My Journey to Italia

it's very late...

September 7, 2006

It's 3:30 in the morning right now and I can't sleep. I haven't been able to sleep for around the last three hours. It's really strange to think that everyone back home isn't even tired yet or getting ready for bed. I like to think maybe my body just isn't used to the time change yet and that soon I will be able to sleep when I'm supposed to. Is this what they mean by jetlag? Yesterday I was tired for most of the day and feel like I was just walking around in a daze... I want to really start enjoying things but need to wake up first! I really wish my phone worked... that I was able to add time to it before my family showed up yesterday but I wasn't. Tomorrow I will definitely be able to call! I am really nervous about everything that is to come and I think that's part of why I can't sleep. Also, I just wish I could have talked to someone from home today! I've got the really ancy feeling, where I just need to cry a little and get things off my chest but I can't. I'm really worried that I'm going to be too cut off from the other UC students by living in a home stay. The idea of an apartment right next to everything in the city and being able to live in the same room as other English speakers is very appealing. And the wireless internet they have/are close to is very appealing as well. I realize now a computer wasn't completely necessary... but it is nice to have right now.

I might as well tell you all a little more about my host family while I'm awake. Around 3:45 yesterday Laura arrived at the Jolly Hotel where all us EAP students had met earlier that day. There were only a few of us home stayers waiting by that time and I was actually the last to be picked up (go figure!) Laura is a very petite woman; she's short and very thin with black curly hair. She looks really good for her age, I'm not sure I would have known she as over 60. She said ciao and kissed me on both cheeks (an Italian tradition I had only heard about but never experienced until now) and talked to the translator. When I said I missed home she laughed a little and asked how long I'd been gone. When I said only two days she laughed a little more. But it wasn't a mean laugh, just an amused one. When we stepped outside I wasn't sure if she had a car waiting or if we were taking a taxi. But she took my hand, which she said was cold, and led me across the street where her husband Mario was waiting with the car. At first I thought she was pointing to this other man, who was pretty big, had black sunglasses on and had a huge, unkept white beard. I was thinking wow, he looks like a beach bum, not quite what I expected when I realized Mario was the other guy with the car waving at us. Mario looks really fit, very good for over 60 as well, and has an almost baldhead. He said hello and helped me put my luggage in the back of the car (my luggage was TINY compared to EVERYONE else's, I could have brought more!) Then we started on our way, winding down the streets of Siena. We passed outside the walls and turned into a tiny driveway on one of the streets. Mario had to back the car all the way down the driveway into their garage, which was rather large. I can't imagine everyone in the apartment building gets a garage, perhaps they do though. They pointed out the many things they had around for their grandchildren, there were quite a few strollers and such. Then we went up the five flights of stairs to reach their apartment. I think only two families live on each floor and have large apartments. So when you see a building although they look large with lots of windows, most likely there are only 2 or so different families per floor.

The house is nice, older of course. It kind of reminds me of somewhere I've been before but I can't place it. Lots of old furniture. Nothing looks particularly new. Quite a change from America, especially with all the design shows I've been watching lately and of course the design for the porch that Mom is working on. My room is small, shorter than my room at home but wider. The bed is a single bed and I also have a chest of drawers that doubles as a desk. It's one of the fold down kind! The closet is plenty big and there is a mirror in it. The floor isn't carpet; it’s a painted title, so maybe I should buy a cheap rug to put down or something.

After a tour of the house I settled in a little, stood on the balcony watching cars and people walking on the street with Laura, watched some Italian local news with Mario and La Nonna and then ate dinner. Last night when Laura made dinner she looked so cute! She had a little apron on and everything! Mario is cute too; he's already imitated pinching my cheek and nose. They told me my letter to them was very beautiful. I'm glad they liked it.

I might as well try to get some more sleep now... although I'm still not sure if I will be able too. Plus my battery is almost dead and the computer needs to charge.

Buon notte!

posted by Madeline Faye @ 1:37 PM