Wine festival and Munich!

4:09 PM in Italia~ - Hello all! I am writing a quick message from the study center to let you know I'm still alive. This week I have been living in my new apartment and it has been pretty cool. Not all of my roommates have moved in yet but the ones who have have been really nice to me. It's going to be a fun year I'm excited.
So this week I have been busy meeting new people and trying to learn how to make pasta. Dave's a pretty good cook he has been showing me how to put meat, sauce, etc. in a pan and cook it up. We'll see I havent tried by myself yet.
Last night I went to Bardolino to visit Giulia! There was a big wine festival in her city and she hooked me up with a place to stay in her hotel. I met her dad and her sister for the first time and we also saw her mom and her friends. Her friends are sweet we had a lot of fun. When I get a chance I will throw up some pictures. Hil-arious.
Tomorrow at 5 AM I am off to Munich. I still don't have classes for next week. But they haven't even posted some of them yet. Silly Italians. I'm not worried though. OK I must go. Hopefully I'll check in Monday with some good pictures. Ciao!

TIGERS IN! CHISOX OUT?!

Unreal. Congrats Tigs and Twins.

Moved.

12:00 AM CEST, 6:00 PM EST - Hey all! Greetings from my new apartment. Since we don’t have the Internet just yet I won’t be able to send this out at least until tomorrow, maybe later, but I figured I’d write it anyway. This weekend was pretty fun we went to Portello both Friday and Saturday nights because this is the last weekend that it is open. Poretllo was a cool place near my old dorm right on a river where about 15 of the bars from town set up little outside bars right by a river and everyone just goes to socialize. It was really cool, but they are closing it now because it is the end of summer and now they are moving back into the city. This year they have implemented a new thing though in the city where the bars stop serving at 12:00 midnight and they have video cameras everywhere apparently in the city. I guess the kids were getting too rowdy or something, who knows?
Weekends in Padova, despite a lot of the students leaving to go home are actually really fun. Saturday is when the markets are all open. Pretty much every piazza has their own little market and then there is a BIG one at the Prato delle Valle. But there are so many people out and about on the weekends. Sunday is the same thing, everyone just goes out and there is always something to do. Today there was a theatre event celebrated 25 years of the national children’s theatre or something. But everyone comes out and brings the family and the city is just packed. People playing music, people eating, people just socializing. It’s really cool to see.
Friday at the mensa (cafeteria) we met some kids from the Boston program that are in Padova. They aren’t studying at the universita because they have their own program, but they have the option to if they want. Again, they are all girls, and 2 guys, but we didn’t get to meet the guys. Davide and I have been the dynamic duo this week just getting things together. I am hoping to find some kids to play some basketball with sometime soon because Dave claims that he is no good. I don’t believe him but whatever, we ended up going to the market at the Prato on Saturday and then we made – no, strike that – he made a real good meal and showed me how to make it. I am going to have to go do some shopping tomorrow so that I don’t have to keep eating out all the time. Though the mensa is usually pretty good and pretty cheap. Annnd then we went to a vineyard that the girls from the Boston program invited us to go to for a little wine-tasting. It was actually really cool, hopefully I’ll have some pictures from there because it was really neat, I just wish I knew more about wines and what to look for. This lady that showed us around couldn’t have been nicer and showed us through the vineyard in the beautiful Italian countryside and then we were able to taste some great wine and she fed us too. It was really really nice I’m glad I went.
After that I came back and met up with Francesca one of my roommates and the others should be arriving tomorrow. They all go home for the weekend, which is actually really nice for me. Dude, Europeans are weird, I am watching this really messed up video on MTV by Rammstien, a German band. Yeahhhhh… I hope I never see that again. Gross.
I was finally able to talk to my mom today, I haven’t talked to her in a while and she told me about the Michigan State – NS game. Typical MSU, just like the Lions. Speaking of the Lions I wonder how they did today. Kristy informed me yesterday that the Victors lived up to their name and my mom said the game was rather uneventful. I’ll have to ask Cody, he’ll bring me up to speed on the Wolverines position by position. Will someone please let me know how my Tigs are doin? And I heard the Wings started up too. Jgnaisjgas I MISS ESPN! You know? It’s times like this though, where all I have to do is sit back and be like “Steve, you just went wine-tasting at a beautiful little family-owned vineyard in the heart of Italy,” and then the scores of this weekend reallllly don’t matter much after that. I need to learn how to relax here. They have it down to a T. They don’t worry about anything until they absolutely need to and even then they just kind of talk it off and turn it into a social event. Nothing ever gets done, though. If I knew this darn language I’d fit right in. A huge cricket just rolled right by my foot and I didn’t even think to kill it. I just let it go on its merry way. Is that weird?
Anyway, this one is getting long and I am getting a little tired so I think I am going to call it a night. I hope all is good, Love from Italia
Stevo
PS - Just read your post Mike, sorry I couldn't get you the well you wanted.

