Esame = Fatto

(Exam = Done)

Yup yup, it's all over. After some studying (maybe should have been more) and trying to get a good night's sleep with mixed results, I got myself up this morning and walked to the philosophy building (conveniently near the house, no buses involved!). Things took a little while to get rolling, and then of course there was administrative difficulty, like usual. Apparently there were various lists where people signed up for the exam online, and they weren't all unified. I was the second one to do my exam (oral exams with the professor) and before I went my professor was talking with a couple others about the various envelopes and course codes and forms for recording grades... so there is a really good lesson. Yes, Italian bureaucracy and administration confuses me - but it confuses them just as much and they have to live with it all the time.

Anyway, I had some issues during the exam timeframe, mostly the professor having to lead me because I wasn't quite going where she wanted with my answers. In the worst case, I was leaving out more basic concepts from our class lectures and going straight to more complex ones from the readings. I worked with my tutor so much on the readings that I probably neglected my class notes a bit (reading them over but not in enough depth). Hard to know in advance where the professor will take the questions from. Regardless, without saying my exact grade, I did quite well, especially considering that this was a philosophy exam in a foreign language. If I was slightly dismayed by my performance, it wasn't so much the grade as the difficulty I had during the exam - and feeling that if I had focused my studying a bit differently I wouldn't have had that difficulty. But anyway, that exam is done and with it, I have officially finished my first semester! Now I have to pick my courses for next semester (which will hopefully be up soonish) but it hopefully won't be that hard. I am thinking of doing almost all history this semester, if there is enough availability. As I said, class doesn't start up again until February 23! But luckily I have some activities and trips to keep me occupied til then...

I took the rest of the day today to treat myself to shopping and a nicer lunch than usual. ALL the stores in Firenze (at least it seems like it) are having their end of season sales, with savings to the tune of 30-50% or more in most places. I made a few good purchases, including some shirts, for pretty much half price or a very reduced price. I felt a little bad indulging when I know I need to keep an eye on financial issues, but really if there is any time TO shop it's now - and I really don't have that many clothes here. At the end of the day I felt quite accomplished due to the reduced prices at which I got all my merchandise!

For lunch I was going to have a Turkish wrap, but I decided to go to Yellow instead - a casual but yummy restaurant where I've been at least 4 times now (before today). I got a pasta dish I'd had before, and it was lovely and filling. I was even facing a TV so I got to occupy myself by watching trashy American shows (MTV) while I sat there. In the afternoon I went to the library to chill and use my computer, mostly.

That is really the main substantive update I have right now... short and sweet. Just wanted to share the exam being done and the shopping! The next couple days I will be relaxing and doing "getting my life in order" type things, and then at the end of the week the other Georgetown girls (5 of them) arrive! Exciting times coming up!