Where has the week gone?

My, my I haven't updated since Monday!  So I guess I will just give some random recaps from the past few days!

I 'lost' my keys yesterday after I got back from grocery shopping.  I had them to get into the apartment though so I knew that I didn't really lose them.  But I searched everywhere...I emptied out the 'blackhole purse' and even checked in the fridge...nowhere!  The cleaning lady, Larissa, was here when I got back from shopping so the only thing I figured was that she accidently took them when she packed up all her stuff.  So before class this morning I talked with the housing coordinator today and told her...she said that would be unlikely but she e-mailed the cleaning agency anyways.  I was fortunate that when I got back from class this morning that Leah was here to let me in or I would have been stranded outside for a while.  When I got home Leah said that some random person had stopped by earlier and when Leah answered the door they just said "keys", handed her a set of keys, and left.  So I have my keys back now!  Phew!

Well I am finally using Skype (even though I have to mooch off of Leah's computer to use it) but I have been able to talk to Lisa, my Dad and my Mom this week.  So it was nice to hear their voices and Lisa has a webcam so we could see each other...very cool!  

My mom asked me today how my Italian was coming along...I told her that it's not very good.  But as I was thinking about it later this afternoon I was realizing what kind of valuable things I do know how to say.  Things like: "I would like a medium gelato in a cone with strawberry, coconut and melon"  Ha!  It may not sound that fluent but I am perfectly capable of ordering gelato, pizza, and coffee in Italian!  

The owner's of the EOLO bar, where I get my morning cappucino before school, say 'ciao' whenever I walk by...It makes me happy.  I am starting to feel like a part of the community :) 

I am making dinner tonight: baked 'cornflake' chicken, overnight mashed potatoes, asparagus, and delicious pastries!  I actually did make the potatoes last night...I improvised a lot since American recipes are hard to follow here but I figure I couldn't go wrong with lots of butter, cream cheese, fresh garlic and parmesan!!!  And I just bought some amazing pastries from a Pasticceria at the end of our street....I can't wait!

We (my roomates and I) are leaving for Naples at 5 in the morning tomorrow.  We have to take a train to the big train station...Termini to catch our train to Naples.  We are staying at the Welcome Inn hostel for two nights at only 15 euro a night!  Naples is more of our jumping off point to then travel to Capri and Pompeii.  So I am sure I will have lots to update about when I get back!

I am also in the process of planning a trip to Germany.  Transportation is going to be quite pricey but at least once I get there I will have free accomadations!   I am going there to visit Rachel Fodor, the student who lived with the Batt's last summer; and Adela and Niky Herth, friends I met on my missions trip to Romania 3 years ago.  I am so excited to be able to see them again!  I was just thinking today how 3 years ago I would have never guessed that I would have the opportunity to see them again in this lifetime!  So it will be such an amazing blessing to see them and meet their husbands, Daniel and David (siblings as well)!  And Rachel is a lot of fun as well so I am looking forward to meeting her family and to experience how a European family lives.  

Well I need to start preparing the chicken for dinner and I need to pack...yikes!  So ciao for now!