Dottore! Dottore!

10:02 PM CEST, 4:02 PM EST - Hey all, hope you liked my previous post. I had a lot of fun doing it and it didn't take very long so I might do it again sometimes. If you're lucky. This picture is of a newly graduated student from l'Universtia di Padova. Poor girl, they were dousing her with flower and calling her bad names. I want to graduate from UM and here.
Sooo.... I've been packing all day, going to move tomorrow and then hopefully watch Michigan beat some Badger butt. Alright well that is all I have for now. Catch ya laaaater!

OSW: The First Podcast

I'm sorry I had to try. Forgive me.

It's about time.

7:14 PM CEST, 1:15 PM EST - Hey all, I think this one should be a long one as a lot has happened this week.
We have been going to a bunch of different places this week, a lot of history and a lot of school work. They have us going to school for about 6-7 hours each day and then about 3 hours of homework. It hasn't been much fun. However we have managed our own fun.
Monday we celebrated Melanie's 21st birthday American style. We bought some American adult beverages (including Coca-Cola) and we decked out my room for her with our American peace flag (thanks Aunt Chris) a Michigan flag and some surfing pictures out of Dave's calendar. It was awesome. Next day, not so much fun.
We have pretty much stayed in the last couple of days however I have gotten some stuff done. Firstly, I have keys to my new apartment! I am anxious to move in, I think I am going to move in tomorrow. I went out to have a spritz (a drink that originated in Padova) with my new roommates, they seem really cool. I am excited, however it is definately going to be an experience haha listen to this... They told me yesterday that I only have it until March so I'm going to need to try and find another apartment then. no big deal. Then they said that the landlady doesn't know I am going to be staying there because I am taking the place of a girl that is going to France for the year AND she thinks that one of their friends is living there and is a twin because the place is supposed to be rented to girls only apparently. haha but there are two guys in there as well so Mom don't worry. Oh, and Mom, yes I know I have grammar errors, and I'm sorry if they really bug you, but I am trying to make this as authentic as possible and this is who I am, soo... sorry? deal.
Oh and the quote of the week goes to Christina who actually said, and I quote, "I think I might be a little high-maintenance" end-quote, today. I got a kick out of it. Not that I think she is high maintenance or anything.
I have just been watching a bunch of highlights from last weeks football game vs Notre Dame (entitled "Brady Quinn for Heisman") and some clips from last year's Penn State game which Danny I'm sure remembers. Also they had this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkwiBWVryIw&NR
Which I am sure is going to make anyone who loves UM swell with pride and anyone who doesn't, puke.
This week in Padova has been the end of Finals for a bunch of students and so we have seen some kids graduate. And there has been a lot of graduation celebrations in the center this week. Graduation here is full of tradition so I'll share a little of what I thought was cool:
- Friends and family of the graduate take the graduate to the center of town and make the graduate do absurd things, singing, dancing, whipping them, and inbetween it all handing them drinks - BEVI!
- The friends make a poster for the graduate with ridiculous sayings that they have to read out loud in front of everyone. We saw a nun reading one of the posters today... I was REALLY interested as to what she thought of it.
- They sing a song to the graduate as well that is rather inappropriate, "Dottore! Dottore! Dottore del buco del culo" kids, please don't translate but in short it means: yeah you graduated but, so what, you're still an..."
I'll try to take a picture tomorrow if I see someone getting razzed.
Today we went to the observatory where some old men looked at the stars (I don't think Galileo got his hands on this stuff though). Then Dave and I got a haircut (looks decent) and then I payed for my Oktoberfest trip! Woohoo!
So as you can tell I am having no fun at all, and my next post should be from my new room! Hope all is well!
Love, Stevo
PS - I am a little jealous of my friends going to see DMB tomorrow in c-ville. just a little. oh and the Michigan Daily stinks. k bye.

