Well I was going to make another complaining journal but that just really doesn't help anything. -sigh-
Anyways, this journal is going to be composed of tips for future exchange students to Italy (or you can apply them to your country). I've learned quite a lot being in Italy so far and hopefully some of you can, too.
1. Learn as much Italian as possible. I really regret not studying A LOT of Italian. I studied enough to say "I'm hungry." and other stock phrases, but time caught up with me so fast. Knowing more of the language upon arrival will greatly reduce stress and you'll make friends easier. Plus you'll be able to keep up with school better if you're that good.
2. Know geography of the world and your country's politics. Hate to say it: This rule pretty much applies to the American kids. Many people already have the stereotype of us not knowing anything about the world's geography and our own politics (or anything going on outside of the US). When you can actually tell someone where a country like Seychelles is or tell someone how your government works, people will swallow their words. Haha
EDIT: Also become familiar with the metric system. Dang US doesn't use it, so when you try to tell someone how much a foot is they look at you like you're stupid.
3. Come with no expectations. Many things probably won't go your way. You might not be allowed to go to clubs. You might not have internet. You might not get that big bedroom you wanted. Just be open and be prepared.
4. Learn about your host host country's weather. Yeah you don't want to show up with too many winter coats or little to no sweatshirts.
5. Come with gifts from your country. Seriously, people love receiving gifts from different countries. I would love it, too. Whether is be candy or cute little token souvenirs.
6. Watch your weight. I haven't had this problem but it is known that exchange students usually gain weight while abroad. For some reason the opposite has been happening to me... I guess the Italian food is so healthy.
7. Rest well. The exchange trip is pretty stressful itself, you're going to need to take care of yourself so sleep well.
That's all for now.
---
I went to a Theather Festival in another city close to mine, I believe Montebelluna. Basically there were many performers, puppet shows, and vendors in the streets. Kids had face painted masks and there were real Italian renaissance masks! So awesome (but I bet the upcoming festival in Venice will be even better!) It was so fun!
My favorite part of this was the traveling circus family of five. They were all acrobats! The Mom and Dad being the lead acrobats performing along with their young daughter and two sons. Also with their friendly pet wolf (who had one white eye and one gold eye. :O)
That was the coolest family ever. How many kids can say, "Yeah I grew up traveling around Italy with my circus family entertaining crowds along with my pet wolf." Oh yeah!
Too bad I forgot my camera at home. FAIL.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Houston, we have a problem...
Scratch that, we need a plural.
School is crazy.
In previous posts, I'm sure you remember me grumbling about how boring school is. So let's continue with our subject of school, along with the difficulty of learning. :)
I get credit for this school year only if I receive good reviews from atleast four teachers' classes. I hope I'm not in danger of repeating my school year in the US. I prefer not to because I want to graduate with my friends at home.
Right before camp, one month ago, I got a talk from my parents after my school tutor called them. My school tutor told them my teachers weren't very happy about my efforts in class. They wouldn't be able to give me good marks if I didn't start improving right away. Final marks for the first half of the year would be due around the end November. If I didn't improve I could be in serious trouble.
Serious trouble with AFS.
Before I even started school, I signed a contract (the only AFS student to do so?!) with one of the agreements saying I would work hard in class. If I don't live up to that contract I could give AFS a bad name and I would be in danger of returning home to the US. Ok, seemed reasonable.
I was working, (Sometimes giving in to the heaviness of my eyelids because that's what happens to me when I don't understand anything, I sleep.) just not on what they wanted me to. Before I was studying Italian while the lessons went on, so later I would be able to pick up words and understand what was happening.
WRONG.
Apparently, AFS wanted me to pay attention in class even though I had no clue what was going on AT ALL. To me this was just unbelievably counter productive. I could be learning Italian at the same time, or just doing something worth my time than just sitting!
I decided to try out what the were saying and follow along. I began attempting homework (very very poorly) but I did it. Even tests. But not the interrogazione (oral tests). Those were way too difficult for me. I do have an interrogation coming up in Physics pretty soon. Oh snikes. O_O;;
Then my family told me, since I'm keeping up with class I need to study.
Bye bye free time. I was still okay with this though, because if I studied I would get reasonable marks allowing me to pass this year. Great, right?
