Livin' in the Alps

Buona sera!

Quick bit: Today we had the first political science class. After class and lunch Justin and I worked on homeworky and computer maintenance stuff all afternoon, and I am really glad to have gotten so much done. Tonight we hung out with some peeps here and I learned about past American presidents. :)

Tonight's feature: The ceilings in Maderni are vaulted, with magnificent scrollwork on the ceiling and at the tops of the walls--all painted on, though it looks like actual wood or marble. There are pictures painted on the ceiling as well. Our classroom ceiling is a blue sky with fluffy clouds, and our computer lab looks like a Roman garden, with pedestals and urns, leafy scrollwork, and little plants in nooks and crannies. Very cool.

Today took mental effort, but got better with time. I have gotten my morning schedule more under control and made it on time to breakfast and class. Today's class was political science. We talked about parliamentary versus presdential governments. I learned what a "vote of no confidence" is, and learned that when Europeans talk about "the government," they really mean something more like the American "Administration."

After class, we had lunch and then Justin and I took a chill/homework day. We went back up to the classroom and worked until dinner. We read more of our English assignment out loud, we worked on our political science reading, we studied our Italian numbers, we researched a little on Venice, and uploaded a ton of updates to my dejected little laptop. He feels better already. I think.

At dinner Justin and I had a great talk (the pleasantness of the day took a rapid increase). Then later we headed out to join the group for a bit at a homey little bar. For an hour over peanuts and great raisin bread I learned more about American history than I have learned in a few years, and then we headed on back. Like I wrote yesterday, I have been learning that my preformed opinions of how people are have been wrong on several counts. At first I felt like I had little in common with many of the people on this trip, but as I have relaxed and gotten to know them, I've really begun to feel more comfortable. I am glad. Oh yeah! It snowed this evening! It was beautiful!! The flakes came down very big and soft. The snow was GREAT for making snowballs--I don't think I've ever seen better. :) Good night, friends.

posted by LizC @ 1/18/2005 04:44:00 PM