And now I know just how little I know

Duomo
Originally uploaded by Bueno Snippy Snappy

What a long week. I’ve learned that I while I know enough to be dangerous and polite around town, I still have so much to learn. I’m not discouraged though because I know that it’s always going to be a learning process for the rest of my life. I mean, I’m still learning stuff about English and it is my first language. I decided that I am definitely going to look for the language exchange student because even with the three hours of instruction, all the reading, and going around town, it’s just not enough still.

I bought a few workbooks; the guy at the bookstore was extremely helpful and made some very good suggestions. I thought back on my decision to choose Siena and I mentally congratulate those that helped me make this decision on a job well done. In a big city, they surely would have switched to English to talk with me and that just isn’t cool. Plus, there would have been a thousand people in the store and I doubt that the person minding the store would have had the time to help a lost jackass like me. I decided on two workbooks and plan to get through all the exercises. I’m setting myself up for more homework than I had in college. It’s madness on my part but I’m not here to have fun (not completely at least). I also bought some paper to make flashcards. I’m determined to master passato remoto and commit as many words to memory as possible.

It was such a nice day today that I decided to walk over to the Duomo. I figured that I should at least peek the outside since I walk by it everyday on the way to school. The light outside today was extremely good. I pulled out the camera and snapped away. It was me and about a truckload of Japanese tourists. It’s certainly not your typical Saint Whatever Parish Church in “LookTheSameRanch, CA” that’s for sure! Then again, they probably don’t WiFi or for that matter, HiFi. There were a bunch of Italian school kids outside; they looked like they were probably 12-14 years old and even they were snapping pictures of themselves with the Duomo in the background. I had a whole set of different opportunities in my own life but I thought at that moment how cool it must be to be able to take a picture of you and your friends with a church built in the 12th century as your backdrop and in your hometown. And how great that they are actually doing it!

The plan for the weekend is: more Duomo (I could spend a few days there), Palazzo Publicco, a museum if there is time, and STUDYING!