Then my tutor and parents told me, I need to learn more Italian and hang out with more Italian friends. Ok I thought I'd tried that, too. Even when this made my schedule look like it was about to explode. I just hope they knew there was no more family time cause I also had extra activites in the evening.
And besides, I already knew enough people in school. So many people come up to me on daily basis and ask how I'm doing. I don't remember anyone's names! :( I just learned my main classe's names two weeks ago, and I still call some of them by the wrong name. Then some people have the nerve to get mad at me if I don't remember who they are. Sorry, I'm kind of busy. =/
Past that, how hard would it be to get a few people to hang out with me? :)
Heh, harder than I thought.
It's difficult to hang out with Italian teenagers because they are all so busy... busy studying. I feel so bad for them. They study all weekday nights (nights where I'm not too busy) then they hang out on the weekends (weekends where I'm with the AFS committee). It's a vicious cycle!
I'm not the only AFSer having this problem! Why can't teenagers ease up little bit? The only time I really have with them is when I schedule a hangout plan two weeks ahead. (Even then it's still a bit iffy because their schedules are so full) or when I schedule study parties. STUDY. PARTIES. =|
Can't we just be normal teens and hang out in the town, go shopping, or see a movie? No? Okay.
So I resort to hanging out with the Intercultura AFSers most of the time. Which my local chapter despises because we speak English and very little Italian to each other. I try on many occasions to speak in Italian with them, but we all misunderstand each other terribly. xD And it's the same way in school. People misunderstand me with the most simplest of sentences... then there's the charades.
Ah, but yes, I'm not the only one feeling the heat for school now. The other AFSers received the talk last week, I was just the first one to get it for some reason. Whether my friends will take control of what they do at school, I don't know. Hopefully they will.
I just hope we don't fail.
Here's how my classes are going.
Educazione Fisica (Physical Education)
A class I need credit for in the States. I'm doing well. I can tell I will definitely receive a good mark in this class! You don't need much Italian to move.
Chimica (Chemistry)
I already did Chemistry last year so it's sort of easy. Would be easier if the teacher wasn't shouting at us the whole time.
Matematica (Mathematics)
All I have to rely on is the numbers. The italian written on the board has yet to make sense... I can only do homework with the help of students...
Storia Dell'Arte (History of Art)
I don't have to follow along with the arguments they have about certain art pieces. Phew. But the teacher chooses out a picture for me in the book, tells me to draw it and attempt to write about it in Italian. Good compromise.
Inglese (English)
I don't have to follow along in this class either. It's more like a study hall. I do help others pratice their English. I can't promise my American English will get them As since the British teachers correct them on every little grammatical error they make.
Tedesco (German)
The German I learned for three years wouldn't be able to help even if I remembered it. The kids in my class have been studying for over five years! This class is particularly hard. I have to learn German I forgot over the summer, translate it into Italian I don't know, then find the meaning in English I'm also forgetting. Fail.
Fisica (Physics)
Quite easy. Very similar to Chemistry. I go to a fourth year class for this. (I'm originally in the third year; equivalent to the tenth grade in the US.) I'm just glad I'm not the only one confused in this class when there are difficult problems.
Storia (History)
I'm so used to American History. Learning about the Renaissance, Black Plague, and Midieval periods was only a section of my eigth grade history book. Italy's history is much much longer than the US and the text books are so... boring. I was used to cool pictures, comprehension questions and cool highlighted words explaining subjects. The teacher is the only one keeping me from my usual battle of sleep. He's hilarious, (well I don't understand him much, but he's very animated). A usual lesson: He walks into class, tells jokes for the first 20 minutes, reads the lesson while telling jokes and laughing at people, and then the bell rings and he's like "Oh, wow, where did all that time go?!"
Italiano (Italian)
Right now, the class is reading something equivalent to Shakespeare to students in America, but about Dante's Inferno, so they understand nothing. Neither do I. Absolutely anything. The teacher for this class is a bit odd. He talks about how much he hates Germans and his pet cats a lot.... aaaawkwaaard.
Filosofia (Philosophy)
I would really enjoy this class if it was in English! They actually talk about stuff I want to hear and questions that make you really think about life. So I just study at home from the english book my parents bought for my birthday.
