A Concert ouside my window

07/10/2005, 12:04 PM

So, as stated in a previous post, the Umbrian jazz fest is taking place right now. The cool thing about it being in Perugia, is that we can hear it from my bedroom window! How cool is that. So during the week I can just lay in bed and hear great music until about 1am.

Ok, so let me recap what has happened in the last few days. Mom is sick. Yep. Its all the new germs invading our system. The nice thing is that the farmacia can prescribe meds for it. So all my mom had to do was tell them was wrong and they gave her some good drugs. But, because she is sick, she has been bed ridden for the last few days. Not a problem I guess. There just isn't a lot to do in our flat.

Ok, let me start from Friday. Friday we went exploring. One thing that mom had been doing in the states is always looking at this webcam online that looked out onto la Piazza Novembre. Well, we have been trying to figure out where it was since we arrived in Italy, only to find out, it was just up the hill from where we live. Who knew. So we went exploring around there for the day. It was nice. Perfect temp., well until you start walking up the hills. They were setting up for the Umbrian Jazz fest there, as you can se in the webcam. We ended up, going home around 1pm, when they started closing up for lunch. Then mom got sick.

One thing that is kind of frustrating is that I don't speak the language yet. I mean, I can get around ok, but I feel like a big outsider trying to get around. I now understand the bus system, but its lonely just standing there, alone, not understanding what the people around you are saying. So I just stand there and smile. And if they speak to me, I udder one of the few phrases I know, " Non Parlo Italiano". ( I think that's how its spelled). Sometime they speak a bit of English, or I can get the gist of what they are saying, but, well you know what I mean. Saying this, I cant wait to start school on Monday. We will be a week behind, but we spoke to another American and she said, its not that hard, and we shouldn't have a problem catching up. The only problems we will have is, 1. finding our classes, and 2. staying for longer than 90 days. (we don't have our student visas so we can only stay 90 according to the consulate).

Saturday. This was the first full day of mom being sick. So much of the day was spent lying around. I went up to the coop to get some food and supplies. Not a busy day.

Today, Sunday. Again just hanging out. Mom is feeling better now. We were obviously able to get to the internet café to check mail and for us to update our blogs. (By the way, under links, is now a link to her blog.) As for the rest of the day, I think we are just going to lay around and wait for her to get better. Tomorrow, hopefully she will be well enough for us to go to the supermarket so we can get a few more essentials that the coop doesn't carry. Well I think that will be it for the day. Mom is ready to hit the bed again, so off we go up the hill.

Later that day, 1pm

So I now understand why Italians say, "Never have milk after 10am", it upsets your stomach. Their milk is more rich, creamy, and natural.

For once it is actually a comfortable temperature in our flat. Its about 24°C or 75°F and there is also a slight breeze coming thru our windows. (Although now as I sit and write this at the café, it is rainy). In the distance I can hear the pleasant music from the jazz fest. A perfect setting for a nap (since here in Italy it is rest time). Yet I will not be napping, although mom is. You see, for the last 2 days, every time that mom has slept, so have I. I think that I am officially slept out. I'm sure I will regret this tonight though when at around 10pm everyone is hanging out downstairs and I will want to sleep.

Now in America this would have bothered me. Why, you ask. Because it seems that in America people are out late making noise because they know it will annoy you. Where here in Italy, it is not so. Its just the norm. Plus, there is no loud bass to their music. Which is all you can hear in America.

One thing that I miss right now is not being able to be online all the time &/or from my home. Now I have to walk down the hill to get online if I have something to say. I also have to write in my journal if I am not down here. You also have to pay to go online, BUT, its really cheap. 1 euro, (I would use the symbol, but I cant figure out how) for one hour. That is about $1.25 in America. You cant get a much better deal than that.

Pretty soon, I will have to buy a new journal. This one is filling up pretty fast. First of all, its not that big, and second, when I cant get online all the time and I have a lot to say, it gets filled. I will also have to get a wider one because this one is thin and when I write in it, my hand gets cramped up fast.

I wish all of you could be here right now experiencing this with us. Maybe those of you who know us, when the plane fare gets cheap, you could come and visit us for a few days. After august, the tourist season ends and the plane fare gets really cheap. I think its can get down to about $275-300 round trip. Plus if we know you well enough, you can come and crash in our flat. Talk about a cheap vacation. LOL. Italy is such a great place to be. Relaxing and fun. You would love it here, even if you were only here a few days. We have been here only a week and still haven't seen all of Perugia.

One thing i keep forgetting to write is about the differences in food here. The portions are a lot smaller, or should I say the perfect size. They are the size that people should be eating in America. Also, the foods/drinks/sweets have a lot less sugar in them. Yet it tastes so much better.

Another difference here is the news. They show what is actually going on. They don't censor it. Like right after the London bombings, they showed video from Al Qaeda. Like their training and hostage tapes. America censors that. They don't want to show people that Al Qaeda is semi-strong and a legit threat. If only you could see the videos. Here they don't show them to scare you, they show them to make you aware, and more informed so that you know what is going on and become more educated about the actual situation. If only America would show this then maybe we wouldn't be agreeing with our president on what is going on and what should be done. By interfering in this war, we are actually putting the USA in more danger. I understand about wanting to help but is it worth putting our families and lives in more danger than necessary?

Anyway, on to more happy subjects, like the weather here. OMG! I love the thunderstorms here. They are huge, and loud, but...you know you aren't in any danger. You know that a tornado wont be following that big huge bolt of lighting and huge boom of thunder. And it seems like the storms always come around nap time. Which I have no problem with. Its very relaxing. Plus it cools down the hot day. Which let me tell you, when you have to walk up hills all the time, can feel very hot. They say that this next weekend it will get to about 90°F. Keep in mind it has only been about 80-85° and we are sweating. And with no central air anywhere.....ya.. try living like that in America. One day of that and people would be up in arms. Here its just a way of life. You keep the lights off, the windows open and the fans running. No big deal.

Well I think I am off. The shops are about to open and I have some errands to run. Hopefully it stays cool out now. Until later, when i have even more to say. Ciào.