2 week notice.

Two weeks left, and I'm dreading leaving.

I've had an amazing experience here, and I never want it to end.
As the end gets closer and closer, I realized there is still so much I want to do! I started making a list in my head, and doing things as the opportunity arises.

My Roman "Bucket" List - Things to do before May 8th at 7 am (when I leave for the airport and the states)

For example, today I ate a Kebab in Piazza San Pietro at sunset. It was one of my goals to finally get a kebab here, so I did!

I want to either get gelato or a cappuccino everyday.
I want to get the famous Nutella Calzone from Dar Poeta.
I want to go to the morning market in Campo for dried fruit and nuts.
I want to go to the Sunday Market in Trastevere.
I want to see the Sistine Chapel.
I want to go to Piazza Navona.
I want to see the Bocca Della Verita.
I want to take the Angels and Demons Tour.
I want to go to the bookstore down the street and buy myself a beautiful Italian book that I can't read (YET).
I want to speak as much of this beautiful language as possible.
I want to talk to old ladies on the bus - the 23 and 990.
I want to have the courage to get up in Scholar's on Karaoke Tuesday and SING!
I want to walk along the banks of the Tiber River.
I want to go to an AS ROMA calcio partito! (soccer game).
I want to say "ciao!" to a child.
I want to drink out of the water fountains on the street.
I want the Gnocci with Vodka Sauce from Tony's.
I want to get lost one more time in this amazing city I now think of as my home.
I want to hear the Pope speak on Sunday afternoon.
I want to climb to the top of the Basilica and admire the city.
I want to drink wine and eat bread.
I want to see a movie at the cinema.
I want to cherish every minute of every day in this amazing, wonderful, strange, enchanting place I call home.

I want to know I made the most out of my experience here, and take it all home with me. My 4 months in Rome.
My pocket full of sunshine.

What a Beautiful day in Rome

It was such a beautiful day, with all the flowers and plants on the Terrace blooming,

that I decided to take some pictures,

make a pitcher of sun tea,

and sit out with a good book.

It must have been at least 75 degrees.
Molto Belle!!

Pasquetta at il Vaticano con Il Papa! (Easter at the Vatican with the Pope!)

Easter morning, I wake up at 6:15.
Put on the Easter Dress mom sent (Which was beautiful by the way), and ran to the Vatican. I even forgot to put on makeup!
I get there at 6:45 and stand in line - near the beginning which was exciting.
Christina got there with our tickets at around 7:15, and we wait to be let in. There is a group of Americans behind us, including an old Grandmother, and she was easy to make conversation with. She said she'd pretend to need to be carried in so we could get in faster. We all laughed.
I wished I had a cappuccino and a cornetto, but knew I was getting my Pasquetta Dinner later! :)
Next, the line starts pushing, we're hurried through security, and I step into the square to see... people running.
Like its Supermarket Sweeps or something.
RUNNING in Piazza San Pietro! I walked, and still managed to get a SEAT, near the front of the square. It started drizzling as we sat and waited for the Mass to begin.
The Piazza was decorated BEAUTIFULLY, with trees, beautiful yellow flowers, grass, light pink blooms on the bushes.
There is an old French couple sitting in front of us, and an Irish Nun next to them. There are two young Russians next to me, A group of Mexican students behind me, and an American family, in their best Easter attire next to them.
We're all here for the same thing. So what if we only understand the one reading or psalm spoken in our language.
Its the experience we're here for. Finding God in that cold, rainy Square. Filled with song, hope, and strangers, who would all be brought together by one thing - The Rising of Jesus.
Soon it starts raining harder. And harder. Its downpouring.


The Sea of Umbrellas behind me.

I sat in the cold rain and listened to the mass, getting pictures of the Pope (Il Papa!) when I could.
Then, a few Priests stepped down into the Square. They were giving Communion. I don't even remember the last time I had communion - and I couldn't believe they had enough to give the thousands of Pilgrims in the Square that day.
The Mass ended, I hugged my friends and I returned home in the pouring rain to prepare myself a Traditional Italian Pasquetta Feast - Ravioli.
I put on Indiana Jones movies and boiled my Ravioli. Topped it with some Balsamic Vinegar Crema, and shredded Asiago cheese. Yummm!
It was delicious, and soon, I was Skyping with my family, who I missed very much.
Mom showed me the Lamb cake, and I was passed from person to person. It was so much fun, especially seeing how the babies have grown! Ethan looks like a little man with all his blonde hair, and Elliott, was smiley as always.
It was really nice to see Momo and Papa, who I haven't seen in too long.
You definitely take holidays like Easter for granted until your sitting on Skype, being shown what the Easter Bunny put in your Niece's Easter Basket.
It was an amazing experience to be in the Vatican for Easter. The singing. Everyone brought together to experience the Mass for the Rising of Jesus.
I will remember being in the Vatican for Easter forever.

Corn Flakes straight out of the box :)

When we used to go grocery shopping with mom, she would always let us open 1 thing and snack on it on the way home.
Cheese, deli meat, chex mix, grapes. Anything, but everyone had to agree on the 1 item we would snack on.
As I was walking home from the GS mercato, I opened my box on corn flakes and nibbled on a few between the 2 blocks from the GS to my apartment.
I stopped, looked down at the box of Corn Flakes clutched to my chest as I stood at a red light and smiled.
I like random memories, and I especially love traditions and little family things that you don't even realize you do, until your away from them, and standing at a red light in the heart of Rome, with a box of 50 cent corn flakes open and clutched to you.
I miss my family a lot, but its times like this when I realize that I'm blessed to be here, and know that I'll return to them, just the same as when I left :)
Ciao!

Yiamas! Opa! Greece! Spring Break 2010!

So its the Friday morning of Spring Break, and all my friends are going to Greece, London, Paris, Dublin - everywhere, and my plans? Laundry and possibly, mopping the terrace. Great.
Mom calls me on Skype and asks what my plans are for Spring Break - if I booked anything with my friends. Nope.
She asks casually what my friends are doing - and I tell her they're going to Greece with Bus2Alps. Bus2Alps? She asks - and I tell her about the trip they booked. A few minutes she (again casually) asks my passport number, before telling me she booked me to Greece for Spring Break!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its a mad dash to do laundry, go to H&M for some springy shirts, clean the apartment - including the fridge! ew! and start packing!
The next morning I wake up at 7:00 - even before my alarm goes off (which I cleverly made 'I'm on a Boat') and Alicia and I do all our last minute stuff - straightening our hair, putting on makeup and grabbing the trash out of the kitchen. Before I know it, we're on the Metro on our way to Termini to meet up with the group. The first person I see is Mor - and she's STUNNED to see me! We go grab cappuccinos and cornettos, before we make our way back to the group where we meet up with Christina, who was even more stunned to see me!
Such a great start already!
We start our 6 hour bus ride (thank God for movies! We watched Old School and the Italian Job) across Italy to the port. From there we board our first 16 hour ferry. The airline seating is pretty bleak, so Christina Mor and I decide to walk around, maybe get some dinner. Spaghetti and Greek Salads fill everyone up, so we decide to have some wine and watch TV in the seating room. I should have know that with over 100 college students on their way to spring break, it would have been a shit show. Well, needless to say, it was loud for a while. I lay down on the floor with my Lufthansa blanket and soon a Greek Trucker lays down close to me. HELL NO! It was a little awkward getting kicked twice in the night by him! We wake up and head to the cafe onboard for Cornetto and water. We ask one of the waiters how to say "thank you" in greek, and we also ask how to say "hi" and "cheers". So finally the next day we get to the next ferry port where we take another hour ferry to Corfu. We got sandwiches and sat on the deck. We finally arrived in Corfu and took another 45 minute bus to the Pink Palace. Which truly is HOT PINK! We settle in - I was assigned a room with two girls who were studying abroad in Florence. We chat for a bit before I meet back up with Christina, Faith and Mor - and we all pass out for the rest of the day!

