to carry our food. We are served lunch and dinner in the Mensa (cafeteria) so snacks and breakfast foods were our mission. Between the 4 of us, there were pringles, oreos, coke, and dove soap. We were adventurous enough to buy some cold cuts, fresh bread, and cheese to try without being able to read the descriptions. The registers said our total and we were able to make our transactions fairly smoothly. Conor and Mike knew that the cashier was trying to sell us bags, I couldn't figure out what borsa meant.

Later this after noon we have a meeting regarding life at the Rome Center and in the local community: Medical Support, Safety, Student Mail, Computers, Phones, Fire Exits, etc. I'll hopefully be able to provide my mailbox number in my next post...

Then tonight is our Italian Language Survival Session #2. Last night we learned some basics: introductions, directions, and how to order from the bar (coffee house). No really, they call the coffee shop in our lower level, and all coffee places / sandwich shops 'the bar'. It was comforting to me that my entire group was looking around clueless through the session.

Tomorrow = an Orientation retreat in the Umbria region of Italy. We will be getting to know one another while the full year students lead the excursion to Assisi. We reconnected with Buddy Evans last night who has been studying abroad for the full-year. He was very knowledgable and helpful with our endless questions on where to go and how to get there.

We will be staying at the Pro Civitate Christiana retreat center in the center of Assisi. Buses are not allowed in the center of Assisi, so my new hiking shoes will be very useful. We will be touring the neighborhoods and visiting prayer site for St. Francis located on a neighboring mountain top. The events are scheduled but optional for those who are not so ambitious. We are free to explore Assisi on your own as well.

Bone un cappachino. I'll have a cappachino.
Ciao,
LEX