Soak It All In

It is my last week in Italy. I cannot believe it.

Friday morning I woke up super early (5:15am). It was actually under 90 degrees for my run! When I got back we all got ready to head out. We took the metro to where we were meeting our program as well as Michigan State people to head to Tuscany!

After hours on the bus we arrived at Castello Banfi, a Vineyard in Tuscany. The history of how this company came to be is like a dream. It is far too long to write here, but sometime I will share it with those who wish to know. So this vineyard was absolutely gorgeous! We got a tour of the vineyard and saw how they make the wine. Then we went up to the castle for wine tasting! We were given three different red wines. It was all so elegant. Afterward we were able to purchase wine if we wished. I got a bottle of white and red for when I cook Tedo's pasta for my parents. After that we got back on the bus and drove through the hills and stopped in a small village for lunch. We proceeded on to the train station where some of us got off the bus to continue on to Florence for the weekend. The rest of the program headed back to Rome. So we got our train tickets and boarded. Oh my goodness. Hottest 2+ hours of my life. No air conditioning. We were literally dripping (pleasant, huh?). After 2 hours of sitting in this train a man came storming by and a few minutes later he returned with a worker on the train. Apparently there was the possibility of air conditioning but they did not feel the need to turn it on. Because of this man's complaints they turned it on and the last 20 minutes of our trip were a bit more comfortable!

We arrived in Florence and found our hostel immediately. It was right around the corner from the train station. We checked in and they upgraded us for free to the hotel which they also owned. We were living in luxury that night. There was air conditioning! The shower actually had water pressure and there was a TV in our room! Wow. We were so used to not watching television we did not feel the need to really even watch it, but having the possibility was awesome. We left our stuff in the room and headed out to explore Florence. A bunch of us ate at a restaurant and since we had a large bill they gave us free champagne, saying "To friends from friends". How nice of them! I fell in love with Florence. The people were so nice and it was not has insane as Rome. We went to bed semi early because we had a full day on Saturday.

When we woke up Saturday morning we realized we had not slept that well since we arrived in Italy. I actually used my blanket! We got ready and talked to the front desk about reservations to museums so we would not have to wait in long lines. I reserved a ticket for The David as well as the Uffizi. We then went the leather market and walked around. I am proud to say I finished getting gifts for my parents and friends. We spent a lot of time and money there. I left to go see The David with a few people. It was so nice to have a reservation because we did not have to wait in line for hours. Once inside the museum I turned the corner and there he was. I had no idea how huge the sculpture was! I could not believe I was actually seeing the David in person. Never in my life would I have imagined I would get the opportunity. After I saw all I wanted in that museum I headed back to meet up with my roommates that wanted to go to the Uffizi. Inside that museum we saw Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and more. Before this trip I was never huge into art, but boy did that change. My roommate Jill loves art history and she was my own personal tour guide. I learned so much and I was in awe of everything I saw. We walked around that museum for hours. After, we left to go to Piazelle Michelangelo (picture). It is on top of a hill that overlooks all of Florence.

It was beautiful! We wandered down the hill after spending a good amount of time taking pictures and enjoying the view. Our train to head home was leaving in about 2 or so hours so we had to start heading back. We walked across the famous bridge, Ponte Vecchio to get back to the side of the river we wanted. After a beautiful day in Florence we got on our train and headed back to Roma. I can definitely say by going on that weekend trip I fell in love with Italy again.

Sunday morning I woke up early to go run with Amy. It was our last run together so I decided to bring my camera to document it all! We somehow calculated the miles and time incorrectly so I ended up running longer than I wished and Amy had to take the metro back to her home because she was going to hit 16 miles!

Yikes! Then my roommates and I went to the market one last time. I had to get another suitcase because I was planning on sending stuff home with one of the girls as I continued to travel on after. I also found some last minute things I did not know I needed. The rest of the day I hung at the apartment. I was planning on going out to dinner with people but the heat was really getting to me and I felt very faint so I went to bed pretty early.

Monday I had class again, but this time it was changed back to 2 hours long. After I went to St. Peter's Basilica. My roommates and I went to the Catacombs where the Popes are buried. We saw Pope John Paul II as well as many others. It honestly brought tears to my eyes. We spent a good amount of time in there but then we decided to go to the highest point in Roma. 551 steps later I arrived at the top. I cannot even explain the view. You walk out of the stairwell completely exhausted and out of breath and you lose your breath again when you walk out to the railing. Looking out you see all of Roma.

You see Bernini's St. Peter's Square with welcoming arms. You see the endless Tiber River and Piazza Venezia far off in the distance. I stayed up there for a long time just taking it all in. I then began the climb back down. I somehow was separated from everyone else but I did not mind. At the bottom of the stairwell you were brought into the Basilica. It was huge. I spent more than an hour in there and I know I missed a lot of details. Just another reason to come back to Roma I guess! I headed back to the apartment and rushed off to the gym to work out. We then went to appertivo for the last time at Fluid. It was kind of sad!

Tuesday was not a good day by any means. When I ran in the morning my hair somehow got very knotted. Might seem funny now, but I tried to get a comb through my hair for about 30 minutes while I cried. I lost a lot of hair that morning. Seriously. I then had to go to Italian Media where we were going to a TV studio to do our final (picture). We had to give a commercial/speech in front of cameras, concerning the prompt "Italian Media, take it or leave it?".

I had my speech prepared and memorized but still it was nerve-racking. There were even people crying because they had such a fear of public speaking. After that was over we had a meeting about the end of our program and what we needed to do before we left. My Italian language class was after that and we found out we had a project due the next day. Awesome. So after class Michelle, Sean and I went to Castel Sant'Angelo to take pictures to incorporate with our project (picture). Castel Sant' Angelo is where they would keep the Pope in time of war or danger. There is a passageway that connects between the Vatican and Castel Sant'Angelo in which they would lead the Pope away from the Vatican.

