Tarquina!

I spent half an hour looking for sea glass. Half an hour combing the beach, taking pictures with friends and soaking up enjoying our day at the beach. I found this beautiful, smooth stone as I looked and I picked it up and put it in pocket, at least keeping it if I found no sea glass. Then my roommate found some, so I kept looking. I finally found a piece and then found two more, making me very happy. I put them in my pocket and all day long carried them with me. I carried them through centuries old tombs, through lectures about Etruscans and while I took more than a few photos of the many cats we saw.

Turns out, our long day of tours turned out to be so much more.

We were woken up at 6 am by a wake up call. Everyone got dressed in the dark, not really wanting to be awake. We grabbed breakfast and all boarded the bus going to Tarquinia, an Etruscan city.

We have been studying the Etruscans in all of our classes recently. We don't know anything about them really from primary sources. Everything we know is from their tombs. So we drove an hour and a half out of the city to Tarquinia. We spent the few few hours going to different tombs there before heading to the museum to see the artifacts pulled out them.

It was very cool to see the paintings in the tomb that told stories about the people.

Next we headed to the beach for our picnic lunch. It was amazing. We got to put our feet in the Tirreno Sea which is part of the Mediterranean sea. It was a perfect day. We walked on the beach, and ate on the cliffs. It was very fun and I liked the break it gave me. It made everything worth it.

We next went tomb raiding for a few hours to see some more impressive tombs. They were so intricate with multiple rooms, beds, pillows even.

This day was amazing. We got to study the history of the area and go to find out more about a new culture. Climbing in all the tombs themselves reminded me of Laura Croft but it also made me think about how they lived. Their familes were buried around them, did different people get different pillows or different beds? I loved trying to figure out potential lives, making up stories to them.

The day at the beach was fabulous. After our week of studying, it was nice to get to relax and enjoy italy. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in classes (like this week in midterms), but it's nice to get a break. We walked into the ocean, along the beach, explored cliffs, ate a picnic and took lots of pictures. It was so calming and was one of those days that reminds you why this is an amazing experience. I loved the beach, the tombs, the history and even the lectures. It left me exhausted and hungry, but was also one of my favorite days since I arrived and I was in the best mood when we came home to Rome.

That smooth rock reminds me that I always keep going. I never settle for anything less. It also reminds me that while some things may be a blessing in disguise. That rock wasn't what I was looking for but I liked it all the same. Now I can say that the rock is the favorite thing from the beach I brought back, even more than my sea glass. How smooth it is reminds me of the smooth stones on the beach and now I carry it with me, reminding me that not everything is as bad as it seems.

Florence!

So yesterday was my favorite day on this trip so far. Regina and I traveled, very early in the morning to Florence, the city of Michelangelo and leather.

We woke up at 6 am to catch the 6:30 bus to the train station. We proceeded to wait forever for the 8:22 train to Florence (the train schedule was different than we were told). On said train we got to sit on terrible seats and attempt to stay awake, which was hard because we kept going through tunnels. We finally arrived in Florence and got possible the most amazing and largest pizza of our trip.

Next we looked at the Duomo, one of the most beautufiul marble churches in the world.

After the duomo we decided to go to the Galleria dell'Academia which is the museum that houses David, the famous statue by Michelangelo. We went through an exhibit of Lorenzo Bartolini which was beautiful. He was a great sculptor as well and had so many works. I'm so impressed by all the sculptors because I could never do what they do. They should all have museums.

David:

Recap from a long weekend.

So today since I was a little homesick today (or at least homesick for American food, well my mother's food) I decided to take a little walk to an American bakery I found online. There I found the most amazing sticky buns and worth the 2,50 euros. Made my day after a long weekend and an even longer Italian class.

This weekend we went to the roman forum, palentine hill and the Colosseum. At 8 am we all set out for the walk to the forum on a hot day for the first of October. The sights were gorgeous and full of history.

While mostly in ruin, we saw the sight of Julius Caeser's possible burial (oh and found out he was killed on the location of our hotel, no big deal). We saw Nero's palace, an old church, parts of the temples, where the priestesses lived and the hill where Romulus according to legend created his village.