We wake up in time for a beautiful sunset, and happy hour and dinner so we head down. Chicken and Potatoes, the most amazing soup and a greek salad! We stay after dinner for some drinks and a little fun! There was traditional Greek Dancing, which I was absolutely hypnotized by, The black white and red, the dancers twisting and kicking, linking arms and spinning around, and soon the dancers reached out and grabbed us and taught us a few moves. Greg and I were linking arms and jumping around only seconds later!

It was a blast. We get back to our rooms around 2:30 am and I fall right asleep.
The next morning we wake up early and rent ATVs. After our EXTREMELY BRIEF lesson - the four of us are ripping all over the island on our ATVs! Soon, Mor is down a ditch, I almost flip mine and so we decide to stop for cappuccinos, free shots of Kumquat liquor and some sun. The kumquat liquor was amazing - and only produced on this Island! They used an amazing process where they crystalized Kumquat branches - so that you could pour vodka into the bottle and reuse the branch 3 or 4 times! Christina and Faith bought some, and Mor bought some Kumquat perfume (which smells amazing!!).
We get back on our ATVs and head back out. We end up on a major road, with cars honking at us and passing us!!! AHHH! We try to find the nearest place to get off the road. We try "off road-ing" up a dirt road, but Mor and I got stuck, so we went back down - next were winding up a mountain and we decide to stop for some amazing pictures of the island. I look over the side, and spot some tiles. We find 4 perfect blue and white flowered tiles, and decide to take 1 each - to remember the mountain. (Mine is sitting on my windowsill). I think I found myself up on that mountain top, as well as the tile. I realized who I am, who I'm not, that shitty things happen to good people, but there's no reason to dwell or let anything keep me from living my best life, or from doing what I want to do. It was so liberating - letting go of almost two years of repressed self-hatred can definitely lighten one's soul.

We get back and shower and get ready for the Toga party! It took me so long to decide how to do mine - but finally we're all ready so we head down for dinner. Meat and green beans. And then after dinner, the toga party begins! We drink some Ouzo and listen to great music - before I know it - more Greek Dancing - there is a circle of fire on the floor and plates are being thrown all around the dancer in the middle of the circle. Soon the lights are back on, and one of the bartenders comes out in a toga and spartan helmet. He's carrying a pot of Ouzo, and is followed by another with a stack of plates. This is intriguing. They start giving shots and breaking plates over peoples heads. How do I get in on this?! Is all I can think. I run to the other side of the circle.

Next thing I know, I have two shots of Ouzo being poured in my mouth, before I even saw the man with the plate, I FELT the plate being smashed over my head! OPA! I bend down and grab 2 pieces of what was once the plate that was smashed over my head only seconds ago. We go to bed early, because the next day was the "Booze Cruise" - of which I will call the "Booze Cruise" lightly. Because A) there were only 15 people, and B) no one drank! The day before, 65 people had gone, and we heard some wild stories. The Pink Palace is know for its crazy Booze Cruise.
So we get up early and are the first in line for the Cruise! Yes! Until we realize, its 65, cloudy, and RAINING! Booo!
So we get some breakfast - corn flakes and Greek Yogurt - yuuummm! Soon we're changed into swim suites, and ready for our cruise. We see that we have to swim about 50 feet to the boat. FREEEEZING! I'm the first person out to the boat. Soon we're on our way. We get to the cliff and I'm the first person out in the freezing water. I'm cliff diving! I'm overcoming my fear I'm just gonna do it! I get to the cliff, and Bartender Mike - who runs the Cliff diving - gives me a couple pointers on free scaling the cliff, and I'm on my way. As I'm free scaling the cliff, barefoot and wild, it felt so instinctual.
I get to the top, and wait for Christina, Mor, and the other jumper to make it to the top. Next thing I know, I'm standing over the edge of the cliff, watching the rain fall down into the sea. I ask for a countdown and they start it at 5. By 2 I've leapt into the air and out over the edge of the cliff.



10 minutes (or 3 seconds) later, I'm in the water and swimming back to the boat. There I watch my friends jump. Faith, then Mor, Christina, the other kid, and finally Mike.
We all did it! Next we're on our way to some caves, then a beautiful secluded beach. I got two rocks to bring back one day, and

took some beautiful pictures. I got to drive the boat for a while, and took the captain hat. Haha!
So now its 6 pm and we decide to shower, get dressed, pack, bring our bags to the luggage room, and head down for dinner. Spaghetti. We head back up and get ready to leave for our bus to the ferry. We get up there to realize that I've been put on a different bus than the other girls. Boo! Its an hour before we reach the port, and load onto the ferry in the rain. The ferry feels like days but was only a few hours. We board the buses again for our overnight ride to Athens. I fall asleep and wake up many times on that trip - but we finally end up in... Athens? THIS is Athens?? But this is dirty and run down - it doesn't look like the Athens I've dreamed of. We load into our hostel where I'm the first to take a shower. We grab some breakfast before we head out on our walking tour. We see The Temple of Zeus, The Arch of Hadrian, The Acropolis, the Parthenon and a central square, where we got our first Gyros! We stop at... wait for it... STARBUCKS!!!!!!!! Where I had a Zen Tea. (I know, how did I go to Starbucks for the first time in MONTHS and not get some kind of foofy whipped creamy blended coffee drink). Then we head back. We get ready for dinner and headed out. The entire group goes to dinner where we get a sampling of traditional Greek food. A Greek salad, Calamari, Lamb balls, and Fried Feta (my new obsession). Then we got 4 traditional entrees - Chicken and pork kabobs, Mousaka, and veal. Everything was so delicious! Fruit for dessert (aww maaaan no Baklava??) (Mor and I were pretty disappointed). We make our way back to the hotel - the obnoxious Americans that everyone makes sure to stare at! We get home and get right to bed. It was a looooong day.

We wake up early for our Greek breakfast - cereal and yogurt - not as good as it was in Corfu - but who's complaining?! From the Hostel we take the Metro to a bus to a ferry and we're on our way to Aeina - a quaint little island. I saw my first blue and white church - and fell in love.

I walked in and asked if I could take a picture. This church was no bigger than my room at home (including the walk in closet) but was painted so beautifully, with a tiny place to light candles, and a box of postcards placed on a folding table near the door. I bought one and continued out and through the island. We walked around the island and stopped for lunch on the boardwalk. I ordered the fried feta and some tzatziki. An old couple next to us hears us speaking english, and the woman perks up. She's British, and her husband is Greek. They lived in Athens for 30 years before moving to Aeina 9 years ago. They celebrated their 44th anniversary on Tuesday. :) We talk about what we like about Greece, what happened to Athens, Obama, and how she hoped we made it back to the island one day.
I was so happy as I sat listening to her stories, as I dipped my hunk of break into my creamy tzatziki. I sat soaking in the culture as well as the sun on that boardwalk, listening to everyones conversations in Greek. Its like Italian, but dirtier - like, a gritty language for the sailors sailing from Island to Island, trading and selling.
We go through the maze of back streets, taking pictures, and getting whistled at from boys in passing cars.