Wednesday was a rough day again. I made sure I had my flash-drive for Italian to show our project but in the midst of losing my keys in the morning and emptying my entire backpack I somehow did not put the flash-drive back into my back pack. Good job Laura. I realized this 3 minutes before class started. I found out it is possible to make it to our apartment in under 15 minutes, and a total of 30 minutes to get there and back to school. Did I mention that it had already reached 95 degrees by 10am? That was fun! After class I tried to study for my Italian final the next day but it was so hard. I did not want to be inside studying a very difficult language that I did not understand. As the night went on I learned that I would be returning to the States on Saturday. Needless to say I was not happy, but God has a plan for everything right? So I turned all my worries and frustrations over to Him.We then returned and worked on our power point for class. As the night went on I started to learn that I might return to the states rather than travel afterward. Needless to say I did not sleep so well that night.

Thursday I ran my last run in Italy. It was bittersweet. In Italian Media we watched the commercials we made earlier in the week. Almost more scary than actually making them! Mine was not as bad as I thought. Saying goodbye to our teacher Sean was so sad (picture). I did not expect that but he was possibly my most favorite teacher ever. Then we had our Italian language final. Ouch. I did not sleep much the night before and studying was the last of my concerns at that time. I was in a mad rush to get one of the last plane tickets back to the States. After the test my brain was so fried. I needed time to myself so I wandered around Roma. It was so nice. I got my gelato and walked into a bookstore. I bought the 7th Harry Potter in Italian and I got a cookbook! I walked in and out of stores for hours. I eventually got back to the apartment at a time that I could get a hold of the travel agent back in the States.

Well I got a ticket luckily. So now I had to change my whole mind set and prepare to leave europe in 2 days. Later that day a few of us went to Santa Maria della Vittoria where the Ecstacy of St. Theresa is. I just read about this church and Bernini sculpture in Angels and Demons and I had to check it out! Our program had a big last farewell dinner at the same place we had our welcome lunch on my birthday. After dinner we started our good byes. So weird! A few of us then decided to go to the Trevi Fountain.

We took our time getting there. It was a beautiful night. We stopped at little shops, walked past the Pantheon and took random pictures on the way. There is just something about the Trevi that I cannot explain. You first hear the water and then you turn the corner and see the most beautiful fountain in the world. It was night so the elegance and beauty was intensified.We met this couple and they took pictures for us. We found out that the man was actually a professional photographer and the pictures he took of us are amazing. They were on my roommate's camera so I am determined to get copies. We also took video of us throwing in our last coins. We decided to leave because it was getting late and we wanted to make sure we had enough energy for our last full in day in Italy. Walking away from the Trevi was so difficult. The group kept walking but I kept taking a few steps back to get a last glimpse...

Friday morning two of my roommates and I woke up at 5:15am to catch the metro. We went to see the sunrise by the Colosseum (or Coliseum depending on what language you speak).

It was gorgeous. You could not really see the sunrise itself, but you were able to see the sun against the Colosseum. The contrast of day and night among an ancient amphitheater was breathtaking. We then returned home and went back to bed. After a few more hours of sleep I got up and wandered Roma one last time. Everything now is "one last time". It's sad! We went to Shoomie's Kebab shop and I got my last pizza-to-go (picture). We took pictures with him. I then headed to the Pantheon because the night before I saw an Italia sweatshirt that I really liked at a shop nearby. I got my sweatshirt (that I am currently wearing) and headed home.

I made my last meal of pasta and then we decided to head down by the river to meet up with the boys one last time. We then headed over to Campo di Fiori and hung out for a while. The entire time I was in Italy I kept saying I would get a 5 scoop cup of gelato the last day. Well in the matter of two hours I got one 3 scoop and then one 2 scoop later. So in total I got my 5 scoops. Delicious! As we headed back to the apartment we took our sweet time. Walking through Vatican City and past St. Peter's Basilica it truly hit me that I did not know the next time I would see this. For the past 6 weeks I made this walk at least 4 times a day. I knew I would miss it!

It was an emotional and stressful last week, but I saw everything I absolutely needed to see. I soaked up everything I could and enjoyed the beauty that Roma offers.

3 Scoops

I did it. I got a 3 scoop cup of gelato. I had to.

Then the mint flavor dripped on my foot as I walked the block back to my apartment. I forgot about it and noticed a green toe later. Freaked me out at first, but I figured it out. I'm a smart one.

So last time I wrote I had just been to the Parliament. Later that night I decided to go get a membership at a gym. Yes, I know, I only had 2 weeks left but my body really was starting to hate me. The cobblestones are not the best thing to run on everyday. So this gym. Wow.

They advertise air conditioning, and it is true they have a breeze that blows by every 30 minutes (maybe) but the rest of the time it is a sauna. Never knew the back of your hands could produce that much sweat! (too much information? oh well) I was so happy to be on the elliptical! It was just like the ones we have at home, except completely in Italian. It was telling me things and I had no idea what it all meant. We were the only ones in the gym wearing shorts, surprise surprise, I would have passed out if I wore pants like these crazy people do!

After I worked out I came back to the apartment and made pasta, again. While I was doing this I burned my hand on hot metal. It was so painful. The rest of the night I had to hold frozen bags of vegetables to keep the pain to a minimum. I even defrosted 3 pieces of chicken that night (by icing my hand)...I now have two nice scars on the palm of my hand. Nice little reminder of Italy I will have forever.