We had a quick dinner break after our professor abandoned us at the entrance of the site to take a cab back to the hotel for dinner. It took us a little longer than it should have to get back but we survived with gelato as a treat after our meal. I do love that the hotel serves gelato, makes things a little more affordable.

Then we went to the Colosseum and my group had the amazing archaeology teacher give the tour. It was unbelievable to see the site because not only was it preserved well enough to walk in, though with many holes where Italians had taken out chunks to build new buildings, but it also was so powerful. We were standing in a place where over two centuries people had watched animals fight, gladiators fight, public executions and the persecution of more than a few Christians. The building might be covered in soot from cars and not the cream color it once was, but it was still amazing to see.

On the way home we made a few pitstops, like watching some cool artists, looking at post cards and taking more than a few pictures of the Memorial to Vittorio Emanuele II.

Due to 9 hours in the sun the day before, I had a bit of heatstroke and spent Sunday in bed doing homework while my roommate went to mass at St. Peters. Then on monday we commenced class again.

My classes teach me about the city and the city teaches me about my classes. Everything begins to connect when you're there with it. You read about how the priestess's would have to keep the fire going or be put to death. Then you see the site itself and wonder if it had a roof. You see flowers over a grave and wonder if it's Julius Caesers. You wonder how Rome was really founded, if the myth has any truth to it.

We're seeing everything here and it's amazing. It still hasn't sunk in that I'm living in Rome, minus when I start wondering where I can find ginger ale. I love being in the city because it's an immersion into a culture, it's not just tours and seeing the sights, its the whole experience. The fact that I have trouble asking for directions to this bakery will eventually fix themselves, hopefully, at least that is the goal. It's a once of a lifetime experience and I'm living it. Not going crazy taking pictures of everything I see and not going to every sight possible right away. Though I'll definitely start doing this saturday when we make our way to Florence. I can't wait.

Journal #1: The land where buses are Mercedes and police cars are BMWs

A week and a half ago, 46 students arrived in Rome to begin our semester abroad. We knew we’d learn about history, better understand a new culture, have trouble with the language for some and eat plenty of gelato. Little did we know we’d be climbing up a mountain, see a traveling band or be whisked away before the peace march could commence. I’ll explain all of these events in a minute.

Our orientation took place in Assisi, a usually sleepy town in the Umbrian valley. Home to St. Francis of Assisi and one of the most beautiful view in Italy. Our 3-hour bus ride led us to the base of the mountain, something we would climb halfway to our hotel. Our fearless leader, Ms. McHugh climbed this in heels, which made her even more astonishing.

We had good food, explored a bit and all went to bed early. We then rose and took our first tour, up the rest of the mountain to a castle rightfully named, La Rocca. The rest of our trip was very similar. Tours to various churches and other markers, people catching up on sleep and exploring to find the better gelaterias.

Our last day though provided some excitement when we were suddenly rushed out of dinner and we pushed into 8 waiting taxis, all waiting to take us away. Some girls were confused, others excited. One even exclaimed as we left “It’s like the von trap family escaping the nazis”. It was quite exciting because as we drove away from the place we’d become comfortable in, we saw the beauty of the town once again, but also the impending peace parade. The peace parade is when 50,000 people march across the region to Assisi in promotion of peace. They were coming and would not let us out, so it made sense we left quickly.

Rome, which we would soon call our home for the next 3 months, came shortly after. We soon settled in our hotel, got a tour of our campus and had delicious pizza, which was far cheaper than any in the states and tasted much better.

I noticed many things in my first week in Rome. For one, I laughed at the Mercedes buses and taxis and the BMW police cars. I loved how much cleaner the city was then I imagined (if you pretended the graffiti didn’t exist). I also noticed how they were constant sirens, everywhere. This could be because of the fact we were in the city or because we were close to a hospital. Little things such as old men in suits eating gelato at lunchtime make me laugh. Hearing all the different languages makes me smile, especially when I hear English or even better, understand Italian.

The language barrier wasn’t as bad as I thought. For one, I could understand them more they could understand me. Also the hand gestures my teachers had told me about made a huge difference. They trusted me because I knew them and I understand more because they were universal.

The trip so far has been an amazing experience. I love my classes, I love my professors, I’ve made great friends and have had a lot of great food. It’s going to be a great experience I think and I’m glad it is just beginning.

Piazzas at Night

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.

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.

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.