It May Be Valentine's Day, but There's No Massacre

Happy Valentine's Day!

I started classes today and they seem pretty interesting, except for Italy and the European Union which I am going to drop if at all possible.  There is a mock EU involved.  Enough said.  One of my classes, Monotheisms: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is pretty small.

There are two of us.

Two.

Anyways, yesterday Gemma and I went to Piazza Popolo where a women's rally was being held.  I don't know how much any of you know, but the current Italian leader, Berlusconi has recently been receiving criticism for hiring an underage Moroccan belly dancer to sleep with him.  Mostly everyone is upset that she's underage; the fact that she's a prostitute is just kind of insult to injury.  Berlusconi is kind of like JFK, except he doesn't have an adorable family, tons of voters supporting him, or a Hollywood smile.  Ok, so actually, he just really likes sex.  

So, Gemma and I attended the rally and it was pretty cool.  I was surprised because it almost seemed to be more of a family event--there were a lot of women there, but there were also a surprising number of men and children in attendance as well.  They had a stage set up where different women spoke and it appeared that the highlight was a song played over the loudspeakers called "Power to the People."  It was in English, which I found funny and a bit ironic.

These signs say "Basta" which means "enough."

"He robs us of money, culture, and dignity."

So cute.

There were so many people there, this is nowhere near half.

"If this isn't the hour, when?

These rallies were happening all over Italy and Berlusconi apparently responded by saying, "I make all women feel special."  Yeah.

I also thought that today I would give everybody half of my apartment tour.

This is my building!  Via Natale del Grande 12.

Just after I enter the front door...

There is a courtyard.  Since no one here has dryers, everyone hangs all of their laundry out the window.

 

There is no roof on the courtyard.

Then I go through these gates and walk up two flights of stairs.

Love you!