Religione (Religion)
This class is so calm. The only exception of a class I learn only one hour a week. Right now we're learning how to read Hebrew.
---
Each of those classes are different days of the week, at least two or three times a week.
I think I may come back deaf after this school year is done. The kids shout at the teachers and the teachers shout back, but they don't seem to be angry... must be normal. Then when everyone becomes too loud, people make that high pitched hissing "SSSSSHHHH" sound which doesn't make anything better.
Well wish me luck with school and AFS. xP I need to figure some things out.
School is crazy.
In previous posts, I'm sure you remember me grumbling about how boring school is. So let's continue with our subject of school, along with the difficulty of learning. :)
I get credit for this school year only if I receive good reviews from atleast four teachers' classes. I hope I'm not in danger of repeating my school year in the US. I prefer not to because I want to graduate with my friends at home.
Right before camp, one month ago, I got a talk from my parents after my school tutor called them. My school tutor told them my teachers weren't very happy about my efforts in class. They wouldn't be able to give me good marks if I didn't start improving right away. Final marks for the first half of the year would be due around the end November. If I didn't improve I could be in serious trouble.
Serious trouble with AFS.
Before I even started school, I signed a contract (the only AFS student to do so?!) with one of the agreements saying I would work hard in class. If I don't live up to that contract I could give AFS a bad name and I would be in danger of returning home to the US. Ok, seemed reasonable.
I was working, (Sometimes giving in to the heaviness of my eyelids because that's what happens to me when I don't understand anything, I sleep.) just not on what they wanted me to. Before I was studying Italian while the lessons went on, so later I would be able to pick up words and understand what was happening.
WRONG.
Apparently, AFS wanted me to pay attention in class even though I had no clue what was going on AT ALL. To me this was just unbelievably counter productive. I could be learning Italian at the same time, or just doing something worth my time than just sitting!
I decided to try out what the were saying and follow along. I began attempting homework (very very poorly) but I did it. Even tests. But not the interrogazione (oral tests). Those were way too difficult for me. I do have an interrogation coming up in Physics pretty soon. Oh snikes. O_O;;
Then my family told me, since I'm keeping up with class I need to study.
Bye bye free time. I was still okay with this though, because if I studied I would get reasonable marks allowing me to pass this year. Great, right?
Then my tutor and parents told me, I need to learn more Italian and hang out with more Italian friends. Ok I thought I'd tried that, too. Even when this made my schedule look like it was about to explode. I just hope they knew there was no more family time cause I also had extra activites in the evening.
And besides, I already knew enough people in school. So many people come up to me on daily basis and ask how I'm doing. I don't remember anyone's names! :( I just learned my main classe's names two weeks ago, and I still call some of them by the wrong name. Then some people have the nerve to get mad at me if I don't remember who they are. Sorry, I'm kind of busy. =/
Past that, how hard would it be to get a few people to hang out with me? :)
Heh, harder than I thought.
It's difficult to hang out with Italian teenagers because they are all so busy... busy studying. I feel so bad for them. They study all weekday nights (nights where I'm not too busy) then they hang out on the weekends (weekends where I'm with the AFS committee). It's a vicious cycle!
I'm not the only AFSer having this problem! Why can't teenagers ease up little bit? The only time I really have with them is when I schedule a hangout plan two weeks ahead. (Even then it's still a bit iffy because their schedules are so full) or when I schedule study parties. STUDY. PARTIES. =|
Can't we just be normal teens and hang out in the town, go shopping, or see a movie? No? Okay.
So I resort to hanging out with the Intercultura AFSers most of the time. Which my local chapter despises because we speak English and very little Italian to each other. I try on many occasions to speak in Italian with them, but we all misunderstand each other terribly. xD And it's the same way in school. People misunderstand me with the most simplest of sentences... then there's the charades.
Ah, but yes, I'm not the only one feeling the heat for school now. The other AFSers received the talk last week, I was just the first one to get it for some reason. Whether my friends will take control of what they do at school, I don't know. Hopefully they will.
I just hope we don't fail.
Here's how my classes are going.
