“I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.”

La Bella e La Bestia

I don’t want to start off the post in a cheesy way, but Lillian Smith’s quote really hit home for me this week. My response to it was spurred on by two different things: first of all, my journey is extending into the world around me. I am actually living in another country and am in constant awe of my surroundings. However, my journey truly has been an internal source of growth. Let’s start with the world around me, the easier of the two topics to describe.

Italy was always the top place in the world that I wanted to go, and I knew perfectly well that I would be amazed by the country. My grandma had told me it was the most beautiful place in the world, and I agreed without having yet to set foot on Italian soil. My astonishment at this country comes in two sizes: on a grand scale and on a smaller scale. On the grand scale, the city of Rome is entirely filled with history, art, landmarks, and natural beauty. Even the simplest building may house artistic treasures. Even the smallest park gates may lead to a world where flora and fauna live in fantastic harmony. I have yet to explore even half of Rome, but I’m looking forward to experiencing everything that it has to offer. Beyond Rome, I am planning trips to many different parts of Italy and I can’t wait to explore the rest of the country. On the smaller scale, I am in awe of my everyday surroundings. The other day I found myself sitting in front of my favorite gelateria and pasticcheria for two hours, just talking with a friend and watching as all of the people passed by. Small things like a little boy in a bumblebee costume or a family stopping at the café for gelato make me smile. I am surrounded by Italy. I walk Italy, I sleep Italy, I eat Italy, (someday I will speak Italy). I live in Italy, and it is a fact that never ceases to amaze me.

Internally, this journey has impacted me more than I can describe, more than I can understand. I had heard that going abroad would change you, would help you grow. But I never understood that until now. Sometimes I walk down the street on my way to school, and I take a deep breath, looking around, and realizing that I am really experiencing these things. I am so proud of myself that I have been able to adapt and learn how to live half way around the world on my own. Simple, everyday occurrences make me so incredibly proud of myself. Little things like purchasing food in the market using only Italian puts me on top of the world. I can’t believe this is the life I get to lead.

Ok, in keeping with the traditions of my previous posts, lets start in on my week (and what an amazing week it has been)…

Nothing particularly special happened this week in school. Classes are going well, I even had my first two quizzes in Italian and they both went very well. Thursday is Gnocchi day at the pizzeria by school and my friends and I have started a tradition of getting lunch there every week. This week I tried the pesto gnocchi and a carciofi fritti (battered and fried artichoke) and both were phenomenal. On a side note, when I reheated my leftover gnocchi the next day I put them in a pan with a little olive oil and they got toasted on one side which was fantastic- it was a textural wonder to have the crunchy side with the rest of the pillowy-soft dumpling. Before arriving for Gnocchi Thursday, I took my weekly stroll to the fresh produce market and was able to use only Italian to purchase my food! When I gave one vendor exact change but she wasn’t sure that it was the right amount, she checked it and was so complementary to me. “Bravissima!” (“Very good!”) I was beaming as I walked home. Thursday night was spent enjoying a wonderful night with friends and a potluck dinner at one of their apartments. Good food, good company, and decent wine made for a fantastic night in Roma!

I did a little exploring of some new places on Friday. My friends and I began with Tiber Island. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Roman geography (don’t feel bad, I’m still learning too), the Tiber River runs through the middle of Rome. It is not actually very wide at all, although it is wide enough for a small island evidently. The island didn’t hold much, mainly a hospital and a small church. After a quick stop there, we crossed the street into the Jewish Ghetto. This historic area houses a large synagogue, kosher restaurants, Judaica shops, and ruins. The area was incredibly beautiful and I got the sense that I was stepping into history. We ate at a charming kosher restaurant where we enjoyed carciofi alla giudia (one of the staples of Roman Jewish food, a fried artichoke lightly seasoned with salt and herbs that looks like a giant flower blooming on the plate) and a pizza with lox on it. While I don’t normally like lox, this was quite tasty. The artichoke was delicious, however we couldn’t tell if we were eating it right. Were we supposed to eat the leaves? If so, all of them? They tasted like little potato chips, so why not? Half-way through the artichoke we learned that we were not supposed to eat the outer-most leaves. Thankfully we hadn’t had too many yet. The man two tables down looked as confused as us and he ate the entire thing, so I guess our idea wasn’t that silly after all. Before leaving the Ghetto, we stopped at a bakery that had “American specialties” and got chocolate chip cookies. They were nowhere near as good as my mom’s, but it satisfied a craving for American comfort food.

This gives you an idea of just how grand everything is in Rome.

