Viva la Revolution!

So today I decided I would take the bus to Piazza Barbarini, then from there take the Metro to the stop near the Vatican, then walk the rest of the way. It was BY FAR, much easier, and at LEAST 25% faster. When I got to class I'd forgotton the book I was going to bring, Illusions (same author as jonathan Livingston Seagull) and my iPod was charging, so I just sat for a bit, 30 minutes early to class. Priscilla and Marina came in a bit after me and we sat in awkward silence for a couple minutes... then Priscilla went outside to have a cigarette. I decided to talk to Marina (we were on equal footing since neither of us spoke Italian very well). We talked for a bit about a lot of things, France, Texas, class, the dinner tonight, ecc. When Priscilla returned, we talked for a bit as well, but then it was almost time for class, so we went to the class room. In class we talked more about prepositions... how some words, always use the same prepositions, like dare (to give) always uses the preposition su... Le finestre danno sul giardino... (the windows 'give' over the garden) It was interesting. We go over our homework, then put a personal touch to it, applying it to ourselves, making us speak, then we have questions and they spawn further discussion and we spend most of the class talking, which I think is what is most helpful. Maestra Barbara told us that she and the other teacher would not be attending the dinner because Cinzia had a family crisis, but she hoped we'd all go. We were all planning on attending.

After class, I walked to the metro, but decided to try to walk to the one at Piazza del Popolo, I think it was closer, it was definitely a nice walk, along the river, through the piazza... Then I took the train then bus home... so much easier and almost NO waiting in comparison with taking two buses. I always waited at least 15 minutes for 492, ususally more. So I got home ready to talk to my mom on Skype because she'd emailed me, 1330. 1330 came and went... I wasted time on Facebook... then I noticed she came online around 1400, 700 her time. Well, apparently she had woken up late and she had to run to school. My dad didn't even know we were supposed to chat, but I was lucky I got to chat with him anyway. We talked about them possibly coming in the spring and what the trip would cost and the hotels and planes ecc... then he called my mom for the hotel names, so I indirectly got to talk to both of them. :)

When Nicolo got home from school, he didn't have any homework (COS'E'?!) so we played some playstation FIFA '98 then had target practice. FIFA was a LOT of fun, we were Italia and we could pick teams we played against then beat... first, we started off with teams that weren't very good... Northern Ireland, Morocco... then we moved up and up... then, we played the '98 World Cup Champions, Brazil. We won!!!! 1-0. It was no blow out like the 6-0 against N. Ireland, but it was a win. ;) Then we shot army men off his bed with the 'mellow gun and McDonalds jumbo straw. I won round 1, I got a 2 pointer and a 3 pointer. He won the 2nd round with 2 one pointers and a 3 pointer.

When everyone got home, dinner was a little late getting started, and Nic was a little late in the tub, but it all got ready and finished. I finished the pulpete and pasta and then headed to change and make my way to the dinner. I was worried I was going to be late, and I was, about 5 minutes, and there were probably 10 people there... I found Priscilla and Marina sitting with another French girl. We sat, soon 2 more French girls came and joined us... the table was for 4 but eventually we had 7 there... two moved to eat somewhere else, but we sat and enjoyed. Morgan and Valerie both spoke more Italian than Marina and myself, but they were very helpful in helping me out. I'd guess about 90% of the conversations were in Italian... When they started chatting in French, one of the others would make them stop and speak Italian so I could understand, I appreciated it. Dinner was great, a lot less formal than I expected, which I was ok with. It made for easy conversations. Pasta arrabbiata ("spicy"-ish), lots of fried veggies, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, ecc., pizza margherita, then tiramisu'. With house wine, coca-cola, and fanta in between. An American girl joined us a little later, she was from Detroit, and was just starting classes at the school. She spoke a little spanish, and was really new to Italian, so I got to do a little translating, it made me feel good, helpful, like I knew what I was talking about... at least part of the time anyway.

We left there about 2330... I started heading to the bus deciding to take the metro from Piazza d' Espana to Barberini, but then discovered there was just a big tunnel all the way to Via Veneto, so I'd just walk there... when I arrived to Via Veneto, I couldn't actually find it, so I asked a bus driver that was off duty where it was and he directed me to it and told me I'd better hurry since the last bus leaves the station in 5 minutes, I said thanks and I will... I got to the stop by the American Embassy and waited... while I was waiting a guy asked if this stop was for bus 63, I said I hope so, that's the one I need. We talked for a bit about Roma, and foreigners here and such... (he knew I was American at this point) and about his job and about my school. He lives just one stop away from where I live so who knows, maybe I'll see him again, or maybe we'll hang out sometime. Meh?