Friday morning we decided to sleep in. It was amazing. First night where I slept more than 6 hours. I slept 9 hours! I needed it. A few of my roommates and I decided to go check out a pool along the Tiber River because we were so hot. We got there and found out you have to wear a swim cap! Needless to say we decided to go get gelato instead. I watched a few movies throughout the day and then went and worked out at the gym again. I really started to feel

homesick this day and I was missing my Colorado/UTC friends. Friday was not a very exciting day but it was what I needed.

Saturday we were set on going to the beach, but again venturing to a body of water failed.

We all were feeling homesick this day so we decided to watch Top Gun (because I had never seen it). I felt a bit more American after that. Saturday night we had a bachelorette party f

or one of the girls in our group. Melisa is getting married next summer and we decided to throw her a Roman celebration!

We all dressed up and went out. The best part of the night? Ice Bar. You get these giant parkas and gloves and enter a room that is 21 degrees fahrenheit. The walls, chairs and glasses are made out of ice! First time I have been comfortable/cold in more than a month. I am pretty sure we stayed in there longer than anyone else. I want to go back right now.

Sunday I ran my long run in the morning. It was the best run I have had since I have been here. I ran in the park (13 minute uphill to get there) and I explored. I am not one to explore. I like to know where I am at all times. That is definitely something that has changed for me since I have been here. I am not so uptight! Later that day I got gelato again. This time however, I actually talked with the girl that works there. As usual I went to order and she realized it was me and she laughed. She said that I go there everyday (which may or may not be an exaggeration...).

I told her that I live on this street and that it is just so hot out that I need my "cold fix".

We talked about why I was in Rome for the summer as well as other things. It is kind of sad that I am on a first name basis with her. She even knows my order... For dinner that night I got my first kebab! It is lamb along with other things. Pretty much like a burrito. Everyone has

been raving about them so I had to try one. After our kebabs we went to Villa Borghese for the final world cup game.

It was insane! We got there early enough that we could actually be down close to the screen. So many people started coming they had to close it!

There were thousands and thousands!

I am not kidding. After the game we had to catch the metro. We had 15 minutes. We sprinted through the crowds and still had 8 minutes but they closed the metro! We had to figure out how to get home by the bus. It was interesting needless to say.

Monday was not my favorite day. I did the normal; classes and worked out. After that I decided to do my laundry. Apparently my cotton clothes make too much noise for my landlord's liking and I got an earful of rapid italian. Wow, sorry. Luckily we were planning on going to Toy Story 3 that night so I was able to get my mind off of it. We went to the same theater we saw Eclipse in (I don't think I mentioned that I saw that a few weeks back, but it was great). The theater was air conditioned! Alleluia! Toy Story 3 was so good. All the previews were in italian but the movie itself was in english with italian subtitles. We even got popcorn :)

Tuesday I was not feeling very good. During my run in the morning I stopped sweating. Not a good sign when it is 90 degrees at 7am. I did my best to stay hydrated during my classes because I knew I had a long afternoon ahead of me. I decided to join the history class in my program to get a tour of the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. I did not want to just visit those places, I wanted information given to me about everything! The teacher is awesome and allowed me to join. I just had to pay for my pass, which was totally worth it. The Forum was awesome and the Colosseum was amazing. The entire time I was there I just could not believe I was actually there. On our way out we saw a lot of markings that people scratched into the walls and apparently the Colosseum loves Texas A&M.

Wednesday morning (Happy Birthday Mom!) I had planned on getting up and going to the gym because they told me that they opened at 9am. So I got there at 9:10 and they were not open. I decided to wait another 15 minutes, but no luck. I guess I should be used to this by now. Set times do not exist in Rome. I had to skip working out and head back home because I was going to be late for my class if I waited any longer.

After class a few girls and I went shopping by Piazza del Popolo on Via del Corso. I finally got my Italian soccer jersey! I am so excited! I also got some other things too. Getting this stuff home is going to be an issue... After shopping we went in the Pantheon (picture). The architecture of that place is unbelievable. Everything we construct in the States just seems so boring in comparison! We came back and I then had to go to the gym at around 7:30. At the gym on the television they had a Beyonce concert playing that was from L.A.

It was all in english. It was so comforting. She even sang Destiny's Child songs and I had the biggest smile on my face. Normally I would not have this type of reaction but it was just what I needed that day.

Other Italians in the gym were looking at the television very strangely and I was just praying they would not change the channel. They did not. I was able to enjoy my complete workout listening to english music that reminded me of my childhood and America in general :)

Thursday we took another trip with my Italian Media class. We went to Palatine hill to the Mediaset station. This is a television station controlled by Berlusconi. We got to go on the news set, see all the cameras and controls and even talk to a few journalists.

Before I came to Rome I never expected I would get to see all these amazing things.

I am finding that I learn a lot more from experience rather than in books. There is no comparison.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Tuscany and Florence, so I know I will have a lot to write about next time. I only have 8 days (and so many hours) left in Rome, and then Michelle and I will travel around Europe. I have loved my experience here in Rome, but it is just getting so hot I need a change in climate as well as pace. I would do anything for a quiet evening by a lake or even a night sitting on the couch listening to a thunderstorm. The reports today said that Rome was going to be the hottest city in the world today and tomorrow. We will be in the 100's in Florence as well. I am up to 3 cold showers and roughly 2 gelato stops a day.

Ciao

<3

Love-Hate Relationship

Alright. I am just going to be real with you. I am struggling. Do not get me wrong, I am fully enjoying the experiences I have had, but to be honest I am getting a little homesick. It is not that I miss my family or friends (because I can talk to them easily via the internet) but I miss the comfort and familiarity of home. I just need to remember that is why I decided to come here. I felt that in order for me to grow as a person I had to challenge myself. I cannot waste my time feeling homesick, because before I know it I will be back in the States. In the beginning of this trip I was just accepting the fact that people would stare at me when I worked out (ran) or that all Italians are just in a rush and need to get by you as quickly as possible. Well, I am getting kind of sick of it. I just want to yell "stop staring!" or "it will take you less time to walk around me than push me over to the point where I fall to the ground!". Yes, you heard me, I want to say that exact long statement everytime... As you can see I am getting a little agitated. Right now I have a love-hate relationship with Italy. To add to the stress my credit/debit cards randomly stop working here so currently I have 2 euros to my name. The perfect amount for un due coppa of gelato. I might just go get some and take a breather! It is sickly hot here, so for real, im considering this gelato...

