I primi giorni

It's strange that we're actually here, in Italia on the island of Sardegna. I never really fathomed how it would actually feel. Guessing is never accurate.

It feels more like average life than I thought it would though. Except for the fact that everyone is speaking Italian and I'm in a completely different culture among wonderfully different people. It's really not as frightening as my ten year old self might have thought. Another reason I believe more people should go abroad.

How this feels and what the Italians see everyday?

Graffiti (a word of Italian origin not surprisingly) is everywhere (dappertutto in italiano!). I might have thought before that it would be really ugly and horrible. It really isn't though. It's quite vivid and intriguing and makes walking through the narrow and food scented streets different as time passes.

Looks a little bit like this...

Taken from http://perle-lys.blogspot.it/2008/06/scarperian-graffiti.html

I know I had read many places before I left that the Italians never wear their hair out wet because it would most definitely make you sick, but my host sister did without any problems or scorn. The same with shorts. I thought I wouldn't see anyone in shorts, but I've seen many girls and boys wearing shorts. Probably only for the summer! An example of how people differ throughout every country to nearly every extreme.

It is extremely difficult to communicate in Italian. I'm thanking every lesson I was ever given in this language. Especially the first day, I felt super confused and didn't know what was gong on and was frightened to admit it. Everyday though, it has become slightly easier to be immersed in this language. My host grandmother (is that the right word?) speaks mostly Sardo (the dialect of Sardegna!). She's so kind, we don't even need to speak the same language. Similar to the orientation a few days ago for AFS. People from all over the world like me came to Italia to study abroad. We didn't all speak the same language, but we could still be amici (friends).

I haven't met anyone who wasn't kind or welcoming to me or other exchange students. All the Italians seem willing to help you and meet you and ask you questions about your country. I believe the average amount of eye contact usually held with someone is longer here because sometimes it seems like people are staring. It doesn't seem awkward to stare for more than five seconds at someone.

My host sister who speaks fluent English (but not to me!) because she went to the US with AFS last year has helped me MOLTO (very much)! I've met many of her friends and feel a little bit like they could become my friends too now.

Driving is a little bit petrifying coming from the "safety first" USA. People drive at varying speeds. Slow, extremley fast, and in between. You don't have to wear a seat belt in the backseat, but only the front. I'm so accustomed to always putting on my seatbelt, it's bizzarre not to.

A little glimpse of the town.

Food...oh Italian food, we've heard enough about this country's brilliant cuisine.

Il tiramisù di Mamma

Il mio primo cappuccino! (My first cappuccino in Italy!)

It randomly just began raining and I hear booming thunder. I want to soak this in. I'll write more soon, but I hope you're having one of those perfect days.

Please go to Italia too!