Europa: La avventura vera comincia (Europe: the real adventure begins)

...In your eyes, love, it glows---and then my iPod ran out of battery.

I was only seven minutes into my second of what I hope will be many runs along the Tevere today. It has been on and off beautiful weather the past few days. I also went running last Sunday when the sun decided that Sunday would be the first perfect day in Rome. It was an amazing feeling. I walked through Trastevere for 20 minutes and when I hit the river, I just ran, passing people laying out in the sun, some holding hands or cuddling (they are very affectionate people, those Italians), passing bridge after bridge, watching the river water overflowing onto the walkways, a murky brown from the previous night's rainfall, and feeling a feeling of pure contentment as I let the sun warm me in my Assumption blue Open House T-shirt. It was perfect.

The night before, Cat's birthday, was all-in-all a success. She was surprised by the delicious chocolate cake we bought from a local Italian pasticceria. We drank spumante (champagne) and bonded over some good conversation. Then we hit the bars.

After my Sunday run, Cat and I traveled to the Colosseum area to grab a cappuccino with Ashton...most expensive cappuccino I have ever had: 4 euro! Unreal. Word of advice for all you potential travellers: stay away from the tourist attractions when you're looking for food, but I'm sure that one is easy enough to figure out. Sometimes we just forget all these beautiful things around us are tourist attractions.

On the tram on the way home, I spent the entire ride in a staring contest with the cutest baby boy. He wouldn't stop looking at me with his gray eyes. Not blue, not green, but gray. It was the most mesmerizing color...my mother would have been brought to tears.

Monday started a new week of classes that dragged on, as the more I fall in love with this city, the harder it becomes to concentrate on school. After school, however, I went to dinner with some local Italians. It was three-course meal which, after trying to moderate my food intake post-Florence and our daily three-course meals, I was not ready for. It took me hours to stop feeling like there was a boulder in my stomach. But it was certainly delicious, so I can't complain. As for the company, I was excited, until the boy I was sitting across from continue to speak in English no matter how many times I asked him to talk to me in Italian. He even had the nerve to say "speak English. I can understand you better." That is probably the hardest and most frustrating part about learning this language. It's very true the rumors you hear about everyone speaking English in Italy. Of course, not every single person, but almost anyone you, as a visitor, encounter. Store owners, hotel managers, etc. If you try to speak to them in Italian, quite often they will respond to you in English. I don't even realize it sometimes, and I will continue speaking in Italian, while they continue responding in English. They sometimes will even spot you on the street or right when you walk into their store and greet you in English. It brings me back to our orientation in Florence, when the policeman giving the safety presentation said "they will recognize you" this was of course followed by "but you won't be able to recognize them." However taken out of context it may be, he may very well have been advising for the protection of my ego.

But despite the way it makes me feel when people refuse to let me speak my slow and broken Italian, it's a learning experience. Not just in improving the language, but it also puts things in perspective. I am a foreigner in this country, and many view me perhaps in the same stereotyped way that many Americans view foreigners in our country. It makes me think, have I not gotten irritated at not being able to adequately communicate with someone in my own country? Of course. And this is where the education begins.

As for yesterday, I went to my first DAVE MATTHEWS BAND concert!! It was so amazing. We waited in line to collect our tickets for about 20 minutes. Not too bad. But as soon as we had everyone, we sprinted into the Palalottomatica (the concert's huge venue in southern Rome) and ran into the first door we saw just to be able to catch the end their instrumental opener. It was unreal. I had been getting myself psyched for this concert for weeks, ears plugged up with DMB streaming through my iPod every time I was alone. I was about to see and hear "Funny the way it is," "Shake me like a Monkey," my absolute absolute favorite "Two Step," "Baby Blue," which literally brought tears to my eyes, and so many more great songs.