Please do not get the idea that I think I'm living a "hard life", it is just that I am facing cultural challenges I was not expecting. I am finding, however, that I have begun to take on the attitude of someone who is more than just a tourist. I know my way around the city (for the most part) and I breeze through the metro as others have their maps out. I even have helped a few people with directions!

Anyway, now that I just vented I should tell you all that I did this past week. Wow. What an unbelievable week. Last Thursday with my Italian Media class we got to go beyond the Swiss Guards into the depths of Vatican City! On our way over there we walked through the set of a new GEORGE CLOONEY movie. Sadly he was not there but we got to watch a few scenes with other actors. Only in Roma. Anyway, our teacher has so many connections it is ridiculous. So we approached the gate and Sean (our teacher) flashed his Vatican employee badge (along with all of our passports) and they simply moved over. As I walked through the gates I stopped and looked back at all the other people that are not allowed in. I am so blessed to be given these privileges and see things that not many people get to experience.

Vatican City is considered its own state/country and after seeing it all they are so correct. They have their own post office, train station, radio station, supermarket, shopping center and even their own water system. So inside we got to walk around on the streets and up to the radio station tower. Most beautiful view of Rome. We got to see all of Rome from inside the Vatican and the back side of the Basilica (picture). Barely anyone gets to see that! Afterward we walked around a bit more and ended up in this garden area where the Pope takes his daily walk. He goes there every single day at 5pm and walks around and sits on the benches.

Needless to say I sat almost

every bench, just so I could say I sat where the

Pope sat... Later that day we all met up again and met with the Pope's spokesman, Father Lombardi (picture, he is in the middle). We were expecting, at most a 45 minute conversation but he talked with us for almost 2 hours. We all asked questions and he welcomed the fact that we were challenging him. The big topic was the recent news we received that the Supreme Court is now allowing the possibility of putting the entire Vatican on trial, even the Pope, for all the pedophile cases around the world. We were able to ask the closest man to the Pope for information. Unbelievable.

The next morning, Friday, a group of us left for the train station at 5:30 am to catch a train to Naples where we then took a ferry to

the Island of Capri! I simple cannot describe what I saw as we approached the island. The weather was perfect. Hot and sunny. Could not ask for more when you are going to spend the day at the beach laying on the rocks and swimming.

A group decided to rent a boat right away and drive it around the island for 2 hours but I

needed some food and I wanted to get in the ocean!

The group that went around had an awesome time, but two of the girls got stung by some jellyfish. One of the girls got stung pretty badly in two places. Not good. I finally made my first real purchase in Italy and I bought two t-shirts, a bracelet, and a key ring/chain.

After spending a good 4 hours swimming and lying on the boulder sized rocks (they definitely were uncomfortable at first, but after adjusting them aka creating a hole for you butt you were good to go!) we decided to take a boat to the Blue Grotto. We took a larger boat out to the cave on the other side of the island and there we transfered into small paddle boats that fit about 5 people at most. The man paddling the boat would bring us to the front of the cave and we would all have to lay down on the bottom of the boat and he would pull us through. Once we were in he paddled to the back of the cave and turned us around. I lost my breath. The water was glowing blue (picture). Absolutely glowing. I swear it was magic. The water was so clear you would put your hand in and it appeared blue as well.

We returned to the main beach where some of our friends were watching our stuff and we all packed up, got gelato..of course...and got on a ferry to head to Sorrento, where we were staying that night. After arriving in Sorrento and climbing the hundreds of steps to the main part of the town, we got dinner. I had pizza con ananas (pizza with pineapple), it was so delicious. Made pineapple pizza in the States look sad, these ananas were huge! That night we stayed in a hostel. It was my first hostel experience and I can actually say it went pretty well. I felt completely safe and there were no bed bugs. I call that a success! The next morning we left for Naples to meet up with the rest of our program because we had tours in Naples and Pompeii that day. We went to an archeological museum in Naples where artifacts were shown from Pompeii (picture).

We spent a few hours there and then headed to Pompeii. Pompeii was awesome. It was reserved so well due to the volcanic eruption. It was almost frozen in time. Here is a picture of my roommate and I in the Forum in Pompeii. A teacher for a history class in our program kept telling us, "see, there is nothing new under the sun!". So true, we think we are being so creative and inventive...no no no, definitely not.

We walked around Pompeii for at least 3 hours in the intense sun and on our way back to the bus Michelle (teammate from Minnesota) decided to have a little heat stroke.

This included Italian EMT's who spoke zero english and 2 random dogs that decided

to hang around us and stay close to Michelle. It was as if they were wanting to make sure she was ok! After many bottles of water, sugar, and food she was beginning to act her normal self again.

We got back Saturday night and we all collapsed in our beds. Sunday morning I ran my long run with Amy, another girl on my team back in Minnesota and boy was it hot. I am finding that I will never complain again about the cold in Minnesota. At this moment I would welcome a nice snowy day. Only for one day a week though, I just need to rejuvenate! The nice thing is that everyone is melting, so you are not the only one who looks completely ridiculous. You know its hot when your ankles are sweating...it has been interesting! In the afternoon we decided to go to the largest flea market in Rome. We spent 2 hours walking in one direction and never hit the end of the market. It was massive. I have learned to barter and I made some nice purchases! Since Sunday was the 4th of July, we new we had to do something American! (picture)

We went to the Hard Rock Cafe! Best meal of my life. I had a 10 oz bacon cheeseburger, fries, and this cheesecake dessert. First time I have been so

full I felt sick. I was so satisfied and happy to be in an environment that felt comfortable. They even played the anthem, you better believe I stood up and sang along.

