faccio io

ok, class, this is how it works. i show up to work everyday not sure of what we're going to do. it's an adventure. i've learned a lot about museums by being the handy-man's right hand girl. roberto ed io siamo forti. we're good friends. i am so so glad that roberto has taken me under his wing. he honestly introduces me to everyone because he is friends with tanti personi qui. mamma mia. today we went for another walk, he told people we had other important things to do, and we left the museum Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala (it used to be a hospital) and went to the Duomo where Roberto's friend Emilio does all the restorations. he works on the floors, the tiles, the mosaics. Tutti! it was beautiful. he was just this old man in white work clothes who knows the Duomo in and out and he showed me everything. he told me the history of everything! i paid no entrance fee (like all the tourists), i had a most knowlegable tour guide (unlike all the tourists), and he showed me everything. they take me places where tourists can't go and tell me things that only they know because they work with it every day. it's incredible! oh and as if that's not enough, around 1pm when everybody's hungry they say, 'ok, ci vediamo! a domani!' so that means i have the entire afternoon off! where i wander the streets, today i met neil (from georgia) and we bought nail polish and are making plans for tonight because it's his birthday. or is it mine? this concept we are working on. no, it's his birthday. ay ay ay, i love siena!