It was such a great experience. Even finding our way to and from the venue was an adventure. Getting there was easy, as we only needed to take underground metro and then walk a few blocks. However, Rome is a city that sleeps at night and the metro closes at midnight. Fortunately, I wrote down directions for the night bus. Unfortunately, I had no idea where the actual stop was located, only its name. Fortunately, we stopped to get some late-night snacks at the stands outside the show, resembling carnival food. So I turned to random people asking in Italian if they knew where the stop was. Of course no one knew. The irony is that after about the fifth person I asked in Italian, an American boy wearing a red bandana and a leather jacket asked me to repeat the name. Fortunately, he and his friends were headed that way. So we followed. Unfortunately, we got there and had just missed the previous bus, the next one not due to arrive until 45 minutes later. We waited around until we got annoyed and started trying to hail taxis. Fortunately, just as we were about to get into what would have been the most expensive taxi-ride ever, I saw the bus pull up and we sprinted like hell to get on. A twenty minute bus ride and a thirty minute walk, accompanied by the greatest friends (who would walk me thirty minutes home only to walk themselves thirty minutes back home), I was safely nuzzled in my bed and ready for sleep, the tunes of Dave still playing in my head.

Tomorrow is Thursday, which means at approximately 10:00 PM, I will depart to finally see the lovely Celia Fox! I am unbelievably excited, but also a little nervous. This will be the first time I have ever made travel plans on my own, gotten to the airport on my own (with Nicole, of course), and gotten from the airport to the place I will be staying on my own...in a country where the only word I know for sure how to say and spell is "woof" in English. So yes, I am nervous, but I am also excited to overcome this hump and prepare for all the future traveling that I will doing "on my own." And the destination is so worth any hurdles I may have to jump: PRAGUE!

Until I'm back in Rome,

Ciao!

Buon Compleanno!

The title is a dedication to all the birthdays this week: Celia <3, my roommate Catherine, Brian, and two or three others from the Rome program. There were too many celebrations this week to count!

Thursday was a fun night. The carnival party was not at all what I expected. The bar, Elefunk, was empty when we got there. And even after the two hours of our stay, only about 15 AIFS people had showed up. This was a fortunate turn of events, as we were given three free drinks due to the absence of so many others. At midnight, we departed for Campo de Fiori, the popular night life site, which houses bars with names like the Drunken Ship and Sloppy Sam's. We went into a less American-sounding bar. It was very sheik. It was a bar, but everyone was dancing it up. We ran into a ladder, climbed it and found ourselves in a dance loft overlooking the bar. It was a lot of fun.

Last night was the first night I took it easy and actually enjoyed it.

After planning and finally booking what will hopefully be a very very exciting spring break: Paris-->Madrid-->Barcelona, two of my friends, Nicole and Ashton, and I spent the remainder of our day exploring. I had not yet been to the Vatican or seen St. Peter's Basilica, so that was our destination. We hopped on a bus and wandered around until we smacked into the thing. It was amazing. The Basilica towered over us as we stood in the piazza, looking somewhat ominous with the gray clouds that had accumulated in the background. We then walked down Via della Conciliazione and popped into a cafe to grab none other than a cappucino and a pastry. When we left the cafe, the sun had decided to come out, only to set behind the Basilica. It was so beautiful. We made a seat out of a street corner and watched the sky glow and fade in orange and pink, making the Basilica look surreal. In the last minutes of sunlight, we decided to separate and make our respective journeys home. I chose to walk, as all I need to do to get home is follow the Tevere. The sun had set and the bridges were all lit up. It was gorgeous. If the sights weren't enough, the weather was gorgeous yesterday, allowing me the luxury of walking around in just my Campus Activities Board rugby. After a lovely 30-40 minute walk, I was home.

I met up with Nicole and Ashton again for dinner. After walking around for a while, we gave up our search and settled on an Argentinian restaurant (You may wonder why we always choose foreign food here, but seriously, pasta and pizza will only get you so far). After dinner, we decided to take it easy and watch Inglorious Basterds. It was a great movie and a very relaxing night.

As yesterday was my roommates birthday, which she celebrated in Sicily, today we are planning a little gathering for her return this evening. Maybe some cake, maybe some wine, and hopefully we will discover a nice bar in our cute little area of Trastevere.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Ciao!

Bellissima!

