Things so are at a slower pace now that I'm getting used to Italy. Well, slower for me at least. I just sit back and observe many things that are questionably different. Italians in the North are very fast paced people when it comes to something needing to be done. I enjoy it very much because when I need to do something, it's done in the same day.Whereas in the United States I would procrastinate daily. Which brings me to: Military Time.
I really do enjoy military time for some reason. When I look at the clock, I feel as if there is more time to do get stuff done. It must be some type of illusion... Same with the school, I get out at 13:00 (at the moment!) and there's so much time to hang out with friends in the city or just walk around and clear your head. In the States, I didn't get out of school til 4 or 5 and there was never time to hang out with friends (only at school, boring!). Then there was always homework to do afterwards. Even when I do get homework over here in Italy, it's more enjoyable to work on because of my illusion sense of time now.
I don't know how or why I started worrying about time, but I know it started when I was in the 8th grade. Before that, I was a care free student, not aware of time passing by and just doing anything I wanted without crazy scheduling. I really think about time non-stop and how I will spend it, because I don't like to waste it.
In a way thinking like that has caused much more stress in my life than it was supposed to fix being organized. If I missed something I scheduled, I would beat myself up over it! I need to learn to let that go because as I said before, scheduling is very abnormal in Italy...which rolls us to our next subject.
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*Zakiyya wakes up Sunday at 8 AM and dad walks in the room*
"Boun giorno, Zakiyya! We're going to the beach! Get your stuff ready."
Zakiyya: O_O "WHAAA-"
It seems every Sunday is going to be an adventure after church...Haha I thought we were all sleeping in. But ofcourse, something different which I enjoy is the fact that Italians never stay indoors. Sometimes in America, there were days I never left the house and just stayed on the computer/ watched TV/ drew on the computer when there was nothing to do. Not particularly mentally or physically healthy now that I think about it...
I need to get into this new habit! :) And start speaking much much more Italian... I study so much over here/// it's murder on my brain. Plus, AFS organized some Italian Language courses for my region next week. I'm pretty excited because I will be able to speak to more people!
But on the subject of the beach, it's a normal one. Very hot, enjoyable, and seashells everywhere! Marta and I collected so many! :) I forgot, and wasn't prepared though, that there would be some topless women and men with speedos. I wasn't used to that on American beaches. I remember one beach I went to in the States just had terrible weather and dead jellyfish covering the shore, ahh beauty.
Oh and someone brought their pet wolf. It was so cute and it howled a lot! I wanted a picture but I learned my mother has a fear of dogs so I couldn't get to close. :( How often do you see wolves at the beach eh?
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I love my church's architecture. It looks like a beautiful castle, and apparently I'm allowed to get some pictures of it...!!! Wow, I thought that was illegal. My parents said it was okay, but I'll ask the church goers jutst in case.
After that, I think I might stop going to church. It's just very uncomfortable for me. I wanted to go for the first couple of weeks to see what it was like, but now I'm not very penchant of the ceremonies. I always feel like I'm in a odd cult everytime.
I'm sure my parents will be okay with it. They ask me whether I would like to stay home or go anyways.
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Finally learned the rules to crossing the street. Biking experience has helped greatly.
The three rules:
No Hesitation Any second thoughts about what you're doing only raises the percentage of you being hit by a car.
Be Reckless Ok so that sounds very counterintuitive to what I'm saying but it just works. You have more power over vehicles here than you do in the States. So that car going 30 about 25 ft ahead of you is nonsense You can still make it! :D You just have to be assertive and stick your foot out like "HEY, I'm crossing here."
Zoned Out Awareness Sometimes you have to be wary about how the first two rules work together. (For instance, I found out they don't work on buses earlier on.) And if you see other people crossing, try to blend in, cars will stop! "Mildly" observing your surroundings before crossing the street is still a must.
And that was Zakiyya's lesson on how to cross the street in Italy. Makes no sense, so don't try this at home!
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Something that is disturbing me greatly is that bicycle riders don't wear helmets. It really shouldn't be bothering me this much, but for some reason it is. Sort of like the girls wearing only jeans... but this one actually concerns people's lives.
Italian traffic plus biking with out a helmet should equal disaster, right? Wrong. For some reason, as senseless as Italians drive and cycle, I haven't seen a bike or auto accident. It's sincerely confusing.
Whenever I ride a bike I feel like the biggest dork ever, because I'm the ONLY one besides professional cyclists (it seems they train a lot...they're everywhere!) that wears a helmet. Even the old people and pre teens on bikes don't wear them. They pass me up with speed and I can't catch up. Haha, probably cause my bike is 30 years old and it makes a screeching sound everytime I brake. ಠ_ಠ
I wear the helmet because my dad makes me. I admit, I wouldn't wear the helmet if he didn't seem like he knew what he was talking about, but come on, he's a doctor. He's the only one I've seen, besides professional cyclists, that wears a helmet. THE ONLY ONE. I just can't help but come to the conclusions that Italians would rather look cool than be safe. But in a way, I'm wrong in my opinion.
Wearing a bicycle helmet does not automatically exempt you from being hit by cars. Knowing how to ride a bicycle properly and navigate roads helps more than putting on a helmet and calling it a day. That's probably why many Italians don't wear the helmets in the first place. Because they're so street smart. I just still can't help thinking that if someone is hit by a car they will be seriously injured, no matter how street smart they were.
That's pretty much the only reason I wear my helmet even though I look like a lame teenager. (Yeah, I haven't seen A SINGLE teenager with a helmet.) I know my helmet won't totally save me from death if I'm hit by a car, but hopefully it'll minimize my head injuries. No one else seems to be thinking that way besides my father and I. Sort of makes me feel like Atticus Finch intergrity wise, hehe.
Another point on helmets, everyone who rides a mortorcycle or moped wears a helmet. Just not cyclists. We're all on the same roads as buses and cars!
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Raaaaandoooom:
On deviantart, I won the Hetalia contest last week! I entered before I came to Italy and I was so happy when I found out! The contest was of cultural foods! I chose the country Italy, ha, go figure. Here's the image:
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Got a haircut at a ethnic hairdresser, and the man almost shaved off the back of my hair. I just wanted a trim! D:
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Harry Potter in Italian:
I will try to read them later!
That's all for now, time for sleep. Buona Notte~ :)
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