No pictures yet :(

Today has been beautiful! I'm not sure what the high was, but tomorrow it is 63 :)
I got to walk around, and see the city. It's nothing at all like Florence, but it is beautiful in a completely different way. I didn't see any other Americans at all! I went to the grocery store all alone and only got yelled at once! Apparently, you aren't supposed to take the shopping cart through the check-out line with you. I'm really not sure what you are supposed to do with it. There has to be a system for getting the items out of your cart, and onto the counter, and leaving the cart behind. (Haha, I said "there has to be a system." How silly of me. I forgot where I live for a second.) There were no other carts in sight. Maybe next time, I will observe for a while before I participate. Oh, and all of the shopping carts look different. Maybe I didn't even have the right kind to begin with.

Tonight, I had the pleasure of talking to Xin (pronounced Sheen) at the building. She is a young Chinese girl that has lived in Catania for the past 5 years. She comes each day to learn English from Brandon. She knows 5 languages! I felt completely inadequate. Shouldn't she be teaching me? She was so sweet, and we had a good conversation. Her parents are Buddhists, and she says she is "confused" about what her beliefs are.

I am very sad because I can't get my pictures to upload onto the blog. I am not sure what the problem is, but I refuse to give up. In the mean time, you can see them here:
Catania pictures!
and then click on Catania.

And now, for today's cultural segment from Linda Falcone:

"Un Colpo d'Aria"
An Air Attack
"...you might be unaware that air is a dangerous element. Think soft spring breezes. Think wind rippling through amber waves of grain. Think open car windows on a summer drive through the country. Now forget about it. Italians will have none of it. According to popular belief, un colpo d'aria (an attack of air) is the number one bearer of bad health in Italy and should be avoided at all costs. Mention an ache at the back of your neck or a sudden pain in your lower abdomen, and the culprit will always be found in the end. During my first Florentine winter, I came down with the flu...Ida, our third floor neighbor, having seen no undershirts on my clothesline had known I would catch something sooner or later. Be sick in this country and you will discover the secrets of wellness. Black licorice is good for your blood pressure. Honey heals all ailments. If you put a raw potato in your mouth it will heal your toothache...and most importantly, an undershirt can save your life because air is a risk.