London Bound!

I'm actually not bound anymore, because I'm here already. It's just that I wrote thise post the other day, before I left, but forgot to actually post it. Anyways, I'm rewriting it, but I like the title. So it stays.

So I'm in London! I made it about 2 and a half hours late, but I made it. I missed my bus from Urbino to Rome in the morning because my phone fell and the battery fell out and unset the clocks and when I reset the hours, I accidentally put it for 9 am instead of the European 2100. I know. I should know these things by now. Anyways, no worries, I went to Pesaro and caught a slightly more expensive train ride. I hung out in Rome for a few hours, but had my suitcase so I didn't do any touring, just walking around. I went to the airport for 630, through security twice, and got on a plane that left an hour late. I was freaking out, because I had told the hostel I would be there at 11 (pm), but when we got landed, by wonderful plane mates told me London is an hour behind. Did I ever not do my homework. Anyways, I took a train from the airport to Central London and then a taxi from there to the hostel. It was still 2 in the morning when I finally crawled into bed, so I was happy to do it. I got up for my free breakfast and then went back to sleep for a few hours.

I spent this afternoon in Central London, seeing Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Green Park, St. James's Park, The London Eye and other various sights in the center.

Tomorrow I plan on seeing... You know. Nevermind that. I always "plan" on seeing things and it always changes. You'll just have to wait and see, instead. Suckers. I've already taken oh-so-many pictures, but you'll have to wait till I get back to my laptop to see them.

I really love London so far. Everything is in English, but there are people all over the place speaking all sorts of languages. I went to a wonderful little pub and had spicy fishcakes and a pint and chatted up a couple of Londoners. Everything is just so, modestly charming. I love it. The rain has been on and off, but this afternoon it was only sprinkles and quite warm. It's so humid here! It feels like Spring, especially with the flowers at the parks!

Anyways, this is just a quick note to let you all know I made it and I'm enjoying it! I saw a fountain memorial they have in Green Park for the 1 million Canadian soldiers who came to England's aid in the war. I can't really explain, but I had myself a little cry. I was just pretty moved that England really appreciates us. I really want to go thank the Queen for her kind heart and friendship to my country.

I'll try knocking tomorrow around teatime, and maybe we can have a chat.

But, allora, I can't stop thinking in Italian! I keep saying Si and Grazie in the shops. It really confuses people when they here this and say, Oh! You're Italian, and I say No, I'm Canadian. When I actually talk, though, people keep asking me what part of America I'm from. 

I bought a wicked t-shirt today that has a picture of the same style boots I have that says, I Walked All Over London. I will have, by the time these 4 days are up! See you on the other side!

Such is March

So. We have more snow here than you guys do.

Our little story starts a week ago when it was so nice I wore shorts and no jacket. Then, three days ago it started snowing. And it got cold. And then it just finally stopped snowing last night. That's right. 2 days and 2 nights of steady snowfall. It's a lot of snow. They said Urbino has never gotten snow like this before. And to top it all off, they closed the schools.

What? I mean, when I say it's a lot of snow, it's a lot of snow for here. It's the same amount we have in Canada all winter. But, the streets are small and not made for winter days, so all the traffic was jammed up. Val and Andy went to her parents' house when it was nice, and when they came back, a trip that usually takes an hour and a half took four hours, 2 of which were just outside Urbino, stopped in a traffic jam. Anyways, I totally understand the closure here, I'm just saying it would never happen in Canada.

Anyways, it's been a busy couple of days, the girls here on Wednesday and all three on Thursday. Ales went to work as normal, so I got to stay home with them! It was actually quite fun. I got to play with them more than usual, because I'm usually around at get-ready-for-school time and brush-your-teeth time. Also, we headed out into the snow yesterday with Bella, but it was all so fresh and high that we kept sinking into it like cookies in pudding, and we were all exhausted afterwards. Leo tried to use his sled, but it would just stick in the snow and go nowhere.

Today, however, they are all back at school, the sun is out, and the snow is looking perfect for playing in. I also think it'll only stick around for a few days. I hope, anyways. I have a flight out of Rome on the 19th to take me to London, and I'd rather not be delayed. I have also booked a tour of Stonehenge and Bath! I've always wanted to see Stonehenge, so I'm pretty amped up.

I hear you guys have a pretty calm looking March, however. Suckers. I got the bad front half, which means I get the calm second half. Vice versa for you.

I have some pictures to upload from this last week, so keep an eye out! Good luck with the second half of March. Be prepared for the global weirding!