Educazione Fisica (Physical Education)
A class I need credit for in the States. I'm doing well. I can tell I will definitely receive a good mark in this class! You don't need much Italian to move.
Chimica (Chemistry)
I already did Chemistry last year so it's sort of easy. Would be easier if the teacher wasn't shouting at us the whole time.
Matematica (Mathematics)
All I have to rely on is the numbers. The italian written on the board has yet to make sense... I can only do homework with the help of students...
Storia Dell'Arte (History of Art)
I don't have to follow along with the arguments they have about certain art pieces. Phew. But the teacher chooses out a picture for me in the book, tells me to draw it and attempt to write about it in Italian. Good compromise.
Inglese (English)
I don't have to follow along in this class either. It's more like a study hall. I do help others pratice their English. I can't promise my American English will get them As since the British teachers correct them on every little grammatical error they make.
Tedesco (German)
The German I learned for three years wouldn't be able to help even if I remembered it. The kids in my class have been studying for over five years! This class is particularly hard. I have to learn German I forgot over the summer, translate it into Italian I don't know, then find the meaning in English I'm also forgetting. Fail.
Fisica (Physics)
Quite easy. Very similar to Chemistry. I go to a fourth year class for this. (I'm originally in the third year; equivalent to the tenth grade in the US.) I'm just glad I'm not the only one confused in this class when there are difficult problems.
Storia (History)
I'm so used to American History. Learning about the Renaissance, Black Plague, and Midieval periods was only a section of my eigth grade history book. Italy's history is much much longer than the US and the text books are so... boring. I was used to cool pictures, comprehension questions and cool highlighted words explaining subjects. The teacher is the only one keeping me from my usual battle of sleep. He's hilarious, (well I don't understand him much, but he's very animated). A usual lesson: He walks into class, tells jokes for the first 20 minutes, reads the lesson while telling jokes and laughing at people, and then the bell rings and he's like "Oh, wow, where did all that time go?!"
Italiano (Italian)
Right now, the class is reading something equivalent to Shakespeare to students in America, but about Dante's Inferno, so they understand nothing. Neither do I. Absolutely anything. The teacher for this class is a bit odd. He talks about how much he hates Germans and his pet cats a lot.... aaaawkwaaard.
Filosofia (Philosophy)
I would really enjoy this class if it was in English! They actually talk about stuff I want to hear and questions that make you really think about life. So I just study at home from the english book my parents bought for my birthday.
Religione (Religion)
This class is so calm. The only exception of a class I learn only one hour a week. Right now we're learning how to read Hebrew.
---
Each of those classes are different days of the week, at least two or three times a week.
I think I may come back deaf after this school year is done. The kids shout at the teachers and the teachers shout back, but they don't seem to be angry... must be normal. Then when everyone becomes too loud, people make that high pitched hissing "SSSSSHHHH" sound which doesn't make anything better.
Well wish me luck with school and AFS. xP I need to figure some things out.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Art of Giving
Yesterday was my birthday. I am now seventeen! :)
I never really expect much on my birthday except to just be happy about being a year older and people saying "Happy Birthday!". But I guess in Italy, birthdays really really matter. O_O;; A lot happened yesterday...
It all started when I went to school. Usually, I expected another boring day of trying to learn something I barely understand. Oho, I was wrong.
So when it is your birthday, you receive a nice "Tanti Auguri!" ("Many Wishes!/ Happy Birthday!") and get two kisses on the cheek. I received and gave more more kisses in one morning than I have in my seventeen years of life. *forever alone*
Then after the first hour of class, my Italian teacher left the room and was like "Have fun!" and I kept thinking, "What do you mean have fun? We're just having a quick three minute break before the next lesson! Nothing's going to happen! And we're supposed to have another lesson of Italian, why are you leaving?!"
Then my friend Silvia took me with her to go do some homework photocopies which took like 8 minutes. Then we walked back into class, tables re-arranged, classroom decorated, food and drinks everywhere, and a huge sing along of Italy's version of "Happy Birthday".
Then everyone cleared the view of the teacher's desk and there were presents the class arranged for me.
