Sunshine, Pasta, Gelati ... Could I ask for more?

In summary, today was a very good day ... challenging as expected but great all the same. The lessons were lessons and OK I just have to face the reality that my Italian is so basic that it has not flavour and you wouldn't serve it to your dog to eat.

This afternoon was the first of the extra activities and I was lucky enough to find myself in the cookery class. We met at 16h30 outside of McDonald's, the international meeting point, haute cuisine? I was certainly a little sceptical. Well we found ourselves in a great little restaurant just in the centre of old town, all 14 of us took over the back room and stood around as we made handmade pastas: macaroni and orecchiette then made a sauce it was DEEELICIOUS.

I am feeling a lot more comfortable in my skin today ... as I described this morning, just taking a little time to adjust then not letting the whole thing get too big ... little steps ... word by word. I totally have to ensure that as much as I am out of my comfort zone, its really important that I do familiar things too. Being in the cooking class this evening was awesome, being in my domain where I feel so at home was such a reassuring feeling.

I love being an Australia in mainland Europe and in places a little way out of the main tourist traps because people love to meet you and speak to you. The chef at the restaurant just spoke to me the whole afternoon in Italian and i picked up about every 20 words, deduced from their French counterparts and then I was able to si, no, cosi cosi, bueno, bene ... my way through ... one word at a time; that's today's golden rule.

The classes have already been paying off because the vocabulary in today's class sprang to life in the cooking class ... albeit the word Brutto (ugly) as he was describing the eggplant he was holding ;) Ahhh a good day ... a happy day ... a smiley day.

Walking home I thought Id try another gelataria this one gave me the hugest gelati for such little money ... it will now be my choice as I can buy a cone and it lasts until I get to my front door ... convenient for no drips on the stairs or the lift, which ever happens first.

OK time to sign off and do my homework ... I have about 6 pages to do and revision exercises and the like ... YIPPEEE.

CIAO BELLI
xox