First Day at School

Hey all

Got up this (or yesterday) morning and went looking for a coffee – this was at first challenging, then a bit worrying – nowhere seemed to be open – they take their Sundays seriously it seems. Officially I approve, of course, but coffee is coffee. I made the mistake of ordering at the first place I came across before asking for the price – when I went to order a second I asked how much the first cost – the creature behind the bar named a price that equalled about 7$ Australian. This with a knowing leer on her depraved criminal face. She had a low, sloping brow and a chronic under-bite and looked hideous even when smiling, so you can imagine... no doubt the last in a long line of thieves stretching back a thousand years – may she die lonely. I finally found somewhere more reasonable for the second cup.

Feeling pretty average – still crook, the house I am at for the language school is good in some ways – I have my own balcony – but it is out in the sticks completely, just any other housing block – I will have to bus in every day – and although the internet there works, for some bizarre reason gmail and blogger won't – I can't sign into emails or blogger.com, which makes the whole thing a bit annoying – I think what I will do tomorrow is go check out the school – if it seems even slightly off I will try to line up the other one during lunch time – will have my stuff mainly packed here tonight so I can just bail tomorrow if I have to. The son speaks a bit of English, seems friendly enough, as do the parents, but there is a bit of a weird vibe – I have been told I can use the washing machine only once a week, I am not allowed to cook there, and not even allowed to cook a coffee on the stove. So a bit iffy about it all. Anyway.

Photos – a brief moment of privacy in a hostel. Looking for coffee part 1. Looking for coffee part 2. It is hard to notice but there is a tumble-weed in both photos... The famous bridge in Florence – forget the name – it has jewellery stores built along both sides, and is usually crowded with tourists – was fairly calm this morning. A bunch of padlocks that people have hung off the side of the bridge – I am not entirely sure what for – some had two names on them, others only one, so really a bit unclear about them. Finally, my balcony, which might be only briefly mine.

[Following Day] – School seems good, and has a wifi connection that works properly allowing me to answer emails (thanks for them all, btw) and post this – have paid up for the school. Asked if they could move me somewhere closer to the city so I don't have to bus in and out every day – they are looking into it – if it does not work out then I guess I will just have to live with my own private bathroom and balcony. Damn. Feeling less morose because cold is lifting, which is just as well, because if you ever want to feel really stupid, study a language in a room full of people who are ashamed to admit they only know two or three...

Cheers, B.