I swear if I cry everytime I'm happy, I might just cause another flood in the town of Silea.[Yeah, heavy rain here causes the rivers to flood in the streets, not all that fun. Anyways, moving on.] I didn't cry, but it sure was a hell of an effort not to. I thanked the class for everything and didn't speak much after that, cause if I did, the tears would just start flowing. But I made sure I looked immensely happy!
How the freak did I not figure out my class was throwing me a party?! I was suspicious but I never really expected they would do it!
The day before the party, everyone was gathered in a circle and writing down foods with the title of the list "Cibo per domani!" ("Food for tomorrow!") Everytime I asked what they were doing, they would always suddenly change the subject to dicussing things about the school trip.
Then days before that the class representative came to me and said we were going to be taking pictures of the class. I thought it was just something for school, like they would be having a class book or something. And it turns out it was one of my gifts:
The photos:
And they even put them in a cute little frame!
Everyone was speaking such fast Italian days leading up to the party, I just never paid attention that they could be planning something. Apparently, they were so happy that I was making them all drawings for their birthdays when they passed, they just wanted me to give me something back. That was so nice of them! I just made them drawings because I wanted to. I never expected anything back from them accept their kindness and friendship. They gave me love back tenfold.
Then later that day I had a party because my parents weren't satisfied with our conversation three nights ago:
Parents: "Hey, Zakiyya, what are you doing for your birthday?"
Zakiyya: "I dont know, sleeping.?"
Parents: "No you're not. You're having a party. ಠ_ಠ"
Zakiyya: "O-ok. O_O;;"
That's basically how it went. So I organized a party with my AFS Intercultura friends. A party of 10 kids from 9 different countries. I never thought I would ever have a party like that in my life. We continue to learn so much about each other as the days go by.
I decided we would go to the Cinecity movie theater right by my house. We were going to go see the horror movie Insidious since there wouldn't be that much talking. (Yeah, we didn't want to see an Italian movie we didn't undertand). But for some reason 10 minutes before we arrived, the people said there mysteriously wasn't a movie time available. Liars. I checked the system an hour before to see if the time was still right!
Whatever. So we went to go see an action-packed-kick-you-in-the-face movie called the Immortals, IN 3D. Booyah! It was Greek Mythology and cooler than any other craptastic Percy Jackson movie they will make in the future. It took me a while to figure out when the Greek gods and goddesses came in because I had no clue what they were saying in Italian...
It's really bad cause even in the States when I go see a violent movie, I'm cheering at all the blood and gore on the screen like "Yeah, you upper cut that guy in the face with your sword!". And then laughing at serious parts in the movie. I'm a bad movie goer. Turns out I' not the only one because the other Intercultura students were laughing, too. I bet all the Italians in the movie theater were so mad.
Other than that it was your typical male movie. A beautiful woman who could see the future came into the middle of the movie and I was like "There's so going to be a sex scene in this movie with the hot male main character. Just watch. -_-"
Then the predicted sex scene came up and the girls were like:
The boys:
After that movie, we walked home while being shouted at by some random drunk guy riding a bicycle. Is that legal? lol
There was delicious food~
Then we played silly games such as:
Piggly Wiggly
Where one person leaves the room, everyone else hides undercovers, then the person comes back in the room and taps each lump under the blankets. The people under the blanket have to disguise their voices so the person tapping te blankets has a hard time figuring out who's under it. If the person guesses right then the person under the blanket loses. Last person under the blankets wins.
Backfire Dares
Pick out someone's name from a box and write down an epic dare for them to do, only to find out later you have to do it yourself.
Search and Destroy
Epic Hide and Go Seek. My dad wasn't too happy about this. A game with the word destroy in the title. He thought we would annihilate the house, so we played when he left.
Mafia
I think everyone's played this game before... where the mafia kills people when the town goes to sleep, the doctor saves someone, and the police have to figure out and convince everyone who the real mafia are. Omg, this game sucks if you're a citizen because all you do is go to sleep! I was a citizen everytime, and I was killed every game because the mafia convinced everyone I was also apart of the mafia. >_>;; Then if your doctor is selfish and only saves themself everytime, everyone dies. Also you can't tell who the police are because the mafia lie so well and say they're the police and they keep getting away with crimes! This game usually ends up in a screaming match. XD
Hmmm this game is so similar to something.... *coughcoughamericanjurisdictionsystemcoughcough*
It was a wonderful evening. I even got to take awesome pictures cause my parents here in Italy bought me a new camera! They are seriously nice to me! O___O And extra books (in English, our AFS directors won't be too happy if they find out...) for my education.
