Mi piace ballare!

I didn't realize that it's been so long since I last updated.

I got my first Italian haircut, which turned out to be a party with a razor. We managed to tell the hairstylist that I wanted just an inch or two off, with layers, and the side bangs trimmed. Then he attacked my head. I really hated it at first but now I'm getting used to it. Brie got her hair cut, too, a lot shorter than she wanted, so we were sad all day, but don't think in terms of Audrey Hepburn ala "Roman Holiday" - it wasn't that bad. There are pictures on Facebook, of course.

We went to Mount Etna last weekend, and it was beautiful, and there are pictures on Facebook. I ate horse meat (!) and it was actually really good, as long as I didn't think about horses...especially any from Black Beauty...especially the one that died. Then we went ice-skating. Sicily is not "the island of eternal sunshine" as someone apparently once said. I love winter.

Tuesday night I hardly slept at all so that I could finish a translation paper for Greek, and I skipped what I'm hoping was not a mandatory trip to the market in Syracuse for all the Italian classes, and I got to Greek class (I am the Greek class, really, it's private instruction) and it turns out it wasn't due yet. My Greek homework takes about five or six hours, anyway, and I had this extra assignment on top of it.

Wednesday was my first night of Salsa lessons. It was really intimidating when all the Italians started walking in, but it was so much fun, and we learned Salsa, Meringue, something that starts with a B, and a little bit of Tango. The lessons are twice a week, and we've already paid for the month of March, although now we realized that the taxi to get there is 6 euro each time, so we're going to figure out how to take a bus, instead.

Today two of my classes (Plato and Art History) were cancelled, so I went to the market this morning and bought all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a Basil plant. It's a little bit intimidating to go to the open market by myself, but it's good for me to practice what little Italian I know. Tonight I'm going to make dinner, and it's finally warm enough to eat out on the terrace! I love cooking here. Instead of looking up a recipe, trying to find all the ingredients, and then following the directions, like I do at home, here I just buy really fresh amazing ingredients and then try to think of ways to combine them. Everything seems to go together because it's all so Italian. There is a middle eastern place here on the island, though, and a Chinese place. I'm glad because I'm actually getting a little tired of pizza and pasta. I don't really crave American food, just something not Italian.

The only material thing I really miss right now is the Baylor library. I miss having a good quiet place to study. I'm finding that I actually don't mind living without a clothes dryer or a car. I don't even really miss the internet. Well, maybe sometimes.

Well, that's pretty much my life right now. Spring break is going to be amazing, and I'll write about it soon.

Wet cobblestone and pointy-toed stilettos

I'm back now from Palermo, the city on the other side of Sicily where we went yesterday and stayed last night. I'm going to try to stick to the interesting things in this blog and not explain boring details...

The mall in Syracuse is awesome. I've never shopped so intensely in my life, and I love the way Europeans dress. They are always bundled up this time of year, even on the days when it isn't that cold. The little old men walk around arm in arm and do the double-air-kiss goodbye. The women do that, too, and little kids...

I spent the night at my first hostel and it wasn't bad at all; actually it was really nice; the lady said it was sort of a hostel, sort of a "guest-house." For 19 euro, it was pretty awesome. The heat actually worked there, and it was more than just a space heater, unlike my apartment, and there was a tv that got lots of channels in German. We watched "Ella Enchanted."

I have some homework to do for Greek, Latin, and Philosophy. I'm still working on my readings list, by which I mean I'm still working on compiling the list; I haven't even started reading for it. I hate doing this while I'm abroad. But my other two classes aren't going to be too bad, I don't think. Italian is really fun. There will be exams, a paper, and a presentation in Art History but until then all I have to do is go on the field trips and take notes in class.

The food is really good here but two of my roommates and I have decided to start imposing certain restrictions on ourselves, because there's just a little too much gelato, tiramisu, cannoli, marzipan, and various other pastries and chocolate things that are everywhere. Espresso has no calories if you drink it black like I do, though, so it's my consolation. The custom here is to drink things with milk in them like cappuccinos or macchiatos only in the morning...

I have lots of pictures still to upload onto facebook, maybe I'll try to put some on here, too. I officially love traveling, and I can't wait to start planning my spring break. I'm hoping to find some really cheap flights to some exciting places, although either way I know I need to stop shopping and save for that. I also want to take at least one weekend trip somewhere. I'll tell you the specific destinations once I find out what they are!

I miss everybody a lot. I know I've only been here for 2 1/2 weeks, but it seems longer because it is farther and because I know that it will be for so long. I'm really happy here, though. It's strange because I'm having the time of my life and I'm looking forward to it being over. Having the time of your life can be exhausting, and there are really weird feelings that come when you suddenly leave all of your family and friends and everyone you know, and then make new friends really quickly, and feel close to them and far away from everybody you're used to being close to. It's just weird. I wish I could be with everyone at once. Sometimes I feel like I don't have the time to maintain all my relationships the way that I would like to.