Since I got here....

I know it's been while, but now I have wireless! WOOHOOOO! So anyway....

Since I got here, I have been trying to adjust myself to the new scenery. Naples is an interesting place. It's full of history with many different things to see, but it is also extremely hectic, disorganized, corrupt, and loud. I haven't had any time to go out, and look because I haven't had a weekend off since the first weekend I was here (which I spent mostly getting over jet lag). Mario's dad didn't have time to take him this past weekend so I had to be around this weekend. Hopefully I'll have the next two weekends off because I REALLY need it! When I do get some time off, I need to make some friends soon. It's been over two years since I've moved to a new place where I didn't know anyone, and a few more weeks of this and will become extremely lonely and depressed.

A couple of days after I arrived, I went for a short bike ride, and I had my first experience with an Italian guy. He drove by me in his car, parked it, and then ran to come talk to me. He didn't speak any English so it was quite refreshing to speak Italian again. Unfortunately, I was not in the slightest interested in talking to him. He kept on trying to get me to get in his car and have a coffee with him. Later I talked to Cristian about him, and she said that is the typical Neopolitan guy. I laughed when she said that.

Mario, my charge, is an interesting kid. It was pretty difficult the first two weeks I was here because he wasn't used to me, but now he's a little bit easier to deal with. He's very much attached to his mother. When we're together, he's always asking where mom is. I don't remember being that attached to my parents when I was five. When there was a babysitter around I remember being pretty excited because it was someone new to play with. Anyway, it's not important.

My typical day is like this:
7:00am-I get up, and make Mario's breakfast (which thankfully is not difficult)
After breakfast, I get him ready for school
8:00am-He leaves with his aunt and cousins for school
I have the morning to myself
1:30pm-I go pick him up at school (which is a pain because the typical American school isn't out until about 2:30 or 3:00)
2:00pm-We come back and have lunch at (the typical Italian lunch time)
7:00pm-Bath time
7:30pm-Dinner time
8:30ish-Bed time. I go in and sing him a song, and Cristina likes to tuck him in at night

Unfortunately, I haven't much of a chance to speak Italian here. Everyone in Cristina's family except of few people speak English. I try to speak Italian to them, and the respond in English. It's kind of annoying. I speak Italian with Guilia, one of Mario's cousins, when she comes to play (which pretty often). She is one of the few that doesn't already speak English. I'm always very excited to see her because I get to practice with her. I also speak Italian with Leti, one of Cristina's sisters, she speaks a little bit of English, but I think she prefers Italian and that is fine by me. She sometimes gives me a ride to Mario's school in the afternoon, and that's when we talk. It has helped me the most in my slow progression. I study my grammar book everyday, and make conversations on my own, but I'm never sure if the things I'm saying are correct.

Oreste, Cristina's boyfriend, says I need to find an Italian boyfriend, and I'll Italian very quickly that way. I don't think that would be very hard considering Italian men go nuts for American girls, but I have to have some time off to make these sort of connections!

In closing, I can say that everyone has been very kind and accepting. Cristina has told me that she really appreciates the work that I do, and that she's very glad that I'm here. That makes me feel very good. She has already mentioned that she'd like me to stay longer than a year, but I'll have to see how everything goes before I accept such an offer.

Ci vediamo!
Pace!