WEEK 7

Its monday night. The start of week numero sette.

SO.. the last few weeks my feelins and emotions have been like a rollercoaster. I have felt really happy, because I am starting to understand so well and it is very exciting! I have felt sad because I found out my best friend is moving like 3 houses down from my home in Utah, and I wanted to be there so bad! Annoyed because here, when it comes to food, the answer no is not accepted. "LAURIE try this green stuff that smells like garbage! Laurie try this fish, I am sure you will like this fish!" no..I still don't like fish and I dont enjoy eating things that look like they have been regurgitated. BUT DON'T worry. I always try new things at least once. That is good enough right? Also, I have been frustrated that I am not fluent and don't speak perfect Italian.. which I know that is ridiculous, but I am just so anxious!! ON the brighter side, all a sudden my days got so much better! 2 weeks ago I was very bored and worring that my time was being waisted...but this last week was great! I wasn't bored at all! I listened to all saturdays conference session online and even watched a few on Sandras computer. I did a lot of financial lit (my annoying online class that I have to finish to graduate). Also I downloaded and watched the first two episodes of my favorite TV show smallville. But the quality was horrible, so I will just have to wait until I return to finish the season haha. OK, other things I did, Monday Sandra and I went shopping in a big, beautiful, new outdoor mall called La Corte del Sole. It was fun, very nice shops, very cool mall. After we went grocery shopping and bought all the ingrediants for chocolate chip cookies because Francy always tells Sandra they are so good, and that she has to try them. So she insisted I make them. Of course, that was fine with me, so I did!(more details on when I get to friday haha) Oh, I can't forget...... at the grocery store... I turned acorner.......and BEHOLD! I FOUND SKIPPY! Blessed skippy. Peanut butter has never tasted so wonderful. On we go....Tuesday I went to an aerobics class with Sandra. It was funny.. I am not a big fan of aerobics classes and such. But it was ok. And Sandra was very happy I went with her. That night..practice. Volleyball is still great. I am gettin better! Wednesday...normal day...Thursday I tried the step class with Sandra, and then volleyball. Friday, no school, because me and the 13 other exchange students went and visited a very old, famous, big, agricultural school in Cagliari. It was so interesting! I have never seen or been to one before. It was this huge, old school on a farm with every crop and plant imaginable haha. It was so to see these students just out in the field working..or in the classrooms studying plants haha..all learning to be farming technitions or whatever. Crazy! We also saw all the machinery used to make wine. We also went to the vinard and cut grapes off the vine, so they could show us how the machines worked! At the end of the day, everyone got to taste test different wines. They was delicious! Just kidding. I would not know, I politly declined all. But the others said it was good. Then they gave us all our own bottle. yippy, just what I wanted.
Back at home Friday afternoon, I made the beautiful chocolate chip cookies!!! Haha it was fun. I had a little audiance, Sandra and nonna, they were very interested in the complicated art of making american chocolate chip cookies. Anyways, they turned out great and everyone that tried them liked them a lot. Even Giuseppe. Ok Saturday....school. ...then a big lunch for nonna 's birthday! Brava. After, I went to my friend (my favorite friend I have met so far) Ilaria’s house. I met her mom and sister and grandma, we all had dinner, then just hung out talked and all that. Then me and Ilaria went to a birthday party of one of our friends from school. It was interesting..it was at this ..like big empty store house... there were drinks and food. Music. Just people talking dancing, hanging out. Typical party. Except more smoking and drinking I guess. It was alright..kind of lame. But thats ok. I still like meeting new people and being with friends. After I went home and slept. Sunday I woke up nice and early, got ready, and went to church! LDS church. It was great. I was so happy to go to Cagliari and see that red brick building that was so familiar to me. The floors were tiled in the whole building, like all the floors here. The chapel didn't have benches but chairs in rows. It was so interesting to hear the prayers and sacrament prayers and talks and hymns in Italian, I loved it. Everyone was very nice of course. We are going to figure out the bus schedule so I can go to church often. There were 6 other youngwoman, the ward was small of course. I think there are 3 or 4 branches on the whole island.... so weird! Not your new ward on every block in Utah! After, we spent time with family.

Well theres last week for you! Other than that, the weather got way cold all a sudden! brrrrr. I start the Italian course with Rotary tomorrow, I am very excited. Life is fantastic, it is getting busier, I am getting more involved, I understand better, I love my family, friends, the food..my Italian is improving... and basta! (thats all for now!)
Until next blog-

Laurie