Buddy Profile #2: Corrado

"It's like Karate or Colorado"

So this is another one of my friends from work, Corrado. I think you can decipher from the picture which one he is. This was taken at a party my roommates and I had for my co-workers. Corrado insisted that he take a picture with my family, who was visiting at the time. Funny thing is like all the Italians wanted a picture with my family. You can see those on Flickr. When I first met Corrado, I had some difficulties pronouncing his name. He then told me it's like Karate, and in another time he said it was like Colorado. Funny as it seems, it makes it really easy to pronounce. For all intensive purposes, he works on developing polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering. Crazy eh? Ok but on to the fun stuff.

Corrado is from just outside of Rome, but far enough to where he says he cannot be called Roman. As Francesco seems to be characteristically "American" by the way he dresses and acts, Corrado to me is the epitome of Italian and I love it. When he met some of my American friends he kissed them on the hand AND gave them a baci. I was like "whateeeever...come on!". :) Corrado and I both really like American music and he sings really well, with an American accent. Che bello! One of my favorite stories was when I first met him I asked him if he liked soccer and if he ever went to a game at Stadio Olimpico. He said he's only been to the stadium once, but for a Depeche Mode concert. I was like..."Depeche Mode...that must have been ages ago??" Crazy, but it was just this past summer. Who knew Depeche Mode was still around? Corrado also writes music and is in a band. He said he was going to hit me up to make sure his english lyrics make sense.

Corrado is also known for getting a bit crazy at the discotec. I have the pictures to prove. Anyways, someone in the lab asked when I will go back to the States. When I responded in September, Corrado asked how long I was going to visit the States at the time. I had to explain I was moving back in September. See, most Italians stay in a Ph.D program for 3 years and Corrado thought I was just starting my 3 years here and staying the whole time. When I explained that I was only here for one year (my 3rd year of Ph.D), I saw a little disappointment in his expression. That actually made me feel good that I know I'm going to be missed when I leave.

Anyhow, one last fun fact about Corrado. He visited Gainesville with Francesco last december to visit the lab of one of the professors in my department. Sadly, I didn't know them back then. Corrado claims he saw the most beautiful girl on the bus in Gainesville on the way to the UF campus.