Friday, February 27, 2009

One Month Down.....

Ok so yes I realize its been forever since I’ve blogged so this one with be pretty long. Sorry to those who don’t like to read (cough cough Mr. Bishline cough cough) I can’t believe its been a month already! I mean like how is that even possible! This has been the greatest month ever! Really there hasn’t been any worries, stress or anything go wrong. Can you say blessign? So there has been so much happen I don’t really no where to start so I’ll just start with what happened this week. This week I started volleyball and Romanico. My volleyball team is actually really good it is just slightly frustrating when something you’ve known for years is slightly different and its hard to translate. Ugh lol but its been fun so far. The only thing right now is they don’t know if I can play in games because I’m not Italian. There is some weird rule about foreigners. And Romanico is a private School that teaches Italian. I will go twice a week after school. So my schedule is quite busy. Palavola (vball) 3 times a week, Romanico 3 times a week, AFS Italian lessons 1 time a week plus homework and friends and family! Fun fun! Lol school is pretty fantastic as well! I’m starting to understand people. I can understand it when its spoken, read it, and write it and speak a little. I’m not like reading books in Italian or anything I’m just able to translate things if they are within a subject being discussed. Hopefully with all my classes and studying I’ll be speaking it very soon. There are a lot of culture shocks that I’ve recently come to. I’ll list those at the end. Oh Carnivale just ended. It was pretty cool, nothing like we have. People dress up and watch parades and eat food and its awesome! There is confetti everywhere and silly string and lil kids everywhere! My friends and I dressed up as good and evil, angel and devil. I was the angel and she was the devil. Oh and we got to wear it to school! Tuesday was the last day so a lot of students dressed up. It was pretty awesome I’m not going to lie. I’m so glad spring is coming! I’m ready for some warm days. Somedays it is pretty cold when we ride to school. The coldest we got was -2 C one morning. Yeah I about froze! Last Saturday I spent the whole day in Corlo with my friends so Papa took me to school by car and yeah bike is way faster. Random note but I was pretty pumped cause my bike has this sweet light on the front of it lol I’m getting really good at getting around the town by myself too. I go to italian lessons by myself now and if I have to go to the Centro I just ask and I can go. Tomorrow I’m meeting friends for lunch there after school. When it comes to school I don’t understand a lot of things still so I study italian a lot! I have like 6 English classes though. I go to all the older classes and help with what ever they need. Basically I read cause they love to here my accent. Oh and I have to read super slow. I really want to talk super fast to someone cause I usually talk fast and I haven’t been able to for almost a month. My friend who came with AFS who is in Pisa is coming to visit this weekend so I’ll finally get to talk at my normal speed. I’m sure there is a ton more I’m forgetting but I’m just going to list some culture differences and call it good for a day. I promise I’ll try to blog again soon!

Culture Differences
*So I’ve decided that the Italian road system is similar to a Hot Wheels track. Seriously it is like one roundabout after another and there are so many Michigan turns its crazy. Oh and a little bit of Pacman as well cause riding the middle line is a hobby of most drivers lol.
*They are pretty particular when it comes to clothes. The first day I wore a short sleeve shirt my host parents asked if I was hot I said no I just don’t wear sleeves. We talked about it at school and everyone was like what? You even wear shorts in the winter? Oh and to gym I wore Basketball shorts and everyone was starring at me and I realized girls don’t play Bball therefore they don’t have bball shorts lol. They all wear sweats to gym instead. To the carnivale I was wearing this white dress thing and my legs weren’t covered and literally everyone looked at me. I was like Sono Americana lol it explains it all
*At school if a teacher can’t be there they don’t bring in a sub you just don’t have that class. They rearrange it so you can either go home early or sleep in and come in late.
*In between classes its like a jungle in the classroom. All the boys literally fight eachother, most of the time making a lot of noise. And people write on the board (american cuss words a lot of times cause Profs don’t know English lol) and no one really cares. Its so relaxed. And people right on the desks and walls and its no biggy. Its kinda do what you want type attitude. Its great lol
*You have to dry your hair, no matter what. Kinda pain after a while.
*They iron EVERYTHING! If its clean and not ironed you can’t wear it until it is.
*Americans are super spoiled! There are so so many things that I will not take for grandite ever again here are a few examples
-having a clothes dryer, not many people have one here
-A large water heater, if your shower is longer than 10minutes the water is freezing!
-A big shower, the showers are all really small in the corner of the bathroom
-Having more than one TV, my mama was talking about this rich politician and how he had like 4 TVs and 4 cars. I was like wow, we have 7 TVs in my house and 5 cars. Yeah makes you think.
-Phones, cellphones are super expensive here so people don’t text as much as we do at home.
-Energy, Italians are so energy efficient and Green. They recycle everything and never turn on things that don’t need to be on. We could learn a thing or two from them.