In giro..

0:11 CEST, 6:11 PM EST - HELLO WORLD! Finally I am able to put some more stuff up. It has been a really long, fun week this week. We have had a ton of schoolwork to do which is really not cool at all, but they have taken us to a bunch of cool places for art and history. Yesterday during the day they took us to a city nearby, Vicenza. It is between here and Verona and we were able to check out an old theatre and some cool buildings and gardens. I posted some pictures from there, I didn't put them all because I feel like they can get boring and some of the cooler places you weren't allowed to take pictures. Or you were but SENZA FLASH! So they didn't come out that great.
It was really nice because the lady that we are with she is our art-history teacher and this girl knows her stuff. I just wish she didn't have to speak in Italian because she explained some really cool stuff that I only understood some of. And I had questions to ask her but I didn't know how to ask so I didn't ask them at all or I ended up butchering them. Oh well. I asked her if once I get better at the language we could do it again and she said yes, or she said I could ask questions in English if I wanted but only when the other teachers weren't looking. haha. This teacher though knows her stuff, the other Italians touring the places we were (and they were mostly Italian tourists because these are like little known hotspots that we have been going to) they would listen to her because she knew a lot. It's really cool to have such a great guide.
Mmm.... what else. Well on Friday we played some vino-pong outside. We had fun the Italians probably thought we were crazy but we didn't care. Saturday we were on a trip allll day from 9-7 at night and we came back and grabbed some food and then we prepared for the big football game. Dave and I listened to it on the radio online. We listened to the whole thing and Melanie and Christina were in and out but they knew whenever something good happened. Which much to everyone's surprise was a lot of times. I was really excited the entire day for the game, I called my buddies at the game and everyone I was really excited.
I hope my Tiger's are doin just as good. I think I read online today that they are about 2 games up. I'm hoping they can pick it up but save enough for TIGER PLAYOFFS! Mmm, that's all I got for now. Check out the new pictures. Check ya later ;-)
Stevo

Don't have time for a real post tonight...

23:41 CEST, 5:41 PM EST - Ho-k, so, I really don't have time to do a real post, but I'll give you a quick update and a movie that you might like. We saw a chapel last night (amazing) and went to the Basilica today. We have an amazing art history teacher that knows everything and she is awesome to have as a guide! But I have a test tomorrow and I have been screwing around all day so I need to be on my way, but here is a movie that we took yesterday from the window of our classroom. Hope you enjoy.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~schragoo/MOV00788.MPG
OK I'll write after the test tomorrow, it's supposed to be rainy here alll week. Boooo!

Special Guest Post!

22:33 CEST, 4:33 pm EST - Christina felt a little left out of my posts, so I decided to give her her own special post... Here goes:
Steve's my boy -
he knows my songz, he gives me my peanut buttah,
and he nos how 2 represent tha D.
But he leaves me out of all his posts,
Even tho he loves me most
Ok bye.

Thanks everyone!

