Manifestazione.

Yesterday there was a nationwide protest. There were over 10,000 participants in my city. The prime minister of education passed a reform, which was approved by Congress Wednesday, that cuts money from public schools. It also threatens to lessen hours of Latin and Greek, and increase hours of math in the Classics schools... essentially converting them to the scientific schools. It also presents the idea of one teacher per class in elementary schools, instead of a different teacher for every subject, which would result in thousands upon thousands of teachers getting laid off. Also on Wednesday, Congress passed another law giving private schools much larger sums of money... so basically taking money from the public schools and handing it to the private. So obviously, just about everyone was outraged. The strike yesterday was the largest protest my city's ever seen. Everyone had signs, and the parade participants were as young as elementary schoolers, and also included parents and teachers. It was a really awesome experience to be a part of. It started pouring rain a couple of hours in and everyone pulled out umbrellas, creating a massive shield that extended down the streets for miles. Even if you weren't holding your own umbrella, you weren't getting wet, because every other person was holding one above you. It must have been an interesting sight for all of the on-lookers from apartment buildings above.

I saw this at the store last night. American style pizza by Big Americans. I don't know about you, but I've never seen a pizza in America with corn on it. Oh well.

Uhm. Seeing High School Musical 3 in theatres tonight (opening night in Italy). Can you say "stoked"?

And also. Italy needs to celebrate Halloween. Have fun tonight. :[

Rome! and stuff.

So, that sciopero I mentioned last Thursday was of epic proportions. Every single school in my city joined together and had a sit-in in the university. Then we all got up and took it to the street, and it turned into a huge parade through all of the main streets, delaying public transportation for hours. This picture is actually the front of the parade... I don't even know how I ended up in front...

Can you see in the distance? It goes on and on...

ROME! So the nine of us (everyone except for Stephanie) from Alghero and Sassari left Friday morning by plane, then train, then subway, and finally walked out into the Roman light where the first thing we saw was the Colosseum (which, needless to say, was epic). We were all so giddy, and even shocked that we were actually there. We didn't have time to go inside the Colosseum, unfortunately, because the wait was two hours, but that just means we'll need to go back! We met up with four American exchange students living in Rome and got lunch. After, we all explored Rome and saw all those cool things like the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. And got gelato, of course. Then we all took a train to Anzio where we had a Rotary meeting and spent the night in the hotel. It was a super fun weekend, and I bonded so much with the Rome and Alghero kids. It was so sad to leave them!!!

Hilda and Lisbeth in the subway station.

Colosseum- first sight!

In front of the Colosseum.

When in Rome...

me, Tore, Lisbeth, Hilda and Jacquie

The Pantheon.
That hole is 8m wide, and there's constantly warm air pushing out, so when it rains nothing falls through. Pretty cool. :]

So all of this week at school we've been doing this form of striking called "autogestione" where we just don't take lessons. Monday was fun because we all hung out and played games all day, but Tuesday everyone needed to study for Latin all day because there's a bunch of tests Friday, so I basically just texted all of the other bored exchange students and listened to music until both my phone and iPod died. Then I went to the big steeple part of the school where they were watching a Spanish movie with Italian subtitles, and I was sitting in the back so couldn't understand a thing... so took a nap. :]

Today everyone is studying for Greek/painting their nails, so it smells. But I pulled my journal out earlier to start writing this and my history/philosophy teacher asked what I do every day during class if I can't understand, and I said nothing, so she pulled me aside and started reviewing Italian grammar with me. She was shocked that I've just been learning on my own and didn't have anyone to really help me with the language, so now on Tuesdays during 4th period (science. score!) she's pulling me out to help me learn :]

I'm happy.

There's more picture of Rome, that whole weekend, and everything else here:

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f98/kelsm22/Italy/

Oops.

