Beautiful Day

Ciao to All:

Last night I finally got to go see "Benjamin Button" with my friends Sergio, Rino (Also my Italian tutor), Kaja, and Ditte. We left at around 8:30 and drove about 10 minutes to Agrigento, the bigger town near Favara where the cinema was located. Really nice theater; comfortable chairs and a nice, big screen. It was interesting seeing the film in Italian, with an Italian audience, after seeing it only a few weeks ago in English with an American audience. The two crowds laughed at all of the same things, (Did you know I was struck by lightening seven times?), and cried at the same parts. I remember distinctly the feeling after walking out of the theater in Bedford, with Jireh and my Dad. I remember thinking so much about the themes of the movie- mortality, youth, love, etc. It was interesting to see my friends go through the same emotional process. I returned home late, at 12:00. 

Went right to bed, and had strange dreams about buying a car with my Dad. In the dream, he really wanted me to get this car that was made by a Cuban company, but it was really old and smelled. For some reason he insisted, and said he wouldn't buy any other car. It had to be this one. I don't remember if I ever actually bought it, because my dream then shifted to me trying to break into a diplomat's house to sleep. I crawled through a window and slept in a bathtub in the house. I woke up from the dream with a sore back, no wonder. I had set an alarm for 7:40, but got a text message from Kaja early in the morning saying that her and Ditte weren't going to school. I laid in bed for a while thinking about whether I would sleep in or not. I dozed off after turning off my alarm, and was awoken by my host mother Maria about 15 minutes later. I was running really late. I jumped out of bed, made a quick espresso, got dressed, and raced out of the house. I forgot all of my notebooks at home. 

At school, I had my first real class of Mathematics. Liceo Martin Luther King, being a "Liceo Scientifico," is based on science and math, so the level at which they learn math is much higher and faster than anything I am used to. I showed off my high-tech calculator to my neighbor, Antonio. He made a huge deal about it until the teacher came over and said I couldn't use it in class! So lots of mental math today. Grrr. I did a lot of reading of "the Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I have already read more than half of it. I'm really enjoying it. It takes me to another time and place every time I open it up. I had a lot of time to think today, so my mind naturally drifted towards memories of home and family. Funny memories, like when Mom was trying to beat box in the car and was completely incapable. Great memories, like eating pierogi's in New York City with Dad after a photo shoot last year. Watching Lost with Maxie, going to Socratic Debate Club with Simon. It was really nice to think, but also made me feel a little sad. My English teacher, Sra. Spinello, had read my blog, and found the "Joy and Sorrow" poem that my Mom had suggested I read. Sra. Spinello had found it online, and as a gift to me translated it into Italian. It was one of the kindest things anyone has done for me here yet. 

School ended at 2:00. I took the bus home, ate lunch, then went right back to school with Gerlando for a meeting in regards to the "Concorso Fotografico." As I expected, I was the only one who showed up, other than the teacher who organized the competition. I was happy to hear that at least 5 other students are participating, and that the top twelve photographs are going to be included in a special Favara calendar. WOW! Haha. Gerlando and I walked home, making stops at his old driving school, where he introduced me to his drivers education teacher, a character greatly different than my drivers ed instructor. Really nice guy. 

Studied for a bit at home, then walked to my Italian tutor, where I struggled through a short story by Luigi Pirandello, a famous italian writer who lived in Agrigento, so especially popular in Sicily. It started to rain hard.

I walked home in the heavy rain. I didn't mind, because the street lights cast a strange orange light on everything on the street. For some reason it reminded me of an old Hollywood movie set. Ran some errands with Gerlando, and drove around Favara for a little while with Maria and Gerlando.

Which brings me here- I am tired and sore, in a really good way. Dinner, shower, then sleep. I can't wait.