6/14 Language and Cars
Totally delayed jet lag! Slept in till 11:30. Maybe it’s a good thing they gave us this time to get acclimated before they took us out in the field. When I first looked at my phone I thought for sure the time hadn’t changed. See, in this room the shutters are so good that it looks like midnight in this room when they are closed! So discombobulating. After realizing that the time was right, I bounced out of bed to get dressed. Lexy’s room was dark, so I had figured she’d gone to get some breakfast or some such, so I walked over to Donica’s so we could give her a call. Ok, the important thing here is: I FOUND DONICA’S! WHOHOO!!!! No duck award for Krissy! Happy dance!!
Alright, long story short, Lexy was still asleep too. Ooops! Went back to the apartment and the two of us took off to our date with a language student. We met Valeria at the Bar Oslovia (by bar, it’s a coffee bar. This one had yummy sandwiches). Valeria’s friend Valentina showed up. It was so fun watching the two of them converse. They both are very good at English, the only issue they ever had at times was trying to translate certain things. Valeria walked us through some simple italian and gave us some tips on how to order things. Yes, very confusing, lots to take it, but the more we hear it the better we’ll get it. The two of them kept trying to help us with our pronunciations, luckily they know other languages too so they understood how we both kept messing everything up. They also gave us good advice, like where to break these large bills the ATM gave us... The shop keepers in Viterbo look at us really angrily when we hand them a fifty for a two euro object... Mean ATMs! I asked them if there was anything really silly that American’s do that annoys Italians, and they two just looked at each other and laughed... Not sure what to think of that, but oh well! They didn’t give me any pointers after that so I figure there is certainly things, but I have bigger things to worry about... Like how to ask for something at a store without sounding like a barbarian! I’m really glad we got to meet these ladies, after two hours of talking I’m not sure I understand the language much better, but the experience of watching them converse and sharing simple nation specific experiences (like travel times) was totally worth it. I hope to meet with her again next week. Helps us both out!
Ok, so I haven’t touched on this topic yet, but it’s cracking me up too much to not discuss. Cars. OMG they are so funny!!! Ok, so I’ve posted some pictures of these buildings. You’ve seen how close they are. Well, let’s just say I have yet to find a foot path that cars don’t drive down yet! It makes sense why there are no lifted dualies, they simply wouldn’t fit. So these streets in Viterbo are still the original old ones made of the cobbles. You can tell the wear from the cars as the streets sag where they drive. Most of these ‘roads’ are hardly large enough for a single car to go through, however they will simply park their car wherever they want. Most of the streets we’ve seen are one way, which helps. So now imagine this, you have a small street with cars lined on one side, cars driving like crazy teenagers, and PEDESTRIANS!
The first day we were here we were told to just walk out when crossing streets. The cars will go around. Don’t stop, or you will never cross. Course, don’t be an idiot and walk out in front of a car that doesn’t see you. It’s pure crazyness! So walking these streets you basically walk single filed hugged up against the wall. Every time I see a mother with a stroller I can’t imagine... I know they are used to it, but I’d be a nervous wreck! The young kids walking with their parents seem used to it too, but it’s still crazy to me... At least all the cars are about the size of a bathtub on wheels. I swear if one hit me I’d do more damage to it than it would to me. (ok, not really, but you get the point!) I am certainly getting better at just walking and letting them figure it out, but it’s strange.
So Lexy and I are on our own for dinner tonight, I’ll let you know how that turns out. If we go out it will be an adventure ordering. At least I found in my phrase book how to say “What do you recommend.” Then I smile and nod! Very happy to not be all that picky. (Ok, so I can be, but that’s when it comes to things like cooked peppers or things that aren’t common in Italian food. I’m pretty safe here). Wonder if she’d go for gelato again tonight... The cherry and pistachio one I had earlier today was good, but not as good as the white chocolate and chocolate I had last night...
Totally delayed jet lag! Slept in till 11:30. Maybe it’s a good thing they gave us this time to get acclimated before they took us out in the field. When I first looked at my phone I thought for sure the time hadn’t changed. See, in this room the shutters are so good that it looks like midnight in this room when they are closed! So discombobulating. After realizing that the time was right, I bounced out of bed to get dressed. Lexy’s room was dark, so I had figured she’d gone to get some breakfast or some such, so I walked over to Donica’s so we could give her a call. Ok, the important thing here is: I FOUND DONICA’S! WHOHOO!!!! No duck award for Krissy! Happy dance!! 
Alright, long story short, Lexy was still asleep too. Ooops! Went back to the apartment and the two of us took off to our date with a language student. We met Valeria at the Bar Oslovia (by bar, it’s a coffee bar. This one had yummy sandwiches). Valeria’s friend Valentina showed up. It was so fun watching the two of them converse. They both are very good at English, the only issue they ever had at times was trying to translate certain things. Valeria walked us through some simple italian and gave us some tips on how to order things. Yes, very confusing, lots to take it, but the more we hear it the better we’ll get it. The two of them kept trying to help us with our pronunciations, luckily they know other languages too so they understood how we both kept messing everything up. They also gave us good advice, like where to break these large bills the ATM gave us... The shop keepers in Viterbo look at us really angrily when we hand them a fifty for a two euro object... Mean ATMs! I asked them if there was anything really silly that American’s do that annoys Italians, and they two just looked at each other and laughed... Not sure what to think of that, but oh well! They didn’t give me any pointers after that so I figure there is certainly things, but I have bigger things to worry about... Like how to ask for something at a store without sounding like a barbarian! I’m really glad we got to meet these ladies, after two hours of talking I’m not sure I understand the language much better, but the experience of watching them converse and sharing simple nation specific experiences (like travel times) was totally worth it. I hope to meet with her again next week. Helps us both out! 
Ok, so I haven’t touched on this topic yet, but it’s cracking me up too much to not discuss. Cars. OMG they are so funny!!! Ok, so I’ve posted some pictures of these buildings. You’ve seen how close they are. Well, let’s just say I have yet to find a foot path that cars don’t drive down yet! It makes sense why there are no lifted dualies, they simply wouldn’t fit. So these streets in Viterbo are still the original old ones made of the cobbles. You can tell the wear from the cars as the streets sag where they drive. Most of these ‘roads’ are hardly large enough for a single car to go through, however they will simply park their car wherever they want. Most of the streets we’ve seen are one way, which helps. So now imagine this, you have a small street with cars lined on one side, cars driving like crazy teenagers, and PEDESTRIANS! 
The first day we were here we were told to just walk out when crossing streets. The cars will go around. Don’t stop, or you will never cross. Course, don’t be an idiot and walk out in front of a car that doesn’t see you. It’s pure crazyness! So walking these streets you basically walk single filed hugged up against the wall. Every time I see a mother with a stroller I can’t imagine... I know they are used to it, but I’d be a nervous wreck! The young kids walking with their parents seem used to it too, but it’s still crazy to me... At least all the cars are about the size of a bathtub on wheels. I swear if one hit me I’d do more damage to it than it would to me. (ok, not really, but you get the point!) I am certainly getting better at just walking and letting them figure it out, but it’s strange.
So Lexy and I are on our own for dinner tonight, I’ll let you know how that turns out. If we go out it will be an adventure ordering. At least I found in my phrase book how to say “What do you recommend.” Then I smile and nod! Very happy to not be all that picky. (Ok, so I can be, but that’s when it comes to things like cooked peppers or things that aren’t common in Italian food. I’m pretty safe here). Wonder if she’d go for gelato again tonight... The cherry and pistachio one I had earlier today was good, but not as good as the white chocolate and chocolate I had last night...
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