Hey, I'm bored so I thought i'd update.
Not much has gone on today. I got up fairly early and had a shower. Walked to the faculty to find another course. The course I had my eye on looks cool, and fits with my timetable this half of the semester. Just realised that it will clash with the course i'm taking the next half of the semester. Damn.
The course doesn't start until next week so I still only have my one late lecture today. Alot of my lectures are 5-7. My courses are Etrucscan archaeology, archaeology and history of medieval Emilia-Romagna and finally prehistory and protohistory. I'm still unsure what the hell protohistory actually is. So yeh I did a to do list and went home, as most of the stuff I have to do is online. Needless to say I havn't done much of it yet. I did check my uni e-mail though. I havn't eaten yet and i'll find some lunch soon, really hungry.
My lecture later is on etrucans, should be cool. Gotta go xx
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Monday, 29 September 2008
Monday
Hello!!
So today has been a fairly stressful day. This morning I got up early and went to register, when I was halfway down Via Zamboni when I realised that, despite having my passport, I didn't have my passport photos! This sent me into a stress so I ran up to Ugo Bassi (thats the main central road) and found a photo booth. This cost €3 when I had already spent €7.50 before. So.. after running back to the registration place I found out I was 44 in the queue. 1-39 went fairly quick, then the bloody woman who was counting and calling out number went off with her friend. Que chaos, people in any random order. Its enough to make me love queues lol. So then eventually she came back and ordered us all out and made us go in numbers again. After hours of waiting (and I am talking hours. I arrived just after 9 and left at gone 11) I finally got into the offiice. Then more queuing, then a quick sorting out then off.
During the queue I met a really nice French girl called Lucie, and a Belgian girl and a German girl. We spoke mostly English and a bit of French. It was really nice to talk to Lucie in a different language and actually communicate. We swapped mobile numbers and we'll keep in touch and chat, which will be fun.
After that I went to the faculty to look at the courses I could do and there I bumped into Hannah who really really helped me understand what I was doing. I chose some cool courses then we sat in a cafe and made a timetable. One of the courses clashed so I took off the one I liked least. I had already missed a lecture in the morning, which is ok in Italy as no one decides what courses they're doing for ages. I had a lecture in the afternoon for the module on Emilia Romana in Medieval times so I went to that.
I arrived where the lectures are and it was this really lovely piazza with loads of old buildings. One of them was the history dept that includes the archaeology dept. I got there early and found the room, when I went in there was this Austrailian girl that i'd met before (in the long tortuous hours of registration) and I sat with her. I didn't understand 99% of the lecture and spent most of it frantically writing down any word at all I could understand. As a result my notes consist of random words. She said that we were going to be having field trips, which is awesome. She also talked about making notes for us, which is great as i'll be able to translate them alot more easily than her talking. They don't even have powerpoints with the main points on! Oh well, it'll be fine.
Right, am going out for drinks tonight. Don't think I missed anything else out. night xxx
So today has been a fairly stressful day. This morning I got up early and went to register, when I was halfway down Via Zamboni when I realised that, despite having my passport, I didn't have my passport photos! This sent me into a stress so I ran up to Ugo Bassi (thats the main central road) and found a photo booth. This cost €3 when I had already spent €7.50 before. So.. after running back to the registration place I found out I was 44 in the queue. 1-39 went fairly quick, then the bloody woman who was counting and calling out number went off with her friend. Que chaos, people in any random order. Its enough to make me love queues lol. So then eventually she came back and ordered us all out and made us go in numbers again. After hours of waiting (and I am talking hours. I arrived just after 9 and left at gone 11) I finally got into the offiice. Then more queuing, then a quick sorting out then off.
During the queue I met a really nice French girl called Lucie, and a Belgian girl and a German girl. We spoke mostly English and a bit of French. It was really nice to talk to Lucie in a different language and actually communicate. We swapped mobile numbers and we'll keep in touch and chat, which will be fun.
After that I went to the faculty to look at the courses I could do and there I bumped into Hannah who really really helped me understand what I was doing. I chose some cool courses then we sat in a cafe and made a timetable. One of the courses clashed so I took off the one I liked least. I had already missed a lecture in the morning, which is ok in Italy as no one decides what courses they're doing for ages. I had a lecture in the afternoon for the module on Emilia Romana in Medieval times so I went to that.