We finally make our way to the beach and I fall asleep. After soaking up all the sun the day will let us, we decide to get our desserts. We find a nice cafe and order. We all got "Freddocinnos" - which was like a coffee drink which I swear was blended with chocolate ice cream. Christina and I got huge slices of Baklava, and Mor got a different dessert. I cherished every bite of that Baklava - wanting to read it poetry, and take it for boat rides on a small lake. I'll remember my first bite of Baklava, as I sat in a shaded cafe, sand in my hair, my friends to my left and right.

We make it back to the ferry at 5 and wait for the rest of the group. We load the ferry and return back to Athens. The four of us decide to have a quiet night, and we order pizzas and risotto, watching CNN in the Hostel before packing and heading to bed. We wake up early the next day - check out and have enough time to butter my 2 pieces of toast and run. We load the buses - again on another bus than my friends, and I read the entire 3 1/2 hours to the port. We stop at a rest stop where we see the historical canal that connects mainland Greece with many of the surrounding islands.
Soon we're on the ferry. The 21 hour ferry. Bleh! We find the aptly named "bat cave" a secluded room with less seating where many of our friends were, and unload our things.
We walked around, grabbed some dinner (Greek salad and Baklava anyone?) and walked around the ship. The Baklava was an obvious choice for me. My last chance for a piece of the layered honey nut goodness. As we're paying and waiting the kitchen manager walks up and sees Mor and I with our traditional desserts, and Faith with her cheesecake. "You can get that anywhere! " He says, "but these desserts are special!" He grabs her cheesecake and says he'll be back with her Baklava. He returns with two plates. Baklava for Faith, and a dessert for us to share, made of syrup and flour - meant to cleanse the palate. Interesting. I thought it tasted like the peanut cookies from Chinese Kitchen, but who was I to complain - free desserts in Greece? Sold.

We sit and talk until we're asked to please leave, they're beginning to clean.
We go back, sit, talk and paint our nails. Not much else to do on a 21 hour ferry.
I actually got some descent sleep and woke up at 9 am the next morning. After cornflakes, Greek yogurt and a chocolate cornetto, we pack up and wait for our arrival in Italy.
We get in 2 hours late, and unload from the ferry. Mor, Christina and I make a beeline for a sandwich stand on the boardwalk, and it was so nice seeing everything in Italian, and not strange Greek letters I only see on hoodies or charm bracelets back home.
I tell the woman behind the counter how much I love Italy, and how happy I was to be back and speaking Italian. She smiles and agrees as she hands me my rustico panino and coca cola light.
We wait around for an hour or so before loading onto the buses. Its a 6 hour ride back, and we watch The Departed and Mean Girls.
The views of the snow covered mountains on the way back to Rome were AMAZING. I loved it so much.

It was one of the best weekends, and I'll definitely never forget it.

"Sto Piovende" ("Its Raining")

The Roman Rain is my favorite thing here, and as I am officially at the half-way point (AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!)
I decided to take a video of the rain out my window on my street to remember the sight and sound forever.
It starts with the dog across the street, sleeping just out of the way of the rain, down to the orange tree in the courtyard of my apartment building, down to the busy street in front of me, and ending again with the dog. (I can't help it - he's too cute!)
Enjoy :)



My Italian Professor told us in class that its not normal for it to rain this much in Italy..
I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I love hearing it hit my windows, and seeing the shadows it casts from outside at night.
I love stepping in puddles, I love how it cleanses the city, how it perfumes my clothes when they're out drying.
I love how violent the Tiber River flows after a hard rain, pushing over its banks and bringing tree branches down its path.
I love the Italians and all their umbrellas, a sigh of relief as they step onto the 23 and shake off their umbrellas as they find an open seat.
I love staring out the window in class as the rain falls.
I love way the plants on the Terrace are that much greener, thankful for their drink.
I love seeing old men standing in the doorway of Tabacci's with their hand out, feeling the rain, deciding when to leave the dry warmth and head to their destinations.
I love walking in the rain, feeling it on my face when I move my umbrella.
I love seeing Italian children in their bright rain boots stomping through, their old grandmothers holding their hand, but away from their bodies to avoid getting splashed.
I love the soggy newspapers used as makeshift umbrellas as we get off the Metro.
I love everything about this Roman Rain.

Ciao!

St. Peter's Basilica

I went to St. Peter's Basilica this Sunday, and it was absolutely amazing.
It was such a spiritual experience. Words will do it no justice, nor will the pictures, but I'm going to post a couple of my favorites, rather than talk about it - needless to say it was an amazing experience and I hope you enjoy the pictures :)


This one is by far my favorite.



This was a close second, she was filled by the Holy Spirit. But my favorite thing about this, is that her body forms a cross on the ground in front of here. Amazing.


I loved the high domes, with the beautiful artwork. It was so colorful and bright.


There were a few windows that made me know that the Holy Spirit was inside that Basilica.


This is a frieze off near the tomb of Pope Innocent I believe.


Again with the high amazing domes.


This is one of my favorite pictures. I don't fancy myself a photographer at all, but I really like the composition of this one.



The Holy Spirit shining down through the high windows.


Again, I like the composition of this one, with the marble column framing the dome behind it.

A thank you to Larry and his Wife

I woke up early today and studied for my midterms - left the apartment feeling really good (not to mention the weather in the mid-upper 60's) and caught the 23 on time!! A few stops after I got on, an old American couple got on with their Roma Passes and Rick Steve's book. Larry (I read his name off his Roma Pass) and his wife were in awe as we passed the Castel St. Angelo and turned down the Via delle Conciliazone - with the amazing view of Piazza San Pietro. We continued into Trastevere, and they smiled so wide, remarking that the Tiber must look so beautiful when the trees are in bloom, and that "this truly is an old city!" Larry's smile was from ear to ear as he hugged his wife close and opened their dog-eared, post-it'd Rick Steves book.
It made me so happy - thinking that this was their first time in Italy, first time seeing all the amazing sights, that I have become used to.
This was their big adventure.
This is my big adventure. Without Larry and his wife, I really don't think I would have realized it.
Every day I become more and more aware of how lucky I am to be experiencing Italy.
So thank you Larry, and your wife, for being in the right place at the right time, with your old Rick Steves book, and huge smiles.
I'll remember you both forever.

I took two midterms (Roman history and Italian) and got home in a daze.
My brain is soo fried from taking two huge tests.
I was barely thinking as I chopped an onion, two cloves of garlic, browned a package of ground beef and boiled a pot of pasta. I added Caprese Sauce and a little pizza sauce and it was amazing.
It truly amazing that a home-cooked meal can make the most hectic of days just melt away.

I'm studying for Ancient Rome and its Monuments, and putting on a movie.
Turning off my brain and enjoying my night with a bottle of water and a bar of chocolate.

Ciao!

The Borghese Gardens and The Sunday Papal Blessing

Alicia and I went in search of the Bocca Della Verita yesterday so we got on the Metro and got of at the Piazza del Popolo. There was a HUGE protest going on - I couldn't tell, but I saw a lot of anti-mafia banners and t-shirts.

Alicia and I made our way up some stairs to see the view - when we saw another set of stairs we walked up and found what we later learned were the Borghese Gardens. There were busts all over the HUGE park and we walked around for hours. It was such a beautiful day ( I FINALLY got a chance to wear my sandals!!! ) There was a small pond adorned with a Greek style monument with row-boat rentals, and the swans all around made it so picturesque.



