A Monday in Italy

So much to learn.  Ciao! doesn't roll off my tongue quite yet. And that European double cheek modest smooch (people do this at the office!) is far, far, far from second nature to me.  All in good time.

There are some words in Italian that I really need.  Hot.  Cold.  Apple.  Tomato.  Please. And numbers.  I thought my rudimentary French would tide me over, but it doesn't really.  Except for the 2 Euro coin,  the coins don't distinguish themselves to me.  Tonight, when buying cheese and bread at the market for my dinner, after a few furtive moments trying to pick out the right configuration, I just thrust a palm-full of coins at the checker. He made quick work of it, noting clearly to me what he was taking and counting as he took it. 

I visited the Piramide neighborhood today to look at a room for rent.  What a vibrant (and noisy!) neighborhood.  My mood lifted as I neared the place - but 520 Euro for a room the size of a jail cell (and as inviting) in a flat with three other similarly incarcerated individuals was not what I had in mind.  So the housing search continues.

Tonight's online search brought the utterly unique possibility of rooming in a convent.  I found one with no curfew that also has English speakers.  And it isn't far from the place I visited this evening.  I bookmarked it just in case.

Except for that TV screen screeching in the corner, 

this could have passed for a very nice dining experience.