My Lesson in Macroeconomics

Today's agenda included a trip to the Banca Popolare, the Italian bank on base, to get things set up for direct deposits and paying rent and utilities and such. Getting a Euro account set up initially is kind of a nuisance, but once everything is in order, it will be virtually maintenance-free. I say "virtually" because there is one important thing to consider, and that's the Euro rate. The stong Euro/weak dollar situation makes things somewhat bothersome. I have to keep an close eye on the rate and my account, because a fluctuation of just one cent can cause my rent to vary by fifteen dollars. I'm overpaying into my Euro account to avoid any hassles, and maybe, by the time I leave, I'll have a little extra saved up as sort of a bonus.