March Update

Computer problems continue, but here's a brief update on my life:
School has gotten a bit easier. I really missed actually enjoying my classes, but I'm a lot happier now. Helping is the fact that we have a space heater for our classroom now (the heater has been broken since January which made the room unpleasantly cold and damp) to take the cold edge off. I'm also understanding the lessons a lot better. I understand as much as my classmates in math and physics, and quite a bit of history and art. Italian and philosophy are still a bit beyond me, though. My favourite class has become art history, and I wish we has it for more than two hours per week. The subject is new to me, like philosophy and Italian, but a bit easier and more fun.

I started volunteering roughly once a week at a nearby house for children. I'm not exactly sure what to call the place or the children. They live there for a few reasons, such as perhaps their family can't take care of them, or don't have the time for them because of an illness. There are several of these houses around town, for children and also adults with mental health issues. The house I go to has eight kids between the ages of 10 and 14. They're just like any other kids; they play guitar and video games, practice on soccer teams and go to school. Some of them visit family on weekends, others don't. They treat each other like siblings.
And I'm only one of many volunteers and workers. I was afraid to go at first, afraid my Italian wasn't good enough. But in the end that sort of thing doesn't matter, you do what you can. Some people have specific skills - knowing French, music, cooking - others simply have the time, and that is enough. I help with English and math homework, and occasionally in the kitchen, but my main donation is my time. And I love it. There are days I'll be really upset - perhaps school went poorly, or my family is mad at me for something - and I'll consider holing myself up in my room under my blankets, but instead go to volunteer, and I haven't regretted it yet.

My parents are visiting me in April! I'm very excited, particularly because my parents don't travel that much and they're coming to one of the most beautiful places on earth! (I might be a little biased, though.) This means I've been researching buses and flights, as well as places to go and what to see. I've been checking out websites for ideas on where to go within Sicily, and it's actually been really difficult because most advice says: don't go. I can sum up the comments to a few points:
1. It's dirty
2. It's ugly
3. It's dangerous
After just a few minutes of researching, I start thinking to myself, "But I can't take my parents here!! They're going to hate it! They'll think it's ugly and dirty and not worth going to! And they'll be mugged! Or kidnapped! Oh no! I'm going to get attacked in the street!!"
And then I remember that I have never felt in danger here, haven't been pick pocketed, mugged, assaulted, raped, murdered or kidnapped, and calm down a bit. I do feel uncomfortable when people try to sell me flowers or tissues, as they don't leave me alone sometimes. And yes, it is a little dirty. And it's a little run down in places. But Italy is more than the touristy places. When I was in Florence, nearly anywhere I went I could speak English, whereas here, when I don't know a word it becomes a bit of a game between me and a local. I can't think of a time anyone's gotten mad at me for asking again or pronouncing something wrong, in fact they're usually excited to explain things, or complement when I correct myself. So I've had to do a lot of reading between the lines and asking around, as online sources have been less that helpful at times.

Last weekend we had an orientation with the outbound students for next year. We were asked to give a presentation on our time here, which I was pretty excited about. I gave my first presentation back in September in English, clearly being the worst in Italian, and was looking forward to demonstrate how much I had learned. I made up a PowerPoint and had my host mom correct what I was planning to say, but I have an aversion to reading in front of crowds, so I did my best to memorise ahead of time. As always, the crowd is three times larger than you imagined, and the other people presenting are eight times better than you are. (I'm sure it's a rule of giving presentations.) In the end, I'm sure my presentation wasn't as good as the others'. My pronunciation was off, and my sentences were far from elegant, but I do feel that I did alright and demonstrated my ability of speaking without notes. (Though I'm sure my host mom was cringing at my errors.)
The orientation reminded me of mine last May, however, and I suddenly realised how little time I have left. Last May, we were preparing ourselves for what was going to be "the best year of our lives", getting excited and nervous. Now I have under four months left. When I arrived I felt I had all the time in the world, the ten months stretched so far in the future I couldn't possibly think of the end.
On the car ride home I was struck by how much I wanted to turn back the clock, to September or October (but of course keeping my friends and the ability to communicate). Since I learned Italian so slowly (my own fault, didn't study enough), in those first months, when I was with friends, I was with them only physically, being unable to follow complicated conversations, and my response time being that of a sloth.
Now, with just 114 days left before my return date, I'll be trying to make the best of my remaining time. After all, "it's not about counting the days, it's about making the days count".

Water

I get a lot of stares because of my water bottle. It tips most people off that I'm not Italian, before my clothes or lack of speaking skills clue them in. When I first arrived, I noticed that we had bottled water on the table for meals, and so asked if tap water was safe to drink. My host family told me that it is, though they prefer the taste of water from another town, so fill up 20 L jugs from there every few weeks. I don't have a problem with the flavour of the water here, so I fill up my water bottle each morning from the tap.
I don't know anyone else that does this. Some drink from the tap, though after filtering it again. If they bring water somewhere, it's always in a store-bought bottle, usually 0.5 L. At restaurants, you buy water. I have given up trying to understand this, but here's the thing: I am not giving up my water bottle.
Italy, you may change what I eat and when I eat it. You may change what I learn in school, the days I go, and the language I speak. You may change how I dress and the currency I use. But bottled water is just too far, Italy, too far.
For many reasons, bottled water does not make sense. Primarily, for me, looking from an environmental standpoint. Taking water from one ecosystem, putting it into plastic bottles that are likely not recycled, transporting it, then buying it at the other end. This is just wrong on so many levels. And unnecessary. And polluting. And I pretty much hate it. (Although I'll admit that bottled water can be handy while travelling or while in a location without reliable tap water. )
Other reason I don't like bottled water? I'd rather spend that money elsewhere.

As far as I know, the water here is safe to drink. Or at least I've been drinking it for five months with no problems. I'll update if I grow a third eye or if my hair turns blue or something.