Strangers in a Foreign Land

It is most certainly a very interesting experience
being a stranger in a foreign land. Immediately the
other students and I have been introduced to a new way
of life. We have been introduced to a new land: the
city of Cagli is in the Le Marche region in the
mountains (four hours from Rome), we have been
introduced to a new language Italian (though a romance
language to me it is more challenging than Latin,
French, and Spanish), new living conditions (the
apartments are very interesting i.e. the toilet bowls
are above the commode and you flush by pushing a
button on the bowl or pulling a string), the food (so
much pasta, so much pizza(extremely thin crust),
croissants with chocolate, gelato, coffee).

Yesterday was our first video production class. It is
one of the areas in which I am weakest. I have no
technical experience of which to speak. You'd think
about eight years of writing for school newspapers, a
year of working at a professional major market
television station, and a year of campus radio I would
have become more technologically inclined. I am a
little afraid of what my pictures and video will look
like. Yes indeed this is all a learning experience,
yes there is a learning curve, and yes I can most
likely acquire the skills, but it will take time.

Here in Cagli the day often begins between 9 and 9:30,
they take a long lunch from 1-4:30, and then things
reopen at 4:30 until 8:00ish. Dinner here is usually
after 8:00. Then people will be up and out and about
until pretty late. Our group has Americanized the
nightlife, because the Cagilese do most partying on
the weekends. Last night one of the bartenders threw a
party for some of the girls. I didn't get a chance to
go out, well until the walk from the school to the
apartment. I went out three nights in and a row, and I
just can't hang. Plus our days start early and end
late. Most of are up before 8 for 8am Italian and
generally out of the apartments the rest of our day.
Since coming here I have not gotten to bed earlier
than 1am. Do you know what I'd do for a nap? I will
definitely be napping part of Saturday and Sunday.

Funny Story: Yesterday I was doing the Baltimore
bankhead bounce. I was nodding off something heavy. I
felt myself going in and out, and then I was out. I
was out a max of 10 seconds. When I heard silence I
came to, and the entire class was staring at me. It
was hella bad on so many levels, but I am working hard
to redeem myself.

Back in the States: Everyone is graduating. So many
people are graduating from high school, and from
college. I am missing it, so if you're one of them
reading this, I want pictures.

Time to skim for reading and to take a breather.

So many of us are still slaves to technology. Not
being able to e-mail would really make us strangers in
a foreign land.

P.S.
I may not be the only guy in next week's cooking
class, oh yeah. Some would say I was lucky, but given
there are 27 female students and 5 males, that class
was awfully lonely.

I might be getting a cell phone. My mother and aunts
demand that I check in, and investing in a phone may
be smarter than repeatedly buying phone cards.

Ciao for now.

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