I arrived where the lectures are and it was this really lovely piazza with loads of old buildings. One of them was the history dept that includes the archaeology dept. I got there early and found the room, when I went in there was this Austrailian girl that i'd met before (in the long tortuous hours of registration) and I sat with her. I didn't understand 99% of the lecture and spent most of it frantically writing down any word at all I could understand. As a result my notes consist of random words. She said that we were going to be having field trips, which is awesome. She also talked about making notes for us, which is great as i'll be able to translate them alot more easily than her talking. They don't even have powerpoints with the main points on! Oh well, it'll be fine.
Right, am going out for drinks tonight. Don't think I missed anything else out. night xxx
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Sunday
So, I've officially been here a week. It feels like I know this place so well already but also it feels like theres alot more hills to climb, like with lessons and reading and everything. I'm a bit worried about lectures actually, i'm sure I won't understand anything. I'm going to do this course that teaches you Italian which I hope will help.
Today I got up alot earlier than my flatmates and had a shower and washed my hair. It felt good. Then I went online for a while, did blog and stuff. The net was ok, stolen from someone somewhere near here.
After that I met up with Lydia and Hannah at the internet cafe, along with some bread on the way as I was v v hungry. Not much went on there as i'd already been online so was just sitting there chatting. Its not that nice a place, the corner smells badly of piss. Cheap though.
After this me and Lydia went to IKEA. Theres a bus from the city centre all the way out for €5 return. Lydia bought loads of stuff as she didn't have anything in her bags, and I got a bunch of things. Bin, second sheet and duvet cover, bath mat (the current one is a horrid dirty towel), alarm clock, plate, mug, cutlery, bowl and a blanket. Think thats all.
When we got back to the city centre we had a load of massive bags and had to drag them all across the city which was horrid. We stayed at Lydias for a bit while she unpacked and I chose my courses for tomorrow. Italian uni system for Erasmus students is complicated beyond belief. We can pretty much pick and choose what we like. Plus theres hardly any actual archaeology modules, so most of mine are history. Anyway, I digress. When Hannah arrived after having been to her flat we decided that we'd had too much pizza in the last week. We chose to eat at the same place we did on the first night, as it had nice pasta dishes fairly cheap. It was again a good meal and just over €10 a head. Now i've back here and its like midnight so im off. night xx
Today I got up alot earlier than my flatmates and had a shower and washed my hair. It felt good. Then I went online for a while, did blog and stuff. The net was ok, stolen from someone somewhere near here.
After that I met up with Lydia and Hannah at the internet cafe, along with some bread on the way as I was v v hungry. Not much went on there as i'd already been online so was just sitting there chatting. Its not that nice a place, the corner smells badly of piss. Cheap though.
After this me and Lydia went to IKEA. Theres a bus from the city centre all the way out for €5 return. Lydia bought loads of stuff as she didn't have anything in her bags, and I got a bunch of things. Bin, second sheet and duvet cover, bath mat (the current one is a horrid dirty towel), alarm clock, plate, mug, cutlery, bowl and a blanket. Think thats all.
When we got back to the city centre we had a load of massive bags and had to drag them all across the city which was horrid. We stayed at Lydias for a bit while she unpacked and I chose my courses for tomorrow. Italian uni system for Erasmus students is complicated beyond belief. We can pretty much pick and choose what we like. Plus theres hardly any actual archaeology modules, so most of mine are history. Anyway, I digress. When Hannah arrived after having been to her flat we decided that we'd had too much pizza in the last week. We chose to eat at the same place we did on the first night, as it had nice pasta dishes fairly cheap. It was again a good meal and just over €10 a head. Now i've back here and its like midnight so im off. night xx
Saturday
Hello again!
So I'm now in my house in the dining room writing this! exiting or what!! everyone else is still in bed I think.
yesterday I stayed overnight at Lydia's. Her room is nice. That evening we all went out for drinks with this Spanish guy called Julio who lives with Lydia. I went home as I was really really tired and after two strong cocktails (they don't use measures here, its literally as much as they pour in) I was a bit drunk. I promptly fell alseep and didn't stir when Lydia came back from the club they'd all been to.
