Today is the first really hot day (83 degreegs) we've had in a while-- the last week was actually pretty cold (low seventies). I'm extraordinarily tired as I write this--I've been really fortunate to have made so many friends since I got here and so I've been going out pretty much every night. It keeps me sane; otherwise I would never get to escape Max meltdowns. I've been watching a lot of World Cup games and checking out the student hangout places with my friends and going to concerts (they are cheap here!!!) and eating tons of pizza. Still haven't sat down for the full four course meal because there's so much going on, but that's on the top of my list for next week. Tonight I'm going to meet some friends at the Colosseum and then get the scoop on more Italian nightlife. Hopefully this weekend I'll get a chance to escape the heat/city and go to the beach.
It's fun to learn about politics in Italy-- everyone here wants to know what Americans know/think about Berlusconi. A lot of people draw parallels between Berlusconi and Bush, and mourn the fact that unlike the United States, Italian politicians have no term limits. One person also noted that he's never actually met anyone who has voted for Berlusconi, but somehow he always wins. I live on Vialle di Via Grazioli, which is also the name of Berlusconi's living quarters (but very far away from me), so a lot of people are at first horrified when I reveal where I live. A lot of people are unhappy with socialism here, because the public hospitals are lacking, the buses run on an honor system that everyone takes advantage of, and the whole political sphere is corrupt and yet most Italians appear to remain apathetic. Most of my friends tell me they vote Communist.
There's a really close park on Grazioli that has a lot of other au pairs hanging out, mostly from South American countries, so I've befriended some of them and spoken a lot of Spanish. I didn't realize how much I actually know in Spanish until recently, everything I want to be able to say in Italian comes easily in Spanish. A lot of times if someone doesn't know what I'm saying I can say it in Spanish and they miraculously understand everything. It's kind of silly how similar and yet different Spanish and Italian are-- Amigo versus amiche, fiesta /festa, media/mezza.
I want to hear about everyone's summer, so please e-mail/skype/facebook me when you read this!
Sarah, let us know what the best time is for Skyping with you. We'll arrange our schedule to link up with you (9 hours earlier than Rome time).
ReplyDeleteDavid
Hi Sarah, I'm happy to have found your blog. This will be great fun, like reliving my time as a governess in Madrid for the French Consul when I was your age. My boy was Ian-Phillipe, age 2 when I arrived in September 1965. this was before I immigrated to the USA, land of the free!!!
ReplyDeleteIan-Phille had 2 sisters Gisele, age 10 and Monique, age 7. I had to get them off to the French school in the mornings, then Ian-Phillipe and I could play all day. We often visited the parks nearby, where I befriended all the other AuPairs from all over the world. We lived on Avenida De Generallismo Franco, since renamed. He was a Spanish dictator in those days. How things change but stay stay the same. It's amazing!!! I will enjoy following your blog.
You can follow mine if you like: www.KristinaSafari.blogspot.com
Enjoy Rome; it's a marvelous city,
Kristina
Sarah! Just got back from over a month in rural Vermont visiting Luc and his super hot brothers, playing sports every day - so this is the first chance I've had to check your blog. All I can say is FUN!!!! girl looks like a wild time! I can totally see you tearing it up Euro style in Italia, keep having fun and let's go tear up South America or Spain together when ur done! Keep the posts coming!!!
ReplyDelete