http://community.webshots.com/user/jessgavic

the first set of pics...let me know if you can see them! it's a little backwards, i'm sending the ferrara ones before the bologna ones, but whatever!

Ferrara

We did it! First train ride on our own, accomplished:-)!! We (Krissy, Danielle, and I) started out for a late breakfast Sat. morning, we ran into one of the program students (Isaac) and he was like "hey, I'm going to Ferrara, wanna come?" So after a slight hesitation we were like "sure, why not?" We walked to the train station, bought our tickets and, it was so cliche, we had to run to catch the train:-) The town was sooo cute! There was a huge castle right in the middle with an actual moat around it and we wandered around checking out the old streets and churchs and markets...and gelato! There was a big street performers festival going on but we barely had time to meet Isaac's friends before we had to catch the bus to the train station and get back to bologna. We ended up walking to the station cause we got nervous after not one bus came by in 30min and caught what we thought was the train to Bologna...we had a moment of serious panic when the train made a stop we didn't remember in San Pietro, we thought we'd gone in the completely wrong direction and now would have to find a hotel! Luckily a girl on the train saw our panicked faces and she assured us we'd get to bologna:-) We got back just in time to drop our stuff off at the hotel and walk back out of town for a birthday dinner with our first Italian friends....check out the names: Sergio, Flavio, Fredrico...those are the fun ones...Anna, & Veronica:-) We ate at a great chinese restaurant (that's not weird right now cause the whole country is on vacation and most things are opening back up until the students come in for school), they are all soooo patient with our struggling italian, and one of them wants to take us salsa dancing...for those of you who have seen me dance, wish me luck! ;-)
The language barrier is more and more frustrating everyday...we want to make all these jokes or comments but can't yet and I still have a hard time understanding unless they speak slowly.
BIG NEWS! I have an apartment!! it's right in centro...the inner part of bologna is within a circle wall and the street i'm on is right off the main drag! It's a pedestrian street only so it's quiet and really cute, it's a bit small but really really cute. I'm sharing it with two italian girls and Krissy-one of the girls on the program. HUGE relief!

apartments!

The apartment hunt is underway and pretty stressful! We have to call all these italians and arrange meetings to see the apartments and by sept. 3 we have to have a new place to live. I saw my first one yesterday and I was soooo nervous! And so, of course, I blanked on all the phrases or words I needed! Ah well. We've haven't been able to fit in a lot of rec. time cause we have meetings several times a day at really random times, so its hard to get away and do things. Things like shopping! Which I need to do because I need to start looking like an italian (ya right!):-) The styles are pretty amusing sometimes...guys, I hate to say it but the semi-mullet is making a comeback! The only complaint I have so far it that some of the italians, when we ask them something or talk to them will just respond in english. It gets frustrating after awhile cause we don't get to practice! ah well, it's still beautiful here!

sono in Bologna!

I made it! It's beautiful here, absolutely gorgeous. All the buildings are orange or red and all the italians are super nice! The people on the program are really cool too. We've all just been wandering around the city getting used to our new home. Finding an apartment seems a little intimidating right now, but I just bought a phone and some produce ...well the produce was free, its amazing how you get treated when you're in a group of girls vs a group of guys:-)...and i did both in italian, well mostly and it was so exciting!!

aug.11.05

setting up the blog with scott...this first pic is the main piazza in bologna