This is an EDUCATIONAL trip!

I'm learning a lot while I am here. I'm thinking we should ask Mrs. Breakiron to pay for a Middle School Field Trip to EUROPE!

Here are some lessons that I learned while here:

Lesson #1 - Don't eat "American" food.

When you are in Italy, eat Italian food! When we went to Rome we stayed in a campground and the restaurant advertised an "American" breakfast. There was a picture of bacon and eggs and I started to feel a little home sick. So I went for it and the Italian waitress was not happy and after I ate my food I wasn't happy. Italians should stick to pasta and pizza and let us Americans cook the eggs! The yolk was overcooked and they charged us 6.50 Euro a plate for two eggs (thats about $9)!

Lesson #2 - Unisex bathrooms are awkward.

The first bathroom we went to was in a parking garage in Verona. I have to say it was weird to see men and women walking in and out of the same bathroom. And as a guy it is unpleasant to here women chitter chatter while you are taking care of business. I also learned that Italians are okay with unisex bathrooms, so in my brain I prepared for going into the bathroom with ladies, hmmm.....

Lesson #3 - Not all bathrooms are Unisex!

So the Second bathroom I went to was not for men and women and boy did I learn my lesson! Let me paint a picture for you...   I really had to use the bathroom and I decided to find the nearest restroom. Here is a question, How do you find a restroom if everyone speaks Italian!? I did not know what they call it and I tried to figure out what I was going to use when asking, “Bathroom” , “Toilet”, “Restroom”, “The John”, “Potty”. I picked one and asked the closest waitress “Where is the restroom?” They pointed me in a direction and I followed and it worked! When I made it to the place they call the “Toilette” I saw a row of doors. Assuming it was unisex I went down the hall way and went with the first door that had a green mark indicating that it was unoccupied. “What do we have behind door number 5 Bob!?” … a lady on the “Toilette”! Yea that was awkward. She looked at me and screamed. I looked at her and thought “Welcome to Italy.” I spent the rest of the evening dodging the old Italian woman in the red and blue floral dress, unfortunately some images are burned in your brain!

Lesson #3 - Not all bathrooms are Unisex!

Yea, that’s right… I didn’t learn my lesson the first time! When we went to Rome we stayed at a campground. My cousin Adam and I walked in to the bathroom and seeing no indication of Mens or Womens I assumed it was another of the unisex variety. When we walked in Adam jokingly teased, “This is probably the Womens! Ha!” As I was about to walk out of the stall I heard two young British girls voices (this was a gift so that I knew what they were talking about).  They said giggling “Oh Dearest Mumsie, there is a man in the ladies bathroom!” Thinking they might have seen me I stayed in there for what seemed like forever until I heard no more voices. Then I got out as fast as I could. Now for the rest of my life I will never use a bathroom unless I see a little stick figure man telling me that “It is all going to be okay!”

Lesson Learned, Great SUCCESS!


Lesson #4 - You have to BUY water!

Water is not free! Not like America where every restaurant starts you with a tall glass of ice water. Here in Italy you must order “una liter acqua” just to have any sort of drink with your meal and most places charge 2 euro per liter (about $2.80)!

I'll have more lessons for you tomorrow!