Potato, tomato, potate, pomodoro

So living in the Italian House definitely has its perks :) My roommates are FABULOUS and everyone eats well at least five nights a week among other things. However, just as in any language, the learning process is a little rough, especially since I am one of the few in the entire complex that speaks only two languages, Italian being my second. Thus, there are instances like the following:
Dinner time (cena: CHAY-nuh). We were having spaghetti and of course, with nearly any pasta dish and italians, there is much cheese. So I asked in italian, "Passare il pomeriggio." I got a few strange looks, and then someone noticed what I was gesturing for. I said it again, "Passare il pomeriggio, per favore?" wondering if it would get passed if I said please. Then someone said, "Passare cosa?" (pass what?) and I again replied, "Pomeriggio!" And the whole table began to laugh. The word for cheese is FORMAGGIO. Pomeriggio means afternoon. I was asking someone to pass the afternoon. And now, in my honor, no one calls it formaggio anymore in the casa italiana. They call it pomeriggio. And now a few people from the Portuguese house say it too.
Cena, round two. We were having small steaks, and the House is supposed to provide many of the kitchen ammenities like plates, utinsels, pots, pans, etc., but apparently no one has gotten around to buying steak knifes. I had a butter knife, and my efforts to manneristically cut and eat my meat were in vain. So I asked if someone had a cavallo, what I thought was knife. A reaction similar to the one above happened. I asked if they had a horse. Cotello is knife.
And at the very beginning of the semester, which has also not been lived down, was after cena when we had ice cream (gelato: jell-AHT-oh) for desert (dolce: DOLE-chay). Mind, this was VERY early in the semester, and I've only just begun to learn the language. My roommate asked me, in italian, which kind I wanted. I wanted one scoop of each, but I didn't know how to say it. So, I said, "Uno.... scoopo... of each?" Which of course is wrong. I suppose I was feeling desperate. Again, everyone laughed. At least all of these moments are funny to me too. So, the right way to say one scoop of each (and I only just looked this up because I don't know how to say 'scoop') is: Un mestolo di tutti e due. (oon mest-ole-o dee too-tee ay doo-ay).
At any rate, the italian is coming. Slower than actually living in Italy because I go to school in English, but it's definitely helping. And right now, I have two chapters of homework to do before tomorrow morning. Allora, Ciao i miei amici e mia cara famiglia. Padre Celeste e guarda tutti di noi. I love you all :) ~Kimberlì.