Oh, also, I've hit another landmark in my trip. I am, more or less, three months away from being back home! I am currently looking into what date I'll be flying home, so I'll let you all know when you can start counting down with exact numbers. See you all soon! Time is flying by like mad, and I really don't feel that I have enough time to do everything, but Ales has just granted me another week off in May, so I am trying to decide whether to go North or South for my Birthday! Yes, just so you all now, my Birthday is two months away. I'm not saying you need to send me card or anything, I'm jsut casually leaving my address again:

Carrie Robinson, c/o Alessandra Molinari
36 Battista Sforza
61029 Urbino (PU)
Italia

Much love to all! Enjoy this slow slide into Spring!

Quick note

Just a short story to share:

The kids love Pan Giocali. They are these giant, soft cookie type things that are really actually quite good. Anyways, they ususally get them as a treat once a week. Alessandra had mentioned that if they helped around the house, she's get them when she went shopping. Anyways, Alessandra forgot to buy some medicine for Sarah, when she was out shopping, who has a cough. We were sitting around the table when she realized it, and said, very sombre and serious, "Oh no! I forgot--", this was when she was cut off my Sarah who said, in the most desperate of voices, "You forgot the Pan Giocali!" Ha, we all had a good laugh over it.

Today is my Sunday off, and I am going to Pesaro with Giorgia and Lucia this afternoon for who knows what. If anything, to look at the beckoning sea. It's a bit chill today, and we won't be going into the sea for about a month, I think, but it will be nice to go see it.

Other than that, things are going really well. I went to another concert at the farm of Katrin and Nerone. It was a fun night with a lot more people that before, and even though the music wasn't really to my liking, the next day we just sat in the sun, and I got to go see the little piggies! I'll have the pictures up this week.

I hear that Spring is coming there, too. Enjoy it!

Dotteresse!

Hello all! I am alive and well. I have been quite busy with classes starting again, doing things with friends and sleeping from being tired from said things. But I am here to tell you all about the doctors.

Now, this is weird and I still don't get it. When you study for three years here, you write your thesis, and then you are a doctor. Then you study more, and write another thesis, and you actually become a doctor. So I have no idea why they make such a big deal out of the first Laureate when it isn't real. Either way, they celebrate in the craziest of ways and I got to take part in two of them!

I remember seeing groups of people, in my first months here, who would be laughing and chanting songs, and one person would have a crown of leaves on their head with flowers in their hands. I thought it was a tourist thing, to be honest. Anyways, turns out it's a tradition to head down to the fountain, which your crown of leaves and red flowers, and take pictures once you have finished reading your thesis in front of a board, where you recieve your mark.

A few weeks ago, on the 16th, in was Valentina's turn. She studies psychology and wrote a thesis on something I keep forgetting. As in right now when I want to tell you. I'll get back to you.

Valentina and her family. I met her parents and cousins and uncles and all sorts of family.

Val and Andy. Check out that sweet purple jacket of Andy's. It's velvet. Don't say Italians don't have style.

Agata, Val, Marco. I've met Agate a few times before and she's a big sweetheart. Her and Val and really tight, so it was cute to see all the fun things she did for her.

Val with all her cousins. Look at the hair! It's all the same!

Ok, so, we waited around, taking pictures, and then we went into this room, where Val read her thesis with a fancy powerpoint presentation. There's five people wearing fancy black doctor coats that they get when they become doctors.

Val's mom and the sweet ceiling. I was trying to sneak pictures while this very serious matter was going on. It went well, I think.

Val, awaiting the doctors to decide on her mark.

Top marks! She got the highest number possible, 110. I'm pretty sure it stands for 110%. So, now she get'sthe flowers, the crown, and Agata made this sweet hat.

She also made these posters! Ha!

Val with her parents. (I almost typed that in Italian. It's taking over.)

So, then we start heading down the street. This is also, for you, a tour of Urbino's historical center! The building behind Agata is where Alessandra works and teaches.

The whole band of us, heading down the street. Val's cousin kept singing a song, and the cousins had noisemakers, and everyone was quite jolly. It's quite a sight.

Val on one of her many congratulatory phone calls.

Ha! This says, "Look at this face finally, I'm a doctor!" It's funnier in Italian, I think.

Val with her aunts and uncles.

Val with her cousin Sam. She got all pissy about having a phalic symbol in her pictures..

... So I took this one.

Marco, Val, Marco. The first Marco is Andy's brother. The second Marco is moody and hilarious.

Agata also made these. You see, instead of going to the traditional fountain, we went to Canyon. Val's favourite hang out.

