This past week has been really good for me. I had some exciting things happen and am feeling a lot more comfortable with my surroundings. I feel like I can almost call this place my home. Things are getting easier, like talking to people and not being afraid...trying to speak Italian eventhough I sound horrible at it...showering when I want to...cooking my own food and eating snacks during the day :)...going to the grocery store and buying junky american food...mmmmm pringles!...going to the park with Ale and attempting to talk to all the nonnas and nonnos with their grandkids...hanging out with Stefania and her friends...being at the studio and not being afraid to do what I want...having freedoms that I didn't have before...and so on...
Tuesday at the studio I had my first critique you could call it with everyone. The garden that I am designing was put on the table and I started to explain everything, in English, but I began being interrupted with interjections from Giulio, Michelangelo, and Pamela...I probably looked like a deer in headlights...if you walked in it would have sounded like they were ripping my ideas apart...but they really weren't. They actually liked the concept I came up with but with a few tweaks here and there. It was great constructive criticism.
It has been a great project to work on to start with because it encompasses a lot of the problems that occur with design here vs design at home...
~adjusting to working in a new place...the studio, here in rome, how relaxed it is...if you want to take a break you can
~going from our system to the metric system
~scale of things- the area of this garden would be the size of a patio with a little grass, but I have to have a grill area, sitting area, pool, flower beds, and potted plants...etc...a lot of things in a little space...it's all relative
~I have never designed a backyard before...minus our deck :)
~the design process...we speak with a client and find out their needs and wants and then design...here...usually you are given a project space and you come up with a design idea...
~and i think the biggest difference is thinking as a designer vs. an architect...we think differently in my opinion
All in all, so far it has been a great experience.
Wednesday I took Ale to school all by myself in the morning. It was fun. He loves riding in the stroller and it was really great weather in the morning. From there I had to go to the job site, the spa, and met Stefania because Giulio, who also teaches at the University, had grading there...it was there "graduation." They all get graded on their final project by a panel of people...I went to the studio after that and worked with Michelangelo...and then we went to McDONALD'S for lunch. It wasn't that bad, but mickey d's is mickey d's anywhere. I had a crispy chicken bacon and onion sandwich, fries, and a soda all for only 7 euros...a bit pricey I think.
That night, the fam and I went out for one of their friends birthdays, Alberto. It was fun, but then I met up with friends and we had a great night...we walked all over the city, had gelato, and then got stuck because we couldn't get home on the metro...didn't find the right bus, so ended up having to take a taxi...whoops!
Thursday I stayed home with Alessandro because he had a fever/cold. He was doing pretty well all day and Fabiana came home around 3 so it wasn't too bad. I had to send some mail and ventured down to the post office. Their I had to wait in a long line...you take tickets for everything here like at the deli counter. I had P107 and they were only on like 89 when i got there...who knew I would be there for an hour. When I finally got up to the window I gave him my mail and he weighed it, looked confused...weighed it again and walked away without saying anything??? He finally came back like 5 minutes later with stamps, handed them to me and took my money...I put the stamps on and hopefully put them in to the right mailbox...I guess we will see. I stopped at the grocery store and bought some pringles and Coca-Cola Light :) and then proceeded to eat almost 3/4 of the can befor dinner. I was hoping for a huge grilled steak and potatoes...turns out I got the steak...but with ass per grass instead. It was still delicious even if it was cooked in a pan.
But today was an interesting day I have to say...
I had the day off, but I woke up the earliest that I ever have (6am)...minus the times that I got woken up by Alessandro in the middle of the night, which has happened a lot lately since the poor little guy has had a cold and a fever the past couple of days....but anyways....I had to go to the doctor. I got everything settled with what I had to say lastnight and Fabi showed me where it was on Wednesday night when we were near there. )It had the feel of an old school...like the basement of 38th street school. It was kinda sketchy). I had to leave by 7 because they give out numbers...and only 15 of them for the "free visits." When I got there I tried to explain in my best Englian...that I needed to get a mole removed. So he told me to sit down and he would be right with me...so I did...I didn't have a number, didn't give him my name and there were loads of people coming in...and there I sat until he told me to come over by him at 9. He finally got my name and stuff and put me on the list...and waited some more.
At around 10 I got in to see the dermatologists. They were both really comforting and spoke a little English so that helped too. I had no idea what to expect because I've never had anything done like this before...I was freaking out a little. She told me she was putting the anesthetic in and that was painful...it was a huge needle, and then she didn't wait for it to work...she just started to burn...or what felt like burning...off the mole...it did not feel good one bit...the last part she did was the only part that I couldn't feel...so much for the anesthetic..and then she said, "here have a souvenir"...ummm no thanks!
From there I had to go to a farmacia to get the cream she prescribed. I had to find one first...I wandered around because I had time to burn before I met a friend for coffee...I was trying to find the cafe that I am going to meet a friend for dinner tonight, but ended up finding a pharmacy instead...didn't find the restaurant though...
I met my friend for coffee around 11:30 and then meandered my way from where I was to the Pantheon to meet Fabiana and her coworker for lunch. So I was just walking down the street looking at my map...with no luck of finding where I was...when a hub cap...yes a HUB CAP...came rolling at me at warp speed. I didn't have much time to avoid it and it hit me. I laughed but it kind of hurt a little and I had no idea where it came from.
I went into a church along my walk because it was there and I was the only one in there. There was an underground crypt and a guy who looked like Sluggworth from Willy Wonka asked me if I wanted to go down there. I kindly replied with a no thank you, and saw myself out. Creepy!
I finally found the Pantheon and Fabi, we had lunch at this really nice cafe. It was delicious. During lunch we talked about a few exhibitions that were over near that area so I had something to do after. I attempted to find them but failed on all accounts. I walked all the way from the Pantheon to the Colleseum with out finding any of the three places I was trying to. Oh well! There is always tomorrow.
Tonight I am going out for dinner/drinks with Lala, one of Giulio's friends. It should be fun. And then I get to meet Fabiana's mom too! They should be arriving any minute now.
10 4 signing out!
Ciao a tutti!
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