This week I had the normal classes, but in my Italian language class we switched teachers because we were half way through the program. Instead of Francesca we have a man named Mario. On Tuesday we had a test and...it was interesting. I definitely prefer sign language or english...because I am fluent in those. Tuesday night we had dinner with our landlord Tedo again on his terrace but this time we did not eat until 10:45pm. Originally he told us 6 or 7, then it changed to 9 and then it was almost 11pm. We had this pasta with ham/meat/bacon (I'm not too sure what it was) and tomatoes. I ate so quickly because I was so hungry but then I felt super sick so I had to pass up gelato. YES. You heard me right, I skipped gelato and went to bed. Shocking, I know.

Last night we went and watched the Germany vs Spain world cup game in Trastevere. A couple of us girls wound up in a German bar, finding ourselves to be the only females. It was interesting, but they were real nice to us. Oddly though we were the only ones cheering for Germany. I am still slightly confused about that, but I really did not care too much who won. I am still sad that USA and Italy were out so soon. After the game a group of us wandered along the Tiber River. During the summer they have tents and restaurants lining the river and there are so many locals hanging out. It was a lot of fun. A few of us left earlier than everyone else because we needed to do our Italian homework for today!

Today was another adventure. I am sorry that this blog is so long, but I did a lot in this past week! For my Italian Media class we were able to have another exclusive look on the inside of a very important building in Rome. We went to the Italian Parliament. The problem that we faced was that we had to dress in super formal wear. None of us brought that type of clothing. Shucks, an excuse to go shopping.

We all looked very professional today and might I add, very grown up! We have been learning a lot about the Prime Minister Berlusconi so it was perfect timing to meet with some of his supporters. This past week for that class we had to interview Italians about their view of Berlusconi as well what newspaper they read because it all correlates with their political outlook. Yes you heard me right, I, Laura, asked strangers in Italian about their political preference in restaurants, at markets, and on the street. Completely out of my comfort zone! For the most part, Italians do not like him, but somehow he is still in office. So meeting with people who actually support Berlusconi was quite interesting. Do not get me started on this man, but because of this class and all the talk of politics, for the first time in my life I am actually interested in our political system and want to learn more. Add that to the list of things I have become interested in. Like I have said before, it has taken me to leave America to learn more about my own country!

This week, Michelle and I figured out where we are exactly going after we are done in Rome! We have booked our flights and train tickets to Venice, Brussels, Paris, London and Dublin! I will make sure to do my best about blogging during that time!

Well I feel that is enough to talk about, phew! I could go on more with all that I have seen everyday, but that is for when I reunite with everyone and I have the pictures to correlate. I miss everyone and cannot wait to return. However, I know I still have more to accomplish here. I am continuing to take in everything, because before I know it I will miss the crazy drivers, the beautiful architecture everywhere I turn and even the simplicity in which they live their life.

Ciao

<3

"It's not about the destination, but rather about the journey..."

Last week flew by!

I will try to just hit the highlights!
In my Italian Media class last Thursday we went to two buildings associated with the Vatican. We went to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications where we met with Msgr Paul Tighe. He is a priest originally from Ireland but has been in Rome for many years as the Head of the Pontifical Council. We sat in the actual board room where all the important Bishops and even Cardinals sit to discuss issues in which are then published into books. He was so personal with us. It was so cool to experience. Our teacher told us that he has interviewed him many times and has seen him speak to the public but he has never heard him speak at the same level as his audience. Msgr Paul Tighe even gave examples using his 82 year old mother! After that Sean (our teacher) could tell we were starting to get a bit tired due to the heat and he bought all 17 of us (plus himself) a cappuccino! I believe I am addicted now... After our cappuccinos we were then brought to the Holy See Press Office. We were able to sit in the actual press room (picture) where the Vatican holds conferences that are shown to the rest of the world. We met a few journalists and to be honest I am starting to become very interested in journalism/media/communications! So fascinating!

Later in the day on Thursday my roommate Allison and I went to Villa Borghese (a park) to watch the Italian world cup game (picture). There were thousands of people. It was just insane! Italia did not play well for about 80 minutes of the game but the last few minutes were so exciting. Sadly they lost, but it was awesome to be immersed in the Italian culture. They were waving flags everywhere, chanting, singing, blowing horns and event throwing objects! So fun!
Also last week our landlord made us dinner again. We ate at his bed and breakfast across the hall. He made us pesto and we had peaches for dessert. It was so delicious! We ate on his terrace and apparently we were being loud because this crazy lady started yelling Italian at us. Tedo (our landlord) had a few words in return for her. It was not even 10:30! Plus the street we live on is crazy loud. Tedo said she is old and cranky and always acts this way. We still felt bad though!

