Day One

 

I slept for 12 hours after arriving yesterday evening, then had coffee and went for a run this morning. The weather is gorgeous, reminding me very much of Southern California, my favorite place.

The windows in the temporary apartment all have awesome covers that roll up and down, completely blocking light and shutting out most sound when they're closed. They have joined San Diego's security screen doors on my list of regional innovations that should be everywhere.

I am also a big fan of the awnings that can be lowered to give more shade/privacy as desired.

Everyone has said that living on this site is just like being in the United States. I disagree. I'm sure it's much more like the U.S. than not, and I may feel differently after a few months, but this is not exactly the same. Tile floors, the awesome window coverings, bidets, extremely excellent flat-leaf parsley, fresh gnocchi for only $1 a package, and Italian radio in the grocery store are all different. Not enormously, maybe, but enough so that I can tell I'm somewhere else.

Victories today include figuring out how to light the stove burners (hold in that button with the star on it while turning the knob) and cooking dinner with no cutting board or cooking utensils (just table cutlery). It's good.