0:05 CEST, 6:05 EST - Thank you everyone for visiting my site! I have had quite a few people tell me they like it so I guess I will keep on writing.
Today was another long day of classes, but me and Dave walked around and did some errands and then went to the gym. This is the third or fourth time I've been to the gym since I've been here and I honestly don't think I have been that many times since I've been to college, but it has felt real good. I think that I have lost a few pounds (or kilograms) since I got here, but I think I am starting to put it back on. We found a great little greasy place right down the street from us, "il Re di Kabob". We have eaten there pretty much every night. Yesterday our teacher told us that for the past 2 years someone has gotten sick from it. Dave and I are pressing our luck I think. They make a ton of different pizzas and they also make kabobs (just like meat and God knows what else is in those things). After I heard that I have only gotten the Pizza Margherita.
Other than that I found some laundry detergent, so I might attempt a laundry trip sometime this week, Dave was unsuccessful in his first attempt - a couple of shirts came out smaller than they should've. Fortunately now they are small enough that he will probably fit in with all the other guys here. Also, I talked to my friend Nora who is studying in Vienna and I think we might be able to meet up because she isn't far away at all! She might meet us in Munich the weekend before school starts. Should be a good time, it will be nice to see a familiar face.
Dave and I have managed to watch some Family Guy, and OH! I FORGOT! We were listening to the radio and we heard COUNTRY MUSIC! Rascal Flatts! Apparently there is an American military base near Venice so they broadcast their own radio station and we get it! Wait, strike that, I personally don't get it because my digital radio skips that station! It goes from 105.9 to 106.1 and the radio station is on 106.0. Stupid I know. I think I'll manage though. OK well it's getting late now I think I should go to bed and do some homework. Probably in that order. Gonna call sista-schrag, too. OK well thanks again everyone for coming to the site and keep on posting I wanna know what's new with you, too! How are the Tig's doin'? I was reppin' them hard today, I wore a Tiger shirt, jersey and hat and I wrote a poem about the D in Italian today. It was awesome. OK for real though, I'm going now. Ciao!
- Stevo

So I have a bike...

18:21 CEST, 12:21 EST - Haha this weekend was a pretty good story. So Friday I was a little homesick cause I realized that it was Friday and I didn't have any of my boys from home to go out with - that made me a little sad, but I got over it and had a great time at the bars with all the girls. David (the only other dude on the trip) got a job working at the bars so I couldn't go out with him but it was still fun we had a good time.
Then Saturday we fooled around... slept in late and grabbed some food and really did nothing for most of the day. Then, while Dave and Chamille were getting ready, I made a gametime decision to go with some of the girls out to a really fancy resaurant. The UM - Central game had been stopped and I was just like ok I'll go. I'm glad I did.
On the way to the place, I found out that the girls knew a guy that worked there and so him and some of his friends ended up meeting us up there. After a long (4 hours and realllly good) dinner, we ended up leaving the place at 12:30 and then we went to a disco after that until much later. Again another fun night. The next day these guys took us (the girls and me) to a pool where we swam and played some volleyball and soccer. These guys were from Morocco and they knew how to play, I felt like I was watching a pro team. They really were nice to me (maybe it was just because I was rolling with three good-looking American girls, but still) and they offered to help us find a bike.
Fast forward to today. After class some of us decided to buy tickets to Oktoberfest in two weeks! So I am stoked about that. It's only two days (one night) but it still should be a lot of fun.
After we did that a couple of our new Moroccan friends took us to a garden to get new bikes. We walked around the garden for a little while we saw some shady looking dudes riding bikes that they were more than willing to get off of their hands. After a little while 3 of us had bikes and we walked to a Sept. 11th memorial (one of the only ones in Italy) and it was pretty big. There was a huge piece of one of the buildings built into this memorial. It was very moving. As we were walking back, we were approached by the former owner of one of the bikes who apparently just had his bike stolen. Luckily our friends knew how to handle the situation and after a couple intense moments Dave was able to get his money back and the guy was able to get his bike back. No harm done. Apparently bike stealing happens a lot here, I guess I need to get a lock.
Anyway, David and I are now watching cnn.com's tribute to 9/11 and I think I'm going to take a nap soon. More to come later hopefully. Ciao!

Thoughts on Padova...

