24 Hours in Italy

24 hours ago, or about, I landed in Italy. First thing I noticed is that the baggage at Fiumicino is handled by different unions. If you fly Alitalia, your baggage is handled by that airline. Flying in on SwissAir, my bags, as well as the flight coming in from Damascus was handled by "FirstGate", whoever that is. There was a third union I saw on the board. Weird. I wonder if that's how it's done in the United States as well?

Having been in Italy just a year and a half ago, I knew how to get to the train station and buy a ticket. To get to the city of Viterbo, you have to take two local trains. First take a train to Rome-Trastevere station and transfer to the Viterbo-Porta Romana local train. The second train stops some 18 times before getting to the end where one gets off. The whole trip takes 2 hours from the airport.

I was met by the SYA host family Eleonora. It's actually a short 10 minute walk to the school from the station but the significant thing is that you enter into a walled city. I now live in a walled city!!! You will see pictures of my apartment in the next day, but it is so large that the guest bedroom and bath are on a different floor that you have to take a spiral stone staircase to. I'm NOT kidding.

My first evening in town, I grabbed a spinach and ham (I simply pointed at the menu about 2/3 of the way down and its what I got) pizza, and then strolled through town and found a bunch of gelaterias and had my first gelato. One can walk around the entire walled city in about 40 minutes.

This morning, I got up, unpacked my backpack and suitcase and went out shopping. I found a great fresh produce stand where the owner was so kind to teach me the names of the fruits and vegetables I bought. I also found the "supermercato" to buy my toilet paper, toothbrush and frozen peas. I'm still on the prowl for my local bakery, meat and cheese store and newspaper stand, but all in good time.

I just returned from obtaining my cell phone. The Italian teacher, Alessandra, was kind enough to register the phone in her name to be able to qualify for some discount (I think). Even though the man at the store knew I didn't speak or understand any Italian he kept looking at me and talking and talking and talking. He didn't shut up. I am wondering if he's married because I would be getting earplugs if I were his spouse. I have a phone number that is temporary for 10 days and then my permanent one kicks in. I'll reveal to you all that one when it actually activates.

Ok, so I'm going up to cook some lunch. My plan this afternoon is to hop on one of the local buses and ride the entire line. Then spend part of the day working on translating the comic book Alessandra gave me. Maybe the next time I post there will be some Italian phrases I'll kick in!