Today I found my way from Piazza del Popolo to my apartment in Trastevere without a map, on my own (not to worry anyone – especially my mother – it was 4:00 in the afternoon..or 16:00 by an Italian watch). I took at wrong turn along the way, but I was able to get back on track and put myself on the side street where one can find Giolitti, the most amazing gelaterria in all of Rome (not that I have tried all the gelato in Rome, but seriously…watch me), right by il Panteon (it competes with the gelato by la Fontana di Trevi, but I will let you all make the decision for yourselves when you get the chance).

My shining moment of independent and geographic domination was prefaced by a three-hour stroll around the beautiful city. I felt pretty awful today, but I refused to let myself sit inside all day, so I chose to venture with Nicole, one of my friends who is living in a home stay. We went to Via del Corso and popped in and out of cute shops. I made myself a mental shopping list of all the Rome souvenirs I want for myself (uh…and of course for others…), but was too frugal and gross-feeling to think about buying today, one especially being a Roma jersey (for the soccer match that was unfortunately cancelled this weekend, but will be attended hopefully next month). We also ran around to the sights I have already seen just to get some exercise and soak it all in again. This time when we were by the Trevi, we split a banana and nutella-filled crepe. Amazing! Did I mention 30 pounds are on their way? Don’t even try to pretend I’m kidding.

Nicole convinced me to buy Angels & Demons by Dan Brown today for some spare-time reading. Everyone was raving about it before I left and also when I got here. She tells me that it takes place in Rome and actually describes some of the most important sights. I think it will be a good book to read while I’m here, and the theme is also interesting: a battle between science and religion. Always a good battle.

This week flew by…I can’t believe it, especially since last week dragged on, as I was pretty homesick and stressed out by the change of moving to Rome and the final realization that I will be gone for three more months. But after hitting rock bottom last Thursday, and with the help of my best friends and family, I metaphorically shook myself out of my bad attitude and I’ve been really enjoying myself ever since. I have fallen in love with Rome. And I know I have amazing people to go back to in America. I’m in a good place. I am so lucky and so grateful for everything and everyone that I have in my life. This has already been an amazing experience, and there is so much more to do and see!

Grazie a tutti!

Piazza di Campidoglio

So I'm currently in between classes, enjoying a salad of last night's leftovers (rosemary chicken and broccoli pesto pasta) mixed with tomatoes and carrots...hardly enough carbs for an Italian meal.

I just enjoyed a trip to Michelangelo's Piazza di Campidoglio with my Art History class. It's official. I love Rome. This magnificent piazza was designed by Michelangelo and finished years after his death at the top of Capitoline Hill, the hill on which rests Roman's capitol building, similar to ours in Washington DC, and in front of which I am in a facebook picture or two. Surrounding this square, which is actually trapezoidal in shape to give the illusion of spacial expansion, are museums which house your typical glorious Roman statues and artwork on the walls. These statues include the original Marcus Aurelius statue, which is the only survived bronze equestrian statue from ancient Rome, as all the others were melted down for other uses. From within and around these museums and this piazza, great views of the Colosseum, the Roman forum, and even St. Peter's Basilica are available to visitors.

I know I sound like a guide book, but this was just about the most exciting tour I've been on, and it was for class! How great is this place? So there is your history lesson for the day. It just excites me so much, and I thought I should share my excitement with the blogger world.

As for my normal life...since yesterday, not much has changed. We threw a small surprise party for one of our friends who just turned 21 last night. He was glowing when he walked in. It was a lot of fun. Everyone tried his new creation of a drink: vodka, orange juice, carrot juice, and whole blood oranges, chopped up to absorb all the other flavors. I might be missing an ingredient or two, but it was by far the most delicious drink I have ever tasted.

Tonight is the pre-dinner drink with the Italian students. The plus about these "apertivi" is that at them are served "appetizers"...obviously you all know what appetizers are, but their reason for being in quotes is that when we attend such things, we just stuff our faces with the food provided to save on dinner. Economical, I know. The life of the study abroad student.

