Frustrating.....

Ciao, miei amici, (hi, my friends)

OK, here I am, Sunday night at 11pm doing my homework. Now I know I mentioned this before but I must ask it again. Why do I procrastinate? I'm soooooo frustrated right now. My Italian workbook and textbook are (of course) all in Italian. How does a person figure out the questions though, much less the friggin answers to the questions? UGH! Seriously though, I love my class, I just wish I didn't procrastinate so much and I would really like to know why every word in the Italian language has 12 different meanings! I wish I was joking here but unfortunately I am not. Me/you/he/she/they in English we have those 5. In Italian those same 5 words have about 6 different spellings/pronunciations each depending on if you are speaking formally or not. As an example....Ciao is the informal way of saying hi or bye. However the formal versions could be (cause there are options for these as well) buongiorno (good morning) and buonasera (good evening) are the formal versions. so, I hope you are all seeing how frustrating it is. OK, so I get that maybe it would be less frustrating if I had started it a week ago but you know me. lol Sigh, well thanks for letting me vent a little. :)

Buonanotte (Good night)

The dreaded April 15th

For the last 3 years in a row something big has happened to me on April 15th. Its weird really. I wonder what will happen today???

Easter Eggs, my Family and my Visa all rolled into one

What a Fulfilling, fast paced, laughing, crying, joyful, tired 6 days I had. It all started with my trip on the good ole STC to Tisdale last Wednesday. The trip was good and I arrived home safely. It was good to see my brother Danny, Vicky and the kids. They are so cute and other then the odd (or not so odd) tear, they are great little kids and I love them very much. :) Mom, Dad and I met Terry, Lorette and the kids for supper on Friday on our way back into the city. Then, Saturday morning arrived WAY to early. Our flight was at 6. Rolled off the couch at 3:50am and was at the airport by 5. Was a bit rushed because the airport was packed with those crazy people traveling to warmer places. lol Made it Winnipeg with only one ear killing me (so I take that as a positive thing) and was met at the gate by Nicole, and the kids. It was so great to see them as that was the last time I will see them now until Christmas. We shopped, played cards (I taught Paige how to play Uno), played wii and had a few cat naps on the couch.

The Easter bunny showed up Sunday morning. I forgot how much excitement there is in the house when the Easter bunny comes. Shear joy on their faces. I couldn't ask for a better Easter. Mom made a great Easter supper. Thanks mom! Monday morning we shipped the kids off to school, said our goodbyes and headed back out to do a bit more shopping before our flight. We made it safely back into s'toon at 4pm.

I had my first Italian class last night. It is going to be soooo much fun. I can't wait to go back next Monday. It was a little frustrating at times, but I can tell you that, mi chiamo Bonnie (my name is Bonnie). Io sono Canadesa ( I am Canadian) and that, non fidanzato ( I have no boyfriend). lol I figured all pretty important things if I am travelling over seas. ;) I do have a homework assignment but I am really looking forward to next week.

Now for the highlight of my day! My Visa showed up! That's right people, after only being in the hands of the Italian Consulate for 2 days my passport is back in my hands with my visa stamped inside. How exciting! I can't wait!

Wow, How things make you think?

Well, I am just about to head to bed but but before I do I need to say a few things.

I am glad that my family and friends are being so supportive about my trip. I am so looking forward to it and can't believe that it is only 70 days away.

I realized for the umpteenth time today that I am a procrastinator. It didn't help mind you that Crystal re informed me of that.... thanks Crystal. :) However, I am heading to Tisdale on Wednesday and then to Winnipeg on Sat and I haven't packed yet. Now, bare in mind that I have been 'packing' now since Sunday Morning. My bags have been out, I have been in my room but do you think that I am packing? No. Instead I am downloading music, reminiscing through random old journals and basically doing everything other than packing. Why do I do this? I have no clue. Either way though, I need to start packing May 1st just so that I am finished by the time I have to be at the airport on June 17th. lol

Ok, so I woke up this morning to Crystal asking "Did you hear the news about the earthquake in Italy?" It is very interesting how one thinks differently about things when they start to become directly involved with them. When I got to work today I looked up the earthquake and where abouts in Italy it was. It basically hit the middle of Italy about 2-3 hours from were I am going to be staying. Over 100 dead so far and thousands homeless. If I would have heard about something like this happening prior to my trip, I would have thought to myself how awful that was and then probably went on with my day. Instead, I have thought about this all day long. How tragic. How sad. Why there? Why now? and pretty much everything else one could think when something like this happens. I have been asked a few times today if this will stop or make me think twice about going. I said "No, not at all." If anything, it has me thinking a lot more about the family and friends I will be leaving for 6 months. How much I am going to miss them every single day.

Anyway, I could talk about this for awhile more but bed is calling me.

My thoughts are in L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy tonight.