Today our high-speedy wireless internet system is mysteriously not working, so I will post this when it comes back. Having wireless internet at home really minimizes the sense of being in a foreign country and of separation from home. I’ve been checking facebook, using my e-mail, and reading nyt.com (mostly election-related articles) just like I do at home and at Middlebury. On the way to Newark airport I saw a few American flags waving and mentally bid them good-bye, feeling a sense of quasi-guilt for leaving my country in its time of crisis and choice. But I’m still going to vote and I’m determined to stay informed, via internet or otherwise. Both of my Alitalia flights offered free newspapers before boarding; both curious and hoping to seem like a true Italian, I took one for each flight. On my 35-minute connection from Rome to Florence, I read a truly comical article in La Repubblica, an Italian national newspaper, shocking me with the revelation that Sarah Palin’s 17-year-old is pregnant. The article had a distinctly irreverent, Italian take on the matter. It asserted that Palin got what she deserved for trotting out her family into the public eye to improve her own image, and most memorably, it ridiculed her for the names of her children: “No Christian names for this extremely Christian family.” Apparently, Track was conceived at a running track, “it would be interesting to know how,” the article said. When the internet is back I’ll try to get a link up. Eccola: http://www.repubblica.it/2008/08/sezioni/esteri/verso-elezioni-usa/figlia-palin/figlia-palin.html?ref=search. Sorry that my tecno-skills don't allow me to cleverly incode it into a word like this. Comunque, maybe one day. Actually, I just read the article at that link and it doesn't seem like the same article to me. O via.

For lunch today we had tripe. Host mom offered it to me along with giving me a cheeseburger (without buns) as an insurance policy of sorts because few Americans apparently like tripe. It looked like octopus to me, or squid, and I love seafood, so I went for it. Really, with the sauce and a bit of fresh-grated parmesan, it could have been anything—host mom prepares all of her food with sauces and intense flavors. About half-way through I asked what animal it comes from. “Manza,” host dad said. “Cow.” Really? I put my fork down and started on the hamburger. I’m kind of glad the internet is down—I think I need to finish digesting before I discover what tripe truly is.

Dallas and I now are off to explore the local mall!