In the morning we had a lie in and didn't realise it was almost 12, so we quickly sorted ourselves out and went to meet Hannah (whos staying where Lydia was before due to not having a matress on her bed in her flat for 4 days). We then went to this sweet place called "plenty market" that seemed like a kind of deli/good food shop. We got pesto, sun dried tomatoes, bread, fruit and a ham/salami pack and went off to the city park to have lunch. It was great and really tasty. After that we went back to where Lydia was staying before as I still had one of my bags there, and we trecked all the way with heavy backs back to hers. From there I called a taxi and got driven (at the vast expense of €12) to my new place.
I got there and the landlady went through a load of things I needed to know. Shes so neurotic, examples include telling me that I have to clean the shower everytime I use it, and going through opening the door a few times (though in her favour it wasn't as easy as it sounds). I also had to go through a form that she gives to the police and all stuff like that. Even though shes obsessive I quite like it because it reassures me that shes doing everything properly and that things will get fixed quickly if they break. Hannah and Lydia havn't had the same kinda paperwork, maybe they will in time.
After we'd finished sorting everything out I went to get credit for my Italian phone and walked all the way to Lydia's which takes about half an hour. Once I was there we had some pizza and some of the leftovers from lunch. After that we started watching this weird old film about american graffti artists but we didn't like it and so changed it to Withnail and I which kinda freaked me out a bit. We were all really tired and then Lydia fell asleep so we stopped the film, had a quick chat then I went home.
I arrived and all of my housemates were in the kitchen. There was a guy and a girl cooking food, and two girls on the computer on the kitchen table. They all seem really sweet and they know enough english to help me out when I can't say things in Italian. We do mostly stick to speaking Italian though, and I was surprised how much I could get across to them and what I understood. I'm still really bad at Italian though, but i'm going on a course for it with the university here, and i'm going to speak to lots of people and read the newspapers (they have loads of free ones here, just like in England) so I hope i'll improve quickly. The two girls are Turkish and the other two are Brazillian. A Japenese guy moves in this evening, which will be interesting.
At the moment the washing machine doesn't work, and internet is still being connected (we're waiting for a password from the ISP I think) so we're all stealing other peoples lol.
My room is a decent size. It has a wall of wardrobe, and a single bed with a bedside table and a workdesk next to it. There is an armchair and two normal kitchen type chairs. Its really nice. The only thing i'm a bit worried by is that clothes are dried off the balcony and i'm worried that clothes will fall off and go 20/30 feet down and get muddy again. It should be ok thou.
Ok, think thats all. Will update tomorrow. Bye
So I'm now in my house in the dining room writing this! exiting or what!! everyone else is still in bed I think.
yesterday I stayed overnight at Lydia's. Her room is nice. That evening we all went out for drinks with this Spanish guy called Julio who lives with Lydia. I went home as I was really really tired and after two strong cocktails (they don't use measures here, its literally as much as they pour in) I was a bit drunk. I promptly fell alseep and didn't stir when Lydia came back from the club they'd all been to.
In the morning we had a lie in and didn't realise it was almost 12, so we quickly sorted ourselves out and went to meet Hannah (whos staying where Lydia was before due to not having a matress on her bed in her flat for 4 days). We then went to this sweet place called "plenty market" that seemed like a kind of deli/good food shop. We got pesto, sun dried tomatoes, bread, fruit and a ham/salami pack and went off to the city park to have lunch. It was great and really tasty. After that we went back to where Lydia was staying before as I still had one of my bags there, and we trecked all the way with heavy backs back to hers. From there I called a taxi and got driven (at the vast expense of €12) to my new place.
I got there and the landlady went through a load of things I needed to know. Shes so neurotic, examples include telling me that I have to clean the shower everytime I use it, and going through opening the door a few times (though in her favour it wasn't as easy as it sounds). I also had to go through a form that she gives to the police and all stuff like that. Even though shes obsessive I quite like it because it reassures me that shes doing everything properly and that things will get fixed quickly if they break. Hannah and Lydia havn't had the same kinda paperwork, maybe they will in time.
