University of Trento

Officially called Università degli Studi di Trento, which literally means the "University from studies of Trento"; which makes no sense in English actually. Or maybe it does?

A university made from the studies conducted (research) in Trento! Life makes sense now!

8th September 2016

We left for Trento in the morning as today was "Enrollment Day" in Trento University. The trains here are expected of Europe I would say. On time, fast and comfortable. Except that today, my train was delayed, by about 9 minutes in reaching Verona. As an Indian, that is totally accpetable since trains back home get delayed by hours not minutes. But the problem was that we had to change trains and there were only 10 minutes between the arrival and departure of our trains. We kept our fingers crossed and ran for the train (which was surprisingly waiting for my train to arrive). However, we were unlucky as our luggage became our burden and we were unable to haul it from one platform to the other in time (subways connected the platforms, unlike the over-bridges in India). An interesting outcome was that my parents met two students who were coincidentally going to enroll today in my university; and had missed the same train that we just did. We were unsure of how to get Trento and after asking for further information from the "BIGLIETTI" (Tickets office) we discerned that there were two options

1. Pay some more money (30 Euros) to get a train in about ten minutes from then
2. Wait for half an hour or so to get the next train

Since our time was not worth that much money (time literally equaled money here), we decided to wait. A lot of time passed in waiting but I didn't realize it since I was running around trying to find a place to get some "cheap" food and water. I found some bottled water, cheaper than the lot, at 1.20 EUR for two 500 ml bottles (and that was on offer!). Also, the two students whom we met earlier, happened to come from India as well so we spoke at length in the Hindi language (an Indian language, one of my native tongues). I kept wondering to myself all the while, do coincidences like this happen in life?

(^__^)

Cabs are expensive in Trento. But, since we had to be at a particular place by 5 PM, we decided to utilize their services. The Welcome Office of Trento University is not exactly hard to find, but it doesn't stand out much. We reached the address and what we found was far short of what we had expected. There were no signs. We asked around and using my elementary Italian, (I just said "QUESTO" meaning this) I ascertained that we had arrived in the "BIBLIOTECA" (which in my German mind, translated to the library!). I was so proud knowing that my German was helping me in real life! We finally found the small door connecting to the office (we were standing next to it and happened to venture in) and met some welcoming people who spoke English! They had been conversing with us via email and thus they knew all of our names. I felt at home immediately.

(^__^)

After getting the keys with special permission (since we were late), I went to visit my room after going to the train station to pick up my mother and our luggage (she had stayed behind as a sacrifice for us!). We were unlucky that the first cabs in line were small (VW Golf and Toyota Prius). The five of us and our luggage fit perfectly (almost) in the cars. However, we were charged extra simply because the all the luggage did not fit in the trunk. I wonder if it is because they care that much about their car (not that we damaged it in anyway). But, leaving that aside, one of the students I met in the train happened to be my housemate! It was fate that we met today! I am so very happy to finally see the environment where I will spend my sleeping hours.

(^__^)

 I cannot find enough people who speak English! everyone seems to know a language different from the ones I know. It's really hard not knowing what is happening sometimes and stressful when you cannot be understood. At least the taxi rides were easy, just tell them the name of the road or show them the map, we get there and thank him (GRAZIE). So, what have I learnt so far? Basic stuff comes to memory, I did some studying to find out what Italian is about and failed. Sometimes we have this image in our mind of what we want  to be like right now and in the future but we are so far away from it and we need to be able to accept it, else we cannot move forward and succeed.

I am currently learning that lesson the hard way, I had no idea that just visiting a foreign country would require so much of the local language, I think that it is sometimes a question of ego. We who study English feel that only English should and must be known by the world, when in fact that is far from the truth.

(^__^)

It is amazing how much we pick up through sound. I was near a reception desk of an accommodation where a student was collecting a package when the receptionist asked "Come si chiami" and the boy replied with some collection of sounds. The best part about learning a new language sometimes is that we can think of the situation and remember the sounds. From the exchange I noticed earlier it seemed like he was asking for his name to give his package to him. It is not like we can always rely on English speaking people, we must swim into the deep lake like Jhumpa Lahiri says in her book "In other words"

(^__^)

It is very hard to get a taxi in this city (or maybe even this country) because the taxi calling numbers ask to record a message telling them where you want to go. For a non-Italian speaker, that seems almost impossible. So, we took the bus, which are seldom after dark. I guess that people don't travel much at night, pretty much like India! But, at least there are street lights here, even if I live up on a mountain; which is very unlikely in India (that they work I mean).

We finally reached the hotel and had asked my sister to call the hotel to contact us but when the receptionist at our hotel picked up the call, he thought that we had called him and cut my sister's call to come ask us at our room if we had called. After going back to his desk, somehow he forwarded the call to us. So far, life is goooooooooooood.

Today's words

POCO - little
UNO - one (like the card game!)
DUE - two (Pronouced do-eh)
DOMANI  - tomorrow (doe-ma-knee)
ASCENSORE - elevator (at the train station)
BIGLIETTI - tickets
BIBLIOTECA - library (called Bibliothek in German)