Fast days 1, 2, 3 update; or why I cant type while sitting in Western Union

So, Im in italia! Ive written two blog entries on my laptop so far, and neither one will be posted for a bit longer at least because Ive yet to find where internet here is really located. Im writing on a keyboard at a Western Union where I spent five minutes looking for the "@" sign, and eventually found I had to press the "ò" key, which is also the "ç" key if I press shift and the "@" key if I press an "Alt Gr" key with it. Also, I have yet to discover where the single quote mark is, hence the reason why all of the words so far like "Im" and "Ive" that should have a quote mark, dont. Also the quote mark (") is the 2 key when I press shift. Its also the reason I keep accidentally typing words like "Iàve" and "Iàm" and having to backspace them. Man.

Other than unncessarily confusing keyboards, Ive been slowly learning few italian words. Luckily, language class starts Tuesday so I should actually learn some stuff for serious. Right now basically all I have is "Im a vegetarian," "No meat," "I would like a slice of pizza, please," "Internet working?" (Hey I just found the '! It's the same key as "?" if I press shift, but right next to the "0" which is also "="), "Where is the bathroom," "Can we speak English," and "This isn't what it looks like." Also, my new favorite word is "dark," which in italian phonetically translates to "boo-yah!" I'd say, for not starting classes yet, I'm on a roll.

Even though I'm just starting to get used to this weird-ass keyboard, I'm getting charged 2 euro an hour at a Western Union to use an old Philips and LG computer running on Windows XP instead of my Macbook. The university has wifi on campus where I apparently won't be able to access Skype, and the internet cafe 20 seconds from my apartment keeps telling us "wifi no funcionado." At least they're consistent.

So, to come when I get further situated and find some real wifi, in addition to whatever future stuff I'll probably write in the blog I started in TextEdit: Crazy worries on the flight over, my first slice of pizza and coffee in italia, a Nigerian man who loves dreadlocks, why the word "conclave" has origins in Viterbo, and a surprising inability to go grocery shopping. Oh, and the apartment where I'm living, which will make you so jealous you might want to cry. Just a warning.

All is well, and will be even better when I can post for realz. I'm off too look for some Nutella!

Ciao,
Amanda