We kept walking and found the Roman Globe Theatre, but it was closed!
From there we walked back to the Piazza di Spagna, and took the Metro home.
The Borghese Gardens go on my Top Ten Most Beautiful Places in Italy list - which seems to grow and grow every weekend that I go exploring!!

Then when I got home I took a shower and got ready - Anne's friend who is studying abroad in Spain came to Rome for the weekend, and we all went out to dinner in Trastevere. I had the Gnocci al Gargonzola - AMAZING.
The waiter brought us free Limoncello shots after dinner.

We went to a Pasticceria (bakery) and I found my favorite kind of Italian cookie! It was a great ending to a great night out.
We caught the bus back home where I studied for my midterm for a little while before falling asleep early.

I woke up this morning (Sunday) and decided to see the Pope, and receive the Papal Blessing! I got dressed, and brought Mom's rosary with me - she gave it to me to get it blessed by the Pope! And made my way to the Vatican.
When I got close I decided to stop at the little shops near the vatican to get a few various souvenirs to get blessed.
(Including a rosary for myself made out of crushed rose petals - it smells amazing)

I go to the Vatican almost every day. I sit, observe, watch, listen and soak it in. Its my favorite place to be. But today, there was a whole different feeling. Seeing the many thousands of people packed into the square, anxiously awaiting the Pope. As soon as I stepped foot into the Piazza, I started crying. It was just so amazing.



I waited about 20 minutes before the Pope came out and performed his blessing - I took a video of almost the whole thing! :)
It was truly an amazing experience, I felt so blessed to be there and experience it.
At that moment it hit me that many Pilgrims make that very trip, some only once in their lifetime and I have to opportunity to experience it 8 more times before I leave.



It brought a lot into perspective for me - including getting those extra couple hours of sleep. Some people will NEVER get to experience what I've been given the opportunity to experience. Its time to get out there and start experiencing it.

Taking it all in - the crowd going wild (as if at a goal at a tied soccer match) when the Pope came to the window - cheering when he blessed the individual nationalities - especially when he blessed the Italians - you would have thought AS Roma scored a winning goal against Lazio (their biggest rivals).
The nuns in their full habits, holding their rosaries in their hands, as they looked up to the pope.
The little girl next to me smiling and pointing " il Papa! il Papa!" (the Pope! the Pope!)

It was definitely an amazing experience that I'll cherish forever, and definitely do every Sunday after this.

Ciao!

Panchetta, Mozzarella and Basil Pizza Bites

I've become obsessed with cooking, and trying new recipes.
Last night I made an Italian style Goulash, and today it was Panchetta Mozzarella and Basil Pizza bites - those two recipes are thanks to http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/ - my new bible.
The recipes are all amazing, and totally easy to make!

I made the pizza bites as a late-lunch/mid-afternoon snack, and they were AMAZING. I adapted the recipe for the mozzarella and panchetta, you can really add anything you want to! I heated up some of my Basil pizza sauce to dip them in - BELLESSIMO!
It was so good. They were a perfect snack out on the terrace in this gorgeous spring weather.

Enough raving about them, here's the recipe (the way I made them)

1 ball mozzarella cheese
1/2 container of refrigerated pre-made pizza dough
5-6 tufts of basil - chiffonade
1 small package of cubed panchetta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (which I guessed was 375 degrees C)
Line a cake pan with tin foil and drip olive oil and spread with a paper towl - remove excess oil

Let pizza dough sit for 20 minutes out of fridge, then pull about a golf ball size and flatten it.
Rip into mozzarella and put as much as desired onto dough
sprinkle a few cubes of panchetta, and a bit of the chiffonaded basil.
fold everything into the dough - like a pillow - and place into cake pan - roll dough ball in oil to coat.
Make as many as desired
(I made 12 using the 1/2 container of pizza dough, 1/2 the container of pancetta, and the whole ball of mozzarella - I snacked on the mozzarella as I was making them ;])
Then cover with fresh black pepper and a little salt - to taste

Bake for about 20 minutes - or until the dough is golden.

I also had a little pizza sauce on the burner and it made for a great dipping sauce for the pizza bites!

Ciao!

Caravaggio!

So last night we went to the Scuderie del Quirinale for the Caravaggio exhibit.
The exhibit was to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of the great baroque artist (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) who has even been hailed as "the father of modern painting"! He was even considered "the most famous painter in Rome!
The exhibit featured showing 24 major works by Caravaggio - the most ever compiled in a single place!
It was so interesting to learn that he painted many of is works within MONTHS of eachother - they're all so beautiful it seems impossible.

I think his most famous paintings are Ragazzo con Canestro di Frutta (Boy with the Fruit Basket) and Canestra di Frutta (Fruit Basket). - What I found most amazing is that in Canestra di Frutta, the basket is meant to symbolize the wife of Jesus Christ, and the fruit - which is starting to decay (the leaves are dry and the apple is worm eaten" - that symbolizes that "all things decay" - scholars imply that the basket represents the Church, and that it represents its offer of humanity to all of mankind.
Pretty cool.

Some of my other favorites were Amor Vincit Omnia (Love Triumphant), and Conversione di Saulo (The Conversion of Saint Paul).
Its so amazing how he used light to portray emotion in his paintings.
I also learned that during a tennis match he accidentally killed his opponent and was given the death penalty!!
He then left Rome and travelled Napoli, Sicily, and even Malta!

The exhibit left me with a desire to learn much more about Caravaggio and his masterpieces.
It is one experience I would put on my Top Ten in Italy - it was only 7,50 E for the exhibit - one I will most likely attend again.

Brie Bruschetta

So, I'm becoming painfully aware that my study abroad experience/ travel blog has become more and more of a food blog, but this recipe is AMAZING!

Its for a Brie Bruschetta.

Heres the recipe (with my slight variations)
1 or 2 pieces of crusty bread. (I used one big piece cut in half)
7-8 cherry tomatoes (Quartered)
Brie
Pesto (The recipe didn't call for pesto, but it REALLY made a difference!)

First thing I did was put the Brie in the freezer for 30 minutes, to harden up so I could cut it.
Then, I put a little olive oil on the bottom of a pan and put the bread in with the flame high.
As they were toasting, I quartered the tomatoes, and took the rind off the Brie.
I flipped the bread so it could toast on the other side - when it was almost done, I added the Brie until it was slightly melted.
I spread the rest of it with a knife, then spread a little pesto over the Brie, and covered the entire piece of bread with the tomatoes.
(you could probably use less tomatoes, but I thought it was delicious!)



I hope you enjoy!

Ciao!

"La Nevicata!" ("The Snow!")

For the first time since 1986, snow fell in Rome. It was amazing. The flakes were HUGE and although it lasted only maybe an hour, (and was completely melted within maybe 25 minutes), it absolutely gorgeous to see the city covered in a thick white blanket of snow.

To see the palm and orange trees covered in snow was pretty crazy.

Anyway, I just thought that the first snowfall in 24 years was "blog worthy" :)

Ciao!

sea-monkey water is actually pretty good! salute!

Anyone who knows me knows how picky I am about my water.
Well, I stayed late at school and didn't get home til 10 - the market was closed and I'm out of water...
oohh jeeze.. looks like tap water tonight...
I figured this would be photo worthy...
Enjoy.




I filled my glass with sea monkey water.. ohh jeeze.. here I go..



It smells alright...



