“What’s the Weather Like?”

That’s an expression that D’s second-grade class learned in a recent English lesson.  For reasons unfathomable to me, the only responses they learned were the following:

• It’s sunny.
• It’s cloudy.
• It’s rainy.
• It’s snowy.
• It’s changeable wind.

Okay the first three are fine, but I’ve never described the weather as “changeable wind” in my life.  Is it a British thing?

Anyway, speaking of weather, here in Sant’Ilario the weather is perking up.  In other words, it’s getting HOT.  Like 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  I don’t have very many spring clothes with me, since it was hard to fit them into my suitcase on top of all the scarves, long underwear, and winter jackets.  But I did some shopping (not surprisingly, easy to do in Italy), and bought myself some spring clothes–including two pairs of open-toed flat sandals yesterday.

I bought the shoes at Pittarello, which is exactly the kind of store I once believed could not exist in Italy.  It’s basically a DSW with only Italian-made shoes at unbelievable prices.  Does it look a little like how I imagine heaven?  More than a little.  They have a huge selection of gorgeous elegant spring high heels, but I went practical since I don’t have any sandals with me.

So, this morning, I walked into D’s second-grade glass wearing a sundress over a short-sleeved T-shirt and my sandals.

A sampling of reactions from the 7-year-olds and their teacher:

• You look like you’re in Hawaii!
• What a nice dress!
• Aren’t you cold?
• Aren’t your feet cold?
• You’re even wearing sunglasses!  Can I try them on?

The fact is, this isn’t the first time that Italian elementary-school children have reprimanded me for dressing inappropriately.  Whether, I’m not wearing my jacket outside on a warm(ish) day, or riding my bike without a hat, they’ve let me know their concern.  This is the first time that I hazarded bare feet.  It was definitely worth it.

But it leaves me asking myself: Is Italy truly an alternate universe?  You know, one in which kids tell me how to dress–and not the other way around?