Week 1

Ciao ciao ciao!

I have almost completed week 1 of my Rotary experience in Italy. It feels like I’ve been gone forever.  This week for me has been a great mixture of feelings for me. Most of the time I feel pretty brilliant and lucky to be in such a beautiful place but I do find myself feeling a little homesick sometimes. Like I said in my previous blog it happens when I’m not preoccupied with something else. Tomorrow is our first Rotary Club of Cremona meeting and I am so excited. It’ll be so nice to connect with the other exchange students that’ll be going to school with me, and actually have some FRIENDS. I love being around Italian people, even when I don’t know what is going on.  I can’t wait to post a video of what it feels like to be in my shoes. Everyone talks so fast and then talk constantly and then all of a sudden they stop, look at me, and ask me a question that I have NO idea how to answer.  I’ve been carrying my iPod and I’ve been jotting down things that I find interesting or funny and things that are similar or different to society back home. While I love learning new things about the beautiful Italian culture it is very comforting to observe similarities in a world that feels so far away from my home. So today for my blog I’m going to write down a list of some of the similarities and differences that I’ve observed so far! Enjoy

SIMILARITIES
* In downtown Milan I saw a man wearing a University of Minnesota sweatshirt! It was great but I wasn’t able to get a picture. L
 Parents fight about the same things with their children. My host mom and brother have the same fight everyday about him wanted to take the car when he really should walk. Hahaha mom, I think of you every time that happens.
* Girls talk about the same things; boys, clothes, boys, gossip, boys and boys.
* There have been a couple of nights that we’ve had thunderstorms here and for some reason it’s comforting to know that it storms here just the same. J
* They mainly listen to American music. It’s comforting because when we’re yelling out the lyrics I’m the only one that actually knows the lyrics. It’s the one time I don’t feel incompetent!
* They have frozen pizza here too! It’s just a little different.
* Yesterday morning I watched Zach and Cody on tv in Italian. I  had no idea what was going out but it was funny to watch.

DIFFERENCES
* They, at least my host mom, puts a ton of salt on lettuce for salad. This is one Italian food custom I will not get used to. I could not finish it. :/
* I’ve only seen 1 stop sign in Cremona or Castelvetro. It was huge and had flashing lights. Otherwise it’s all yielding and there are a couple stop signs in the city.
* The lovely people I’ve been hanging out with smoke so much but they all also have beautiful teeth..I do not understand
* Another mystery is a common one I’m sure…HOW CAN THEY EAT SO MUCH AND STAY SO SKINNY?! I am determined to figure this out before I leave here because I really do not get it. I used to think it was because they would walk or bike everywhere, but at least in the village where I live no one does, and they are all so skinny. Ayyya?
* Everyone is very tan here, I think it’s partially just their genes but they also like to “take sun” (as my host brother would say) a lot. I’m pale for Minnesota. I’m SUPER pale for Italy.
* In Italy I’m TALL! Or at least above average. It’s great J

These are my observations so far. 

A few pictures :) 

(left): The main Piazza in Cremona.

(below): La casa mia

            

I’m looking forward to school starting and joining a choir of some sorts. Once I get into a routine I know that I’ll start to feel more at home here. However, I am already having a brilliant experience so knowing that it will get even better is extremely exciting! I’ve been kind of slow on responding to emails but always feel free to message me. Ciao ciao!

Stina