[I wrote this a week ago and forgot to post it. m'bad]

Oh my goodness. Yesterday we had sort of a Rotary get-together. It was the same ten kids from the meeting in Alghero, but it was in Sassari this time, at this huge fancy building in the back of the Piazza d'Italia. So first off, this building is gorgeous from the outside, so I guess it wasn't too mcuh of a surprise to see how stunning the inside is. Also, pictures weren't allowed... buuut all of us were constantly taking pictures from under the table, etc. They're pretty ridiculous. But if anyone asks, these don't exist. So, this wasn't a meeting, because we didn't even discuss anything. The only purpose was for us to meet the President of Sassari, who was actually this really cool lady. We sat in this extremely beautiful meeting room, and were called upon one at a time to be introduced to her and to give her a flag. Afterwards, she talked all about the history of Sassari, and told us the background of all the paintings and murals in the room. Then we got a tour of the King's and Queen's rooms (uh, yeah.) and then were brought to the King's dining room, where there was a table packed with snacks for us, which was amazing. The newspaper took a picture of us, too (though I have yet to see it...). We also got goody bags with a local photography book and a map of Sassari! Hurray!

So yesterday we got let out of school at noon because the plumbing broke. This building is reeeally old. And today we started at 10:20 and finish at noon again, because it's still not fixed so no one is allowed to go to the bathroom. And tomorrow's another sciopero! And Friday morning I leave for Rome! Awesome :)
This week kicks ass.

Ching ching!!

Ooookay. So yesterday was supposed to be a sciopero of the teachers and the students who supported them, but all of the teachers ended up entering... along with most of the students. But my whole class--well those of us who even came to school-- just kept standing outside, because yesterday we decided as a whole to not enter. Sooo... we left. Everyone hopped on their little motorbikes, and Isabella and I walked to the Piazza to meet everyone for breakfast at a cafe. We actually ended up spending a couple of hours with our little cappuccinos just chatting. Then Isabella and I went shoe shopping, but didn't buy anything. After, we met up with two other classmates, Mariaelena and Elena in Via Roma and chatted more. Then Isabella and I soaked up some sun in the Piazza and shared music. It was a very nice morning. We also met Paolo for lunch and then hung out by the park. I taught them the phrase "f'sho." Useful, I know.

SO. Last night Pietro picked me and Kaylee (Colorado) up at around 8 and we drove to Alghero for our first Rotary meeting! Whoo! There were ten exchange students there, and that's all the clubs from Sassari and Alghero combined. Eight of us were from America, one from Sweden, and one from Denmark. Everyone except for Kaylee and me had already had a couple meetings together and met, but it was still super fun. We traded pins and cards and everything. Cool. So, the meeting was in a big nice hotel and there were tons of people there. It was pretty fancy. Not like ours in Donner Kitchen, eh? :] So everyone proceeded upstairs to a big room with a buffet set up in the middle, and all of the exchange students had a table reserved at the front. So the whole room was just sitting at their tables talking and waiting for the meeting to start. Welllll.... I sort of leaned one of my wine glasses towards me, then it slipped and smacked back the other direction into my other wine glass, which emitted a shockingly loud DONG!!!!! So... those of you who have ever been to a Rotary meeting know what happens when the bell sounds... the ENTIRE room fell silent and stood up!!! The president was the last to stand, and then he asked "Why are we all standing??" because the bell was in front of him and obviously he knew he hadn't called the meeting to order yet... but he figured he had everyone's attention, so he then sounded the bell, which, might I add, was IDENTICAL in tone and pitch to the DONG my glasses created, if not quieter. Well at this point, every exchange student was in hysterics, and I was crying from laughing so hard, and was utterly traumatized at what I had done... plus for the rest of the meeting, Charlie, the other CA kid, kept picking up his glass and pretending to ding it against his other one... so basically I will never live this down. Welcome to my first Rotary meeting...!


Well besides that, the meeting was good. We all had to give little introductory speeches, right in the beginning, too, so my speech was 100% on the energized, smiling side... once I wiped away the laughing tears... Anyways. Dinner was good and I had tons of fun hanging out with all the other exchange students. After dinner some guy told me that my speech was the only one he understood, haha. Alrighty. Well we left around 11:30 and then drove home, and when I got to my house I discovered that my host family was throwing a freakin' party. So I was introduced to eeeveryone, and the people that I already knew were so shocked and thrilled that I was speaking Italian and were sooo interested in the pins on my jacket and a couple of them even knew Lake Tahoe! Sweet, that's a first. Then I was finally able to excuse myself and go to sleep, because it was now past one on a school night.

And now I am in philosophy and I am tired and everyone else is doing interrogations except for Tim and me. Because I am doing this, and he is reading Fight Club. Which I remembered today. Hurrah.