An American chocolate chip cookie!

Later that evening several friends and I had tickets to “La Bella e La Bestia,” the Italian version of the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast. It was an absolutely spectacular night. I have to say that I was as giddy as the children in the theater. Bringing out my inner child, I was swept up into the magic of the show. As every song started I got the chills, completely in awe of where I was and what I was doing. I nearly cried several times out of sheer happiness. The actors were phenomenal and immensely talented. And while it was comforting to know the storyline when my very basic Italian knowledge didn’t help me understand the lines (although it did sometimes, to my incredibly pleasant surprise), I found the music to cross the language barrier. It doesn’t matter what language the songs are sung in, they still give me gooesbumps. The story is classic, magical, and sensational. The final cool thing about the night was that it made it feel like Rome is my city. As if I was in any city living in the U.S., I went out for the night to a Broadway show. It could have been any city, anywhere, but it wasn't. It was here, it was Rome. And I get to live here! Life is amazing!

Today I woke up very early to depart Rome for a day trip to a small town called Tivoli. As I have not left the city since my arrival, I was really excited to take a train out to the countryside. I was very proud of myself that I figured out how to get to the train station and how to make our way to Tivoli. But I had given my friends fair warning that as soon as we got to Tivoli, I had no idea how to make it to Villa D’Este, the incredible gardens that Tivoli is famous for. We were able to figure out our way, but we never actually made it to the gardens, not for lack of directions or desire to go, but for wonderful detours that we took. In our attempts to find the gardens, we stumbled upon the town’s Carnivale celebration and were enchanted at how cute it was. There were candy stands, dried fruit and spices, as well as bountiful craft and toy stands. I purchased a beautiful glass necklace made of Murano/Venetian glass. After a snack of some dried fruit (have you ever had dried orange or dried strawberries- they’re heavenly), we traveled in the direction of the gardens, but were distracted by a coral and cameo store. When we entered we were kindly greeted by a 9^th generation cameo carver who spoke wonderful English and delighted in showing us his craft. The sweet old man even asked if we were students and then joked, “Students? 20% discount! Teacher? Full price.” He chatted with us as we marveled at the tiny masterpieces. I was particularly struck by a blue necklace. After much hesitation and his continual lowering of the price (he was quite the smooth talker), I walked away with a stunning blue cameo necklace worth €80 that he sold to me for €50, stating “This is beautiful, this is the thing you will pass on for generations and always remember Italy.” I’m very excited for this unique purchase. After our shopping, we finally made it to Villa D’Este, but didn’t have enough time to justify the entrance fee. We walked away promising to return before the semester ends. After another stop in the charming marketplace, we departed for home, but not before countless pictures of the surrounding mountains.

The view from the center of Tivoli

My beautiful necklaces

I have to say, this trip made me feel so empowered. I was able to find a place I wanted to go, find a train, and simply go! I figured it out, I actually got us there! And along the way we stumbled upon the most wonderful things. Not only that, but tonight I made risotto for dinner in my tiny little kitchen- a fantastic risotto with spinach, zucchini, red pepper, veal sausage, white wine, and basil. It was delicious! I still can’t believe that I was able to cook something so fancy in my quaint Italian kitchen. Additionally, this weekend I also made pancakes again that turned out a little better than last time, not to mention the jam and butter that I was able to melt into a make-shift syrup. Pretty creative if I do say so myself! I told my parents that I didn’t know how to even describe my happiness at everything I had done this weekend. As we video chatted tonight, they told me that my smile said it all. If that’s true, then I wish you could all see my smile, maybe that would be a better way for you to understand how I feel. Thinking back to the fact that I almost hesitated and decided to not study abroad, I’m absolutely floored. I can’t imagine not being here, not having these experiences. Living here has been an educational time, a time for growth, for friendship, and for discovery. This Tuesday will mark my one-month anniversary of arriving in Italy and I can’t wait for everything the next three months have in store. Next weekend I’ll be journeying to Venice, then Tuscany the weekend after, followed by visits from my sister, my friend, and then my parents. What an amazing next month I will have!

Risotto from scratch! Feeling so accomplished right now!

Much love to all of you! I miss you very dearly! New pictures are also up!

https://picasaweb.google.com/100853123413362137278/LaDolceVita?authkey=Gv1sRgCI6NoeLsqoHy_QE#

"Travel like a sponge, not a rock."