My package from my friends in the States didn't arrive yet, but this did:
I didn't think so much would happen on my birthday... if anything I learned about being here in Italy is:
1. Patience. Things won't always go your way as a foreign exchange student. Everything is different. And you're the one adapting to the culture, not the people around you. So some things: your level of tolerance must go up, and other things: you just have to let go of your anxiety. Patience will absolutely help you keep your sanity.
2. Appreciating. I believe I've already said this before... there are a lot of things that annoy me here in Italy, little things, but eh, I deal with it. It's different, not good, not bad. It could be worse. If anything I'm really lucky I've met the helpful friendly students in my class and I have a patient family. I lucked out.
3. One step at a time. Sometimes being in Italy is overwhelming and going with the flow is absolutely all I can do. especially when I am angry or unsatisfied with something.
4. Happiness is in your own hands. Seriously, life can be absolutely anything you want it to be. All you have to do is follow through with your thoughts and actions. You can choose to be the exchange student that doesn't want to adapt and sit back, letting people come to you, or you can actually do something with your life while abroad.
Life is good. ;)
Well, off to study, now that the birthday fun is over. Ciao!~
I never really expect much on my birthday except to just be happy about being a year older and people saying "Happy Birthday!". But I guess in Italy, birthdays really really matter. O_O;; A lot happened yesterday...
It all started when I went to school. Usually, I expected another boring day of trying to learn something I barely understand. Oho, I was wrong.
So when it is your birthday, you receive a nice "Tanti Auguri!" ("Many Wishes!/ Happy Birthday!") and get two kisses on the cheek. I received and gave more more kisses in one morning than I have in my seventeen years of life. *forever alone*
Then after the first hour of class, my Italian teacher left the room and was like "Have fun!" and I kept thinking, "What do you mean have fun? We're just having a quick three minute break before the next lesson! Nothing's going to happen! And we're supposed to have another lesson of Italian, why are you leaving?!"
Then my friend Silvia took me with her to go do some homework photocopies which took like 8 minutes. Then we walked back into class, tables re-arranged, classroom decorated, food and drinks everywhere, and a huge sing along of Italy's version of "Happy Birthday".
Then everyone cleared the view of the teacher's desk and there were presents the class arranged for me.
I swear if I cry everytime I'm happy, I might just cause another flood in the town of Silea.[Yeah, heavy rain here causes the rivers to flood in the streets, not all that fun. Anyways, moving on.] I didn't cry, but it sure was a hell of an effort not to. I thanked the class for everything and didn't speak much after that, cause if I did, the tears would just start flowing. But I made sure I looked immensely happy!
How the freak did I not figure out my class was throwing me a party?! I was suspicious but I never really expected they would do it!
The day before the party, everyone was gathered in a circle and writing down foods with the title of the list "Cibo per domani!" ("Food for tomorrow!") Everytime I asked what they were doing, they would always suddenly change the subject to dicussing things about the school trip.
Then days before that the class representative came to me and said we were going to be taking pictures of the class. I thought it was just something for school, like they would be having a class book or something. And it turns out it was one of my gifts:
The photos:
And they even put them in a cute little frame!
 |
| Also, a cute stuffed animal. Luckily I didn't have to ride the autobus. |
Everyone was speaking such fast Italian days leading up to the party, I just never paid attention that they could be planning something. Apparently, they were so happy that I was making them all drawings for their birthdays when they passed, they just wanted me to give me something back. That was so nice of them! I just made them drawings because I wanted to. I never expected anything back from them accept their kindness and friendship. They gave me love back tenfold.
Then later that day I had a party because my parents weren't satisfied with our conversation three nights ago:
Parents: "Hey, Zakiyya, what are you doing for your birthday?"
Zakiyya: "I dont know, sleeping.?"
Parents: "No you're not. You're having a party. ಠ_ಠ"
Zakiyya: "O-ok. O_O;;"
That's basically how it went. So I organized a party with my AFS Intercultura friends. A party of 10 kids from 9 different countries. I never thought I would ever have a party like that in my life. We continue to learn so much about each other as the days go by.