My Papa and I have decided to form a new counrty. The United States of Italyerica. It will take all the good from America and Italy and form one super nation! Leaving all the bad out of course. Italian food and energy conservativness, American opportunities and government. Perfect! Lol

Love you all!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

I'm Gonna Set the World on Fire

So many wonderful things have happened in the last week. i absolutely love my new friends. I had an amazing Valentines' Day wtih all of them. Monday at school is where things really started to make sense....but not in the way one would think. I had math and I wanted to just walk out of the classroom because none of it made sense at all. I just wanted to scream! I hate not understanding things and for a small time I just wanted to give up on school cause it wasn't getting easier. Then the next hour I had gym and it was fantastic. Walking back to class I was like wow God you're amazing! Right when I want to give up you always give me hope. Then before I fell asleep that night I was listening to my Zune and this song by Brit Nichole came on and I was like WOW! PERFECT! It was one of those moments when you just want to sit there and put your hands in the air cause the song grasps all that you are going through. So you know what I mean here are some of the lyrics......

I wanna set the world on fire
Until it's burning bright for You
It's everything that I desire
Can I be the one You use?

I, I am small but
You, You are big enough
I, I am weak but
You, You are strong enough to
Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
There's nothing I can not do
Nothing I cannot do

I wanna feed the hungry children
And reach across the farthest land
And tell the broken there is healing
And mercy in the Father's hands

My hands my feet
My everything
My life, my loveLord, use me
I wanna set the world on fire

I wanna set the world on fire, yeah

I'm gonna set the world on fire
Set the world on fire

.....God has definately given my dreams wings by getting me here and even though I'm just a 16 year old American in Italy He'll give me the strength and He is big enough to reach those that need to hear his word here. Through Him...

I'm gonna set the World on fire~

Friday, February 13, 2009

So its official, I'm in LOVE!

There are so many things i have fallen in love with while here. It is a billion times better than I could ever have imagined. Yes the language barrier causes some stress at times but everyone is so helpful! I really think this could be the best semester of my life! I can't wait for school everyday. I love all my classmates and I love being able to go to other classes and be a 'guest', its a good way to meet a lot of people. Now I can barely walk down the hall without people saying Ciao Tanya! It already feels like home, I'm hanging out and doing stuff with friends. its just perfect! I still get very frustrated though cause I don't understand things I used to. Italian use this wierd 'math language' which makes like no sense at all lol. yeah so everyday I sit down to do homework I sit and stare and things I have no idea how to do and try to figure them out. I am probably doing it all wrong but oh well lol. My friends at school are always trying to help and explain things and the teachers don't mind the constant translating. My school is fantabulous!!!

Oh and I've developed a new passion...RUNNING! Tanya Budler love running? What? lol Yeah i'm pretty shocked too but I found it clears my head, gives me a break from constant translating and is the world's best cure for homesickness for sure! Everyday at 5pm I stop studying, change, grab my zune and go run. I crank up Hillsong so loud I can't hear anything but the music. Then i run, run until I have finally stopped thinking and worrying and all my focus is completely on God and my next step. The park behind my house makes it even more perfect. My time with God is in a beautiful place He's given us. I figured what better way to get physically fit than do it while I'm getting spiritually fit as well.

Now the most obvious...GELATO! Like seriously, why don't we have stuff this good in America? I've had it like 6 times since i've gotten here and the last time we got it (Wednesday) it was pretty much like heaven on a cone. After shopping Eleanora and I went to Slurp, the best gelateria in Modena. I had 3 different kinds with nutella and whipped cream on top. It was amazing!! Oh and only 2 Euros! I really loving the no sales tax on anything here. When i went shopping and bought some clothes it was an even 30 Euro. I would say no change but they have the 1 and 2 Euro coins so still got the 'jingles' lol

My family is amazing! They are so helpful, understanding and willing to do anything to make my life easier. I have some pretty fantastic friends as well. A boy from my class even gave me a phone to use while here and I'm hanging out with Martina this weekend. Also Italians thank each other with more than just thank yous. If someone invites you to something you give them a gift if you can't come. Or you have them over for a meal. For example we are having Righini and Martina over for lunch to thank them for helping me so much at school. As you can tell i'm doing fantastic and enjoying every minute of my life! Love and Miss you All!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

I love being American in Italy

So once again i'd like to state just how much i love it here! Literally everything is amazing! School is like the greatest thing, yeah sure I don't understand any of the classes except English but everyone is so interested in the fact I'm American. I've made a lot of friends. They are constantly talking to me and inviting me to things. Like to the disco tonight for example! I'm going with Eleanora somewhere else but I'll definately be going to the disco! Oh and culture shock # a million, the parents don't care what you do really. they say yes to everything. and curfew on saturday is 2am! crazy!

