Champion's League + Language School

We continue to keep really busy. This week in particular was the Champion's League game Barcelona vs. AS Roma and me starting language school (insert deer in headlights).   To give a slight explanation for those that don't follow football (soccer), I'll be posting an outline here in the next day of how/why and the basics of following football here.

Wednesday's game was a big one for AS Roma. Barcelona are reigning European (club) Champions, so for AS Roma to be seeded in the starting bracket for Champions League, was less than ideal.  For anyone that missed the game, Barcelona had averaged about 70% possession of the ball, yet AS Roma was able to hold on tight to the end for a 1:1 draw.  It was an exciting game, although a relatively quiet stadium given the fan base was on strike (it's like they're a Union or something) because they were upset about the security issues, (I think, if I understood correctly, yet those are the joys of communication barriers). In the end each team received 1 point. (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a lose). The two teams will meet again in Barcelona over our Thanksgiving weekend. If all goes as planned, we'll take that opportunity to visit Barcelona with the kids (Darcy will be with the team and unfortunately not get to take in the sites with us) and watch the game.

On Thursday I eased into a language course offered across the street from the kids' school. It's only 90 minutes 2x/week. And quite honestly, that's enough for now. I'm still working to keep the dog exercised since we now live in an apartment, I'm trying to figure out how/where to get a couch, dining table, grocery shop daily (hence the old lady cart), get our home life in order and research my surroundings.  It's amazing where the time goes! For anyone that's never taken a language class, it's not easy for me because it's not like taking a class where someone speaks English and they're translating the meaning or explaining anything. It's straight up Italian, so when I get lost I fall off the wagon so fast I'm just a deer in headlights.  It's been so long since I've been in school, my brain just isn't computing as fast as the language is coming at me.  So not having it daily will at least help me come home, review, get on google translate, practice and memorize.  The good thing is that I can immediately practice what I'm learning to anyone standing around me.  Italians are very friendly in that way. They are happy to help me with the language and also happy to use their english, if they know any.  I'm actually surprised at how many people know english. That sounds ridiculous, but I had a hard time finding people that spoke english in my neighborhood when we lived in Munich. So I was prepared for the worse case in communication barriers. It can be discouraging, frustrating, exhausting, at times -hopeless. It's all fun and games when on vacation, knowing it won't last long and I can go home to english. But when my livelihood depends on it, I can get overwhelmed. It can make one want to go home, sit in a corner and put a blanket over their head.

Today is Saturday, September 19 and the kids and I are laying low at the pool. We currently only have one car and Darcy needed it to get to work (we trade carpool days with another family we're getting to know really well). It's hotter than hell. Last night at 11pm it was 86 degrees and 90% humidity. I thought this high alpine girl was going to die! Thankfully we have AC, but most places don't. Temps are suppose to cool down after today. Roma plays tomorrow so that will fill our afternoon, and then we're off and running for week #4 in Rome.

Thanks for reading! -Inger

Upcoming posts:

• Our new friends, The Lippies
• Our Neighborhood/Our Flat
• American Overseas School of Rome
• Lack of Good Mass Transit
• Grocery Shopping & Portion Sizes
• The Italian Culture and The Why's
• Random Observations
• Driving in Chaos