I am making new friends!
After my class on Friday, I went to visit La Scala and Il Duomo! It's been a long four months. :P I walked down the steps and through the big wooden door from my school with two other girls from my class. (I have to remember to take pictures of my school for you)! One of them is Danish and the other is Columbian. We went altogether and just admired Milan, as we got to know each other. I've noticed something very similar in every Danish girl I have met (I used to work with one in America, and I met one over the summer). They talk mono-toned, are awkward, and kind of sarcastic..not to make them sound bad! It is just fascinating for me to be able to pinpoint such characteristics. The Columbian girl is very easy to talk to, and charming. She told me Columbia does not have seasons. If it is hot where you are there, it will be hot forever. Then she specifically told me that Columbians are very friendly people "unlike here in Italy". I told her us Americans think Italians are the most welcoming people of all. How funny! They invited me out that night too, even though I didn't make it! Since there are only six of us in total, I can say I basically know my classmates now.
Then today I finally met a Catholic youth group at my host family's church picnic. They do not call it that, but it is the feast day of their church's patron saint, Saint Ildefonso. We went to Mass at 10am and spent the whole rest of the Sunday at the church. Their community is very united and family-oriented. First we went on a treasure hunt, then we ate lunch, watched a slideshow of all the church's youth summer camps, said a prayer in the church, planted a tree (symbolic of our Faith and how you must nourish it), and finally there was a showing of the movie "Monsters University" in their church's movie theater. Busy day alla chiesa! I met a sixteen year old girl first, who was the volunteer head of the treasure hunt, who introduced me to her friends. They were all young but she was nice! Then Daria, my host mom, introduced me to the director of that and another church's youth group. I will be attending a catechism kind-of class for college-aged kids. Not completely sure what it's about yet, but I'll try it! I met some of them and they were so nice! I sat with them for the rest of lunch, telling them about myself.
Just to let you know, my host family is getting comfortable with me! The parents make fun of each
other, with who knows more English during dinner. It's hilarious to me! I would say they know an equal about; Daria knows cooking and household terms and Simone knows professional
terms. They are both lawyers so they need to learn more everyday/slang words. As for the kids, they had their first brawl today. We started playing foosball, with the little boy and girl on a team against me. I was winning by one point, the girl abandoned her brother to join me, he got upset, kept saying all of the girl's points didn't count, I joined his team to make it fair, and next thing I know they were going full swing at each other. I had to hold them back from each other for a good five minutes. In the end, I managed to catch the girl's attention and explained that she is the older one and needs to stop. It worked! The good news is that now I know they are able to be themselves with me around. :) Think positive!
Well I think I covered everything so far. Buona notte! Got to get my sleep to start my second week strong, here in Milano!
