Monday/Tuesday, June 20/21
Where do I even start?? From barely making my first connection (WTF, JFK, multiple gates with the same name?) and not being able to figure out the pay phone to call my host mother once I finally got to the airport in Italy, to barely catching the twice an hour train from the airport into Rome and hauling my luggage (approx. 80 pounds of clothes, shoes, cameras, makeup, etc.) down, up, back down, and finally back UP the same nasty train station stairs, it was a long "day". Not to mention the part where a creepy old guy tried to take my suitcase as I was struggling to get it all down the steps...
Hey, confused-looking little girl. Let me take that for you.
No, no, it's fine.
Please, your bags look like they must be stuffed with expensive American clothes I could sell to stupid Italians, I must have them!
No, no, no, no, grazie, I have them. (clearly I don't have them, I am delusional after 20 hours of being awake and using my amazing brain powers to keep at least three airplanes in the sky.)
Fine, stupid American, I was just trying to help! or Damn, I really thought I could trick you, there goes 50€! *
After he ran off, without my suitcase, thank goodness, an Italian lady nearby said what I understood to be "Good choice, American girl, he was trying to scam you so hard." I replied with a grazie and what I'm sure was an exhausted-looking smile, and said a little prayer to encounter more Italians like her.
Eventually, I found the air-less mile long corridor that would lead me to the street where I was to meet Francesca (the mother of the girls I am watching). I made it out, searching up and down the long sidewalk for her, though I had no idea for whom I was looking... After more than an hour, I decided to go find a phone to call her, so I went back into the station a different way and found the area where I was supposed to be in the first place. I knew this because of a small Italian woman running toward me, saying "Sara? Sara!?" Of course I replied, "Si! Francesca?!" and all the planes, trains, and creepy old guys trying to take my stuff melted away.
Baci di Roma!!
* This is what I imagined he said. I am not really sure what he was saying, as the only Italian words I know right now are grazie, prego, scusi, and ciao.**
** This list does not include food related Italian words, of which I know more than four. If you would like me to list those, please leave a comment after the beep. BEEP
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