Today has been a nicer day, and I've been feeling much better. A nasty cough is all that remains of my gross cold.

We had classes pretty much all day, but I did some exploring and reading out in the sunshine, which was wonderful.

I also had some delicious pistachio and cioccolato fondente gelato. The pistachio gelato has real pistachio chunks in it, which I was not expecting, but it was really good!

I have also decided I like caffe macchiato even better than cappuccino, as it is coffee with just a drizzle of milk in it. Very good! It is such a quick, yummy shot of coffee that gives you a little burst of energy without all the milk. And I think I am finally getting the hang of ordering caffe in a bar. It is a bit intimidating! Everyone else knows exactly what they are doing--and common practice can vary from bar to bar. But if you smile a lot and try to speak at least some basic Italian, usually they will treat you kindly, even if you are doing something completely wrong.
But some basic rules I have found:

1. Don’t put change directly in the hands of cashiers. There are trays by the cash registers that you put money on—you do not hand it off directly.
2. Don’t sip coffee like you would in the US, you generally drink it quickly, in a couple of gulps.
3. Don’t order caffe latte or cappuccino after 11:00 or so, or you will probably get a bizarre look from the barista. I knew this, but forgot, and ordered a cappuccino at night, and got a very confused look.
4. Try to speak mostly Italian, as a sign of respect, and the barista will often be more friendly—even if you accent is terrible and your vocabulary is very limited. They really do appreciate the effort.
The Campo di'Fiori, where I am staying, has a big market with fresh fruit every morning, so I have also been buying some really good apples, pears, and peaches for breakfast. Yum!