The little things

Today was orientation for the students arriving in Florence (101 total,  15 from PC).  What great fun to see all eleven Elementary Special Education majors, and four other PC students in a hotel near the airport in Florence.  Weary, but excited.   Joanne (the Fairfield director),  Erin (program assistant) and Sylvia (program administrator)  led the students through much helpful information, but many admitted to me later they were on overload with so much information.   In just the week here,  I could add more stories to those told of those little things that are different.

1)   The keys... our first night we thought we were locked out... but really we didn't know how to use the keys.   We needed to walk to the Fairfield office (lucky it is open till 6:30 - working hours ~10-6:30 here) and luckily Joanne was still there.   She walked back with us to the apartment;  no locksmith was needed, just a lesson on how to use the key!  I now think to myself as I use it,  square to the left, push it all the way in, turn to the right as many times as needed (1-3 depending on how it was closed when you leave).

2)  The stove and oven.   You need to turn on the gas with the lever on the wall, then turn on the burner you need.   Then there is the oven,  well it is still an issue as all of the symbols and numbers are worn away.   We have learn by experiementation that the left knob is the setting -on, bake, broil (and today I learned a setting with above or below heating),  the right button is temperature -- 9:00 can heat bread (say 200-250),  6:30-7:00 cooks chicken or meatballs (350 or so).

3) Coffee ... well it is espresso over here, and we have walked by many a cafe, but I have not had an espresso out of the apartment.  On our second day, Joanne (at Fairfield) taught me how to use this Italian coffee maker.   You put water in the bottom, you add coffee grounds in a filter that sits on top bottom part,  you then screw in the top, the pitcher.  Then you heat the pot on the stove for 15 or so minutes till it stops perking.    I am happy to report the coffee is good, not too strong.

4)  3 prong outlets.  220 Volts.

thus the spaghetti of converters to charge our laptop.

5)  The washing machine  ... many different cycles,  two dials (cycle, temperature).   Even the short cycle is more than 75 minutes...   everything does take time in Italy.

6) The night shutters ... to keep some air flowing, but to block the light (and bugs).   There are no screens on the windows in Florence.   

7) and  Google and YouTube automatically switch to Italian!   And on a related note, the computer in the office is in Italian -- learning new Italian words for all the Microsoft software commands as well as a  unique keyboard (many of the symbols are in different places!).

I can't say we have it all figured out, but after a week we are making everything work... including figuring out how to make risotto from scratch with minimal instructions in Italian.  A wonderful dinner after a long day: mushroom risotto, salad and carrots.   Perhaps tomorrow we will make it back to the macellaio for some chicken or pork.

Ciao till next time.

Laura