Day 19: Doctor

Today is going to be a short entry although it was a long day. Unable to go to the sea once again, Giancarlo woke me up semi-earlish (8:45) to take me to the doctor to check on my throat. Mariella came with us and we drove to the office.

The office was really small as it was only one doctor and was in the middle of a neighborhood. The wait took less than 15 minutes and the visit only about 10. She told me that my throat was only irritated and that I didn't have an infection which was good. I got some medicine to soothe the rawness and all in all the visit only cost €3.

One thing about Italy that I admire (most European nations really) is their healthcare system. Because Giancarlo and Mariella pay months health care taxes, my visit was covered as if I was part of the family. It was fast and easy to get help with no complications over insurance and other things like that.

Getting home, us children had breakfast and played cards while Giancarlo and Mariella went to Mattia's future school. Federico and I also watched some pretty intense children's cartoons with Sofia.

We had lasagna for lunch and watermelon and gelato for dessert. After that we got ready to go out/played video games.

Giancarlo, Mariella, Sofia, and I headed out at about 4:30 to do some shopping in downtown Pedara before swinging back and picking the boys up for the drive to Catania. The parents attended a meeting for their future exchange student while us kids took a stroll around the city. We got lost and wound up trekking
through some pretty sketchy parts before reaching a park. Sofia ran off and played while we amused ourselves while we waiting.

I only took one picture and it was of the park.



Pretty fun stuff. Sofia had to use the bathroom so we found a gelato shop. They graciously let us use their toilet without paying. Shopkeepers over here are usually very strict about only letting paying customers go to the bathroom. There was a small fiasco over Sofia wetting her pants but I think she got over it when Federico bought her a coke.

We had omelets at home for dinner and then packed our clothes for the next week and a half at the sea. It's about 11 now and we are all sitting around watching a movie. Tomorrow should be a fun day.