Taking pictures in Villa Borghese

Anonymity is a strange thing. In the case of the quote listed above, it is said to be spoken by someone anonymously. I wish this weren’t true, as I would like to know exactly belongs to such wise words. In the two and a half weeks I have spent in Italy, I can tell you that it is impossible to not be like a sponge. I want to soak up everything.

On a completely separate note, more pictures are up! They are almost all of a beautiful park called Villa Borghese. Enjoy! https://picasaweb.google.com/100853123413362137278/LaDolceVita?authkey=Gv1sRgCI6NoeLsqoHy_QE#

I’ll start with the simple things, as sometimes they are the most precious. One thing I want to soak up in Italy is the sun. It is truly splendid. The air is crisp and light, free from the humidity that weighs down the warmer air at home. The days have been averaging in the low 60s with glorious sunshine. Oddly enough, Romans are still dressed for the “winter season” and are wearing parkas and fur coats, whereas I have official broken out my light trench coat in celebration.

One of the benefits of this weather is that it has encouraged me to walk more to and from school (as have the pastries I’ve been eating). On three separate occasions, I have been walking between my apartment and school and shared this journey with a charming little dog named Layla. Standing small at about 1 foot high but sporting a tail that makes her much taller, she trots with a jolly sort of spring in her step. Her owner walks slowly behind her, letting her wander off leash. Every 20 feet or so, Layla pauses, makes eye contact with the man, and then proceeds as he draws near. Sometimes she will wait patiently as he approaches her slowly, as if she wants to make sure he feels included in the walk. When I begin to pass them, as I walk at a slightly faster pace, Layla and I synchronize our steps. She walks next to me, stops to wait for her owner as I speed ahead, and then she rejoins me as she returns to her original pace. Eventually we get out of step and I pull ahead entirely, sad that we can’t continue the walk together. In a city with millions of people and almost as many dogs, I am amazed that I have seen Layla so many times. As odd as it may seem, the familiarity of her routine makes me smile. I look forward to continuing our walks next week.

It is little things like my times with Layla that make me happy. Similarly, I passed an adorable little boy walking besides his mother several days ago. I am absolutely enthralled when children speak Italian. Here is a language that I want to learn so desperately, and it is flowing out of them like words fly out of a writer after a remarkable breakthrough in his story. Though, oddly enough, it was not the little boy’s conversation that was so enchanting. Rather, his mannerisms. As he passed me, he let out an enormous burp, to which his mother promptly turned to him and cried “Eduardddoooo,” in a voice laden with reprimand, disbelief, and subtle amusement. It was too cute, I couldn’t help but laugh. Let’s move away from these cutesy stories and onto what I’ve been up to recently…

While most days I pack a turkey sandwich for lunch to save a little money (and a few calories), Thursday is gnocchi day at the pizzeria near AUR, and I was told that they are a must. Naturally, I am inclined to indulge in all of my food desires (considering I’ve had gelato three days in a row now, I’d say I have indulged), so I went to celebrate Gnocchi Thursday with some friends. I got broccoli that was sautéed with whole garlic cloves and enough butter to melt your heart. The main dish was gnocchi in a tomato cream fish sauce. Wow! It was savory and fantastic.

Thursday after classes were over I made a quick dinner before heading to a program recommended by my school called Extreme Language Exchange. Every week people can sign up for this free program where Italians and Americans converse in an attempt to teach each other their language. It is held at a bar in Trastevere called Mate Bar, a fun, relaxed place that offered an apertivo and drink for only €7. Apertivo is a local tradition that involves a drink and small food buffet. It’s not exactly dinner, but a nice snack or their equivalent of Happy Hour. After a little food and drink, we headed into the basement of the bar where there was more seating and began the night. It ran similarly to a speed-dating set-up, where people would rotate to a new partner every ten minutes. I spoke with a man named Andrea who wants to move to the US to be a musician, a man who is learning English for his job, a woman who teaches Spanish but wants to learn English, and several other people who were just interested in enhancing their language skills. While I truly enjoyed the ability to meet local Italians, it was incredibly exhausting to attempt to converse knowing basically no Italian. The locals did speak an impressive amount of English and were very kind in teaching me what they could of Italian. After the two hours were over, I was mentally drained. It was a fantastic experience and I am looking forward to going back when I have a wider selection of vocabulary to use. To treat myself, I stopped at a gelato place with my roommate after the evening ended and I tried banana gelato for the first time. In Italy, if you get yellow banana gelato, it is artificial. If the gelato is gray or off-white, it is the real deal. Let me tell you, this was the real deal all right! I also got it with straciatella (vanilla with thin chocolate chunks mixed in) and it tasted like a chocolate covered banana. La dolce vita indeed!