So today there was a test in English but everyone was saying that they weren't ready for it, but Mr. Bruno said they had to take it, so they protested by getting everyone in the class to sit there and pretend to write, and then everyone turns in blank pages. So Bruno just said "okay, let's revise. We'll just discuss the questions orally as a class." Gosh. How many times in America does half the class fail tests because we just take them unprepared? These kids know how to get stuff done, that's for sure.

Oh, if you're like my dad and want to see more pictures of random stuff, you can look on my photobucket... the link is under the "links" section to the right.

This is mostly information for my mom.

I took 150 euros out of my bank account cause I had to pay 100 euros at the post office. I don't know for sure what it was for this time, but I know it was necessary...
Also- my phone costs 15 euros a month, and my bus pass is 16 a month. I'm not starting the gym til November because I can't go the next two Fridays, and there's no point in paying 40 euros for like, three days. Friday is the first Rotary meeting (!!!) in Alghero so I'll finally be gettin' some pins, woohoo. It sucks though because it doesn't even start until 8pm, so probably goes until 11, and then the drive back to Sassari... late night. School the next day. Bleh.
I slept for four hours after school yesterday because I couldn't go anywhere. Felt good.

There's only eleven kids in class today. There's interrogations in history. Wonder if that's related...

Every time I see Shasta now she's (or should I say "he's"... they're not exactly twins...) alone. I haven't seen Sierra for over a week. Uh oh!

There might be another sciopero tomorrow. Oh, Sciopero means strike. All of the exchange students sort of added that word into the English language. We've even made it a verb. "Are you guys scioperoing tomorrow?"

I'm reading Roald Dahl's The BFG during class. In Italian. So Il GGG- Grande Gigante Gentile. It's a slow process, because I need to look up every 5th word as I read, then I write it in my notebook.

Oh shoot. I just remembered I was supposed to bring Tim Fight Club today. Whoops. He must be bored. Sorry, Tim.

I woke up every half hour to 45 minutes last night. I don't know why. I'd check the time and go back to sleep. Actually, twice I woke up with a start thinking I had turned off my alarm and fallen back asleep, so I booked it to the bathroom to start getting ready, then I'd see the time on the clock in there. It was a weird night. I haven't slept through the night once since I've been here. I always did at home. Hmm.

Oh! I need to buy rainboots! I've never had to do that before. How exciting!

There's four turtles at my house! They're about the size of ping pong balls. :]

Il Gioco del 100

They warned me. They said if I started, I'd get addicted. But I was bored, and everyone else was doing it. They told me to be careful; it's a drug. But it's something to do during Greek and Latin classes... so they taught me how. And now I do it all the time. I can't stop.

It's better than Sudoku.
It's "Il Gioco del 100" [the game of 100], and I am determind to beat it.


As a birthday gift to my mother, I now present "Il Gioco del 100."


1. Make a grid of 10 x 10 squares, each one being large enough to write a 2-digit number in. Do the grid in pen, as you'll be erasing a lot. Also using pen, place a 1 in the top left corner. From this point on, use PENCIL.
(click on images to see them bigger...)

2. From the 1 in the top left corner, you can now begin to move horizontally or vertically by skipping two spaces and marking a 2 in the next square, OR by moving diagonally by skipping one space.

3. Continue from your 2 with a 3, then a 4, and so on. Your object is to get to 100, but note that this is very difficult, as you usually run out of legal moves!!!







An example of my most recent failed attempt... so close!!!!

Homecoming?!?!

Awwww I miss homecoming :[

It was hilarious. This morning before school Miriam was like "oh man, listen to this. In Paola's school in America they're dressing up!! Yesterday they had a jungle theme!! And they're doing an Italian/French theme for Paola and the other exchange student! How wonderful, America..." and then the entire group has twinkling eyes and dropped jaws. I said "yeah, my school had a Superhero theme yesterday, and toga earlier this week" and everyone just keeps saying "che bello!" and wishing Italy had things like that at school. I totally took things like homecoming and leadership for granted. And now it's one of the things I miss the most. Hahaha I'm such a nerd. Out of Truckee High and I just wanna go back!!