16:54 CEST, 10:54 EST - Well now that I am beginning to settle in I thought I'd share a few thoughts that I have had so far. At least the ones that I can remember.
1. Everything here is beautiful. I swear, they won't do it unless it looks good. It's really kinda neat but they like to put the extra time in to make whatever they are working on look good. Be it what they wear or their own store, everything looks good. I kinda felt like a bum today walking around the city, but you know what? maybe I am.
2. Their attitudes. A lot of stores are closed in the middle of the day here. It's kind of annoying because when we get out of class pretty much everything is shut down. I was thinking fine, then they won't get my money, but with their way of life, it just isn't worth it to them to remain open for those extra hours just to get a little more money. They'd rather be doing whatever else they have to do during that time. I like that.
3. Gelato. There are gelaterias EVERYWHERE. At least in Padova. Honestly, every street has its own gelateria sometimes more than one. It's crazy. But it's cool because a lot of them have ice cream that is "senza latte" (without milk) so I can eat, too!
4. I am American. There is no way for me to hide it, so I have decided that the best way is to embrace it and be proud because I love being American darnit.
5. People here are really nice once you break the ice. Really, you can ask someone how to get to a street and they will talk to you for a half hour or more if you let them. It's pretty nice because you don't feel bad taking up their time. If you are in a hurry it's tough to leave, but I love it.
6. They really need an American sports bar here.
7. Maybe I'll just quit school and open up an American sports bar here.
8. Maybe not.
Well that's about all I have that I can remember at least for now. Yesterday we had our test which I think went OK... neither bad nor good so we shall see. And then we went out to the bars again it was fun. It's easier to practice your Italian after you've had a beer or two because you don't care as much if you mess up. Today I woke up excited for football again, I am debating on whether to spend money for a day of football online. I could watch Michigan-Central (meh) but I really wanna see that OSU - TEXAS game and I want to watch Penn State - ND, too. Thanks for all the updates on gli sport americani. I hope those Tigs know what they are doin... I left so that they could win!
At the Prato della Valle today there was a flea market and I bought a Materazzi Italian National jersey and some scarpe (shoes). Overall I say it was a successful venture. You'll have to excuse me if these posts are all over the place, that seems to be where my mind is lately (all over the place) and people keep walking in and out everytime I write these so I always get distracted. I hope you are enjoying reading these as much as I am enjoying writing them, I love and I miss you all~!
-Stevo
PS. - More pictures are up - check 'em out!!

La prima settimana

20:00 CEST, 2:00 PM EST - Hello again! Well I have officially been here for over a week now and the first week of classes is almost over. Tomorrow we have a test and I have actually done some work for it. But this week was full new things... I finally went to Prata della Valle (this beautiful circle with statues and a river around it - check out the link for a picture) and met up with Giulia! She came all the way (about a 45 minute drive)from Verona with her friend Francesca who has never driven outside of Verona. So I was happy they could make the trip. We went to a bar and I introduced them to some of my new Californian friends. It was really great to see her again.
Also this week I think I found an apartment that I will live in! After a few more phone calls I called a number and a girl picked up... after a few minutes of me trying to find where it is she finally said, "Would it be easier if I spoke English?" haha I said probably. So I went and I met up with her and she showed me the place... It is MUCH bigger than the other apartment and is in a great location. Plus I will be living with 4 Italians - two guys, two girls. Three of them speak only Italian, and the girl who I talked to (who oddly enough is also named Francesa) worked in New York this summer so she knows a good deal of English, It seems like a great living situation because I will be forced to learn the language and I will have a big room, even if I am sharing it with someone else.
It's not for sure yet that I have it, but they seem pretty stoked about it and they have to consult with the other girl who won't be in until Monday... I am going to meet her then.
Until then I need to worry about class. We had a professor from the Political Science department come in and speak to us yesterday. He was supposed to talk to 2 hours but he managed to stretch it into 2 and half (this was after a 4 hour class in the morning mind you) and I really think he was preaching to a bunch of ants because if we understood anything it sure wasn't much. I sure need to learn quickly or this semester is going to be really tough. Fortunately I think that the University of California offers two classes for us to take (one grammer and one art) hopefully they are both in the first semester.
Today I got a message slipped under my door telling me (in Italian) that if I didn't clean my room before the maids came to clean they were going to charge me money. At least I think that's what it said. Don't worry Mom, I wasn't the only one to get the letter. But I don't really want them to come clean my room anyways so why should it matter if I have clothes on the ground? Oh well I guess I just better comply... When in Rome...
A domani.

