I Wonder if People Think I'm Actually Homeless...

Ciao Everyone!  So currently I am sitting on a bench outside my school it is 7:30pm, I just checked out of my hotel for the weekend and apparently I did so a little too early because I am now here and there is no one here to let me in!  Whoops.  Every day is an adventure right?  The city really comes alive here at night.  It's very strange because all the shops and businesses close for an hour or two in the afternoon and most aren't even open in the morning unless there is coffee involved.  I really wanted some fruit to snack on today at around 2:00 and I couldn't find anything open.  It also didn't help that it was Sunday on top of that because everything is also closed on Sundays.  Anyway, my weekend was relatively uneventful.  It was the first weekend I was all by myself and I can say that I now know my town a little better!  I love Macerata, I really couldn't have asked for a better placement all around.  Although Italy is very safe, I have learned that being by myself is a bit more stressful than with others.  Italian men are notoriously forward and since I don't know how to politely say "Thank you for the compliment now leave me alone" in Italian it can kind of get tricky.  I had a man pull his car over to tell me I'm beautiful and ask me to get a drink.  I had more incidences like that this weekend than I have the entire rest of my trip, it was very strange.  I think that is one of the most unfortunate reasons women don't travel alone, and it is such a pity  Anyway, I have plans next weekend to spend some time in Bologna with Katie and then we are going to go to some really cool caves where I will be going on a "red level tour" meaning it will be advanced and involve some rock climbing.  These caves are world famous, I am very excited!  I hope that I can try out some hiking in the area before I leave too.  It has been a lifelong dream of mine to travel to Greece and see Athens, I feel like I would be cheating myself by not attempting to visit since I am so close, but the economic and social climate is not very good right now.  Because of the Syrian crisis and the vast number of refugees entering Greece, I feel like it might not be the best time for me to be there.  While I am here though, my Italian is improving!  I am proud of myself because I had an actual conversation with the maids this week, which was one of my goals for the week.  I get better at Italian every day which is very exciting to me.  I've always been jealous of the people who have traveled to foreign countries and were able to pick up the language, and now I get to have that experience!!  It's such an amazing shift of the mind, I'm not sure what it is like for others but for me when I speak in Italian I feel like a different person.  Their grammar structure is different, everything makes a whole heck of a lot more sense on a practical standpoint.  English is hard and it's confusing.  I honestly feel bad trying to teach the students sometimes because there is no "universal rule" how to do anything in English.  There are always so many exceptions.  Italian is so beautiful, I really hope to know quite a bit by the time I leave.  I have been reading the book my mom sent me, which is Amy Poeler's memoir.  It is really making me think about some things I should be focusing on while I am here, and as I return home in a few months.  I just finished a chapter on forgiveness and it really spoke to me.  In her words, your ego and your heart are a lot of the times at odds with one another when we try to forgive.  The brain wants to make the point that it is right no matter what, and your heart wants to mend the brokenness and heal the wounds inflicted on others in your path to righteousness.  I thought that was a powerful idea and one that I will keep with me forever.  Never left words unspoken, life is just too dang short.  Let your heart win, I promise your pride will be okay :)  Anyhow, I am very excited to start the new week and for my trip next weekend.  I feel as independent and confident as ever and I will challenge myself to be the best me possible.

"Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, and is therefore the means for correcting our misperceptions." -Gerald Jampolsky

Amore,

Linsey