As for the rest of the week, I realized that in the grand scheme of Rome, I have been absolutely no where! So my goal is to get out and get to seeing. I have not even seen the Vatican yet! Granted, I live far away and I've only been here a week, but I am still an American at heart and time's a-wasting!

Buon giornata a tutto!

Home Sweet Rome.

I know it's been a long time since I have last posted. I have just finished cooking my second big meal in my Rome appartamento: rosemary chicken with a side of pesto pasta and broccoli. Fancy stuff, I know. I love love love my apartment and my roommates and I get along really well, especially my direct roommate, Catherine.

Let me start from the beginning, and bear with the length...
Day One in Rome was the most exhilarating feeling. We took at 4 hour bus ride from Florence and it seemed to take forever. I was just so excited. We were dropped off in a Bus parking lot and took a cab to our apartment. I was so giddy riding in the car with Cat at every turn, I was peaking beautiful views of the city that was to be my home for the next three months.

I have three other roommates, and we held our breath as we pulled up to the apartment in Trastevere, preparing ourselves for the worst, as the area directly surrounding leaves something to be desired. But we were met cordially by the sweetest woman of a landlord and we entered the most perfect apartment for all of us. As she showed us around, we got more and more excited as we saw everything. It's tiny, but it's just right. We have a washing machine, a dish washer, a microwave, a stovetop and oven...all very simple things, but like I said, we were expecting a roof over our heads. The last thing we saw took our breath away . The shining piece of paper in the middle of the dining room table that had our WiFi password! We were jumping for joy to be able to be connected free of cost. We immediately took advantage of our ability to settle in. That night, the four of us went out to a cute Italian restaurant and enjoyed our vino bianco over some nice bonding conversation.

The next day, Sunday, we had a brief and informative orientation, followed by a short practical tour, which showed us where the school and surrounding important things were, ending in Piazza Navona. It was a beautiful day and a group of us decided to trek it over to the Colosseum, stopping of course at the Roman forum on the way. We took too many pictures, and I even touched the Colosseum! That night we ventured over to the Vatican area to find Mexican food. Yes, Mexican food. You'd be surprised how old eating pizza and pasta everyday gets. Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff...but we just felt like switching it up. The night was such an adventure. By some stroke of luck, we found our way there, guessing on a bus route and getting help from an English-speaking boy on the way. The restaurant was an adventure too...as there was twelve of us! But it was so much fun. We spent a fortune, but it was so worth it. Delicious sangria and burritos. I had missed ethnic food so much!

After that, everyone was down for going to party it up and watch the superbowl, but here it didn't start until 12:30 AM, and with a 9 AM class, Cat and I decided to find our way home. Only we had no idea where to even begin. The ten other girls told us it was easy enough to figure out. Unfortunately, we decided to jump on the first tram we saw. We looked at the map on the tram, and figured we could just ride it around and eventually end up where we wanted to be. That was a silly idea. Again, we were fortunate enough to be helped by an English-speaking boy, named Laber, and who also spoke fluent Spanish. Smart kid. But not smart enough to get us back to where we wanted to go. We followed his directions and took the underground to a bus station and hopped on a bus that seemed to go in the right direction, until it wasn't anymore. At the point we realized that we were completely off track, it was 11:50 PM and the public transportation system shuts down at midnight here, with the exception of a few night buses. So we had to get off and just cab it home. It was scary. It was frustrating. It took us two hours to get home. But it was kind of good to get lost for the first time and we were happy to finally get home, safe and sound, and exhausted for our first day of classes.

Classes started off as they usually do for me, overwhelming. When you're thinking about all the travelling you want to do, on top of all the Rome you want to see, on top of midterms and papers and finals blah, you just wonder how you will do it all. And by you, I pretty much just mean me. But I'm feeling a lot better about it this week. I like most of my classes, except for Italian Literature, which is a bummer, because I thought I'd really like it. But the professor just talks at us for 2 hours a day and it's so incredibly boring. Hopefully things will look up.

I love my Art History class. We actually have class on site a lot. We went to the 12th century Basilica di San Clemente last week and saw Mosaccio's fresco. It was really cool. This Basilica was actually built on top of a 5th century Basilica which was built on top of a 1st century house, attached to a 1st century temple. So we were able to go downstairs and check out all these ancient buildings. So cool. My International Economics course is pretty cool, but as with all economics courses for me, it takes me a while to wrap my head around everything.