After we'd finished sorting everything out I went to get credit for my Italian phone and walked all the way to Lydia's which takes about half an hour. Once I was there we had some pizza and some of the leftovers from lunch. After that we started watching this weird old film about american graffti artists but we didn't like it and so changed it to Withnail and I which kinda freaked me out a bit. We were all really tired and then Lydia fell asleep so we stopped the film, had a quick chat then I went home.
I arrived and all of my housemates were in the kitchen. There was a guy and a girl cooking food, and two girls on the computer on the kitchen table. They all seem really sweet and they know enough english to help me out when I can't say things in Italian. We do mostly stick to speaking Italian though, and I was surprised how much I could get across to them and what I understood. I'm still really bad at Italian though, but i'm going on a course for it with the university here, and i'm going to speak to lots of people and read the newspapers (they have loads of free ones here, just like in England) so I hope i'll improve quickly. The two girls are Turkish and the other two are Brazillian. A Japenese guy moves in this evening, which will be interesting.
At the moment the washing machine doesn't work, and internet is still being connected (we're waiting for a password from the ISP I think) so we're all stealing other peoples lol.
My room is a decent size. It has a wall of wardrobe, and a single bed with a bedside table and a workdesk next to it. There is an armchair and two normal kitchen type chairs. Its really nice. The only thing i'm a bit worried by is that clothes are dried off the balcony and i'm worried that clothes will fall off and go 20/30 feet down and get muddy again. It should be ok thou.
Ok, think thats all. Will update tomorrow. Bye
Friday, 26 September 2008
opps
Right, so i'm really bad at keeping this up to date. I'll give a quick summary. Basically we've been out for dinner most nights, for pizza or pasta or (last night) paninis. Its been really good and me, Lydia and Hannah have become a proper little team. Its really nice to have some people for support, socialness and some Italian help as i've realised how little I know. It is improving slowly but surely even if I do occasionally throw in some french conjuction words. Oh well. We have mostly been flat hunting and learning our way around. There has been masses of flat appointments with varing sucess mixed with various talks by the uni to help us out and explain how everything works (about bloody time).
This morning I got up early (i've been sharing a room with Hannah for the last two days as its a cheap hotel and together the bill is halved). I went to brussola who are the people who find you somewhere to live. I made the appointment two days ago as I was having trouble finding somewhere. Thank god I did as it didn't get any better. Yesterday I had been to see this really really nice flat but they said that the doors to the flat closed at 11pm (which is early considering the times i've been out this week, we've really got into Italian timing) and there could be no friends over. I wasn't going to go for that. So at the appointment this morning I upped the price I was willing to pay, otherwise I pretty much couldn't afford anything in the centre and would be really far out. There were a few places that seemed ok and they rang them up for me. I've tried this myself a few times, its scary as hell even if you do have a script. Italians have a tendancy to ask questions that you're not expecting. So there was one really well placed flat and although I was planning to do registration this morning and go to an open day thing the landlady was round at the flat now and couldn't really do this afternoon. I decided to just go for it and went off to see it immediately. Its about 10 minutes walk from the main central road and about 20 from the uni road, not too bad and certainly better than others i'd seen.
The flat is fairly small (to be expected) and would normally be full of other erasmus students. The landlady said that there were two Brazillians, two Turks and a Japanese person that I would be living with. I would prefer to live with Italians but hey, its a comprimise and we'll all be speaking Italian to each other anyway plus i'll make other Italian friends. The landlady also said that she loves English and would like to have sessions of learning each others language. She also really really stressed being quiet which makes a little bit of sense to me when all the other people I saw in the building were old men. She also said I had to tell her about anyone who was coming to stay with me, and make them sign and pay which was a bit weird. Might just not tell her lol. It was fine thou, with broadband internet ect ect. and my room is nice and big. She said it kinda was a double and theres two beds in it, but it was advertised as a single room, I think its easier to sell to people like me. I'd hate to share a room. The kitchen is like cupboard size, with a washing machine, sink and cooker in it, next to an ok size dining room with a balcony looking onto a pretty crappy street. Its not a pretty area but it'll do. I'd rather have that than a much nicer area that I had to bus in and out everyday. So yes, basically its all I need. I'm sure the other people are nice, but i'm out most of the day anyway.
