The other day I went to church with my friend Sofia. We showed up late because she got home late from her friends house. We were only at church for like 10 minutes. I got to hear some of the mass though. I only understood a little bit. Mainly Padre, Figlio. Father and Son. Afterwards I went to her room and visited with her and another friend that lived on her floor.
Yesterday I had a very busy day! I woke up in the morning and went to the University office with some girls that lived on my floor. They were all from Portugal. It was their last day in Pavia so they had to go sign some papers at some office. We went to their office and then they helped me find the office that I needed to go to. Some people in the first office told us the wrong directions but it actually worked out in my favor. The place that they accidentally told me to go happened to be the department for my faculty( kind of like my major). So I went in and they explained to me that the reason I wasn't able to find what time my classes are at is because they haven't even done the schedule. The miscommunication between everyone is ridiculous! Also, I asked the woman in the office if they schedule classes on Fridays because I don't really want to have class then and then she told me sometimes but it doesn't matter your don't have to go to class. She told me to just tell the professor and it would be fine. Now I am free to travel on the weekends. Sweet! Then she told me the directions to the original office that I was trying to find. Then I went there and got my meal plan card. Afterwards we stopped in a shoe store. I was trying to find some running shoes because I joined my dorm's soccer team, but none of them were comfortable and they all cost 30 Euros. Then I went back to my dorm and met up with my friend Abdel. Abdel is from Morocco but has lived in Italy for 17 years. He took me on a tour of the University and showed me all the different cafeterias that my meal plan works at. Afterwards he took me to the store so I could by a few things. Then I came home and rested for a little bit until the Portuguese girls returned. When they returned we went back to the grocery store so that we could buy some things and make dinner. We made dinner together and put all of our desks in the hallway and had a going away party. The party was a lot of fun and most of the people on my floor came.
Today was a busy day also. This morning I had to be at the University at 9 with Ali. Ali is a guy from Lebanon that lives on my floor. He works in the office that I had to go to. He basically was my guide to getting all my paper work. We had to go to a few different offices similar to the dmv around Pavia so that I can get my permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay). First we had to get a codice fiscale (fiscal code) for me so that I could apply for my permesso. Then I had to take some passport pictures. It is so strange here how you can get them! You can get your passport pictures in a photobooth. You get 5 pictures for just 4 Euros. It is a lot cheaper than the U.S. where you pay 5 or 6 dollars for just 2 photos. Afterwards we went to the other offices to get different paperwork. Finally, we went to the post office so that I could pay for the permesso and mail it. It cost 150 Euros. That would have been 15 pairs of shoes at this one store in Pavia!! Madonna! Afterwards we went to the mensa. Che schifo! ( Disgusting!) But my friends told me that this was the worst day they have ever had at the mensa. It was a special for Valentines day. Like Pesce con passione (Fish with Passion) or Tagliatelle innamorata ( Pasta In Love). Most of the meats here are either fish or pork... gross. After the mensa I returned home to rest for a bit. I skyped with Mama and Papa and they let me watch modern family through skype. Ghettttttooooo. I miss having a tv and none of the U.S. websites will allow me to watch videos because I am in another country. Not even Netflix which we have an account for!
This evening I went to a concert for Carnevale with Ali. It was at this one Collegio (which is the name for the dorms here) and you would not believe it was a dorm! It looked like a a grand hall in a palace. It was one of the nicest places I have ever been. I wish I was in that dorm. Instead I am in the dorm from the 70s with the shower on top of the freaking toilet. Oh well. This dorm we were in was the shape of a square and the middle was a just an open area. It was a few stories tall with columns and statues all over. Inside the hall where the concert was held there were amazing paintings on the walls and the ceilings. It was like being in a museum. The concert was a little bit boring though so we didn't stay very long. It was a piano and a flute player but they would just play a little and then some Italian lady described a story in between. But Ali said even for him it was difficult to understand and he is fluent in Italian! So after that we walked around the dorm to see if we could see how much better the rooms are then ours and they were a lot better. I kept thinking of Harry Potter at this dorm. The staircases were all spiral staircases. The rooms had woods and beautiful tile work. I wanted to take pictures but I forgot my camera. I will definitely be going back and taking pictures. I can add them after to show everyone. :) After we walked around the dorm we went to the Piadineria. It is similar to a firmer crepe and you can get it sweet or savory. I got a nutella and strawberry (fragola) piadina. Che Bouna! Ali used to work there so he knew everyone in the shop. We hung out there for maybe 2 hours. Everyone that hears I am from California gets so excited. They go Caliiiifornia!! Bellissimo! The girl that was working there gave us the piadina for free which was very nice of her. She was happy to practice her English skills with me. Afterwards we walked back to our dorm. We stopped to see the River Ticino since I haven't had the chance yet to actually see it. It was freezing though so we only stayed for one minute. It is -6 Celsius....I have no clue what that is in Fahrenheit except that it is below 32 degrees. Everything is much later here though. Lunch is at 1, dinner at 9, sleep at 1 am. So unlike me! But I guess I will have to live the Italian way. Thank goodness for my amazing blackout shades because then I would be up at the crack of dawn and would never be able to live the Italian way. :) Love you all and pictures to come soon!
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