27.9.10

Four days off, and started off the weekend with a night out, which ended up with me somehow ending up back at my house at 8am! Too much vodka and wine I think!!! But a good night, and spoke lots of Italian so it can't be bad! Was supposed to go to Civitanova today, went to the train station, bought a ticket, then realised the next train was at 2pm (it was 12pm at this stage) so we decided against it, so just enjoying the sun sat in a cafe in the Piazza della liberta, so I can't complain really!

Back at university tomorrow, last few days of the italian course, then a final exam on thursday, where i have to do a presentation, so think I may plan it all today so I can learn it and pass with flying colours!!!!

Not sure what the plans are for tonight, but everynight is the same, we start off at "Caffe centrale" have some drinks, then attempt to find somewhere to dance, realise there is nowhere, and so go to someone's house. But the neighbours always complain of us being too noisy...so it's very different to Manchester! But I'm loving the differences and taking everything as a new experience!

So until next time!

My first day off!

Well today is Friday, had a bit of a homesick day yesterday, so decided to go out! Well, "going out" here means going to a bar, sitting, drinking and talking, but it was nice all the same!

Apparently my italian has vastly improved already, so that has made me very happy! Woke up late today (11am...that is now late for me!!) and the weather isn't up to much so I've just kind of milled about...too tired to make plans doing anything! If the weahter is nice tomo I'm going to go to Civitanova, but it looks like it could be raining, much like today!

Not sure what the plans are for tonight, currently in the library so I can use interent...may just stay in and watch a film! Hopefully have some interesting news to post tomo!

Ciao

il mio primo giorno all'universita

Well it has been an extremely busy few days! Yesterday was my first day at university and it was so busy and extremely daunting! I met all the Erasmus students, and I am the only one from England! There are quite a few spanish people which is good, loads of Polish, a few German, Turkish, French, Canadian and Austrailian, but everyone seems really nice!

I live with a girl called Eliza who I share a room with (I'll work out how to pst pictures later) and our room is nice, with plenty of space! We don't have the internet yet, hopefully by next week, so for now I have to use the library, which is slow and tedious but needs must!

Not sure what I am doing tonight but probably sit in a bar/cafe and chat the evening away!

A fino domani

19.9.10

Once again woke up really late, but I hardly slept last night for some reason; think it was a mixture of the heat in my bedroom and subconscious worrying. Sara is back today so I wanted to get her a little present, so I decided to pop out before she returned. Unfortunately I think all shops must be closed on Sunday and so I have come back to the house empty handed! Got back just in time to miss the rain, as it is now chucking it down! From Manchester to Macerata...just can’t seem to escape the rain!

Una regazza italiano...

16.9.10

I have decided to begin my blog whilst I am waiting for my second train to set off, as it seems a 5 hour train journey might just be long enough for me to write my first entry!

It’s been a very long day so far (and it’s only 3.20pm!) and I have travelled through quite a few places. Set off this morning at around 6.15am and got to Leeds Bradford airport where I had to say “ciao” to Mum and Dad, I nearly cried, but managed to hold the tears back...think I was too worried about the following journey to let the tears hit just yet.

Slight delay on the flight due to us having to change aircraft last minute due to weight problems, but still managed to arrive at Roma Fumicino on time. Absolutely huge airport and had to pass about ten different baggage carousels until I reached mine...which turned out to be the final one.  I spent a good half an hour trying to find the train station, as staff blatantly did not understand my Italian (hmmm good sign!!) and finally managed to get myself onto the train heading to Roma Termini. By this stage I looked like “a little red tomato” as a kind Italian man pointed out and this was only the start to my journey!

By the time I got to Roma Termini I had missed the train I had planned to get, but to be honest I would never have caught it, as it took me another good half an hour to find where to buy the tickets once I was inside the station...it’s bloody massive and very, very busy! Decided to get a drink and some food, even a can of coke is over 2 Euros here; (in one place 2.80 for 200ml!) so I’m glad I am only passing through Rome! I decided to have a little wander outside, as I had 45 minutes to kill before my train. Managed 5 minutes outside in the heat with all my bags, but managed to take a couple of pics! Now I am just waiting for my second train to set off, which will take me to Fabriano, where I will get on my final train to Macerata...where my adventure will really begin...