On Friday we left for Cinque Terre. We took a 4 hour train ride to La Spezia. Most of our group somehow was sitting next to each other, but my ticket was for a whole separate car and cabin. My point of this travel abroad experience was to get out of my comfort zone and this train ride definitely accomplished that. I was sitting in the middle of five Italians that did not speak any english. I kept falling a sleep, you know doing that awkward head bob...and one time when I woke up I saw the guy sitting across from me pointing at me, speaking rapid Italian and everyone else was laughing. It may just be the American in me assuming that I am being judged or talked about, but I am pretty sure they were laughing at me...! I then thought I missed our stop because I did not understand the Italian conductor saying what stop was coming up. There was definitely a good 10 minutes where I thought I was going to end up in a random Italian city without a phone or any idea where I needed to go. Obviously it worked out though. When we arrived to La Spezia this lady told us we had to catch this local train that was leaving in two minutes to go to Daive Marina and that we had to run. We sprinted through that train station. We got on the train and they closed the doors behind us. We made it, but we did not have a ticket for this train. We prayed that no one would ask us to show it and luckily no one did. It was a long 40 minutes. When we arrived to Daive Marina we got a shuttle that brought us to our campgroud/hostile. It was a very popular place! Our tents were awesome and the beds were even more comfortable than what I am sleeping on in Rome! We decided to go find some dinner and we ended up at this hotel that was very fancy. We spent a lot on dinner that night. The wine was delicious and the food was...interesting. I tried so many new things! Normally I cannot stand seafood, but since we were along the Mediterranean I knew I had to try it. I tried crab, octopus, calamari, and shrimp! Yikes! After dinner we got some gelato and walked along the beach as the sun set. Most beautiful view I have ever seen.

We returned to our campsite and attempted a fire (more like a flame that lasted 3 minutes at most) and we all sat up talking. It is amazing how open and close we all have become in just a few weeks! We went to sleep and woke up early and headed to the same hotel/restaurant that we had dinner at to have breakfast. We had our cappuccinos and the buffet and headed to the train. We had a long day of hiking ahead of us. The plan was to hike through all 5 towns and at the end we would swim in the Mediterranean Sea. We started at Riomaggiore and walked along a nice path for about 40 minutes until we hit the second town called Manarola. From Manarola to the third town, Corniglia took about another 45 minutes or so and was again not so hard. We started to split into two groups. The first group had 4 people and they were moving pretty quickly while our group had 5 of us and we took our sweet time! At every city we would stop and walk around. Along the trails we would stop and explore and take pictures as well. After Corniglia the hike started to get more challenging. From the third town to the fourth, Vernazza, it started to drizzle a bit. We did not mind this at all. It was hot out and we completely enjoyed the refreshing rain. This trail took almost 2 hours to complete but the views and the people we met on the way were amazing.

When we finally hit the fourth town we stopped and bought some bandannas, ice cream, and a few got some beer. We knew the next trail would be the hardest and boy were we right. It took us about an hour and a half and the entire time we could see our destination. The beach. We passed this older man from England who simply said, "It's not about the destination, but rather about the journey" and he continued to walk by. He was so right! We were enjoying everything about that hike and we refocused on what we were experiencing at the time. We finally made it (roughly 6 hours/7.5 miles later) to the fifth town Monterosso al Mare (picture) in which we changed into our swimsuits and ran into the Mediterranean. So refreshing!

After hanging out for a bit we got

some food and gelato before heading to the train station to head back to Rome.

On the train back to Rome we were all able to sit together because it was a night train. It was definitely more comfortable than on the way there!

On Sunday I saw the POPE! (picture) We went to St. Peter's square and waited for him to come to his window. He spoke in at least 6 different languages and he blessed us. Afterward we went to the Sistine Chapel. Gorgeous. I do not know how else to explain it.

Words fail.

During this past week I have been dealing with a sinus infection that just doesn't seem to want to go away. Because of that I have not been doing as much. Also one of our roommates just found out she has mono so we are taking extra precautions about not sharing anything!

Last night we had Mexican at "La Cucuracha". It was delicious. Oddly I felt at home...? I got a fajita!

Tomorrow we are planning on seeing "what few men and women ever see" in the Vatican. It is a whole day event for my Italian Media class and our teacher said we were going behind the Swiss Guards and deep within. We also are meeting the spokesman for the Pope. He is second in command! I am sure I will have a ton to write about after that!

That is all for now.
ciao
<3

Only In Rome...

Since last Wednesday...hmm

On Thursday I had class again, both Italian Media and Italian language. During my Italian Media class we found out some more amazing facts about our teacher. We started to talk about the history of all the Popes and how they all communicated. He just tells the class "oh yea when I met Pope John Paul II the day after he was made Pope..." as if it was no big deal. Then he proceeded to say, "...then we traveled 60 different countries together, but I'll tell you those stories another time." What?! We then started to talk about who we wish we could communicate like and someone in our class said Mother Teresa. Of course our teacher had a response..."funny you should mention Mother Teresa, I wrote a book with her in the 1980's." So of course after class I googled him (Sean Patrick Lovett) and a bunch of stuff came up about him and I then found his book, which was a best seller by the way. Unbelievable! I have learned even more in that class since last week. I love it.
Oh yea, how did I almost forget this! On my run Thursday morning I was out at 6:30am so pretty early and I saw a bunch of people gathering around this building. It was right on the street leading up to the vatican (so down the street from us) and as I got closer I saw Eclipse (Twilight) posters. Huge posters. We learned that there was going to be a 10 minute or so premiere of the movie, but what we didn't know until after classes was that the actors were coming at 6pm. So of course we knew we had to come back at 6. It was so hot that day too, but we got there around 5:20 and found ourselves sandwiched between strangers that were speaking italian quite aggressively towards us...oh well. Anyway the paparazzi was everywhere, we were right next to the fence, it was hot and humid, people were sweaty, but we were determined to stay and see them. They arrived fashionably late but the screams of the girls then the flashing of the cameras indicated one of the male actors was there. Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black in the movie) came. My favorite!!!! He was so close. We kept yelling "We are American! We speak english!" We are dorks, I know. Then Kristen Stewart came and we got tons of pictures of her too. I took a lot of video so this whole fiasco was well documented, but apparently my video camera does not work with mac computers. I'll figure something out.
That night we went to the guys apartment on the other side of the Vatican. They have a balcony! We watched the game there because their TV actually works and they have a living/sitting area. After, we came back to our apartment by the metro and wow, was it creepy. No one was on the metro at our stop...but we survived!
Then Friday I had to get up and run at 5:55am because we were going to Orvieto for the day. It was gorgeous. It was an old Etruscan city (from BC) on top of a hill, roughly 1,000 ft above sea level. The view from the top looked fake. We also got an underground tour of the city in the caves, which we learned about their wine development as well as their pigeon breeding...strange.

