March 12

Me and Fede did my Italian homework tonight. I have an oral exam and a midterm on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively (Don't worry, I also hate when people use "respectively" like that). Classes today were pretty simple. Talked about some old rich dudes building houses in Architecture, some paintings and "vanishing points" in Renaissance which was molto noioso (very boring), and was again expected to answer all the questions in Economics since we are still currently in the equivalent of Econ 101, and I am the only Econ major. In a few weeks we have a guest lecturer in Econ who is a senior advisor to the European Central Bank. He's a big deal. I'm actually pretty excited to hear him talk about the EU's economic situation. I tried to ask questions about Greece today, but my teacher deferred all questions until the expert arrives.

Giovanna really outdid herself for dinner tonight. Gnocchi with Pesto. Right up there with the Spaghetti with Tuna. Also had a little salad (with fish sauce I think??) then... it was time for the stinky cheese. O dio was it ever time for the stinky cheese. I smelled it before it was even unwrapped, not knowing any cheese was near the table, except for the obligatory hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, of course. I was forced into trying it. The taste was cosi-cosi (so-so) but the smell just really lives on forever. Good grief... I feel bad for anyone who has to shake my hand in the next two weeks. I'll try to see what kind it was and bring it home to my stinky cheese loving family members, but I can't promise I'll be present when it's eaten.

My Italian has gotten drastically better in the past week, but oddly I've noticed an equally drastic and opposite change in my English. I'm going through quite a speaking slump. Sentences aren't coming easily. Perhaps it has something to do with my lack of sleep in Barcelona. More on that in the next post.

I'm staying here this next weekend to study for the core class midterms. Next weekend I'm going to London. The following week the girls from Indiana who we were with in Barcelona are coming to Rome.  The weekend after that is Tuscany/Siena with IES. Jam packed. Spring Break and my 21st birthday (April 11th - but not as big of a deal in a more laxed drinking continent) are just after that. I still need to plan and book that with Tally, Max and Alex. We plan on choosing destinations from the following list: Dubrovnik, Crete, Santorini, Athens, Istanbul,  It'll be nice to travel with just four people total instead of six, but the feminine presence will surely be missed.