back in PA

hi everyone,

it seems i forgot to mention in my earlier posts that i was going to be gone for almost a week beginning last sunday. i went to naples for a few days to see friends, then from there i spent a few more days in rome for my program's official orientation. it's been a very action-packed week... three major cities; a total information overload about my position, teaching english in general, the italian school system (to put it simply, very different from the american one); meeting a million people connected with the fulbright commission and the embassy and the ministry of education; and most importantly, i think, finally meeting and getting to know the other girls who are part of the ETA program in different cities throughout southern italy. they're all wonderful, and it's so nice to finally know them and to be able to commiserate and to help each other out.

there's lots to say, and i'll definitely write extensively about all of it, but right now, tonight, i need to go to sleep or i think i'll probably die. i've gotten so little sleep in the last week that it hurts to even try to calculate the hours. and my feet are so swollen right now from walking, and standing on buses and trams and planes, and dragging my luggage around rome in the heat, that i feel like a hobbit. it's disgusting. actually i feel kind of horrible. i'm also either getting sick or suffering major allergies or reacting badly to the water or dying of sleep deprivation or, most likely, all of the above. other than that, though, all's well and i'll tell you about it tomorrow. after at least twelve hours of sleep.

a domani, ragazzi.

c