Mi piace molto

I am here safely. Alive and well. No lost luggage, no immigration issues (they didn't even bother stamping me in), no major issues to date. I have four room mates (maybe another one today) and a lovely newly rennovated apartment. There are two double bedrooms, two single bedrooms (I am in one), a kitchen, living room, dining room, two full baths, a foyer, and a deck that wraps around the apartment. I live on Gianicollense near Trastavere. We don't have a land line or internet set up yet, but we should soon. (I am writing from campus.)

Soon started as "domani" (tomorrow), and then turned into "in the next two days", and ended as "by the end of the week." It seems these Italians have their very own time schedule. While starting my permit to stay process today I found that no one had bothered to print the 1000 something papers in alphabetical order. It took 15 minutes to find 3 sheets of paper. Awesome.

I have decided that this whole slower lifestyle is a result of the lower voltage. The lights are dimmer, the hairdrying is slower - the daily process takes a little longer. It is like Rome makes its own romantic lighting. Where we curse our luck when our 80 watt bulbs do not reveal every detail of our faces in the mirror, every paper in our office, here, it is not quite so sterile. It has ambiance, personality.

Despite graffiti on some of the walls, okay, all of them, it is really quite charming. For the most part, everyone has been friendly. I am happy to report that I know enough to order paninis, gelato, and metro passes. If there is anything else one could need in life, let me know. The paint is a little chipped, the shutters are left open all day, the people saunter, but who really cares?

So, here are my discoveries thus far:

1. The reason the body odor is so horrific is because the showers are so cold, that no one can stand to stay in them long enough to be properly cleaned.
2. There is no love for the Americans at dinner time. Order in English and get on with it.
3. Uses of "prego": you're welcome, hello, come here, hold on a minute, follow me, I see, stop trying to talk to me in choppy Italian, you stupid girl.
4. Pointing + "prego" = communication

(I'll post pictures when my laptop gets internet.)