Today, we were prepared for the chaos that we walked in to at RIS. Charlotte was upset that we were driving to school at 8:47am when the day was to start at 8:45am, but alas at 8:50am there was no sign that anyone was going to any classroom let alone did anyone know where they were supposed to go. On this day, it was the lower school that was much more organized. We were greeted by Italian teacher Ivana. She had someone escort Olivia to the basketball court, and the music teacher took Avery and I up to his classroom.
When Josh and I were walking out, we heard our names called. It was Gretchen and Jeff, the other Americans at the school. Gretchen had kindly served as a reference for RIS. Their two children attended the school last year when they moved to Rome for a post with the Embassy. This is their second assignment in Italy - they spent three years in Naples a few years ago. It was very nice to make the connection with them.
So, Avery was happy when we picked him up at noon. He had just eaten three biscuits! We told him we were going to take him to lunch and he said "can I have a quesadilla?" Now that's a tall order. Needless to say, we ate Italian although he was so tired he almost fell asleep in the car on the way to the cafe. Afterwards, while Avery slept, Josh went to the grocery store and I unpacked. Once everything was out of the suitcases and boxes, it appeared that - with a few shelves installed - there really is enough room for all of our clothes.
Josh picked Charlotte and Olivia up later in the day. The girls were pooped when they came home. Especially Charlotte. While Olivia seemed very sanguine about her day, Charlotte proclaimed she didn't like the school and didn't want to go back! She complained that it was "not very welcoming." She was supposed to be assigned to a "buddy" but the home room teacher failed to do so. There was only one other new student in her grade, Valentina, and she is Italian so that made Charlotte feel the odd girl out. To make matters worse, all the other kids had school supplies and Charlotte did not. We wanted to wait until school started so we could understand exactly what was required, but Charlotte was anxious about being prepared. Also, it bothered Charlotte that we still hadn't ordered her books yet. The other kids didn't have their books either, but according to Charlotte, they had ordered them. Needless to say, Josh and I both tried comforting her. In part, her emotions were exacerbated by her obvious fatigue. Who wouldn't be tired after trying to learn how to play cricket with Italian instruction.?? (That was P.E. last period and with outside instructors).
There is this whole sense of laissez faire. No one has books - they are not in stock at the school book store. Yet no one is too troubled by it (except Charlotte). No one is wearing the RIS uniforms. Everyone seems to have a top or a bottom or the correct color, but not really the whole uniform. There is certainly a relaxed attitude.
Other interesting facts I've learned about Rome: you drive according to logic and not rules. You kinda go where ever and how ever you feel like as long as you don't run anyone over. If you're at a red light and there are no cars around, you go through. This is a very efficient system. Also, you park wherever you can fit your car, regardless of what the street signs say. All day long you see the "No parking 0 - 24" sign, and yet the road is full of parked cars. It's great! We've had no problems what so ever finding a parking spot so far - even in the Centro.
Late in the afternoon - like 5pm - we went out to get Charlotte her supplies and to assuage her anxiety. Once at the store, we learned that the items she required were not in yet. "Maybe next week" the shopkeeper told us. It's like they didn't know school started in September. Can you imagine Walgreen's not having folders and notebooks by September 7th? In the States, it's the opposite, if you haven't purchased the stuff by mid- August, you run the risk of them being sold out.
I have always had a hard time buying summer clothes in March and winter clothes in August. Maybe, in fact, the Italian system is better. By the time you're looking for something you really want, you just have to wait a few weeks to get it. Instead, in the U. S., you have to think about what you might want four months ahead of time!
For dinner, I made the kids quesadillas!
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