So it looks like I'm not going to get the NSA job, which is a shame. They want me to redo the polygraph test in Baltimore, and fly in at my own expense. Not only that, after doing this there's a) no guarantee that I wouldn't have to do it again (most people have to go back 1 or 2 times) and b) no guarantee that I'll actually be offered the job. So it looks like I might be at Williams this summer. Anyone want to visit? Oh, and thanks to everyone who helped out with this process, sorry it was all for nothing.

Here's better news: I made chicken today! I'm quite proud, since this is the first time I've cooked a meat item. They were chicken cutlets, breaded, and cooked in oil on the stove. I also cut up potatoes, seasoned them, and baked them on high heat in the oven. Then there was a salad with balsamic vinegar dressing I made. I know this meal is quite unimpressive to those of you who cook, but I'm pretty thrilled about it.

Not much has happened since I last posted. I did go to Ferrara on Saturday, where they had a really cool castle that we got to go inside. There was also a really delicious meal:
-the antipasto was already there when we got there: different kinds of meat (prosciutto, pancetta, salame, etc.) and a really delicious cheese that resembled mozzerella
-first dish: 2 kinds of pastas, one tortellini stuffed with pumpkin and the other a type of ravioli stuffed with spinach and cheese in a cream sauce. Both were delicious, but I preferred the second.
-second dish: a plate of roasted vegetables (zucchini, radicchio, etc.) and different cooked meats (chicken, pancetta, and a type of sausage).
-dessert: 2 different kinds, one was a creamy substance that resembled mascarpone with a berry sauce poured over it and the other a pastry stuffed with cream. Both were really good.

Needless to say I was quite full after this meal. But that didn't stop a bunch of us from getting gelato 15 minutes after the meal. I got half strawberry, half lemon. They were both wonderful.

Other than Ferrara, I have classes to keep me busy. I have my oral language exam on Friday and then my oral history exam the following Wednesday. Considering the fact that I wouldn't even be able to pass the history exam in English, I'd say I have some studying to do. I won't let that stop me from going to Venice next weekend for Carnevale, though. I'm pretty excited about that. The plan is to go Saturday, stay up all night (because there's no way we're going to get a cheap hotel now) and come back early Sunday morning. Then I'll study Monday and Tuesday.

I've also been trying to pick my classes for the upcoming semester. The Italian system is so weird. Every time I even attempt to look for courses, I spend at least an hour getting nowhere, get frustrated, and turn off my computer. Plus, the semester officially started today. Yet, we still have orientation classes. When we asked the director of the program if we should try to go to both sets of classes, her response was, "Well, you can. But you can also not go. It's up to you." What? Apparently going to class is really unimportant, especially during the first couple weeks (this is when students shop around for classes without actually going to them). Shrug. My goal is have classes only Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and have a four day weekend every week. This way I could travel any weekend I want.

Alright, I should go. Homework to finish and then bed. I'll post pictures here, on facebook, or both soon.