what Italian neighbors are like

this totally didn't even register as something i should post on here until today. but i thought all of you would be pretty interested in the stories i have about my italian neighbor, Maria.

the first day we got there, Maria was in our apartment with Danielle (our landlady) and we got to know her a little. she speaks no English. she is approximately 4' 10''. she appears to be around 60 years old. i do think she makes our experience here more entertaining. we don't go a day without seeing her. mostly it goes like this...

our doorbell rings.
2 second later there is a bang on our door. normally none of us have gotten out of our bed yet.
another bang.
i answer the door.
Maria, talking rapidly in Italian, walks through the door past me and starts trying to explain something

one time it was our washer. one time it was the stove. another time it was the bathtub. the heat. the water in general. she really doesn't run out of things. since i have no idea what she's saying, its tricky. but luckily, my other three roommates know enough Italian to semi-decipher what Maria is saying. it ends up being a long conversation in which i - or Roxy, or Ada, or Anna - say "Si. Si. Si." (Yes, yes, yes.) a lot. lol. then Maria leaves and i have to turn to someone else for interpretation, and normally we have no idea what she said.

it makes for a pretty funny morning. although she can be annoying, i like Maria. shes pretty much like another mom here. between her and Danielle, we've got it covered. hopefully i'll get a picture with her before i leave so you all can see her.

okay, i've gotta get home and crash. ciao!