So the problem with studying abroad is that you go go go go go go go constantly, until suddenly you hit a wall and stop. Well, I hit that wall pretty hard this weekend, leading to me sleeping through basically the entire thing.
On Friday, Zoe (friend from high school) was in Rome for the day, so we met up in the afternoon in Piazza Navona and wandered around the city for hours and hours. Eventually we stopped and ate dinner at a restaurant. We sat outside, and I had spaghetti carbonara. It actually wasn't very good. But we were sitting next to a couple from Ohio, and we talked to them for awhile, which was pleasant. Me and Zoe practiced our Italian together all day, which was amazing, because not a single Italian ever wants to speak Italian with me. After dinner we ate gelato, which was delicious, as always. Around 11, I escorted her to the train, and resumed my sleeping.
I did nothing else notable this weekend. Lots of rest, lots of tv watched, lots of reading. But it was oh so necessary. It's actually really good that I hit the wall this weekend, because starting tomorrow, I'm going to be go go go go go going for awhile without any chance for a breather. For the next (at least) 4 weekends, I'll be traveling. That's including my weeklong break. It's going to be exhausting, but absolutely amazing.
Today I worked at the nursery school again. I really love working there. It reminds me of the volunteer work I did at the hospital when I was in high school. The kids are about the same age (or a little older) and very similar (except in Italian and French instead of English...). Today I arrived during their english lesson again. That's always interesting. We sang some songs, which they absolutely love, and worked on the names for some different foods. The English teacher always gives up before the alloted time because its so difficult. He just hasn't figured out an effective method yet. I'm sure there is one. But after that we returned to the classroom, and basically a free-for-all ensued. The children were all wired today. I'm not sure why. But the teacher/nun decided that that would be a good time to practice reciting prayers. The older kids were fine, but the younger ones were terrible!! And I didn't know the proper words to say to get them to stop, and if I did, they didn't listen to me anyways. Once she gave up on the prayers, the children got to color, which is the best part of the day. The teacher asked me to color in some pictures she had photocopied so they could put them on their bulletin board, so I did, but I ended up staying 40 extra minutes!! I totally didn't mind though. It was worth it. I also realized today that the children cannot say my name. The letter "J" is basically nonexistent in the Italian language, and the sound it makes in my name, they substitute with a "z" or "s" sound. It's pretty funny. For others, my name becomes basically "gianna" which would be the italian equal. Thats much better than calling me by the other st. john's volunteer's name. haha
Since then I've done nothing productive except getting a migraine. That was very helpful towards me being productive today. It's not a bad one, just a nagging one. So I won't be doing much of anything for the rest of the night. But starting tomorrow I'm off and running.
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