Some of the AIFS stuff I did this week was pretty cool too. On Tuesday, we had an apertivo with the program again, which is a before dinner drink, accompanied by a lot of appetizers. It was in the Ducati Caffe, so there were motorcycles in the back. It was a lot of fun, and I saved on dinner that night by stuffing my face with the food. Best part, it was all free!

Wednesday I attended a cooking class. Watch America, I'm coming home a culinary master. We went to Francesca's house. She is a native Italian and she, her husband and daughter were all so nice! We made pasta all'amatriciana, meat sticks (thinly sliced beef rolled and stuffed with grounded beef and ham), and for dessert we made chocolate and coconut balls and ricotta and coconut balls. It was so delicious. And it was really relaxing.

This past weekend was filled with adventure. Thursday night we tried to find a bar in Testaccio called "On the Rox." We wandered around Rome for 3 hours and finally gave up, frustrated with the cold. Friday, we were more successful. We went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner (I know...we are easily bored). It was really good and really cheap. Then we visited another friend's apartment and drank some wine. Then we actually found On the Rox and it was a blast. The ceiling was decorated in rocks and there were so many AIFS people there. It was very American, but I was able to make casual conversation with one or two Italian men. As sketch as these guys can be, I don't hate being able to practice my Italian. They even correct me, which is nice.

On Saturday, Cat and I explored Rome and saw the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. Everything is so much more amazing in person. We also had the most amazing gelato next to the Trevi. Mango, melon, and peach. Ahhh! So goood! I've decided that I will try every gelato flavor known to man before I leave...so again, prepare yourselves for a bigger and better Allie.

I have some good things to look forward to: another apertivo tomorrow night, with Italian students this time, a Carnival party on Thursday night, a Roma soccer game on Sunday, and then Dave Matthews Band in Rome next Tuesday. Not to mention the last weekend in February, I'm visiting the lovely Celia Fox in her temporary home of Prague!

So many things to look forward to, but I'll always miss home a little bit. Some days more than others. I'd like to thank everyone who has put up with my stress and my struggles to adjust. But it's a new week, and I'm feeling really good about it.

A prossima!

Arrivederci Firenze

Today is our last day in Florence. It's a little sad, but I'm more excited than words can express to finally get to Rome. To finally settle in, no longer living out of a suitcase. To sleep farther than 2 centimeters from my roommate. To be in Roma! But this also means that I have to use this day to soak up all that is Florence and commit its beauty to memory. Today is my last chance to walk across the Arno River. To easily walk anywhere and everywhere (Rome is just slightly bigger than Florence). To know my way around (until I get my bearings in Rome). To avoid the dirty business left behind by all the Florentine dogs (they literally do not even attempt to clean up after their dogs, here). To rock out one last time, Florence style.

Of course, tonight we have to study for our final exams, so technically last night was all or nothing. We went to this classy bar called "Moyo." It was really fun, but one cocktail was 7 euro. A budweiser was even 7 euro. Not so fun. We stayed out far too late and I struggled through class today. But it's over now, so thus begins another (hopefully) fun-filled day. Perhaps I will shop around the Florence markets or climb the Duomo. The weather is not very favorable today, unfortunately, so we shall see where the flow takes me.

As for the last few days, they have been typical: filled with fun things to do, but slightly calmer than other days. The wine tasting was great. It was in a castle, and we were given four wines to taste. Two of them were different types of Chianti Classico. The last wine was a dessert wine that burned like brandy and had an almond taste. They gave us a side of biscotti to actually dip in the wine. It was delicious. The view from the castle was amazing. We took some really nice pictures, some a bit life-threatening.

Yesterday was our double-class day. It was definitely a rough day. And I did abosolutely horribly on my listening and comprehension test, but life goes on...After class I did my first load of hand-washed laundry. Not quite as fun as it sounds, but such is one of the many possible joys of the study abroad student. Clean undergarments are a pretty important thing.

