First word from over the Atlantic

Apologies for no pictures as of yet, the European plugs are a formidable foe for my all-too-American battery charger.  Visual aids aside, I have arrived in Macerata and settled into my apartment but the trip already provided me with many firsts, even before I made it to Via Piave.  First international flight, complete with a personal screen, personal bottle of red wine, personal pink international newspaper and personal, small, sealed food items (a very personal experience indeed, echoing a certain Seinfeld comedy sketch); this may have been the first full coarse meal I have ever eaten completely out of individually wrapped containers.  First train travel; I am glad that I have my guitar now but after that day of train connections and general misconceptions I was less than pleased with the extra weight.  The taxi ride from the Macerata station to Ostello Ricci, the hostel we all stayed in for the first few nights, afforded me my first glimpse of the city I am proud to call my place of residence for the next three months.  Mackenzie, Chelsea and Joe, who were travelling companions as well as fellow students from Oregon State, and I all eagerly but awkwardly rolled suitcases and duffle bags down our first narrow alley of cobblestone.  The next three days were as stuffed full of activity and orientation as I was of Italian edibles every evening.  One meal in particular stands out, though no encounter with the nation’s food has left me dissatisfied, our first full group dining experience at a small family eatery within the city walls.

            I feel, at this point, clarification of a key phrase is necessary.  Since original Macerata was a medieval city, which at one point had the need for defensive measures, the oldest parts are surrounded by large, stone walls.  The inside is home to a few of my fellow students (my place on Via Piave is a block outside the walls) as well as many different shops, the AHA office, other University buildings, churches of various dimensions, two main piazzas (plazas, I did not just misspell pizza) and other specifics which I will introduce throughout the series as they become relevant.  When I say, “within the city walls” I am referring to this part of town; “outside the city walls” equals everything else.

            That will be all for now, this posting had some girth to it but there was a need to catch up on some things.  As stated towards the upper portion, Macerata in Technicolor will be available once I learn how to handle myself in an electronics store.