I decided we would go to the Cinecity movie theater right by my house. We were going to go see the horror movie Insidious since there wouldn't be that much talking. (Yeah, we didn't want to see an Italian movie we didn't undertand). But for some reason 10 minutes before we arrived, the people said there mysteriously wasn't a movie time available. Liars. I checked the system an hour before to see if the time was still right!
Whatever. So we went to go see an action-packed-kick-you-in-the-face movie called the Immortals, IN 3D. Booyah! It was Greek Mythology and cooler than any other craptastic Percy Jackson movie they will make in the future. It took me a while to figure out when the Greek gods and goddesses came in because I had no clue what they were saying in Italian...
It's really bad cause even in the States when I go see a violent movie, I'm cheering at all the blood and gore on the screen like "Yeah, you upper cut that guy in the face with your sword!". And then laughing at serious parts in the movie. I'm a bad movie goer. Turns out I' not the only one because the other Intercultura students were laughing, too. I bet all the Italians in the movie theater were so mad.
Other than that it was your typical male movie. A beautiful woman who could see the future came into the middle of the movie and I was like "There's so going to be a sex scene in this movie with the hot male main character. Just watch. -_-"
Then the predicted sex scene came up and the girls were like:
The boys:
After that movie, we walked home while being shouted at by some random drunk guy riding a bicycle. Is that legal? lol
There was delicious food~
Then we played silly games such as:
Piggly Wiggly
Where one person leaves the room, everyone else hides undercovers, then the person comes back in the room and taps each lump under the blankets. The people under the blanket have to disguise their voices so the person tapping te blankets has a hard time figuring out who's under it. If the person guesses right then the person under the blanket loses. Last person under the blankets wins.
Backfire Dares
Pick out someone's name from a box and write down an epic dare for them to do, only to find out later you have to do it yourself.
Search and Destroy
Epic Hide and Go Seek. My dad wasn't too happy about this. A game with the word destroy in the title. He thought we would annihilate the house, so we played when he left.
Mafia
I think everyone's played this game before... where the mafia kills people when the town goes to sleep, the doctor saves someone, and the police have to figure out and convince everyone who the real mafia are. Omg, this game sucks if you're a citizen because all you do is go to sleep! I was a citizen everytime, and I was killed every game because the mafia convinced everyone I was also apart of the mafia. >_>;; Then if your doctor is selfish and only saves themself everytime, everyone dies. Also you can't tell who the police are because the mafia lie so well and say they're the police and they keep getting away with crimes! This game usually ends up in a screaming match. XD
Hmmm this game is so similar to something.... *coughcoughamericanjurisdictionsystemcoughcough*
It was a wonderful evening. I even got to take awesome pictures cause my parents here in Italy bought me a new camera! They are seriously nice to me! O___O And extra books (in English, our AFS directors won't be too happy if they find out...) for my education.
My package from my friends in the States didn't arrive yet, but this did:
Aka, an artbook from one of my favorite artists of all time. A day before my birthday. FTW.
I didn't think so much would happen on my birthday... if anything I learned about being here in Italy is:
1. Patience. Things won't always go your way as a foreign exchange student. Everything is different. And you're the one adapting to the culture, not the people around you. So some things: your level of tolerance must go up, and other things: you just have to let go of your anxiety. Patience will absolutely help you keep your sanity.
2. Appreciating. I believe I've already said this before... there are a lot of things that annoy me here in Italy, little things, but eh, I deal with it. It's different, not good, not bad. It could be worse. If anything I'm really lucky I've met the helpful friendly students in my class and I have a patient family. I lucked out.
3. One step at a time. Sometimes being in Italy is overwhelming and going with the flow is absolutely all I can do. especially when I am angry or unsatisfied with something.
4. Happiness is in your own hands. Seriously, life can be absolutely anything you want it to be. All you have to do is follow through with your thoughts and actions. You can choose to be the exchange student that doesn't want to adapt and sit back, letting people come to you, or you can actually do something with your life while abroad.
Life is good. ;)
Well, off to study, now that the birthday fun is over. Ciao!~
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