Protecting the environment.

I just had dinner with my flatmates plus two more Italians... it is incredible how much noise they make together. Everyone talks at the same time, is gesticulating wildly, spilling water,... at the same time, the tv is on really loudly and it's just more than one can take in. Having the tv always switched on seems to be very Italian and reminds me, in a way, of the USA. But here it is so much more noisy and annoying.
(In Germany a lot of people only switch on the tv when they really want to take their time, sit down and watch something, but never as a background noise while at the same time trying to carry on a conversation).

A nice lunch on a Sunday includes using plastic plates and cups. Yup, doesn't fit into my picture of a nice lunch either. I asked why we were using plastic dishes and received the explanation that we're "protecting the environment" by not using water to wash dishes. A very unique way of environmental protection to me, but supposively plastic gets recycled here. Well, I do not really have any proof that it doesn't get recycled, but it's hard to imagine since all& trash goes into the same trashcan. To be exact, there exist two different kinds of trashcans: one for glass, plastic and paper, the other one for everything else (most Italians use the latter for all their trash though, separating it would be too much of an annoyance). I find it hard to believe that there are people who separate glass from plastic from paper after you throw it alltogether in one trashcan.
Yup, if this world will be saved from pollution and climate change one day, we don't owe it to the Italians.

I have been reading the "Zeit" every week and am very curious about the upcoming elections in Germany, it does not seem to be clear who will win and what sort of government we will get - conservative, the grand coalition or leftists?
And by the way, you should watch "Videocracy" as soon as it's out in your country - very informative, to the point, objective and truthful. Our Italian teacher confirmed that everything said in the movie is true and also a known fact in Italy. The film is shocking but also hilarious at times (just wait until you see the Berlusconi propaganda karaoke song).

As you can see in my pics, I went to Pisa - don't go there, it is ugly beyond belief. Tourists simply stop there, take pics of the leaning tower (like us, hehe) and move on.

Had a very calm weekend, a lot of farniente ("do nothing"). Will study a little now, conjunctive and future tenses need to be memorized.