We've really got into the Italian lifestyle. We get up early and do admin stuff. Basically all the uni offices work on a half day (mostly 9-11.30) which would cause bedlam in England. Then we meet at the uni centeen which is really really nice healthy food that is stupidly cheap (a few euros for a proper meal) and have a long lunch and chill out. Afternoons have mostly been spent house hunting so far but now thats finished it will change. We sit in cafes for hours with a drink chatting and disucssing stuff. I've had an ice cream everyday (except today randomly enough, and i'll prob have one later). Theres a few gelatarias, but theres a swish one at the top of via zamboni that has the most heavenly passionfruit sorbet for just over €2. Amazing. In the evenings we go out for dinner, never more than €10 a head and we always get given some sort of strong liqour afterwards lol. Yesterday it was a peach schnapps and vodka shot with strawberry sauce in it, and at a pizza place it was stong lemon liqour. We don't go for dinner until about 8 and thats normal Italian suppertime, maybe on the early side. Its so nice to relax in the warm darkness and chat and eat. Me and Lydia are going for supper with some Leicester people and others tonight.
Humm I think I might have exhausted my capacity for talking about the 5 days i've had so far. I'll definitely keep this updated as often as I can.
This morning I got up early (i've been sharing a room with Hannah for the last two days as its a cheap hotel and together the bill is halved). I went to brussola who are the people who find you somewhere to live. I made the appointment two days ago as I was having trouble finding somewhere. Thank god I did as it didn't get any better. Yesterday I had been to see this really really nice flat but they said that the doors to the flat closed at 11pm (which is early considering the times i've been out this week, we've really got into Italian timing) and there could be no friends over. I wasn't going to go for that. So at the appointment this morning I upped the price I was willing to pay, otherwise I pretty much couldn't afford anything in the centre and would be really far out. There were a few places that seemed ok and they rang them up for me. I've tried this myself a few times, its scary as hell even if you do have a script. Italians have a tendancy to ask questions that you're not expecting. So there was one really well placed flat and although I was planning to do registration this morning and go to an open day thing the landlady was round at the flat now and couldn't really do this afternoon. I decided to just go for it and went off to see it immediately. Its about 10 minutes walk from the main central road and about 20 from the uni road, not too bad and certainly better than others i'd seen.
The flat is fairly small (to be expected) and would normally be full of other erasmus students. The landlady said that there were two Brazillians, two Turks and a Japanese person that I would be living with. I would prefer to live with Italians but hey, its a comprimise and we'll all be speaking Italian to each other anyway plus i'll make other Italian friends. The landlady also said that she loves English and would like to have sessions of learning each others language. She also really really stressed being quiet which makes a little bit of sense to me when all the other people I saw in the building were old men. She also said I had to tell her about anyone who was coming to stay with me, and make them sign and pay which was a bit weird. Might just not tell her lol. It was fine thou, with broadband internet ect ect. and my room is nice and big. She said it kinda was a double and theres two beds in it, but it was advertised as a single room, I think its easier to sell to people like me. I'd hate to share a room. The kitchen is like cupboard size, with a washing machine, sink and cooker in it, next to an ok size dining room with a balcony looking onto a pretty crappy street. Its not a pretty area but it'll do. I'd rather have that than a much nicer area that I had to bus in and out everyday. So yes, basically its all I need. I'm sure the other people are nice, but i'm out most of the day anyway.
We've really got into the Italian lifestyle. We get up early and do admin stuff. Basically all the uni offices work on a half day (mostly 9-11.30) which would cause bedlam in England. Then we meet at the uni centeen which is really really nice healthy food that is stupidly cheap (a few euros for a proper meal) and have a long lunch and chill out. Afternoons have mostly been spent house hunting so far but now thats finished it will change. We sit in cafes for hours with a drink chatting and disucssing stuff. I've had an ice cream everyday (except today randomly enough, and i'll prob have one later). Theres a few gelatarias, but theres a swish one at the top of via zamboni that has the most heavenly passionfruit sorbet for just over €2. Amazing. In the evenings we go out for dinner, never more than €10 a head and we always get given some sort of strong liqour afterwards lol. Yesterday it was a peach schnapps and vodka shot with strawberry sauce in it, and at a pizza place it was stong lemon liqour. We don't go for dinner until about 8 and thats normal Italian suppertime, maybe on the early side. Its so nice to relax in the warm darkness and chat and eat. Me and Lydia are going for supper with some Leicester people and others tonight.
