Day minus 1 (or is it Day 1?)

Buon Nouvo Anno!  Auguri per 2010!

I don’t feel like its January 1 but, in Rome it is.  I’ll be there in a few hours… wow, this is really real.  The flight has those built in TV’s and there is also a CD/MP3 player.  I’m listening to Andrea Bochelli and Pavaratti and Placido Domingo.  I have two seats to myself and across the aisle are two Italians who don’t realize I trying to eavesdrop.  I can’t really understand Andrea, Pavaratti or Placido but once in a while I can catch a phrase  from my neighbors… Once, they really threw me when she said “Merci Boucoup”.. Hmm, I wondered if my Italian was so bad I couldn’t tell the difference between French and Italian.  I half understood the stewardess’s instructions but have to admit that hearing it first in English helped a lot.  I’m not sure if I’m ready for full immersion but I’m excited to try.  I think I can get by if all I have to do is listen and not talk…. HA!

 

UPDATE:

I arrived and managed to find my way by local train to a secondary train station.  I managed to do my usual trick of leaving the station headed towards the wrong end.  Nice to know that somethings never change.  I always do that on Bart.  I knew I would be way too early to check in so I wasn’t in a hurry.  Along the way, I practiced how to say “Is it possible for me to leave my luggage here” as I had to completely walk around the whole train station area (my hotel was actually really close to the other entrance).  Thank god for GPS.  Then came my big opportunity.  But the words came out in English and the check in person spoke perfect English.  Finally I laughed and told her… Wait, I practiced saying this in Italian, so just humor me.  I butchered it, of course.

 

Now I’m going to bed… assuming I can sleep.  I’m so thrilled to be here, on my own, doing what I’ve been dreaming of for the past year.

Happy New Year!