"Scusa!" I hear outside my door. It is my host mother. I check my phone. It is 8:30. School started already. What a great way to start the year! Thank goodness I did not have to take the math placement test - I did not have to show up until 9 o'clock. So let me just say that I miss having a roommate who would wake me up if I accidentally forget to set up an alarm (s/o to Nathaniel!)
We got a tour of Viterbo today. My favorite was a semi-hidden open plaza by the town hall. Apparently, one of the first kids who participated in SYA Italy proposed to his girlfriend in that plaza many years later. I see why he did that.
We took our dreaded Latin placement test (which went surprisingly well) and had two hours to eat lunch and just "hang out." Having so much free time is still a foreign concept to me, so I just grabbed a cup of cioccolate (hot chocolate), gelato, and a sandwich and enjoyed the sun outside. By the way, I know that Italian bars (cafes) are known for cappuccino, but I think cioccolate is the way to go. The best cup of hot chocolate I have ever had was in Orvieto, where I went last March with Mr. Streed, Ms. English, and 5 other boys from Episcopal.
In the afternoon, we had a day of short classes, but of course I, clumsy, walked into a wrong classroom, sat through the entire period, and then realized that I was in the wrong class. (I did this twice by the way.) But the classes sound interesting, and both classmates and faculty members could not be any better. I am looking forward to a real school experience, which starts next Monday.