Hey.. This isn't bad at all!!



Molto Bene! Salute!!
The sea monkey water here is pretty good! Its so good that I actually won't call it sea-monkey water!
Its tap water, and with my Sigg waterbottle, its an extra 1 euro a day I don't have to spend a day!
I'll drink to that!!

Ciao!

Venizia for Carnivale!

Carnivale!
It was an amazing experience. I woke up at 6:15 and took a quick shower, dried and straightened my hair, threw on some makeup and left the apartment by 7:00.
I walked to the Metro station, and took it all the way to Termini - the train station. There the whole group met up, checked in, and waited to board our buses and get going.
I met two girls who live in my neighborhood on the Metro and hung out with them all day.
I bought some chocolate and an overprices bottle of Coke - afterall, it was a 7 hour bus ride.
So at 8:30 we finally head toward the buses. Biggest fake-out of my life. These beautiful huge comfy looking buses were waiting.. behind two dinky buses.. siiigh.. here we go Venizia!

We finally start our voyage an hour and a half late, and I'm crammed between four people in the back of the bus - even the tour guide referred to my seat as "the bitch seat" - great.

An hour outside of Roma, a girl feels sick and decides she doesn't want to go.
"Can you turn the bus around??" - OMG WE'RE ALREADY RUNNING LATEEE!!
We pull off at a rest stop where she gets a taxi home.. - I can only IMAGINE what that ended up costing her!

We take off again, and drive about 4 hours before stopping again.
The sights were amazing - mountains everywhere! The fog was so thick as we climbed the mountains, then as we came down we saw amazing snow covered peaks.
When we stopped for lunch - I luckily still had some chocolate, so I just stood outside talking with my friends. It was surprisingly warm as I looked at the snow on the mountains.

Finally the last leg of our voyage. The last two hours were pretty uneventful - we watched My Best Friend's Girl - a HILARIOUS movie. I usually shutter when anything with Dane Cook comes on, but he was actually pretty funny in the movie.

So we get to Venice! (YAY!) and they tell us that since Venice is all canals and such, the bus cannot get us to the main island, San Marco, and that we needed to buy Waterbus Tickets for 16.50 - greeeaat. Good thing I didn't buy lunch after all.
We also bought our masks - mine was the most amazing green and gold mask with obnoxiously large green feathers :)

The Waterbus left right at sunset, and the view was INCREDIBLE. The setting sun cast the most amazing shadows on the water.

Finally we get to the island, put on our masks, and soak Carnivale in.
Like nothing I've ever seen. The party was HUGE.
We made it into the Square where a huge stage and lights were set up. There were masked people everywhere - the crowds were amazing.
The energy was explosive. There was a group banging drums, singing, chanting with banners, dancing in circles and making their way across the whole island.

We walked around for hours, I was amazed at Venizia's beauty. The canals with Gondala's lined up waiting to give the riders the romantic experience.

Venizia is like a maze of small alleys and canals. I would love to get lost in Venizia. Its so gorgeous.
So finally, we decide we're pretty cold and could sit down for a while. The nearest cafe we walk into looks perfect. I got a bowl of soup, expecting it to be MAYBE 3 euro. FALSOOO - it was 8 euro. RIDICULOUS.

After dinner we walked up and down the boardwalk again, stopping and looking at what every vendor had - the masks were amazing. So different and so breathtaking.

At 10 we decided the lines for the waterbus would be CRAZY and decided if we wanted to catch the midnight bus back to Roma, we should start heading back.
It was actually a lot quicker than we anticipated, so we walked around the market for about an hour, I bought Kacie a mask, and a fabulously tourist-y I <3 VENIZIA shotglass for her collection.

Around 11:20 the bus drivers pulled up, and we pleaded that they open the bus for us to sit for a while.
They obliged and let us on. I honestly fell asleep for a while, and as the bus filled, I was more and more ready to be back in my bed at home.

Finally we take off, with only a few annoyingly drunk people.
The tour guide put on Legally Blonde 2, then Legally Blond 1 (odd to play them out of order...)
and then no movie for the last 3 hours.

We finally pulled back to Termini at around 6 am.
Hopped on the first Metro back and was in bed by 6:30.

By then it was Valentine's Day!
I skyped Kacie to say Happy Valentine's day, and fell asleep.

The pictures I took in Venizia will NOT do it justice, but I will post them later tonight ( I haven't uploaded them yet)

Venizia definitely goes on my Top Ten most gorgeous places in Italy.

Ciao!

Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti, Fontana di Trevi e Sausage, Tortillini and Spinach Soup!

On a cold and rainy Thursday, Molly, Alicia and I decided to adventure out to the Spanish Steps.
We took the Metro (subway) which got us there in literally 5 minutes.
Breathtaking.
Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (The Spanish Steps) is the longest and widest staircase in Europe!!
When you arrive at the top, there is an Egyptian Obelisk, and a beautiful Baroque church.
I felt just like Adurey Heburn in Roman Holiday!


The church on top the steps is truly amazing. I lit a candle inside, and we left the church and were back out in the rain.
Got back on the Metro and this time ventured out again to the Trevi Fountain.



It is so gorgeous. Much more beautiful than any picture taken. I drank from the side fountain, then threw in my coin.
I shall return to Rome!
The Trevi Fountain is MUCH bigger and MUCH more beautiful than I expected. The sculptures are enormous, and the water is the most amazing crystal blue I've ever seen.

I said my prayer over my coin, kissed it for extra luck, then threw it in the fountain.

When we got home from our adventure in the cold and rain, I decided to make some soup that Kacie sent me the recipe for.
It was a sausage and spinach Tortellini soup. YUMMMMM

Heres the Recipe:

Sausage and Tortellini Soup with Spinach

½ tbs olive oil
½ lb hot Italian sausage
½ medium onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 pkg. fresh cheese tortellini
1 ½ cups baby spinach

Cook the sausages in a pot with hot oil – KEEP TURNING THEM.
Take sausage out and place in a bowl. IN SAME OIL, sauté onions, add garlic – for about 30 seconds.
Add broth and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cut sausage and add to pot. Stir in tortellini. Cook until tender.
Stir in spinach until just wilted (About 1 minute)
Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.

Thats it for now!
Ciao Ciao!

Laundry that smells like Roman Rain

Theres always something about rain in a city that gets me. Call me a romantic, but I'll never get tired of this Roman Rain.
So my clothes are hanging out to dry (under a roofed part of the terrace) and it starts to rain. This is the most fresh Roman Rain I've seen. I smell my clothes, and they are just everything Roman Rain should smell like.
I love the rain in my city.

Its true, Italian dogs speak Italian.

I was walking home from school last night, and as I was about to cross the street (on a red!) a man and his dog came up behind me. The dog started to walk - but the man wasn't about to dart through cars, so he says "ASPATA!" (wait).
The dog looks back. Looks at me, then sits.
Amazing.
So there you have it.
Italian dogs speak Italian.

Ciao!

Sofficini a la Hillary!

After a long day in class, and a far walk home, I decided I would treat myself to a nice meal.
But wait... I forgot to go grocery shopping. :(
I've never been able to make a "mom-meal" - mostly everyone who is reading this knows the definition, but I'll explain what a "mom-meal" is anyway..