Friday night was awesome. Our landlord Tedo, came over and cooked us a real Italian spaghetti dinner. He came over at 9pm. We were starving. We did not eat until 10:45 or so. As we all cooked together I wrote down all he was doing. Oh yea, I don't know if I mentioned this before but he speaks as much english as I speak Italian. So we had our translation dictionaries (picture) out and were flipping through them all night. He was so patient with us! We made the sauce from scratch. We used about 60 little tomatoes and cut them up and about half a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and seasoning. I never have liked tomatoes but this pasta and sauce was amazing! Then he brought over some gelato and cherry's. So good! He left around 11:45 and then we decided to go down to Campo di fiori to hang out with other people. It was a lot of fun. We met a group of locals that spoke english. It was fun interacting with some italians our age!

Saturday Michelle and I met up with Amy along the river! It was great to see another gopher here :) We ran together for a bit

and we showed her our apartment and area. Hopefully we will be able to meet up with her a lot while she is here doing her internship. Then the rest of Saturday we wondered Rome. A few of us went to Piazza del Popolo. There are a bunch of stores there, but I didn't buy anything. I actually have not bought anything since I have been here. We'll see how long that lasts! We stopped and had some food and gelato then found ourselves at the Trevi fountain again. We were on the hunt for this one store that apparently has a bunch of Italia soccer gear/jerseys but we never found it and we got lost. We ended up in front of the colosseum and Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II (picture). Shocking! We wandered around for hours. Only in Rome do you get lost and find yourself in front of these amazing monuments!

We honestly walked a good

6 miles that day on top of a 7 mile run. Saturday night we went out again and met some people from Florida, New Jersey, and North Carolina as well as other Italians.

When I got home I started to get a little homesick. I am definitely missing the comfort I had at home. Also the experience I had in Colorado is making this trip very challenging. I know God has a plan for me and there is a reason why I am here! Hopefully I'll figure that out sooner rather than later.

Sunday we bummed around all day. I was exhausted. At 4 we went and watched the Italia game. We didn't want to order dinner yet, so we ordered a dessert. Strawberry's and cream. AMAZING. it was so yummy. We were still hungry...so we gave in. We ordered french fries. It hit the spot. Oh my goodness. A little taste of America, I loved it. After the game we made dinner back at home, I made gnocchi. It was nice to change it up a bit! Then we were all sitting at the table doing our homework and trying to decide what to do this coming weekend.

Today we had classes again and long story short I got horribly lost in Rome. We had a surprise site visit for my Made in Italy class. By the time we got there I could only stay for 20 minutes because I had to be back for my next class at noon. (They honestly are so relaxed about time schedules here!). Anyway I had to get back to the school by myself. My teacher told me the wrong bus. What should have only taken me 30 minutes took me an hour and 45 minutes. I definitely saw a lot of Rome! I was 45 minutes late to my Italian class but it was all good. At night we went to this restaurant called Fluid. We did this thing called "Aperitivo". You pay for a drink ( a little more pricey than normal) and then you have an endless buffet. It was so delicious, I finally felt full, but not full enough to pass up some gelato!

Today we have been trying to figure out the details of our trip this weekend. So far we know we are going to Cinque Terre (in Italy) and we are going to camp and go hiking. Supposedly it is gorgeous! It is going to be an adventure! Oh jeez...

That is it for now. i will write again soon!
Ciao
<3

Ho Ventuno Anni!!!!

I have 21 years!
So I have not written for a while because we have literally walked all around Rome. I have already had to buy a new pair of sandals. Sad day. Anyway, since I last wrote I turned 21!!! (Ventuno) My birthday was on the 11th, so last Friday. It was possibly the longest day, but I could not imagine spending it in a more wonderful place.

Quick recap. We met at our school in the morning and had an orientation. (Picture: 2nd floor left side is our school, far left window is my classroom) Right by our school we have a snack bar where we get breakfast. A few of us go there daily and now have become friends with the owner. Anyway that first day we got a fruit cup, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a croissant with nutella in the middle. Amazing! After our orientation we were supposed to have a short tour after and be done by noon. Nope. We did not end till 4pm. I quickly found out that the concept of time in Italy is way more relaxed than in the states. During orientation we met our italian teachers and we got a crash course of italian. Then we went to the market and had to identify food. I was pretty unsuccessful, but I am learning! During our tour we stopped to have lunch at around 2. Many of us were exhausted because of the heat and the fact that we were super jet-lagged. At lunch someone told one of our teachers that it was my 21st and they surprised me with a giant plate of pastries with a candle! They sang to me in italiano and I was able to make a wish. It was so nice of them. Then we left there and got gelato. YUmmm!
Later that night we went back to the area by our school to get dinner, watch the world cup, and celebrate my birthday! After we got gelato again :) Well actually Michelle bought me some for my birthday. (Picture of my "cake")

The next day, Saturday, we had another massive tour of Rome. We saw the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain (picture!), Villa Borghese, and a bunch of other places. I could go on forever telling you all about everything that I saw, but I feel I need to show the corresponding pictures and videos to accurately describe it all. GORGEOUS! UNBELIEVABLE! Many of us just kept saying how crazy it was that we were in Rome looking at monuments that are ridiculously old. We have always heard of them and seen then in our history books, but to actually be in the building, throwing a coin into the fountain, or to be standing on the steps is an entire new experience!