Nothing too exciting, aside from the impending departure to Rome tomorrow afternoon. It will probably be a while before the next update, as I don't even know how I will get to school in Rome, let alone find internet.

But until then,

Ciao!

Venezia, Siena, e piu...

Riding on the bus back from Venice, looking out the window at the snow-covered fields rolling through, tears formed in my eyes. Not because I was sad, but because it was just so beautiful. Then I cracked open my journal and wrote twelve pages, as I was able to snag a seat by myself and get some much-needed “me-time.” That’s right, twelve pages…so get yourselves ready for a long one.

I left you all in suspense on Thursday about the Uffizi Gallery and “L’Italiana in Algeri.” They were both incredible. Peter was my tour guide again. He talks a bit much, but his Dutch accent is so enchanting, you can’t help but listen to what he has to offer about Giotto, Caravaggio, Rafael, and the other artists I had the pleasure seeing in this huge Florentine museum. Of course, he couldn’t resist making his snide comments, poking fun at the other tourists whose voices were “too loud” for Peter to give an audible explanation of any given painting.

The opera was so beautiful. So many colors. So much talent. And so funny, as well. Unfortunately, I was only one of a handful of students who actually stayed through the entire thing. It was understandable, as we were all tired and opera is an acquired taste, I suppose. We were also up with the sun to leave for Venezia on Friday. After a four hour bus ride, with a stop to the most elaborate rest stop I have ever seen (they sold DVDs and wine and nutella-to-go) and a water-taxi ride, we arrived, tired and hungry. So we immediately went to find food, and of course, like American magnets found a panini store. I don’t know how Italians are not obese. The only food we all have for lunch is pizza or panini, senza verdure (lacking vegetables). I don’t know what’s going to happen to my body by the time I come back, but I know it’s not going to be good. I also know I don’t care too much because everything I eat is amazing.

Friday afternoon in Venice, we visited some more great museums flooded with more Renaissance art. I won’t bore you with all their names, partially because I don’t remember them entirely. But we did learn some interesting facts about Venetian art: while other Renaissance artists gave their paintings a very finished look, like Michelangelo, Venetian painters are quick, and don’t attempt to cover their brush strokes, so they show in the finished product, as in works by such artists as Tintoretto, of which I saw many.

After the tour, we went back to the hotel. I was in the Centro Culturale. The other half of the group was in another hotel. Now…let me tell you a thing or two about my hotel. It was once a monastery. And if that wasn’t interesting enough, post-monastery, it was orphanage. And it is a very creepy place. We’re not talking creepy Spanish film “El Orfanato” creepy, but still. We actually got the better of the two hotels, so I can’t complain. The best part about our living situation for the weekend was that I was able to stay with my roommates for Rome. We had a nice bonding experience and it was good to actually live with each other and feel secure that we all mesh well together. It made me quite excited to go on and get settled into Rome, where my apartment is (according to Google maps) only a 20 minute walk from school. Not bad!

For dinner, we found a deliciously cute Italian tavern and enjoyed a nice meal. Then I forced a small group to go on an adventure in search of gelato. After asking for directions at the other hotel, we set out and ran into this place called “Grom,” where we met a really nice English-speaking Italian women studying International Business. After the adventure, everyone was too tired to continue, so I gave up nagging and we turned in early.

With Saturday came more and more cold cold cold museum visits. But it was so beautiful! We took a short gondola ride across one of the rivers, just to get the experience…it was somewhat horrifying. I pity the poor men whose lives are at risk everyday as they actually stand on these things. We went to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Palazzo Ducale (Duke’s Palace), where we saw the largest canvas painting in the world, by Tintoretto. There was also a prison in the basement, which we took a tour through. Despite the loss of feeling in my toes, it was an educational morning.