Arriving in Macerata –17.9.10

Just before I got off the train, I think the nerves definitely kicked in, but as soon as I saw my “Erasmus buddy” Sara, I felt more at ease. She gave me a huge hug and welcomed me, and she had brought her friend with her who was also really nice, and so I immediately felt better.
The plan for the evening was a massive Italian meal, as Sara’s boyfriend is leaving to go to Spain on Monday, so the house soon filled with lots of Italians...it was a little daunting but everyone seemed really lovely and made a huge effort with me.

We all enjoyed lots of food, huge pizzas and fries (patati friti) and lots of good conversation (although a lot of it was in English last night, due to my fatigue, which I was extremely grateful for!)

I finally went to bed at around 2.30am completely shattered, and woke up this morning at 11.30am...somehow still tired!

I woke up feeling very strange today, and very, very nervous. Sara was awake and waiting for me in the kitchen, she had got my breakfast prepared (a croissant) and made me a cup of tea (black...I think my tea and dairy obsession may dwindle whilst I am abroad). We began chatting in Italian, but I had to pause so often and ask for so many words, but she reassured me I would get better quickly. We then decided to go through all the objects in the kitchen, and I wrote all of the vocab in my vocab book!

By this stage it was around 1.30 and Sara had to go and pick up a big pizza for her boyfriend, and so she decided we would have pizza for lunch which was very tasty, but to be honest I was still full from the night before and didn’t really need more food! (I am blatantly going to come back looking like a house!!!)

After this, we decided to have a wonder round, and go and pick up some numbers for available flats. Sara must have rang about 20 different landlords, but none would take me due to me only staying here for 5 months. Luckily I had added myself to a group on facebook before my arrival, and a girl contacted me from Poland, who wanted to share a room with me. So I am going to be sharing a room for the very first time, and living with two Italian girls and a polish girl!

I had a bit of a panic, due to the fact 90% of the houses do not have internet here, as the buildings are old and internet is very expensive, but luckily my house will be getting internet next week, so I can breathe a sigh of relief! Sara had to leave at 4pm, and won’t be back until Sunday so I have the keys to her house. This meant, that unfortunately, my emotions got the better of me and I cried uncontrollably when I was finally alone...I then decided to ring my mum and she managed to snap me out of it. I decided to go and explore, and typically me, I got lost and ended up walking round for an hour! I finally managed to get back, after asking three different people (as I had not really understood the first two!). I was so shattered and hot, that a shower felt like heaven! I have now just cooked dinner (pasta and pasta sauce with mushrooms!) and am going to look at all the ingredients to learn some vocab!

Arriverdeci!

18.9.10

Well, I somehow managed to stay in bed until midday today. I definitely woke up at 9, and obviously decided to crawl back into slumber! It’s another cloudy, but very warm day here; the kind of weather that leaves you constantly thirsty and sticky (but at least it’s not raining yet!). Plans for today: revise for the four hour test I have on Monday, to determine where my Italian is at (let’s face it: blatantly going to be placed with the “beginners”!) and then I am going to have another explore of the town, and hopefully not get lost this time!

3.00pm

I got bored of revision, so decided to venture out, managed to get half way down the road when I realised A) All the shops shut for lunch, until around 4pm, and B) it was raining and I didn’t have my umbrella! So I have come back to the house for a cappuccino and more revision (yay!). I also recorded myself saying all the new vocab I had learnt yesterday, so I could listen to it on my MP3, I’m really hoping it will help me learn.

5.40p.m

Second time lucky...no rain but really hot and sticky! Found a different supermarket, more choice but still very expensive, not sure how I’m going to cope in Madrid if it is more expensive than here... Had another little wander (didn’t get lost this time), I feel like I am getting to know the streets here now. The main street was packed full of adolescents this afternoon, I’m guessing that’s the “hang-out” spot, I felt really old walking past all the school kids, but they probably thought I looked their age ha! Not much to do now, I’m back at Sara’s house, but home alone again tonight, as she is not back ‘til 1pm tomorrow. I’m definitely regretting only having 2 films on my laptop as it is only 5.50pm...ah well! On a final note, I have been attacked by some human-biting creature/s and reacted to the bites...those of you who were in Serbia with me will understand why this is so upsetting for me...hello swollen leg/arm/hand SOB!

Until tomorrow, buonanotte.