I bought my plane ticket for ROME today! :] I leave two weeks from today for a weekend in Rome with Rotary. SO EXCITED! :]]]

Oh my gosh. I went to the gym tonight with Maria and Miriam, which I'll be doing every Wednesday and Friday night. Hardest workout of my life. I am pooped. Goodnight.

Ciaaa.

It's pretty cool. In all the main streets there's little strips with grooves in them that follow the sidewalk for blind people, and the shapes of the grooves are a little bit different on each street so they know where they are. I thought that was pretty creative.

Wow. It's amazing how many hundreds of people are buzzing about the Piazza even on week nights.

It's also amazing thast I'm the only girl here who doesn't always wear skinny jeans. Quite alright. I'm used to being different.

Tonight I went to a cafe with these two kids Paolo and Gianluca. They're super awesome. I actually hadn't met them in person yet, but apparently they just make it their duty to go around befriending all the exchange students. They've hung out with Stephanie and Hilary a ton. But those two have to go to Italian lessons on week nights so can't go out. Anyway. Isabell met us at the cafe, too. She's been referred to as Paolo's sister but they don't live together or anything, so I don't know for sure. Meh. They're all super funny and nice though. And even walked me back to Anna's studio to make sure I'm safe! The cool thing about them is that they correct my Italian, and always speak in Italian, and rarely switch to English (even though they're all really fluent) when I don't understand something. They just slow it down and rephrase it. They're definitely a good group to hang with to learn the language. Cool. :]

You should see my red converse. I went stitch-crazy on them. Remember the jeans?? Yeah. All that plus a couple scenes of stars and snow and rain and rainbows and waves. I was bored. :]

I am always so freakin' tired. But I don't take naps after lunch anymore because Anna asked me why I sleep all the time and I got self conscience. But seriously. It's almost 9:30pm on a school night and I'm still at work with Anna. We have to go home, make dinner, eat and take showers before I can call it a night. I don't get to bed until at least 10:30, though it's usually closer to 11 or 11:30. And in America sometimes I'd have those nights, but here that's every night. Going to bed early isn't an option. And now Anna asks why I have bags under my eyes. Let's see... ha.

Soo.

There's really just not much else to say. School, for the most part, is pretty boring. I'm only a part of a few subjects a day, if even. About 12 classes a week, out of 35. I finished my Italian book, so I don't have anything to study anymore... so now I just read. For five hours a day. Cool. At least I brought good books? After school sometimes I go to Miriam's, which is nice because otherwise I'm just home alone for hours, which gets super boring. Saturday evenings I usually meet Miriam and all her friends in the Piazza, which is always tons of fun and the highlight of my week. They're a really great group of kids, but none of them go to my school, so that's a bummer. Last Saturday we got "ceesburgers" for dinner. Haha. It was... odd.

It's funny how interested in American politics they are. I've had a couple lunches where all we talk about is Sarah Palin, and I attempt to translate and define "maverick." But then again, how interested are they really, because the article in the newspaper about the Vice Presidential debates had a picture of Palin's red heels with a caption stating the designer. Alright, Italy...
Posso ti chiamo Joe??

I'm going to the airport tonight to pick up Giovanna, who's been in Spain the past week. That's funny. Five weeks ago they were all there getting me, and I thought the air was so warm and humid and smelled so strange. And I couldn't speak Italian. Pahaha.

I am not a fun of horse.

My English teacher told the class that the English word for hamster is "little Indian pig".... no.... he also spelled voodoo "wodoo."

Hahaha. All the girls in the first grade (our freshman equivalent) are in love with Tim, so during break they all surround him and ask him questions in their beginner English, so basically conversations get absolutely nowhere besides a whole lot of giggle fits. And my whole class (we're in the 4th grade, so seniors, though there's another 5th grade above us) watches and laughs. Pahaha. Poor, Tim.

English is so much simpler than Italian. Really the only thing that they've expressed difficulty with is silent letters. They can't comprehend how the word "ought" is pronounced "ot." That's the one easy thing about Italian. Every letter is always pronounced.
I don't understand how English originated from the Germanic tribes of Anglos, Saxons and Jutes (with later influence from the Vikings, Normans, and Latin church). English doesn't sound aaaanything like German.
Who would've thought. I come to Italy and learn more about my native language than I did at home.