But The town is beautiful and the weather is clearing up now. which is very good since we ride our bikes everywhere! lol Yesterday we went to the square cause there is a big Chocolate festival in town! OMGOSH its so much better than our chocolate. Later in the evening I went on a walk with Mama Paola and it was great cause we talked bout everything and she just reaffirmed that its ok if i mess up with Italian, no one expects me to be perfect. (and for those of you who know me you know not being perfect kills me)

Today at school was bellissima! I was in my class for the first two classes and then went to another class as a guest. When i left my class like freaked out. The other class was like OMGOSH its an American lol then we got out early because our Prof wasn't there (gotta love italian schools) and i met my friends and now i'm home till we go out tonight.

So for all of you who are worrying, don't! I'm doing fantastic! Its pretty amazing how easily i fit in and how great this turned out to be so quickly! love you all!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

First Day of School

So today was my first day of school and one would think I was a movie star the way they all acted. I guess Italians love Americans cause they never left me alone. I started off the day waiting for my English class when Eleanora came down and said her class wanted to meet me. we were standing in the hall and the students were junping out of their chairs to see me, no joke. Once I got to my class it was the same way. I did meet some really nice girls though, they are helping a lot. They moved my desk by theirs so i'm by friends now. So once again a few tibits of info on Italian schools.
*The teachers change classes we don't
*you have a break for 15mins and you can eat/smoke/whatever. In fact this one boy asked me if i wanted to go smoke with him today lol
*They use grid paper for everything!
*You can get up and leave whenever you like but you usually go fast.
*You don't raise your hand, you just say Prof.
*It is sorta in a block schedule form so you don't have much of each class. it makes for a lot of homework.

Once again off to study my italian

Ciao!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Day two at my new home in Italy. So far it’s great! My family so so nice, they remind me of home. Right now they will literally do anything for me. They know enough English where they can pretty much explain everything to me. It is so so nice. But at the same time it is so overwhelming when we go out somewhere and I don’t understand anything people are saying. I’ve done so much since I’ve gotten here its great. So I’ll do some small bullets of events.
*Italians eat a lot and all the time! I swear I’ve had more snacks and 3 course meal than me entire life! But man is it good! There isn’t one thing that I’ve had that I didn’t like.
*Coffee is extremely strong and in a very small glass. They drink it all the time too. Also hot chocolate is not we know, it’s thicker and you eat it with a spoon.
*Italian drivers are crazy!!! They go where ever they want whenever they want. No questions asked, if they are driving in the middle of the road who cares. Oh and they parallel park everywhere. I actually got car sick.
*Papa Walter makes the best breakfast; it’s like yogurt/cereal/milk/other things. It’s amazing!!
*Showering, oh wow that is fun. There is a lot of calcium in the water so you must clean the shower every time it is used. Lol Oh and you have to dry your hair.
*When you know barely any Italian your dictionary becomes your best friend. Mine has literally been in my pocket everyday.
*They talk super fast so if you know a little you can catch a few words but that’s bout it. Sometimes I don’t realize they are even talking about me lol
* I met my Tutor and English teacher today; he is super nice and sounds British when he speaks English. My school is crazy! I’m so excited though. I’m the first foreign exchange student so everyone is excited. And my tutor said I get to leave my class to go to more advanced English classes and help them which will be fun.
*Italians walk everywhere!!! It is so nice though because I’ve seen so much of the city. It is so beautiful. It is really nothing like we are used to. The Grande Centre is like straight out of the movies.
*When you hear an American songs playing in a store or anywhere really you get super excited because it’s something familiar.
*A great way to learn Italian is to read children’s books and set the table repeating what you are putting on it over and over again. I’m basically learning it 24/7. My family is so much help. Anna my younger sister is so funny because she ‘parlo italiano’ very slowly and then parlo inglese lol And they act things out for me.