A "mom-meal" is a meal that only mom could make. She would go through the cupboards, get the most random ingredients (that we always seemed to overlook) and have a delicious meal made in no time, to satisfy our stomaches.
So thats a "mom-meal", and now back to my dilemma.
All I have is 2 frozen sofficini, a box of frozen peas, a bunch of tomatoes, a head of garlic, about 1/4 of a red pepper, the last little bit of my jar of barilla basil pasta sauce (which lasted quite a while!) and olive oil.

Ok.. I roll up my sleeves, its "mom-meal" time.

I heat up the oil in a small frying pan and add the sofficini (basically a fried dough with spinach and mozzarella filling).
While those are browning on both sides, I cut up 5-6 small tomatoes, the red pepper, and a clove of garlic.
When the sofficini are brown on both side, and cooked through (no longer frozen in the middle), I took them out and put them in my bowl.
I threw out the olive oil, and coated the bottom of the pan with fresh oil (not too much). I added the tomatoes, garlic, red peppers, and frozen peas and reduced the heat. I kept tossing them until the garlic was done, and the peas were no longer frozen.
While that was happening, I cut the sofficini into quarters.
Next, I spooned the vegetables on top of the quartered sofficini and added the basil pasta sauce on top of the whole thing!
So delicious.

I asked my chef Kacie for ideas on how to make it better. It was just so good! Maybe some more fresh mozarella? Maybe some sort of bean? I'll try MANY variations on the meal and keep you posted!
MY first "mom-meal" was a success!

I was so good that I looked up a recipe for Sofficini (as it is ONLY sold in Italy) AND FOUND ONE!
I can't wait to try my hand at home-made Sofficini!
Anyway, here is the recipe:

Ingredients: 1cup flour - 1cup milk - 1tbs butter- 1 pinch of salt - 1 egg - breadcrumbs - oil for frying

In a saucepan place milk, butter and salt and bring to boil. Tip the flour in - all in one go - and stir well with a wooden spoon till you obtain a ball of paste that has left the sides of the saucepan clean. Cook again for few minutes then take off heat. Roll out the pastry then cut circles with a cup or a glass, place the filling, then close the circle and press the pastry edges together to seal. Coat them one by one, first in beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Fry the sofficini into a deep frying pan (you'll need few minutes until they have turned a nice brown colour) and serve hot.

I washed down my dinner with some Panettone (YUM) and am just getting ready for bed.

Ciao!

Open Air Market!

HOW COULD I FORGET THE MARKET!!

We went to the market on the first day. Its the largest open air market in Palermo.

It was so amazing.

The fishermen calling to all the people in the market to come buy their fresh catch (most of it still alive),
all the vibrant colors of all the fresh fruit and vegetables, the meat hanging up over their booths.

I got the most fresh and delicious strawberries (fragola) for only 60 euro cents.

We were followed around by stray dogs all day - I named the three that were around the most.
Pal - because I was a tough looking boy dog (and we were in Palermo)
Bella - A pretty dog that barked at traffic to make sure we crossed ok
Best - The most horrifying and gross looking dog that kept sniffing the garbage on the streets, looking for food.

Ok,
Ciao

"You won't keep yourself away from here for long"

Sicilia.
BREATH-TAKING.
The best weekend I've had in a LONG LONG LONG LONG time.
This blog post will do the weekend no justice, but I'll sure try. It was the kind of weekend that will be a memory for life.

I "woke-up" at 3:45 am on Friday morning (I say "wake-up" because I never actually slept) and walked to the Vatican to meet up with Mor. She and I walked from there to school, and met up with Yu and Rola at the Piazza Trilussa. From there we split at taxi to the airport and made out way to our gate. We got there like 2 hours early, but so was everyone else in our class.
We went to the cafe in the airport for a little breakfast - I got a bottle of water and a croissant.

We boarded our TINY plane and departed for Sicily, Palermo with the sun still resting under the horizon.
As soon as the run rose, all I could see was the sea. Soon, the mountains came into view on the other side of the plane. They were so amazing. So tall, up into the clouds.

We landed and got the train from Punta Raisi (the Airport) into Palermo Centrale Station. On the train we met Andriae, a hilarious, and kind native Sicilian on his way home for the weekend from the military. We spoke as much as we could with him and he taught us some Sicilian dialect! He showed us the way from the station to our hotel, and left.

We got in at 8 am and check in wasn't until 12, so we all piled into one room and slept. 5 girls on the futon, 6 people in the bed. We waited for our professor, and some other people who landed later than us.

After that, we walked around for a bit, and got a family style dinner at an amazing local restaurant. We all wanted to try the local sea-food (which is AMAZING) and some of the dishes included Squid Ink pasta, fresh swordfish, Spaghetti with Mussles, Zhuccini and Prawns, and delicious grilled calamari.

From there we went out for a few beers with the professor! He even took a shot with a couple of us!!
The shots were amazing - "Rum e Perra" (bacardi rum with a pear juice chaser) for 1 Euro.
We left the bar and went looking for somewhere else to have a few drinks and dance - it ended up being this awesome club in a cave underground. We made our way home, hung out for a while longer, then a couple of us went out again at 4 am in search of food - we ended up in the same area as all the bars, got some delicious 1 euro sandwiches, and went back to the hotel.

The next morning we woke up and got ready to walk around. We walked to the catacombs, which were closed, and so we walked to the Castel Zisa. It started pouring, but the castel was AMAZING.

Castel Zisa was built around 1150, and still represents Paradise in Palermo. You look out one window you see the mountains, you look out the other window, you see the ocean. "La Montana e il Mare"

Then we went to an AMAZINGLY beautiful Norman Cathedral. It was so gorgeous, and I was thinking about Sicily and how gorgeous it is, I was looking at a statue of The Virgin Mary, and all I heard when I asked her about Sicily was,
"You'll be back - you can't keep yourself away for long". It was so amazing to hear, and I also knew it was true.

We walked back to the hotel, and got ready for... THE OPERA.

We went to the Opera, Nabucco. It was so gorgeous. It was on my list of things to do in Italy - see an Italian Opera.
Our seats were on the very top of the Teatro, and the view was incredible. It was a two hour opera, and then we went to dinner with the professore again.
Another family style dinner, and we tried a little bit of everything, Christina got the sardine balls, and they were pretty delicious! I also tried artichoke blossoms, and the Panelle - fried chickpea and parsley. SO GOOD!

We made our way back to the hotel in the pouring rain and decided to go to bed - we were in the restaurant until 12:30!

We woke up early again and got ready to go. Our first thing we wanted to see was the ocean. I walked along the beach and picked up a shell and a piece of sea-glass. (So that I could return the shell to the same spot one day). Then we took a train up into the mountains to get a view of all of Palermo. It was so amazing, even though it was pouring rain.

Up on the mountains, I got amazing food, and great pastries. We tried Lobster tails (a great pastry) and then caught the bus back down to Palermo.

We got pizza in a great pizzeria, and walked back to the hotel. We got our stuff and decided to get to the airport early. So we took the train into Punto Raisi, and hung out in the airport for about an hour and a half, two hours.

I got an amazing Sicilian Cuisine cookbook, and flipped through it as I ate some delicious milk chocolate, and waited for the plane. We boarded and soon we were back in the air on the way home.

The turbulence was so bad, that the pilot had to fly in the opposite direction, and we flew over Napoli!
We made it home, took a train into Trastevere, Mor and I took the tram over the Tiber, and waited (for a half hour) for the 23. One of the guys from my apartment was waiting for the 23 as well, so we all talked and walked back from the 23.

I got home at 12:30 and took a shower and went to bed.

Sicilia. The most amazing place I've EVER seen.

