Gli Miei Amici Nuovi

This morning I went for another run with my roommate Shelly. It was nice again to get out and run around the area, although it was a tad hotter today this morning than when we went in the evening, but still a nice run. After we ran we stopped at a fruit stand right outside our apartment (we live in the best location) and I bought fruit from the nicest fruttavendola (fruit vendor). She was so patient with my italian and she said she would remember us. She's going to be there all semester so I'm going to continue to buy fruit/veggies from her. I got two peaches and an orange for only 1.45 euros. I think that's cheap...who knows. My conception of prices has become so distorted being here.
I got up to school early so I could have a cheap lunch with my friends before Italian class. It was 3.00 euros for salad, bread and fruit. not too shabby. My Italian class went well again. I'm feeling very comfortable and it definitely helps that we have huge windows look out at the beautiful Tuscan landscape to distract me. It's an hour 15 min class which is nothing. My next class was my Sociology of Culture course. 2 hours and 45 min long. It's pretty brutal but the professor is this adorable italian women who completely understands that the length of the class is crazy. It seems like it will be a fun time. Hopefully I enjoy the sociology...
After class we walked back into the centro, bought some books and then grabbed dinner. Last night on our way home from gelato we decided to look at this ristorante across the street from our apartamento. This little alley, suprisingly enough, is really sketchy during the day but at night time it seems that all the crazies disappear and two cute ristorante pop up. One of those ristorante has a sandwich place with THE cutest italian boy, named Andrea, all of us have laid eyes on. He has fallen from a painting. He was very nice and, again, patient of our minimal italian knowledge. So tonight for dinner we all stopped by to get panini! They were SO good. We can make our own and I got mine with pesto, pecorino cheese, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and onions. SO good. Later my roommate Nami and I went right across the street to grab a glass of wine and talk...this little wine store has two benches outside and some snacky food if you want. We just got a small bottle of wine and sat on the benches and talked. Of course we met the guy who worked there, Fabio (yes, like the long haired large 'model'). He was so friendly, gave us un disconto on our vino and talked to us about school. It was a very relaxing end to the evening.
Today was such a great day because I feel like I'm really getting to know the Italian locals. Between the fruit vendor, the panini maker and the wine man, speaking Italian is becoming more and more comfortable. I have to get up at 7 15 for a 9am class tomorrow. I'm in class from 9-11:45 (Early Masters of Renaissance Painting), 1:30-2:45 (Italian) and 3:00-7:15 (yes, four hours, of intro to painting).
Buone notte!