So last night after my failed skype session with my mother, my roommate and I chose to walk around some of the sites to get a better view. We visited the pantheon, the trevi fountain and some ancient ruins. We also got more gelato (it's addicting) and took lots of pictures- I'm still trying to figure out how to put these on here.
I'd survived a painful two hour Italian class and 90 minutes of religious studies plus doing my reading for the next day. We'd had a good dinner at the hotel before finishing homework. Our walk at night was beautiful and I love exploring the streets. It gives a much better view of roman life, though this helps if you avoid the touristy spots. Tonight we avoided all of them, but last night I think I got a better view of night life here because of how the piazzas come alive at night. The water is glowing in the fountains, people are chatting with friends in Italian on the steps, little children are running around and since it is still warm out, many people are eating a later dinner or enjoying a drink at the cafes. It's a site to see and it isn't captured well on a camera, at least not when you struggle with fighting the night setting.
I love seeing the every day life here. The two women chatting in the cafe about their husbands, the young people out on an awkward date (this is easier to spot than you might think), the people rushing to class or the men in full suits eating gelato at 2 pm. The history here is very ancient but the people are just modern humans and are just like us, minus that they dress better, eat healthier, walk most places and speak a different language. A language that I'm beginning to comprehend again. It's must easier to translate and listen than it is to speak and even easier to read, I can thank my teacher for that. I love it here, but I still can't help but crave a piece of cheesecake or a slice of spice cake. This weekend Regina and I are going to try and find a good american bakery we've heard of. If her luggage still doesn't arrive tomorrow though, we will probably be heading out for it tomorrow night. Plus I need a reward for sitting still for 2 hours at a time.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
First Day of Classes: Back to the real world, sorta.
So today I started my first day of classes. It's like jumping back into school world, but just a little more European.
Our classroom building is less than three minutes away. I woke up, got dressed and actually put on make up and got a cornetto, which is a pastry.
Philosophy sounds interesting kinda. My teacher is an Italian who got his degree in Philo from Columbia and hates the Italian government and likes to rant. Were learning about identity of self, ethical philosophy, philosophy of women rights, religion through philosophy and shaping of western philosophy. He also wrote a book on the philosophy in south park and during our five minute break his first question was, so have you been out drinking yet? We all had been in Rome for 14 hours, that wasn't exactly on our to-do list. He also loves movies, including one with Sean Connery so I think this class won't be too bad.
Archaeology sounds awesome, lots of work though. Like my other classes it has a midterm, a final and a term paper but also has a presentation in front of the entire school. I have to talk to Dr. Prebys to make sure I can still get credit for it since I took the class last semester at smc, though different and got a solid A. It was the class I can drop if too overwhelmed but it looks like fun so I don't know. Mom said I should drop it if it'll take work because it could hurt my GPA but I don't know, well see if I can talk to Dr. Prebys tomorrow.
Western Civ- world history is ancienct world aka 3000 BC to the middle ages. I'm the only history major in the class. It's an hour and a half of taking solid notes. The guy is really smart, he got his PHD from the University of Wisconsin which actually has the top PHD program in history in the entire US oddly enough, but he talks really fast in english.
I bought my school supplies like you said. I also got my internet, 100 euros for the whole time. We had to pay in cash but it'll be worth it. I need it for all my classes, the library closes at 8 here.
We haven't got a chance to walk around much, just to see the pantheon. It rained today so not much exploring yet. Lots of homework tomorrow though which sucks. At least this weekend we'll be going to some of the top Roman sights with the tour group.
I grabbed dinner and then went snack shopping with Regina and now am back to doing my reading. I'm loving it here though still.
Our classroom building is less than three minutes away. I woke up, got dressed and actually put on make up and got a cornetto, which is a pastry.
Philosophy sounds interesting kinda. My teacher is an Italian who got his degree in Philo from Columbia and hates the Italian government and likes to rant. Were learning about identity of self, ethical philosophy, philosophy of women rights, religion through philosophy and shaping of western philosophy. He also wrote a book on the philosophy in south park and during our five minute break his first question was, so have you been out drinking yet? We all had been in Rome for 14 hours, that wasn't exactly on our to-do list. He also loves movies, including one with Sean Connery so I think this class won't be too bad.
Archaeology sounds awesome, lots of work though. Like my other classes it has a midterm, a final and a term paper but also has a presentation in front of the entire school. I have to talk to Dr. Prebys to make sure I can still get credit for it since I took the class last semester at smc, though different and got a solid A. It was the class I can drop if too overwhelmed but it looks like fun so I don't know. Mom said I should drop it if it'll take work because it could hurt my GPA but I don't know, well see if I can talk to Dr. Prebys tomorrow.
Western Civ- world history is ancienct world aka 3000 BC to the middle ages. I'm the only history major in the class. It's an hour and a half of taking solid notes. The guy is really smart, he got his PHD from the University of Wisconsin which actually has the top PHD program in history in the entire US oddly enough, but he talks really fast in english.
I bought my school supplies like you said. I also got my internet, 100 euros for the whole time. We had to pay in cash but it'll be worth it. I need it for all my classes, the library closes at 8 here.
We haven't got a chance to walk around much, just to see the pantheon. It rained today so not much exploring yet. Lots of homework tomorrow though which sucks. At least this weekend we'll be going to some of the top Roman sights with the tour group.
I grabbed dinner and then went snack shopping with Regina and now am back to doing my reading. I'm loving it here though still.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Arrival- Assisi
So I miss you so much. I wish I could talk to you for real but Regina is skyping and my roommates are both still unpacking. I didn't want to hang up but It was mildly awkward since I don't know them at all.