Sunday we went to Ostio Antica. They consider it the Pompeii of Rome. It was a city that held around 20,000 people back in 5 AD. It was abandoned and due to the way it was constructed with cement from volcanic ash the city was preserved. I took so many pictures and videos! It was unbelievable to see how these people lived and how similar their life style was in comparison to ours today. We think we come up with some amazing concepts and ideas, but the truth is these people developed it all before us! (Picture of me in a Tomb at Ostio Antica) After we walked around their city for a few hours we went to the beach. What an experience that was... Very little swim suits or nothing at all. Since we went on a Sunday, all of Rome was there. Once we found a spot we ran into the ocean. BEAUTIFUL. The temperature was perfect, the salt was salty, and the italian boys were flirty. We met some Americans at the beach too so that was nice to speak english with some others besides ourselves!

Generally at night we go to Campo di fiori. It is a large area where a lot of people around our age go to hang out. There are TV's at every restaurant there and everyone is super crazy with World Cup. It has been so fun! We were able to cheer for USA when they played and then on Monday night we got to see Italy play. Italy won the world cup last time around so the Italians are insane here. My roommates and I went to an early dinner (7:30) and then stayed to watch the game. We had the most ideal seats for the game! We found ourselves going crazy even though we are not Italian!

Hmm, I have already written a lot but I need to tell you about my classes. We started classes on Monday and all I had was my Italiano 101 class. My teacher Francesca speaks about 99.8% Italian. So difficult but I am excited! We have that class Monday-Thursday from 12-2. On Tuesday I decided to check out a class I was not originally signed up for and I loved it. It is called Italian Media. The teacher is remarkable. He was born in South Africa, his parents are very Irish, he started working for the radio at age 5, he worked for BBC, was a war correspondent for CNN for 3 years, and now he has raised a family in Italy, teaches at Gregorian Pontifical University where most Pope's have attended as well as numerous Bishops and Saints, and lastly he is the Director of Italian and English Communication and Media for the Vatican! His office is in the Vatican! He is so amazing. I never got bored once in his class. During this course we get behind the scenes of the Vatican where no one else can ever go. I am so excited! So needless to say I added the class. Now I am in three. I just want to learn a lot while I am here and with the teachers that I have been given I know I will experience unbelievable things. I had my other class this morning, Made in Italy. It is a marketing class and we get to go to a vineyard in Tuscany, go to famous designer shops and meet some very important people!

Today I had class straight from 9am-2pm. It was long, but we had some entertainment right outside our classroom window. There was a movie being filmed right in front of our school! There were fake gun shots, chase scenes, and camera crews everywhere! So cool! Our building is on a very famous street in Rome. It is the road that the Pope would take after he was elected years ago. Now he takes a helicopter... So I am assuming because of the history that is why they filmed there. Who knows!

So obviously I am excited for what the summer has in store for me. I just hope my legs hold up! I am running every morning along the main river that runs through Rome and then we walk about 4-9 miles a day. No worries though, I think the amount of Gelato we are consuming will make up for the amount of calories we are burning a day!

I will write more frequently so my blogs aren't as long. Sorry!
Love you all,
CIAO!

<3

Does Not Seem Real...

Wow. I made it here. I am beyond exhausted and just took a 3 hour nap.

The flight to Rome was smooth. Michelle and I were in the middle of the airplane and had an empty seat next to us, which was nice. We watched a few movies and slept as much as we could. We also had a little map on the TV in front of us where we could see exactly where we were on our trip. We met a bunch of other people in our program during our flights. All of us has the same feeling...we were extremely anxious. After we landed in Rome, 3am Minnesota time, had a 7 hour time change, and found our school leader, we all got into taxis. Let me remind you. I know about one word in Italian. Seriously. There were three of us in the taxi and we had our apartment address in hand and Euros in the other. The driver did not speak english. Hmm, yea. So we got out our little dictionary to figure out how to say a few words and miraculously we arrived at our apartment after a few near death encounters. Let's just say they don't drive in lanes here. They drive how the please. We just learned to just not look. (Sorry Mom, I'm sure that's just what you wanted to hear)

Anyway, I am here safe and sound! I am currently sitting at the kitchen table at my apartment. I live with 6 other girls. Yes 6. There are two rooms of three and then a single. We are right across the hall from a bed and breakfast which our landlord also owns. The apartment has 2 bathrooms a cute little kitchen and ridiculous views. We live on a shopping street, where there are clothing stores as well as food and cafes. On every corner there are about 2 pizzerias. We already ate at one. I have no idea what I ordered, but it was delicious! In our apartment there are Italian families and we are the only American's I am pretty sure.

Random moment...I just looked out the window and a woman was shaking her table cloth out the window. I've seen that in movies but I never thought I would see in real life! I know, I'm a dork.

Let me tell you about the weather. It is HOT. Not just hot, but super humid. Good thing I am going to be wearing dresses and skirts all summer! After we had unpacked our luggage we all decided to walk around. You walk out the front door and you are instantly bombarded. Culture shock. Not a bad thing, but it will take some getting used to.

As we were walking I started to see more and more priests. Before I knew it we turned a corner and were approaching Vatican city. We are seriously a block from it. Unbelievable. We went in and I was blown away. I could not believe I was here. We did not stay long because we were really hot and pretty dehydrated. Good thing we have 2 months to explore...
I am still having a difficult time with the time change and the times that they eat. I could not tell you what time I feel like it is, but I am tired. Also they eat dinner at 8 or 9 at night. That will be a change.

Tomorrow morning we will all meet at the Accent Center, which is where we take our classes, and have an orientation. After the orientation I guess they give us a little tour of the city and then the rest of the day is ours. This is nice since it is my 21st birthday.

Alright, I am going to get ready for dinner.

Ciao!

<3