KILOGRAMS, not pounds.

Yesterday I had my first experience in the Siena pool. I found out two things: 1) I'm actually not that out of shape, and 2) Sienese people really aren't swimmers. Oh, and 3) they like to crowd 10 people into a lane and then try to swim laps. So I guess I found out three things. Regardless, it was great to get into a pool, and my plan is to convince them all that Jake and I are on the United States National team and that Micheal Phelps is our best friend. I'll let you all know how that one turns out.

Anyway, after swimming I went to the store to pick up some things for dinner. As the man is helping me get some green beans, he asks where I am from. I tell him, Chicago, and he immediately gets excited and tells me a friend of his, who is ALSO from Chicago, is currently visiting him!

"OH MY GOD," he says (but not really, he just exclaimed something in italian with a big smile on his face). He then pauses, and asks me, "Do you sleep with your window open?" Puzzled but mostly weirded out, I reply "Yes, sometimes if the weather is right." He then shakes his head and tells me how his friend from Chicago sleeps with the window open and just, how STRANGE that is and he can't get over it. Well, I got over the conversation pretty quickly after that and stammered a quick goodbye and went to pay for my items.

Then I decided I was feeling super motivated and trodded downstairs to the gym to lift some weights. WELL, I forgot that they don't use pounds here, and that kilograms is what is written on all the weights. So, I pick up my squat bar and put 10 pounds on each side. Well, it was really freaking hard and by my 30th squat I thought I was not going to be able to get back up and that I was going to die in the terrible smelling b.o. of the gym (italians don't like to wear deodorant. Either that, or they just don't put on enough). Luckily (and unfortunately embarrassing for me) an attractive italian man comes over and says, "Wow, I am impressed. That is a lot of weight for a girl." And I reply, "Well, no, it's only 20 pounds. I am very much out of shape." Well, he starts laughing and then his face kind of turns a little panicky as he describes to me that I am not lifting 20 pounds as I had originally though, but probably closer to 35 or 40. He helps me lifts the bar over my head, I stupidly stammer out a grazie and make my leave of the gym so tired, so embarrassed, and wondering how I am going to make it up the stairs to my apartment.

Ciao!