Successo!

My last post ended rather abruptly when my computer died after my charger (caricabatteria) mysteriously stopped working.  So now I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is that il mio caricabetteria è veramente rotto (my charger is really broken).  The good (but expensive) news is that, with the help of my lovely language partner/mandatory friend Matteo, I was able to find a new one at a little electronics shop approximately a two minute walk from my apartment, complete with a European plug.  No more converters for me!  Matteo and I had less luck, however, with our search for un bollitore (tea kettle).  Apparently all you can buy in Bologna is jewelry, clothing, and...Mac chargers?  Boh.  We're planning to continue our search sometime tomorrow.

After I left you all yesterday, I went out to dinner with il gruppo (the group) and then a bunch of us went out to--of all things--an "Irish" pub.  It was actually a lot like the pubs in Ireland, except they didn't have cider and everyone was speaking Italian.  But it did make me nostalgic for my Irish class and all of our good times in (and out of) Ireland.  Except for the food poisoning part.  I am happy to leave that buried in the past.

As for today, I woke up very, very early in the morning to go to the post office and sort out il permesso per il mio soggiorno (the permission for my stay in Bologna).  Then came a nap, and now, after enjoying a long walk with Matteo senza una giacca (without a jacket) because Bologna is so warm (at least compared to Maine), I'm back in my apartment waiting for my first language class to begin in a few hours.  The fourteen students in my program have been divided into three sections and we have an intensive language class for two hours every day for the first month with our small section.  So while I wait I've been writing here and finally spending some time with my roommate.  I also took the promised photos of some fun details in my apartment.  So here they are.

My door.
Would you be able to open that?

The first thing I saw when I walked in.
The door to my room was already labelled.

This is over the toilet.  It says something along the lines of:
"The bowl is broken.  If you pee outside I see you and I tell the others!"
(I don't understand)

Our adorable shower curtain.
Even though my bathmat buddy remains in
St. Louis I still have a frog in my bathroom!

Speaking of adorable,
check out our oven mitt.

The view from my window.

I have to run off to language class now but, as always, there is more to come.

Ciao for now!