Ciao.

Carrot Spaghetti

So Its been three weeks, and I'm sickkk of pasta and pizza! So I figured I'd try something a little different.
Get ready to have THE MOST DELICIOUS Carrot Spaghetti.

I went to the market and got just 4 ingredients:

3 big carrots
1 little onion
2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
1 jar of any kind of pasta sauce you like (I got Barilla Basil sauce)

To start, I used a vegetable peeler and peeled the carrot into long thin strip and put those in a bowl.
Next I diced the whole onion (feel free to leave the onion out.. I thoroughly enjoyed it)
Use 2 cloves of garlic (I could have used more) and dice into small pieces. Put the onion and garlic in another bowl, mix up.

Next I coated the bottom of the frying pan with olive oil - i used a little too much, so, just lightly coat the bottom.
When the oil gets hot, put the carrots in and toss constantly. Keep checking for how soft they get.
When they start getting pasta like, add the onion and garlic. Let the onion get transparent, and the carrots get soft and spaghetti like - I just taste tested when they looked done.

I emptied the frying pan into my bowl and coated it with a little pasta sauce - however much you want.

It was SO tasty! And a GREAT alternative to heavy starchy pasta.
Then I powercleaned the apartment, took a quick shower, and am hopping into bed - gotta be up and at the airport in 5 hours!

Ciao Ciao!

L'autobus, il Colosseo, e "coca-cola light"

What a day already.
I woke up at 7:45 - LATE! I rushed out the door, barely any makeup, hair crazy (thats what I get for going to bed with wet hair) and no gloves! (BURR!) I walk to the Leone stop and catch the 942 bus to Piazza Venezia for my very first on-site class (Capitoline Hill).. I got there at 9, and looked. and looked and looked.. Walked around.. and looked some more. Ancient Rome and its Monuments was no where to be found.. After walking up and down the Fori Imperiali a few times, I decided that since I was already there, and was CLEARLY not going to find my class, that I'd do some exploring of my own. I walked down the to Foro Romano e Palatino, and took some great pictures. Then I walked down the il Colosseo (the colosseum). Took some more pretty great pictures. I debated wether or not to go on the Colosseo tour (and decided against it) and walked around a bit more. Then I played a quick game of L'autobus roulette, and hopped on the first bus I saw (going in the direction of campus) I think it was the 527? It took me back over the Tiber! Yes! But.. kept going, until I went through the tunnel near the Vatican - ooopps. Too far! I hopped off the bus, crossed the street and prepared myself for another game of bus roulette, when I saw a Roma Souvenir Shop. I walked in, got a few postcards for Mom, and walked back outside - the 416 (?) pulled up and I got on. It went back over the Tiber (shoot) and I got off at the first stop I could. I decided not to chance it (although I had plenty of time and a 24-hour bus pass) and walked over the Tiber and to a bus stop that I'm familiar with. I got on the 23, which stops RIGHT IN FRONT of the Tiber Campus. I got myself a bag of Pugliesi and a Coca-Cola Light and headed to the Student Lounge. I don't have class until 3:45 - Fascism and Authoritarianism in Italy, Spain and Portugal. So I'm doing some reading, and (of course) blogging! I hate that I haven't really been able to keep up with the blog, which such a terrible internet connection here, but maybe I'll do most of my blogging here at school, where the internet is at least descent.

I haven't figured out how to post pictures yet, but expect some good ones when I get it figured out!

Questo è tutto per ora! (that's it for now!)

Ciao Ciao!

Best. Gelato. Ever.

I decided to indulge in some gelato tonight, and went to Old Bridge. The BEST gelato place in the Vatican area.
I got the 2.50 Euro portion of pistaccio and hazelnut combined.
It was delicious, and ate it faster than normal.

I also figured out how to ride the bus today and rode it halfway home, met the girls out for dinner, then walked home.

Its nice to have all of tomorrow off to get some homework done, book my flight to Sicilia, go shopping, and just lay around.
I feel like I'm going to enjoy having Friday's off. Its nice. :)

A domani,

CIAO!

Doing as the Romans do! All week!!

As you can see, I haven't posted in a few days (mi dispiace!) I've been so busy with classes starting and settling into my Roman life!

Classes so far have been good!

Monday from 2:15-3:30 I have History of Rome and Ancient Italy. Its really interesting so far, and I got the book half off from someone who took the class previously! (ALWAYS LOOK AT BOOKS FOR SALE HALF-OFF SIGNS AROUND CAMPUS!)
And then from 5:15 - 7:05 I had Intensive Italian. Which is proving to be quite useful when speaking to the owner of the minimart right next door to our apartment. (He loves that I'm improving my Italian!)

Then on Tuesdays I have only Intensive Italian again from 5:15 to 7:05. The textbook for Italian is around 116 Euro, so I'm splitting with a few people from class, and making copies. Last night I got a pizza and a bottle of wine on my way home (but was too tired to eat it.) I missed being in Theta meetings, but slightly enjoyed going to bed at 10:45 on a Tuesday night ;)

Wednesdays I have my same Monday Schedule, History of Rome and Ancient Italy, and Intensive Italian.
I went to school with Alicia today (early) and did some homework in the library.
Then during my break I had just enough time to finish the Permesso process, and I am now legally permitted to stay and study in Italy! (Yay!)

And Thursday I have Ancient Rome and its Monuments at 9:30 AM until 12:15. From there I only have Intensive Italian at 5:15.

I'm really enjoying Italian, and having it everyday. The professor refuses to speak English at all in class! Its challenging, but definitely worth it. (Next weekend 28/31.1.2010, the class is taking a trip to Sicily!) I'm very excited, we're working on all the details, and I'll know all the details tomorrow, but apparently, its only going to be 95 Euro!

I also took my first bus today, I walked half-way to campus then caught the 23 all the way to the Tiber campus. Its a really great feeling being able to navigate my way through the streets of Rome.

I also talked to Tatjana yesterday on Facebook, and am planning my first trip out of Italy and into Germany! It'll be so much fun to get to see her, and experience another country.

I have to walk everywhere, and the the only shoes I brought have heels. The cobblestone roads have ruined the heels, and I'm going shopping with one of my friends on Friday to "Europeanize" our wardrobes! I'm DEFINITELY starting with a pair of black boots! WITHOUT HEELS! The bright side of walking everywhere is the great shape I'll be in. At first, climbing the stairs of our apartment would leave me wheezing and my legs burning, now I don't even realize I've walked up all those steps!

I'm looking forward to the nightlife - my roommates went to a Karaoke bar last night (I had too much homework to go!), and I want to go there soon!

I haven't eaten anymore gelato, but I might indulge in some tomorrow while I wait between classes. :)

I think that's my whole week thus far, so "a domani!" (til tomorrow!)

CIAO!

Campo de'Fiori

We went to Campo de'Fiori tonight and it was pretty crazy. We walked to San Pietro and got a taxi to Campo de'Fiori. We went to the Drunken Ship, where we got free shots, then went and watched Italians attempt to play beer-pong. Next we went Sloppy Sams, another American bar. They were playing Lady GaGa when we walked in. Got more free shots and had another couple drinks. We stopped at this fabulous sandwich place and got prosciutto and mozzarella sandwiches and ate them in the taxi on the way home. We got let off at Old Bridge, where we explained to the guys what we had to drink and where. We got Gelato and walked home.

Gelato flavor of the day: Nutella

CIAO!

When In Rome...