Humm I think I might have exhausted my capacity for talking about the 5 days i've had so far. I'll definitely keep this updated as often as I can.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Yesterday part 1
Hello and welcome to the new blog. I'll start Monday at 4am, which is frankly a silly time of day.
We got up and got to the airport, and it was there that the drama started. I was all ready to check in (mum was parking the car) and then when it got to my turn the bags were alot overweight, which we knew would happen. They said oh that'll be £194 please!!!! So we spent the next 10 mins frantically unpacking everything even slightly un nessercary and i got really stressed. After that we decided that I couldn't possibly take anything less than I had and so we weighed it again and it came to £94ish, which is still silly. its £12 whole pounds per kilo over 15! really really silly. On the other hand it is a cheap airline and they have to make money somewhere. oh well.
When I arrived at Forli, which is a really small and fairly crummy airport I waited for the bus to Bologna. It was going to be an hour so I stood about feeling really hungry with two heavy bags that I couldn't leave to go and buy myself something from the food stand in my sight... then I saw a trolley. The food stall sold me a hot dog and water and i felt alot better. Some policemen also stopped and brought something while I was there.
After that I got on the bus and sat down and watched this guy opposite me on his phone. He had all his fingertips of his right hand together and was going in circles, italian body language is so cool. Then i saw two girls talking in English with Bristol info packs and we started chatting about erasmus and I said one of them looked familar, turns out its Lydia who is the neice of Matthew and Elena (family friends). Its really strange and I spent alot of time trying to make sense of how coincidental it all was. We spent a while after that chatting about erasmus and what we know and what we don't ect while the guy i mentioned before on the phone kept looking at us.
It turns out hes italian but speaks really really good american english from working out in New York for two years. We chatted to him and mined him for information. He was so so sweet and answered all our questions. It didn't escape any of us threes notice that he was also rather good looking hehe.
We arrived in Bologna and said goodbye to him. I took ages to find my hotel, with scraped sore hands and huffing and puffing. When I eventually got there thou it went really easily and I spent time in my hotel just having a shower.
I need to go to the supermarket and get some food so I shall be back to finish this.
We got up and got to the airport, and it was there that the drama started. I was all ready to check in (mum was parking the car) and then when it got to my turn the bags were alot overweight, which we knew would happen. They said oh that'll be £194 please!!!! So we spent the next 10 mins frantically unpacking everything even slightly un nessercary and i got really stressed. After that we decided that I couldn't possibly take anything less than I had and so we weighed it again and it came to £94ish, which is still silly. its £12 whole pounds per kilo over 15! really really silly. On the other hand it is a cheap airline and they have to make money somewhere. oh well.
When I arrived at Forli, which is a really small and fairly crummy airport I waited for the bus to Bologna. It was going to be an hour so I stood about feeling really hungry with two heavy bags that I couldn't leave to go and buy myself something from the food stand in my sight... then I saw a trolley. The food stall sold me a hot dog and water and i felt alot better. Some policemen also stopped and brought something while I was there.
After that I got on the bus and sat down and watched this guy opposite me on his phone. He had all his fingertips of his right hand together and was going in circles, italian body language is so cool. Then i saw two girls talking in English with Bristol info packs and we started chatting about erasmus and I said one of them looked familar, turns out its Lydia who is the neice of Matthew and Elena (family friends). Its really strange and I spent alot of time trying to make sense of how coincidental it all was. We spent a while after that chatting about erasmus and what we know and what we don't ect while the guy i mentioned before on the phone kept looking at us.
It turns out hes italian but speaks really really good american english from working out in New York for two years. We chatted to him and mined him for information. He was so so sweet and answered all our questions. It didn't escape any of us threes notice that he was also rather good looking hehe.
We arrived in Bologna and said goodbye to him. I took ages to find my hotel, with scraped sore hands and huffing and puffing. When I eventually got there thou it went really easily and I spent time in my hotel just having a shower.
I need to go to the supermarket and get some food so I shall be back to finish this.
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