With our free time Saturday afternoon, we decided to go to the top of the St. Mark’s bell tower (Fun Fact: every church here has a bell tower). We could see pretty much all of Venice. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy, as it had snowed the night before (which also left the piazza in front of St. Mark’s flooded, requiring us to walk around on raised planks). Then we took a water-taxi to Murano, one of the Venetian islands famous for its glass. We got to see glass-blowing at two separate factories. One man was making bicchieri (drinking glasses) and the other made a horse. It was so amazing! Then a few of my friends purchased some glass souvenirs, with the hope of their survival during transportation back home. That night, we found a bar in the Campo de Santa Margherita called Madagan’s. It was full of AIFS students. It was a bit overwhelming, so I hung out in the less crowded back room and had some nice conversations.

Sunday morning was my favorite. We went to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, which, once home to Peggy herself, is now home to some of the most famous contemporary artists. I saw Picasso, Magritte, Chagall, and Jackson Pollock. My favorite was a painting called “At the Cycle-Race Track” by Jean Metzinger. Ah! I could have stayed there forever, but eventually hunger took over. On our way out, we were stopped by a Venetian man trying to sell us water color paintings. He gave us a demonstration of his work, speaking quickly in broken English (much like I would sound speaking in Italian). He gave us a nice parting, saying "Love art. Everyday. Ciao. Happiness. Ciao." We hung out in Venice until two o’clock and then trekked it back to Florence, glimpsing the breathtaking snow-capped Alps as the bus pulled away.

Travelling didn’t stop there. On Monday, we made our way to Sienna for the day. It was so beautiful! The view, the Duomo, and square in which they have really intense horse race competitions every summer between the “neighborhoods” of Siena, which are all named after animals. My tour guide was wearing a gothic pink and black hat with cat ears…she even showed us the store she got it from! I can give you the address if anyone is interested in expanding their wardrobe.

Unfortunately, in Siena, I experienced my first taste of culture shock. After our guided tour, we went shopped around as almost every store had “SALDI!” written on their windows in big red letters, meaning “SALE!” And now for the story of how I got a stern talking-to from an angry Italian woman: In America, (any sentence starting with this phrase for the next three months has a high probably of ending badly)…In America, when shoe boxes are laid out on the floor, it’s typically a self-service deal. In Italy, nothing is self-service. If you try to serve yourself, they know you’re a foreigner. So I kneel down and open a box to examine a shoe and the angry Italian woman came running toward me, first yelling in Italian, and then switching to English at the look on my face. I felt as though I was being scalded for theft. I felt so awful, I just apologized (in Italian, of course) and left. Other than that little mishap, I’d say Siena was a success. I got some real nice pictures out of it… but I’m still gonna leave you all in suspense on those. Our advisors also got us a nice treat. Something fried and delicious. I will find out the name later. Promise.

Yesterday was another great day…there are nothing but things to do here. We went to the Academia after classes and I saw Michelangelo’s David. I stared up in awe until my back hurt and I had to sit down. This guy has got it going on. He is all that is man. He is literally the most beautiful piece of three-dimensional artwork I have ever seen. He is perfect. My guide for this tour was an interesting man named Luca, who gave me and a friend travel advice: Sicily is now on the dream travel map.

Then I had a meeting about volunteering while in Rome. There is a variety of opportunities, but two in particular interested me: language assistance to elementary school children, or working with a center for immigrants and refugees. I’ll have to look more into them before I make a final decision.

Then, to end the night right, we went to a bar called “Bebop,” at which a Beatles cover band was playing. I again got that delicious drink with all the crazy ingredients and the funny name, for the sole reason of being able to commit its name to memory: Caipiroska alla freggola (freggola means strawberry, one of its main ingredients).

Today we are going to a wine tasting in Tuscany. It should be good. If I discover any delicious delicious wine, I shall inform you and demand that you go find it at your local wine (or grog) shop. And tomorrow we have double class to make up for the class we missed for our trip to Venice on Friday. Not exactly what I would call fun, especially since during the double part of the day, we have an oral listening and comprehensive quiz. Zero fun. But it’s always good to face your biggest fears. Of which I have many…but that’s what I’m here to do. Face my fears. It’s the scariest feeling, but I’m pretty sure this is what it’s supposed to feel like, so I’ll go with it.

Until next time,

Ciao. Happiness. Ciao.