So the spell check checks my american words in italian? Guess this isnt going to help.

Before I start let me state that the internet here is not the greatest so ill post whenever I can get connection.

Now, let me try to put into words my first day here. Im right now sitting on our balcony at the college eating probly the best apple ive had in a while, listing to the church bells ring from the top of the town and just relaxing.

Our flight here was fairly non-incidental except for one student having their brother slip something into their bag wich could have easily landed him in an italian prison, notice that I say italain not american because it somehow got through customs at JFK airport. But everyone is fine so there is no need to dwell on the past when there has been so much more "enjoyable" memories...even though that was one of the funnist.

When we landed we were instantly greated by the bus driver for the I.C.I.F. After the hour bus ride to the dorms it was an instant culture shock to see students here not throwing a football around but kicking a soccor ball, something rarley done in the states. All of the students were instantly friendly in helping us move in and showing us around the campus. Im dorming with three other students here on the third floor and I really dont have a problem with it, the only draw back is were still not sure of the clothes washing situation, we think its all hand wash but we'll find out soon enough...or at least we'll have to.

                     This is our view from the dorm-room.

Once we found out where we would be living we had to go and find out where the college is and how to get there so 4 of us took off for the town, easily one of our best moves because theres no better way to find out about your surroundings then to experience them yourself. We found the school with ease, it's an old castle turnd into a school, we also found the local markets, butcher shoppes, church, and of course...the bar.

While we were walking around we tried to take a short-cut back down to the school wich actually turned into cutting through a really nice older italain mans yard. He was kind enough to welcome us, then procede to tell us that this area was "Privato" (private) and then show us out, a bit scary but hospitality once again wins. We ended up figuring all the correct routes around the town and proceded to get back safely.

Our School.

So after walking around and heading back we decided to start chatting up the locals and found out that their interesting folk, and pretty damn helpful. They told us that if we dident get food today we'd be hungry sunday because the towns completely shut down after the siesta (1:30-4:30) The siesta is daily, the entire country stops and takes a break/power nap and then starts back up until there closing hours but on sundays they just go home, two of my rommates are doing last minuite runs for water as I type this. Back to the story, we headed back out to the town to get meats, bread, cheese, and fruits. Something eles that caught us off guard, you have to order meat in grams...So after trying to breach the language barrier for 10 mins one of our more fluent classmates happend to walk in and helped us out. We were ready to rumble for sunday brunch.

Get to the dorm, Check

Meet the other students, Check 

Find the college, Check

Explore the town, Check

Get food, Check

Time to celebrate.

We all met up back at the college and organized that we would go to the bar in the town for a glass of vino and remanice over the entire college program and try and let it sink in that we were really in Italy. So we made it to the bar and realized that there was a reasturaunt under the bar so we tried to get dinner insted but were told it was resevation only and sat at a 6 top in the bar as orginally planned. We then ordered some reds and sparkling whites and made a toast to "We've made it this far, we can't slack off now. Start strong end strong." We were then givn a few order of amuse from the bar keep, a great tactic to keep your customers buying more because we all got a round of belgen bira. The consisted of pasta salad, a cheese mouse on a crustini, cheese and foccia, peanuts, and crisps (Poatato chips) it was all good fun and we all had a great time. We finished the night by buying a bottle of lemonchelio, now before you think oh god there getting drunk in public, its a small bottle and there was 6 of us so one round finished the bottle. The barkeep then gave us a half bottle of a "Christmas Liquor" it was a cinimon infused liquor and it was, christmas in a bottle. After that we then got the tab and gacve our barkeep a well deserved tip he then thanked us greatly, and gave us a table for 6 tonight at the reasturaunt.

So without a doubt a great first day with only more to come.

-R