A scuola

22:39 CEST, 4:39PM EST - And so it begins. School started today and the classes are ok. Our teachers decided to give us a reading that is tough for any Italian, let alone foreigners trying to learn the darn language. Right now I am supposed to writing an essay for tomorrow but I decided to write this instead. Yesterday was a pretty good day, I was able to chill in my room and do some homework and I went and took a look at the dorm I was assigned to. It is definitely nowhere I want to live, so I need to step up my apartment search. I went and saw an apartment today and it looked pretty decent but it was kinda small and I would be sleeping in the family/kitchen. I don't think I'm feeling that so I am supposed to call another guy tomorrow and try to see another place. Otherwise I need to go back and find some more places to call!
Church at the Basilica di San Antonio was unbelievable. The Basilica was so big and it was covered in art from top to bottom. There was a mass pretty much every hour on the hour and people were just walking around the church like there wasn't a mass going on. It was different for us, but we moved up to the front of the Church and I didn't even notice the other people walking through there really. It was kind of cool because I know the Order of the Mass from home and it was pretty much the same style but in Italian so I think I picked up on a few words, I just need to learn the Our Father now and I'm set!
Well today was Labor Day for the US but there was no such luck here. Oh well. Tomorrow should be another good day, so far the weather here has been unbelievable... a perfect temperature and sunny. It's beautiful.
Thank you everyone who has commented and kept me updated about happenings at home. Keep them comin' (squi, uncle bruin, slick).
Well I should probably get goin on this paper I'm supposed to be writing, but I have uploaded some pictures (not many) but I think I am going to post them to this site so if I do I hope you enjoy! A domani!

Hail to the Victors!

12:39 CEST, 6:39 EST - Hey all! Yesterday was my first day where I got to spend some time by myself and start to figure things out. I woke up around 10:30 and IMMEDIATELY put my Stevie B Jersey on which I wore all day. I was so ready to go to a football game yesterday. I tried to watch it on my computer but every single program that is out there to watch football doesn't support a mac which is STUPID. grrr. Oh well I was able to listen to most of it and I "watched" it on gamecast. Everytime the Maize and Blue scored I played the fight song and when there was a key play I wagged my keys. I kept thinking about everyone there and what they were doing right then, I know that Cody was loving it, Kiko was... well being Kiko, and that Berman wanted to leave early in the 3rd but stuck it out because he'd get razzed if he didn't. Ahh I miss that. Well I was really excited just to be paying attention to football again even if I didn't get to see any big hits or anything.
So pretty much that was my day yesterday, the game didn't start until 6:00 here so I was just waiting and trying to get different things set up on my computer. I tried to do homework too but I couldn't concentrate so that's what Christina and I are going to do today. We want to look at our dorms, too, in case we want to live there and we also want to try and go to church (she said there is mass at 6:00). I'm excited to see what mass is like here. Well, I probably should get this day rollin'... talk to ya'll later!

Oh wait! I forgot.... I downloaded skype yesterday, too. (www.skype.com) and it would be a good way for anyone to call me if they want. My skype name is schragoo, call me up!

Schoolwork begins

18:36 CEST, 12:36 EST - Ciao Tutti! Today I had my first test in Italian to see which group of students I get placed with - The smart kids, or the not as smart kids. I'm thinking its going to be the not as smart. I don't mind, I need the extra attention. Today was my first day where I actually had a little time on my hands so I was able to set up the computer a little bit more and help other people set up theirs. I also made a few phone calls trying to find an appartment. Those calls are so scary because I have no idea what I'm saying!!!
It was a beautiful day today... the perfect temperature. And while I was studying, there was a guy playing the clarinet outside and he was playing some of the great ones - My Way (Frank Sinatra), Mack the Knife (Dean Martin), the theme from il Postino... Some beautiful music, he made my homework go a lot easier. Yesterday we saw an accordian player... he reminded me of my mom because she used to play accordian when she was younger (haha - I can just picture her). Anyway, the streets, the city, the music, the people, everything is just beautiful over here I wish that you all could see it!
I am going to be posting some pictures soon, though I don't have that many. Alright we are about to go to check out the cafeteria. Ciao!