Val and a guy I've met about 8 times, but still can't remember his namee

Agata and Val at Canyon. They laid out a buffet and opened about 10 bottles of champagne.

I, however, had to work that afternoon, so I only got moderately drunk. Ha, just kidding. But seriously, I went back to the house and, I may have forgotten to mention, this was Mardi Gras! Or Martedi Grasso as we say here in Italy. I helped Ales make some costumes for the kids. Leo wanted to be Jack Sparrow, and Benni had a Pirate costume from school. We made Sarah a super cute butterfly costume, but she wasn't feeling well and stayed home. The older kids went to a party down the street:

Cute! My pirates!

No, no, there aren't wild animals running around here, cam down. It's me! While they were gone I made myself into a Lion!

Then I went with Val and Andy and everyone else to dinner in Fermignano, a really sweet little town about 45 minutes from Urbino.

They had a great headstart on me, because they had been drinking all afternoon at the house. This is Nando, who's family makes the most AMAZING cheese. It's buffulo mozzaralla, and this one time he brought it to Val and Andy's for dinner, and it had been made that morning, in the south of Italy, and he drive up that day, and he told me it had been in their stomach's THAT MORNING. I dream about that cheese. Anwyays. I get distracted easily by the food here.

We had the whole little restaurant filled up with all of us. It was cozy and warm. They had this sign, that I liked: (All the other signs I didn't understand, because they were written in a dialect from Naples.)

Val and her Pa. She calls him Dracula.

The family and the wine. Look at the shelves. They went all around the whole restaurant.

Andy pouring Val more wine. Marco reading who knows what. It sure wasn't a menu. They just brought out plates cheese and meat, and then plates of pasta, then plates of more pasta, then plates of potatoes, and then plates of sizzling lamb, and then there was a cake. It was amazing food. The restaurant smelled great the whole time, and I couldn't stop eating. 

Marco and Maria (I think). She's a singer, too, and we talked about it all night.

Ah! A lion! In the restaurant! Just kidding. It's me and Agata!

After dinner Val took to singing and dancing "In the Jungle" in Italian. We all joined it! I sang in English though.

Val and her cake! It says, " The exams are over... for now!" Because she works for a year now, without pay, and then she has to take another test before being able to get a real job.

The book says the same thing. This is cute, because her parents printed this, with the same type of cover as her thesis! It was blank, and they had each written something in it, and then passed it around for everyone to write in. Val cried about 8 times.

The cake and more champagne!

Ah! The Greek Goddess! This is a friend of Val's from Greece. She is hilarious and here she is covered in whipped cream. I helped her clean up, but not before laughing and taking embarassing pictures.

Val made us all party favours! Ok, ok, ok! This ones fun. There's these candy covered almonds that I've never seen before. They're red and amazing. I guess they are served here at all major fuctions like weddings and these sorts of things.

More whipped cream for Marco!

Ha, then these guys, the ones at the bar, walked in, dressed in full outfits. The pink one is a bunny, the brown one a bear. Too hilarious. They wished Val congrats.

No, no. That's not a lion hiding in the bushes. It's just me with the crown!

So, after the great dinner, we heading back to the house. Everyone was exhausted. Here's Agata and Val:

The diamond flowers

Agata had made these signs for the house, too. Thos one says beautiful and great!

This is an Oscar Wilde quote I've always liked, "I have simple tastes, I'm always happy with the best."

So, thus ended one adventure, and started another. Three days later was the Laurea di Lucia! She is a much quieter and more reserved person than Val, but the day was just as fun. Lucia read her thesis and gave a presentation and also got a very impressive mark. I met her parents, too, and her brother and few other people who came for the occasion, including her hilarious grandma.

Lucia and another girl who got her fake doctor status on the same day.

Confetti for all! Giorgia, a few other girls and I waited outside and bombed them with the stuff.

Giorgia and this lovely girl made little fake suitcases and filled them with pictures and momentoes from the past years, and also an open ticket from RyanAir that the girls can use when and where they like. Damn good idea, I think.

Lucia in all her glory!

Us heading down the street.

Lucia and her parents headed for lunch, and I went back to work for the afternoon rounds and also make a delicious form of cheesecake for Lucia. She loves the stuff so I decided to surprise her with it. Later that evening, I hopped a bus to the dorms, where Lucia had rented a room for dinner and music with her friends. I got there early to help they set up.

Our beautiful table.

I did this. Wanted to show it off. Don't tell me you don't want to eat that.

Everyone at the party! Except Giorgia. She's holding my camera.

My cheesecake! It was gone in 20 minutes flat. Yessss.