So I left Cleveland after a great breakfast at yours truly with my mom before being dropped off at the airport by Mama. Then I waited at the airport after, much to my happiness, my suitcases weighed less than 50 pounds. My flight went soothingly, I sat next to our pilot for Rome and slept. Next, I landed in Newark, found food and started my 4 hour layover.
The first bump in the trip was the delay of my roommate Regina's flight by 20 minutes. Soon it was an hour and later would become over 2 hours. As I called my dad, letting him know that Regina would be missing the flight, I found out I was siting next to Mauro, a boy from Villanova who would be going to Rome with me to study at Saint Mary's. Of course, being me, first I had to question this because he was a boy and well I go to an all girl's school. Turns out out of our 46 students, 3 would be boys. There are 6 students from Villanova, two of which are boys and another boy from Holy Cross. So 39 students from SMC.
We soon started our 6 hour wait at the airport before we would leave for Assisi. I got a very light stamp in my passport, spent a possible 2 seconds in custom and a croissant, after actually ordering in Italian. After all the girls had arrived we boarded the bus, met our RA and the Leader of our little gaggle, Dr. Prebys, who as it turns out is in charge of every student studying abroad in Italy as shes the president of the American study abroad council thing but spends all of her time with us. She went to SMC before obtaining two Fulbright fellowships.
In assisi we unpacked, met our alphabetical roommates, at dinner at the Cittadella and all went to bed, exhausted. We awoke to breakfast, and a great half an hour hike up the hill. See Assisi is on a mountain. It's all uphill, steep stairs and a ramp basically. La Rocca is gorgeous but a hike. Let's just say my legs are in shape. Next we had 3 hour orientation in which almost everyone fell asleep for at least 15 seconds. The one thing that did awake us is a pigeon flying around the room and Dr. Prebys telling us well endowed women can hide their money in their bras before showing us her money clip. Before dinner we had registration in which I found out my schedule. After dinner was the most amazing hazelnut gelato followed by sleep and wandering around.
Friday we found no breakfast as it had been moved down the hill but we were fed before going to see San Damiano and the church of St. Clare, an amazing saint, who I saw her body, completely intact, though a little waxy. If you want to know a good story, look her up, especially since she is the patron saint of television because she had a vision of mass during her sickness before her death. It was very cool and i loved seeing her artifacts (aka relics).
The next day we went to see St. Francis' basilica. It was gorgeous and even though it was cracked by an earthquake in 1997. It's just phenomenally beautiful and not crazy upstairs so it's a favorite. I once again got more gelato....so great. Loving the food here.
I bonded with some great people on my 5 days in Assisi. I had great food, walked up lots of stairs and now am unpacking here in Rome. In three hours, I've unpacked somewhat, got pizza, took a tour of our school and been completely awed by the 3 minute walk to the pantheon. It's a great start to my adventure.
So I left Cleveland after a great breakfast at yours truly with my mom before being dropped off at the airport by Mama. Then I waited at the airport after, much to my happiness, my suitcases weighed less than 50 pounds. My flight went soothingly, I sat next to our pilot for Rome and slept. Next, I landed in Newark, found food and started my 4 hour layover.
The first bump in the trip was the delay of my roommate Regina's flight by 20 minutes. Soon it was an hour and later would become over 2 hours. As I called my dad, letting him know that Regina would be missing the flight, I found out I was siting next to Mauro, a boy from Villanova who would be going to Rome with me to study at Saint Mary's. Of course, being me, first I had to question this because he was a boy and well I go to an all girl's school. Turns out out of our 46 students, 3 would be boys. There are 6 students from Villanova, two of which are boys and another boy from Holy Cross. So 39 students from SMC.
We soon started our 6 hour wait at the airport before we would leave for Assisi. I got a very light stamp in my passport, spent a possible 2 seconds in custom and a croissant, after actually ordering in Italian. After all the girls had arrived we boarded the bus, met our RA and the Leader of our little gaggle, Dr. Prebys, who as it turns out is in charge of every student studying abroad in Italy as shes the president of the American study abroad council thing but spends all of her time with us. She went to SMC before obtaining two Fulbright fellowships.
In assisi we unpacked, met our alphabetical roommates, at dinner at the Cittadella and all went to bed, exhausted. We awoke to breakfast, and a great half an hour hike up the hill. See Assisi is on a mountain. It's all uphill, steep stairs and a ramp basically. La Rocca is gorgeous but a hike. Let's just say my legs are in shape. Next we had 3 hour orientation in which almost everyone fell asleep for at least 15 seconds. The one thing that did awake us is a pigeon flying around the room and Dr. Prebys telling us well endowed women can hide their money in their bras before showing us her money clip. Before dinner we had registration in which I found out my schedule. After dinner was the most amazing hazelnut gelato followed by sleep and wandering around.
Friday we found no breakfast as it had been moved down the hill but we were fed before going to see San Damiano and the church of St. Clare, an amazing saint, who I saw her body, completely intact, though a little waxy. If you want to know a good story, look her up, especially since she is the patron saint of television because she had a vision of mass during her sickness before her death. It was very cool and i loved seeing her artifacts (aka relics).
The next day we went to see St. Francis' basilica. It was gorgeous and even though it was cracked by an earthquake in 1997. It's just phenomenally beautiful and not crazy upstairs so it's a favorite. I once again got more gelato....so great. Loving the food here.
I bonded with some great people on my 5 days in Assisi. I had great food, walked up lots of stairs and now am unpacking here in Rome. In three hours, I've unpacked somewhat, got pizza, took a tour of our school and been completely awed by the 3 minute walk to the pantheon. It's a great start to my adventure.
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