I’m sure I’m missing a lot of things but I am off to help Papa Walter make a strudle. J This lifestyle is very different but awesome. I’m so tired I actually go to bed at 10pm. Tomorrow is my first day of school and I can’t wait to make new friends and start a routine. I miss home but this is really so surreal and amazing I’m so glad I did it. All my love!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Italy...so Far

So this trip has been everything I have ever dreamed of and even more. I said goodbye the morning of the 28th and now I’m on a train headed to Modena to meet my family and I’ve been perfectly fine. So many funny, awesome, and unforgettable things have happened. My hand is basically numb from writing so much in my journals. I absolutely love it here and I’m not even to my family yet. Since so many things have happened I’ll try to be short but some things just need to be described lol.

*Right after saying goodbye at the airport in KC I went into security only to be chosen for a random security search. So while I was still crying I was patted down and all my stuff was gone through. Once on the plane I just kinds sat there because the turbulence was so bad. I got to Atlanta fine and to JFK as well. Of course it was raining in NY so I had to walk through the rain in JFK trying to find the AirTrain and waiting for the shuttle bus. But I made it to the hotel and got to my room to sleep!!!! I finally got to meet all the people I met on facebook and we hit it off instantly! After eating and a few orientation things we all basically crashed.

*We woke up, had more orientations, and then just hung out till we went to the airport. We got through security then sat around at our gate till we got on. I was sitting with Tyler from CA and Grace from OR and we were just so excited! We were on American soil for the last time until July and we were about to take off! Tyler and I were trying to think of what we wanted to do with the last few minutes in the USA and we decided to pray. It was perfect! The flight even though it was like 6 hours and all night was so much fun! We watched movies, talked and had an amazing time. Tyler and I were basically laughing the entire time.

*We arrived in Paris completely drained because we left NY at 7:30pm and it was now 7:40am in Paris and we had not slept any. It took forever to get through security and once I got up there of course with my luck I had to have a special supposedly random security search lol we waited around then got on the plane to Rome. We slept most of the time but we were awake when we went over the Alps, WOW is all I can say! Once we got to the airport some how 11 of us AFS students managed to get separated from the group. So we basically walked in and out, followed a random Italian man, and tried anything to get to our group. It was actually really fun. After walking like 3 miles trying to get to the group we walked another mile to get to the bus. Next thing we knew we were at the hotel. At this point we were all so hungry, tired and gross feeling that we looked like a bunch of rehab students. Lol I quickly jumped in the shower but of course that was an adventure as well. My roommates said to pull this string thing in the shower for hot water so I just did and it set off an alarm. Then the door broke, therefore my clothes got soaked, oh and I couldn’t get the door unlocked lol we finally got to have our first Italian meal and it was amazing! 3 huge courses! After feeding us we finally went to sleep!

*Saturday was by far one of the greatest days of my life. We woke up, ate, and went to some orientations that were really fun because we had very young nice leaders. Then we ate lunch. (They eat pasta at the beginning of every meal!) After lunch they put us on a bus and we got to go to the Vatican City. Oh My Gosh it was amazing!!! St. Peter’s Square was just so unbelievable! We walked around, took tons of pics, and even got gelato J The weather was perfect and I was with some really great friends so it was amazing! If my day wasn’t going amazingly well already Tyler gave me my phone and was like call your sister I know you want to so I did. I got to call her as I stood in front of the Vatican. It was the highlight of my day. Once we got back we had more orientations that topped them all. They gave us a crash course of Italian and then the young leaders taught us a ton of cuss words lol. It was so so funny. Dinner was great again and so funny! We played a game one last time as the AFS USA group and were free to do whatever. We all stayed up and were talking when some of us found a door that led to a chapel. We went back there and found all this stuff. It was really creepy though because it was like 1am and dark and all these weird sounds were coming from this one door. After successfully freaking each other out we ran out but in the process somehow got the attention of the guy at the front desk on the cameras. He was walking down the hall toward us so we all bolted upstairs and hid in one of the other kid’s rooms till the coast was clear. It was so much fun!

Every little thing that has happened had been such an adventure and an experience. Even though I do miss everyone I am so glad I did this. I love Italy; it is just as great as I had ever dreamed it to be! I I’m on a train on my way to meet my family and I can’t believe that I’m in Italy still. Crazy how God works, you would never have convinced me at this time last year that I’d be riding a train through all of Italy today. But He knows what he’s doing and He has done some pretty amazing things through all of this. I will try to write more as soon as I can once I get to my home and with my family. Love you all and thank you for all your prayers and supports!
Tanya
(Post time is weird because I don’t have internet on this train)