Idiosyncracies and such

Yay for the the first full day in Firenze. I have to say, it didn’t take even a full day to get pooped on by a bird. Yay for me! I guess that was my big welcome to the country.

I’m loving Florence at the moment. Today was our first time having to get to NYU’s campus outside of the city center, so that was quite the adventure. We all found which bus we had to get on, and when it arrived, a mob of probably around 40 NYU kids ran in, scaring the wary Italians inside. We had all assumed we would pay the bus driver while on our way in, but as we entered in the back and the bus was packed, we were unable to make it to the driver. We then shrugged our shoulders and didn’t think too much about it. Now campus is quite far from my apartment, so after a 10 minute walk to Piazza San Marcos we board a bus that takes about 15 minutes to get us up the hill to Villa Natalia, the entrance to campus. After mistakingly getting off one stop before our actual destination, we noticed that none of us had paid our fare. Again we shrugged and didn’t think too much about it. Twas not until orientation when the NYU staff was giving us tips for finding correct bus routes were we informed we each could have been fined 70 €. Yeah…that wasn’t good. But on the way back, we bought tickets and since there were no undercover cops, we didn’t get them authenticated (dated), which means we walked out with a ticket we can use again tomorrow. I need to stop being Mexican and actually pay for such things before I get arrested by Italian police. But if I recall, that was one of my list of goals during the trip, so whatevs. lol, the American embassy might ignore me in such time of need. But image conscience NYU will come to the rescue. Haha, I kid.

Speaking of which, NYU never seizes to impress me, not content with being the second largest land owner in Manhattan (second only to the Catholic Church…who would have thought?), it is in fact the largest landlord in Florence. Another random factoid I found interesting today was that our La Pietra campus here in Firenze was actually offered to Oxford before us, but for whatever reason, they decided not to take on the ambitious effort.

Its funny how being in Florence Americans are so easily set apart, not only from locals but from other foreign tourists. Chris and I play spot-the-American-games everytime we walk the streets and likewise, people approach me speaking English instead of Italian. They say it is largely by how we dress and carry ourselves, but I think mostly, as our advisor said, it is because we are loud.

Ironically, I started conversation with two elderly Spanish ladies who were looking for a meat market at like 5 in the afternoon. I warned them that at such a late hour, more than likely, their chances were not good. They asked me where I was from, I told them the United States, and they were like, oh we thought u looked Mexican. To which I replied, yes I am! My whole life I’ve gotten the opposite comment.

I have been told that about 40 of the upperclassmen students here at NYU are visiting from Duke. Now while I’m sure most Duke students are fine, nice, and probably contribute (I’m mean Iza goes to Duke, and she’s pretty alright) to our campus…this one Duke student, however, caused mayhem on our plane that was anything but a contribution.

The guy, who was flirting with another American girl, decided to run up to first class and steal a bottle of wine. He wasn’t sneaky or secretive about it, and boasted to all around him of his accomplishment. In addition to the 3 free small bottles of wine he was given in the regulary economy class, this huge, more expensive bottle was enough to get him and his lady pal drunk. His steal was so successful he went back to first class and stole a bottle of whiskey. About 20 minutes later the flight attendant comes in, starts yelling at him, and he begins a 2 hour battle w/ flight crew saying he didn’t steal anything, and that they were being ridiculous. He was being an abnoxious American prick who was belittling the French Air France crew. The girl then began screaming, ‘I don’t speak French’ to the crew, while they were speaking clear English but with a French accent. She then started saying ‘Senor, yo no hablo Frances’ just to aggravate them more. Luckily when the plane arrived a police report was filed, and hopefully French police will give him what he deserves, but he really upset me (in addition to the fact that his 6 hour flirting fest kept everyone from sleeping) I hate people like that, and they give the rest of our country a terrible reputation. We are all walking ambassadors, and he clearly wasn’t giving the country any help. A sweeter and nicer French crew could have not been had. I hate to stereotype, but i think that students who go to school in Manhattan and are immersed in a multitude of cultures everyday would not be so ignorant, though he is probably just one bad apple. There are dumb ass NYU students as well, but in different ways. Culture and diversity, I think, is something my school, and to a much greater extent, NYC prepares and shares with its students and inhabitants. In any event, such trash sould not be allowed to pollute our study abroad program. I saw this loser on the bus today, and I wish he, not I, had been pooped on by a Florentine pigeon.

I appologize for the randomness of my updates, but sooo much has been happening in such a short amount of time that my mind is a bit scattered trying to take it all in. I promised pictures, and they are on the way, but I am unsure as to how to get them all uploaded and online considering I don’t have internect access in my apartment. I don’t think they allow me to bring in my laptop and connect it at random cyber cafes, so if I have to go to NYU to do such a thing, I will do it. The pictures will come and they will be absolutely stuning. Our La Pietra campus is breath-taking and more like a post card it could not look.

In the greatest shocker of my life, I have been here for alomost 2 full days and I have yet to indulge in gelato.

Since I got sick the night before my flight, and I was feeling mildy miserably during my travel, I decided to go to a pharmacia yesterday. Tylenol cold just doesn’t cut it for me anyone. So anywho, I walk in and am greeted by a friendly Italian lady, and before I can try out my Italiano, she begins ‘what can i help you with?’. I tell her I have a cold, and she asks what type of treatment i would prefer. Meaning, pills or dissovleable tablets, or anything I would like. I tell her it doesn’t matter, and she replies, ‘you want the dissolveable tablets’ to which i reply, OK. Well lo and behold, I have been feeling perfect since. I’m thinking this Italian lady is my new best friend. I had my dumbest moment of the day with her though. While I was saying goodbye, and wanting to thank her, I said ‘Merci’…I hated myself for a little while after that. I guess I was still in Parisian mode from a few hours before, but there is no excuse. Bows head in shame.

Today we met one of the professoressas that teach Italiano at NYU. I fell in love. Our teacher for the orientation session was a wonderfully vibrant Italian lady named Lucia. She was amazing. I told Chris mid class that I wanted to spoon her, to which he just chuckled in a very Chris way. I learned quite a bit in the short session and she was most impressed by me, as she would ask questions or ask what a word would mean, and using Spanish I could usually decipher it before anyone else. She caught on a little later, and spotted me on it, but she loved me nontheless. Oh Lucia! le sigh. She made me want to learn Italian like no other. However I’ve come to the conclusion that Florence is a terrible place to learn Italian, but probably a good place to learn English. I think I want to visit rural Italy and really try there. Here it is kinda pointless, you cannot finish a phrase when the Florentine is already switching to English.

This morning Chris and I had breakfast at a lovely cafe where we ate pastries and had cappuccinos. It felt like a movie, and much like Little Italy, but with more of a Giovanni vibe, than a Guido one. Also, tonight Chris and I cooked pasta for each other, and it was delightful. I am a pasta master, and Chris is a good cook himself. We are quality roommates. We do most everything together, so it has been good so far. In the friends department, it is going sensational, i’ve befriended more people than my brain has been able to register names for.

All in all, things are splendid for the time being.

Pictures will come as soon as I can get them, I PROMISE!!!!!!! I have some great ones to show.

Peace, Spice, and Adventure,
-Edgar

Tags: Travel

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