New Roommates

In Ireland student housing is set up as ensuite apartment unites for four 3-4 people, with a shared common room and kitchen. For the first month that I was here, I was in my apartment alone. This wasn't necessarily bad, but it was quiet. Now the dynamic has changed with the arrival of my new Italian roommates!

My new roommates are awesome and extremely unique. I live on the ground floor so my room is wheel-chair accessible. My Italian roommate Alberto is handicapped and his caretaker Mauro is spending the academic year helping him out, taking him places, and cooking for him. They live down the hall in connecting singles.

Alberto is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He is from Padua, Italy and he speaks fluent English and Italian. We've had many conversations about Rome, Italy in general, and our interests. Alberto is a history major and he knows loads of information about everything. He has no trouble reading English and he reads all the time. He's also very funny. The other day I told him I was going to write an essay and he said "I hope the ideas flow freely through your mind."

Mauro speaks almost no English, so Alberto has to act as a translator between Mauro and I. It is a very interesting dynamic. I'm learning bits of Italian everyday and Mauro is starting to pick up some English. Today he told me I was "bravo cook." Mauro is probably in his late twenties, and he is a nurse at a hospital in Italy. He said that Alberto's parents hired him, and he accepted the opportunity because he knew that it was a great chance for him to learn how to speak English. Every morning and night after dinner Mauro makes us each a small, extremely strong Italian coffee. It's basically a super concentrated shot of espresso with sugar. He said that American coffee is water without flavor and that's why we have to drink so much of it.

Mauro, Alberto, and I often sit around the table after dinner laughing, sipping coffee and eating cookies. I have to say that I am definitely going to be more cultured when I return home.

My other roommate is an Irish lad from Waterford named Neil. He's quiet and easygoing. Last night he was telling me about the plowing championships (with tractors) being held in Kilkenny. This reinforced my opinions about the importance of farming over here.

I really miss Fall. It's very different here. The air feels a little crisper, but the leaves don't change color. They simply fall off the trees and turn brown. Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons, and I'm really going to miss not being able to go mountain biking at Acadia National Park this year.