Some other sweets, including a cup of those red candies! I ate them up.

A picture of the room from the top.

The whole party was great! I met more of their roomates, and Lucia's mom had made amazing sweets, and also bought about 12 too many bottles of wine. I brought a bottle of champagne that popped open the minutes she unwired it and the cork flew across the room followed by a few screams from people freaked out by the noise. The room was rentable till midnight, so we went inside for coffee, and then I headed home.

Thus ended the doctor parties. It was so fun! And definately something that I only could have experienced doing this sort of extended trip. Plus, everytime I spend another day with my friends here, we get closer and closer. It was a good week for me.

As for the kids and work, things are about as normal as they'll ever be. I don't know the last update I gave, but they're all doing well. Better, too. Sarah:

  

isn't sick anymore, and she hardly ever cries or has tantrums. She's finally let her wall down against me, too, which makes everything a lot easier.

Benni:

is sweet as pie, and she lets me teach her English words and she always helps me when I mess up pronunciation in Italian. We cut her hair a while back. She looks pretty different, actually. But it's a lot easier to comb her hair in the morning.

Leo:

He's doing swell. He had a diarrea bout for a week, which was awful, but all the bugs have gone out of the house now, I hope.

Other than that, I have been doing a lot with Giorgia and Lucia. We saw a play last night at the Theater here, which is gorgeous, and so was the man doing the one man drama. He's a famous actor and everyone there was either a young woman, or there with a young woman.

Also, my Italian classes have started again, except that I'm in a higher course now. It's more challenging, which is good. Also, cinematography is on. I now have a group with whom I am writing a story and we'll be making a 15 minute movie soon! We'll see how it goes, since one guy doesn't seem to want to listen to anything anyone else says, and another girl has a lot to say. They get in fights sometimes, but I learn a lot of fun new words. 

Also, its pretty much spring time. It's been raining a lot and we haven't had snow in over a month. I pulled out my spring jacket, and I'm pretty sure I tanned a bit. It got chilly again today, but I think by the time I get back from London, we'll be ready to head to the beach! These are some pictures I took on a walk about a week ago.

Waiting for the bus. This is the super famous part of town. 

The school bus! They aren't yellow here. Blue. Weird.

View from a little spot of grass I found behind a building.

View of my house from across the gap! We can see the medieval wall of Urbino from the house, and this is the house from the medeival wall. We're one of the yellow flats.

 Ha, I forgot about this. I also had dinner wiht Val and Andy a few days ago. He kept telling me he'd have to buy some plaid before coming to Canada, and then I found this at the market for three euros. I had to. He took the flower and pretended to be a lumberjack.

Yes! Next step, beaver pelts.

We made screw drivers! I feel the need to mention this, because I haven't had one since I got here.

We had played with clay about three weeks ago, and now it was all perfect and dry, and so we painted them! I made this for Val and Andy.

Val made a pretty epic candle holder and a pirate ship. I made a snowman and a snake.

So, this has been my last two weeks. My slide into my last three months! You heard me. As of the ninth I'll have only three months left. I feel very weird and I have crazy dreams. I dreamt that when I arrived in Canada, it was by train, and when I came up from the underground, I emerged in a little Italian town square where people were selling cheese. Suddenly, everyone disapeared and I ran around the fountain a bunch of times looking for dirt. Then I realized it was March and that I was in bed in Italy and I chilled out. Oh! And mom and dad, you were here on a bus! I took you on a tour of Urbino. It was fun :)

I also may or may not have a date tomorrow. I really don't know what I agreed to, but I can only expect a sit-com style night. It's with another Andrea, but this time one from my cinematography class. Everyone has the same 10 names here. I keep accidentally calling the wrong people because their names are all the same in my phonebook. Ridiculous.

So, I hope you enjoyed my extra long post in place of being MIA for so long. I had a bad bout of homesickness a week or so ago, but I think it's subsided. I really love hearing from everyone, and if you want to drop me a line, leave a message! I really appreciate all the support I've gotten from everyone and when I feel really down and when I feel like hopping a plane home, I just think about how many people really believe in me and that I can do this. I am doing this! That fact surprises me still. I don't think I'll have grasped it until I'm not doing it anymore.

Oh, also, I feel oddly guilty having missed all of the Olympics. I caught none of it. But I did read about Martin, Crosby and all the other amazing stories to come out of those two weeks. I felt a great pride when I saw all the medals we won! This also coincided with me getting a parcel from Heather including some great Canadian music and an Albertaviews. I feel nationalistic all over. I hope you do too!

Ci vediamo!

Carrie