My schedule

Some of you may be wondering what I do everyday... let me tell you.
For the first few months we focus on learning Italian.  So (quindi), I'm learning a lot.  I got to school at Lorenzo de'Medici in downtown Florence.  It is just several yards from the San Lorenzo Market and the Medici Chapel and a few blocks away from the Duomo.   We (me and the other Avanti workers who came this month) go to school Monday - Friday from 9:00 to 1:00.  On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays we come back to the Bible School for lunch and a meeting.  On those days Rosa comes and cooks for us.  This week we started the policy that we are not allowed to speak English during lunch on those days.  Anyone who says anything in English has to pay 10 cents - we'll all go out for pizza with that money once we have enough money.  I haven't had to pay anything yet; that doesn't mean I'm saying things correctly, but I guess it counts as Italian.  All of that lasts until about 4:00.
We teach individual English classes Monday-Wednesday.  The new workers have fewer students right now because we are in school.  On Mondays I have two students for one hour each (4:00 and 5:00).  After that we have a ladies Bible study and dinner with everyone.  It's in English right now, but as soon as we get someone who doesn't speak English we will switch to Italian.  On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights (9:00-10:00) I also help teach a beginner class.  We have about 10 people in this class right now.  This year we started a group English class for people who need to learn basic English (our first lesson was the alphabet and saying your name).  It's a fun class, but this means that Mondays are pretty crazy.
On Tuesdays I have a bit of a break because I don't have any individual English classes.  After school I have the rest of the day off until the beginner class at 9:00.  The past two weeks I've gotten to go up to the Harding villa to play the piano for a little while.  It's also a good chance for me to plan my English lessons.
Wednesdays are basically the same as Mondays (school, lunch with Rosa, meeting) but I only have one student at 6:00 and there's no Bible study before the beginners class.
Thursday and Friday we don't teach individual English classes.  After school we have the afternoon to do different things that David (David Woodroof, the director) plans for us, supporting the church or the community somehow or other Avanti-related business.  This Thursday was the Vendemmia (grape harvest), which I'll write about later.  The two Thursdays before that we had to go to government offices to do paperwork for our health insurance and permesso di soggiorno.  Then at 6:30 we go to the church building where we have a conversation class (another group class).  Then we have dinner and a church Bible study - that means it's all in Italian.
Fridays are called "physical Friday" and we are supposed to do work around the Bible school after our meeting.  It's an old building and has been lived in by tons of people, so there are tons of things that need to be done.  So far we haven't actually had a "physical" Friday because there have been other things going on.  A few weeks ago we had the youth retreat here so we had guests and last week I got to go to the Uffizi with the Harding students.  Yesterday we visited one of David's students, Andrea, at his art studio. He's a really talented painter and he's also designed machines that he can program to carve and paint by computer.  He can scan an image and the computer will literally paint it (with a paint brush).  It was really interesting.  After that I went with Emily (Emily Woodfroof, she's an Avanti worker who has been here for a year and is David's daughter) to the library here in Scandicci.  We (Avanti workers and some of the Harding students) are doing a story time there in English every Friday in October and the first one was yesterday.
Saturday and Sunday are my days off.  Things always come up on the weekend, but the only planned activities are on Sunday.  We all go to church together at the Chiesa di Cristo (Florence Church of Christ) and then at 6:30 we go to a dinner and Bible study at the Harding villa.
So, that's my week.  I feel like I'm constantly doing things.  This is the first chance I've had to even write this blog.  It's great work though and I'm loving it.