Rain, Rain, Go Away

Hello my blog-a-licious readers. I love getting your comments, but every time I get one, I realize just how many people are reading it, which is cool but a bit intimidating. Anyway, why do you care about that? Let's get on with it.

Last time I skimped on my classes, this time I'll give you a short rundown of my opinions.

Art History: The prof, who's Italian, is really nice and really enthusiatic, if a bit rambly. But it's ok if you like art. Heavy reading but I think I'll learn a lot.

Classics: So I pulled a last minute switch (a typical Kori move for university, it seems) and am now in Classics 479 which has to do with the history of gladiators and violence in Roman society. It's very interesting, and the class consists of a Wednesday lecture and a Tuesday discussion held where else but in a cafe. I really feel like an accademic student from the old times. And the discussions are completely enthralling (if a bit heated). I'm very excited to see how it turns out.

Comp Lit: This class is great. I've been reading the books for it, and catch myself feeling guilty for reading a book when I should be studying, until I remember that the reading is homework. Woot!

Italian: So, I'm not in Ital 111, which is nice. But everyone that's taking it is a little bit freaked out by the breakneck speed. It makes me worried, because I'll be jumping in midstream for 112. We'll see how that goes. But starting Monday I get an Italian lab partner (a Cortona high school student) with whom I get to practice my Italian, and who gets to practice his/her English with me. I'm really excited for that part.

That's pretty much classes. I think I'll be doing a lot of reading. But, that's ok. Reading is fun (fake smile and super enthusiastic thumbs up here)!!!

Life in the hostel:
I am absolutely certain that it would be a very easy thing to fall into a bout of complaining and ranting and being angry at my roommates (does that have two m's?). I know it's easy, because certain people have, ahem, expressed some small ... dissatisfactions with certain aspects of our living situation. I had a short moment where I was less than happy. So I said, Kori, go to your happy place. And then I realized Italy is my happy place. What right have I to complain? My theory is: it's easy to complain and be miserable. But if you can keep on being cheerful, you realize that all the little things really don't matter all that much.
Other than that, sure there are things about the hostel that aren't five star hotel quality, but I've found that if there's something really bugging you, Sergio, Laura, or Helena will try their best to make it right if they can. So life is good. I like it. I'm happy.

Ooh, on an exciting note, I was listening to a conversation between Laura and Mama, and I pretty much understood it! That was exciting. I still can't speak Italian very well, but, I think I must be improving.

In the typical Canadian fashion, I'm going to mention the weather. Since we've come to Cortona, there have been a couple nice, sunny days. A couple. The rest have been cloudy and drizzly and overcast, or else foggy. Or else pouring rain. I mean, rain's ok, and it's sure better than snow, but, I mean, a little bit of sun would be nice.
Today was really cool, though. It was completely and utterly foggy. We were stuck in a cloud all day. The mist was thick and the fog rolled about and you couldn't see more than 20 feet in front of you. And the other day, Cortona was just overtop of a cloud, so we'd go out to the ledge by the bus stop (how do I explain that?) and it was like we were in a town suspended in the clouds. Or else like we came right to the edge of creation, and that the universe just stopped where the earth fell into a cliff. It was beautiful.

On one final note, there are some cats that sit on the wall on the way up to the hostel. That's all they do, all day. They look down on the passerby, and will return your glance with a beady glare of their own. To see them sitting on the walls in the mist, they felt like they were waiting for spirits to emerge, or else that they knew of some secret hidden in the fog. It was unearthly and creepy, but in a cool, ghost story type of way. I can see why the Egyptians revered them.

I don't know what else to say. I'm going to Rome again tomorrow. It seems like I can't stay away from that place for more than a week. Which is fine by me. Anyway, I'll have to tell you about that later. So, goodnight! Buonanotte!