Honestly, tonight has been my slump night.
I knew it was coming - but it hit me like a ton of bricks. We walked from our apartment in the Vatican in to Campo Di Fiori only to decide the bars were just too crowded and that we were all home sick. We got gelato on the way home - I got fragola (strawberry) and it was really quite good. It brought me up a little bit. I also uploaded my pictures onto my computer, so photo posts are coming soon!

We did our permesso de soggurno today (our permits to stay) and do the Italians LOVE their paperwork!
Lorenzo our land lord came over today to fix the breakers and say "ciao!"
I also signed up for soccer try-outs! They're on monday and im really excited! I hope I make it!

The SALDI (sales) are BEYOND AMAZING here - I can't wait to get some tall black and brown boots I scouted out yesterday. It'll be nice to have a relaxed day tomorrow - everyone in the apartment definitely needs a relaxed, wake up whenever, day drink kind of day before we make the trek back out the the Campo Di Fiori -- until then, I'm probably watching UP on my laptop and trying to fall asleep with just my Lufthansa blanket.

Gelato Flavor of the Day: Pesca (peach) and Fragola (strawberry) -- I know. I stopped for gelato twice today! Homesickness calls for Fragola gelato from Old Bridge.

CAIO!

Correction!

For Alicia's birthday, we're not going to Rome or Napoli - we're going to Paris or Napoli - our first out of Italy experience!
ok,

CIAO!

Rome in one day...

So, today was eventful to say the least. The girls and I from the apartment went looking for the Trevi Fountain after Orientation and well... We found the Pantheon, The Colosseum, The Roman Forum, Etruscan Ruins, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We must have walked so far today. It was amazing, but I just felt like I crammed it all too much, and wanted to spend more time at every monument.

My favorite place was the Pantheon, I got Mango gelato and ate it on the steps of the fountain right outside the Pantheon. GORGEOUS. So the sales here are so fabulous - I'm going back to get a pair of black and brown boots tomorrow - they were only 35 euro!

The Colosseum was breathtaking - and came out of nowhere! We crossed the street, turned the corner, and there it was. The Colosseum. I can't wait to go inside it, but heard that it was expensive. :( Oh well! When in Rome!! (We also discovered the Colosseum Bar Crawl - it starts at midnight and follows all the bars around the Colosseum, you end watching the sun rise on a hill overlooking the Colosseum - we're planning that soon, I'll let you know!!)

The Roman Forum was crazy. Seeing all those statues was just so crazy. Knowing they've been there for so long. Its breathtaking.

There are Etruscan Ruins EVERYWHERE. They're so gorgeous. The bright green grass under the fallen columns. So gorgeous. As we were standing there admiring them, a man came up with the most beautiful scarves I've seen ever! I didn't want to buy the first scarves I saw though.. So I said "no - grazi" and kept walking (we later found another stand and I indulged myself in two GORGEOUS scarves - one green and one pink.) All I need to know now is how to tie a scarf like an European!

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was also breathtaking, and in the middle of a city. I love how Urban Roma is (except for the graffiti EVERYWHERE). It was so beautiful.

We also walked through the Vatican again before we realized that we would be walking through St. Peter's Square EVERY DAY ON THE WAY TO CLASS. It makes me so happy. I also realized that on the way back from dinner, all the pictures I show and all the explaining I do will NEVER serve the Vatican at night justice. Its so gorgeous. I can't wait to just stand and look, and become familiar with the Vatican.

I bought my first bottle of wine today - only 5.50 euro! (I'm sure a massive hangover will ensue).
We also started talking about where we wanted to travel first. Alicia's birthday is next Friday, and we're most likely going to Rome or Napoli. I can't wait.

I ordered my first gelato and dinner in full Italian today. It was so exciting! When I bought my scarves I also only spoke Italian. Its just so real, I'm here. I've seen all these things, and I can interact with the locals. It makes me so happy to see what I can accomplish.

Its chilly outside, but we don't care - we're going out.

Gelato flavor of the day: Mango

CIAO!

(I know I promised pictures today, but I need my camera for tonight, so I'll either upload tonight after the bars, or tomorrow morning.)
Ok,
CIAO!

Home at Last!

What an adventure the last couple hours has been. Since getting on a plane in O'hare (there was no one famous afterall), I took an 8 1/2 hour flight to Munich. Waited in the Munich airport, took a flight into Italy, moved into my apartment, almost got killed A MILLION TIMES by the taxi driver driving like a maniac, had some delicious pizza at a Trattoria and Pizzaria, from there my four roommates and I walked 10 minutes to the Vatican, and I was amazed by its beauty. Just the size and magnitude of it. Its awe inspiring. I can't wait to see it in the daylight with hundreds of thousands of people there. After taking a million pictures in the Vatican (my third country today), we went to this fabulous hole in the wall Gelatoria. I had the Nutella flavor. It was so good.

But here's a little more:

Munich:
-Observations-
1. Germans are tall
2. I am short
3. Adelholzener bottled water is pretty spectacular
4. The terminals are like 2 miles apart.. and I was wearing heels..

Also in Munich: Matt you would have LOVED the outfits the German police wore. They were like brown sweaters with dark green pants, it looked pretty hilarious.

Rome
-Observations-
1. Everything is relatively cheap
2. ASK THE WAITRESS FOR THE CHECK!!! (If not, you could get stuck at your table for over an hour, in your coat, with your money in your hand - they will ignore you if you don't ask.)
3. Everything is so laid back.
4. Its stunning. No where else in the world will you hear the sound of a choir singing in the Vatican at midnight, and a car horn blaring right behind it
5. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in Rome is graffiti'd.
6. If you speak a little Italian here and there, the Italians will love you.
7. The Vatican is gorgeous

Gelato Flavor of the Day: Nutella

Thats it for now. I'll upload the Vatican pictures tomorrow - its 1 am and I'm sleepy.

CIAO!

Someone famous??

So they're taping down cords and setting up cameras and lights in the terminal next to me.
Someone famous coming in? I'll keep you posted!

Sitting in O'hare

So, I got here 4 hours early - just to be safe. It was a pretty smooth start, except that my bag as 3 km overweight - they gave me a cute little Lufthansa box (apparently its only United Airlines that only lets you check one bag, under 23 km) so anyway, I got through security and got to my gate. B16 - until I saw that the Gate said: Dubi.. Umm, not right. I went up and asked - they only said, yes of course, your just 4 hours early. So I sat down, hopped on the internet, and am writing! Its dark outside, except the blinking lights of planes out on the runway. I'm still not nervous. I think it might hit me as I sit in the airport in Munich.
The terminal is completely empty, except me, and a young asian mother feeding her baby a bottle, and some guy that just walked by me with a bag of McDonalds fries. Yum.
Mom called on skype, already comforting to hear her :)

1 day left

I woke up this morning knowing I still have so much to do.. but now, there is so little time to do it all. As I was packing, it hit me. I am leaving for Rome tomorrow at 8:55 pm. Its been so far away for such a long time, that now that its tomorrow, I'm just getting a little nervous. Can I do this? Can I be independent of everyone here? Of course I can - I have to. At this point, there really isnt a choice.
This is it. Roma.
I am so excited for this, but as always, my fear of looking like a tourist, and not knowing the language is making me nervous as well. So is the fact that I am about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. All by myself. I can't wait to get into Rome, see everything, just soak it all in, then get to my apartment in the Trastevere neighborhood.
Ok, I still have a lot to do today, so I'll pick up with this later.
CIAO!