Today was the 'first half' (or one-tenth, who can say for sure?) of my Italian Entrance Exam for Santa Cecilia. As expected:Chaos.Miriam has offered to accompany me (Bless her soul...) to all of my Italian Exams (You will understand why I say 'all' in just a second.), and thank goodness because what would I do between the five hour wait periods without someone to talk to???
We arrived this morning at Santa Cecilia at 8:45 for a test that began at 9. After being there for ten minutes, we were witnesses of a room full of 120 foreign students waiting to take their Italian exam (You can imagine how that proceeded for role call, huh?) . Because we are in Italy, things became situated at aruond 10:30 at which time they passed out the Italian Written test, which was SOOO confusing, but doesn't count nearly as much as the oral, again, thank goodness. We had forty minutes to complete this test. I finished number 19. Afterwards, they tell us we will go in order of having finished our exam, and they will take 60 people today. So I think to myself 'YAY!' and then took it back in like three seconds.
One of the people in charge says to us, 'It will be an hour before we will begin. Please feel free to go shopping, eat gelato, drink a coffee. BUT be back in an hour! That's when we will begin.' This is at 11:30. We figure we have until 12:30-40.So Miriam and I return home. We eat lunch. We run a few errands and even think we will be late, which we in fact were. Question: Were WE late afterall? Response: NO!! The teachers were late. ONE HOUR late. Uh-oh...Here we go.
Let me just say that I might as well have been number 756,687 because well, they didn't quite keep with the whole number things. Somehow, I am still unsure how, they made up this system of lists where they choose a few students per list. I looked at the table. Like twenty lists. Uh oh. The interviews begin. There is ONE person giving interviews(There are two other teachers there, basically talking to the students about how much they like chocolate gelato more than teaching...I swear!)Twenty minutes with each student, give or take. Depends on whether she likes you and wants to have a longer conversation with you. (Remember: There are 60 people in this room. You do the math.) This person decides she wants to get a coffee. Comes back a little later. Around three, my friend has to leave. I wait. Look around at the different students. Drink a soda. Walk around. Look at the ceiling. Talk with another girl about how the people giving the test have lost their mind. (At which point, I notice how intricate their list system is and try to follow, but I think my mind is incable of working that way...) At 6p.m, one of the teachers there, NOT the one who is giving the interviews announces there will only be time for a few more students. So I take the time to go and ask if I will be next. I mean I have to to be next! I was number 19!...'No. You have to return tomorrow.' At that point, a girl who has clearly lived in Rome for a long time got in a screaming match with the lady who was giving the interviews. QUITE intense.
And yes, folks. This, without exaggeration, was my first day, of which I expect many, Italian Language Exam.
Please keep me in your prayers and pray that Rosie receive the virtue of PATIENCE! Mamma mia...
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