On Friday my roommate and I decided to go to the Van Gogh exhibit at a museum downtown. It only runs until February 20^th and I had heard that it was a must-see. Everyone who said this was entirely correct, the museum was stunning. Well, the museum was fine, the artwork was stunning. While I do not pretend to be a connoisseur of the arts, I do appreciate the work of people so immensely talented. I found myself staring at awe at the miraculous works of Van Gogh. My favorites of the day were Interior of a Restaurant, Apricot Trees in Blossom, Cypresses With Two Female Figures, Bank of the Oise at Auvers, and Paris Seen From Montmartre (by Maximilien Luce). These five paintings presented colors that only exist in dreams, yet still managed to convey scenes that were so real they left me wanting to step into the painting. After Van Gogh we walked towards Campo di Fiori for some delicious pizza and pastries. The night was later topped off by a return to Mate Bar with friends for a girls’ night out. A perfect end to a great day.

Interior of A Restaurant (not my picture, as no photos were allowed)

Today (Saturday), I decided to be ambitious and make pancakes! I combined flour, milk, and an egg to make the batter. It looked like pancake batter, it smelled like pancake batter, but would it taste like pancake batter? Well, kind of. With no baking powder or baking soda, they wound up rather flat and rubbery. Without any spatula, I had a hard time flipping them, but I was finally able to do it. Normally I make chocolate chip banana pancakes, but I had to improvise with chocolate covered raisins instead. I also was lacking syrup, so strawberry jam filled in decently. While they were not perfect, the pancakes were a welcomed break from the cereal, yogurt, or granola that I have eaten every morning. I am looking forward to finishing the batter tomorrow!

After the fun breakfast, several friend and I headed into the center of the city to go to Villa Borghese, a heart-shaped park near the Spanish Steps. Before this we stopped off at a Panini place where we’d eaten before. Salami and fresh mozzarella warmed between two pieces of outrageous bread- simple yet wonderful. When we arrived at the Spanish Steps it was cloudy, but still beautiful. Not quite the sunbathing weather of my first visit, but good enough! We went inside the church there before heading to the park. Villa Borghese is a charming park, with fair grounds for children, fountains, park benches, and much more. Many people rent bikes, Segways, or golf carts to explore the area. It also boasts many museums, art galleries, flower gardens, and even a zoo. We strolled along leisurely until a strong desire for gelato set in and we made our way to the Pantheon where I treated myself to gelato- chocolate, caramel, and pear flavors this time. After gelato I bought a beautiful purple necklace from a street vendor- I tried to haggle but he wouldn’t back down and I decided that his price was actually pretty fair compared to what I would have paid in a store so I went for it. This is my first non-food or non-travel purchase of the semester. The final destination of the night was Piazza Navona, a piazza with two large fountains that is completely surrounded by restaurants, stores, and churches.

 

Villa Borghese

Flowers in a garden at Villa Borghese

Regarding churches, I have to say that I am stunned by every single church I’ve seen. In Rome, churches are open to visitors when not being used for mass. Each church is ornately decorated with sculptures, frescoes, paintings, mosaics, and gold. Regardless of what you believe in, these churches can give anyone the chills. Not only are they breathtakingly beautiful, but they are centuries old and hold immense amounts of history. Even those that seem so unsuspecting from the outside can feature incredible stained glass, art, and historical artifacts. I hope to continue to visit the many churches of Rome.

On a different note, this Tuesday I will celebrate my 3 week anniversary, so to speak, of coming to Rome. I feel like I have lived here forever, which is good and bad. I want the semester to go slow so that I can savor it, while, at the same time, I am ready for the excitement of the next month to begin. Official countdown: two weeks until Venice, three weeks until Tuscany, three and a half weeks until Steph comes, four and a half weeks until Julie comes, and six weeks until my parents come. I can’t wait!

I’d like to leave off this post by saying how truly blessed I feel to be here. I had a moment on the tram home tonight where I found myself thinking, “This is real, this is my life. I live in Rome.” Several days ago my teacher asked us what our favorite city was and I had to think about it for a while. Never again. This is my favorite city. This place of so much beauty, art, passion, and history, it is everything a city should be. Of course, there are the parts of the city you will never see on a postcard or in a movie. There are smokers everywhere, graffiti on many buildings, and people begging for money in the streets. But there’s also glory, grandeur, and magnificence. Sometimes I find myself going about my days as if I’m so used to being here, but then there are other moments, like tonight, where I can’t believe my life. This is truly the life I lead and I have never felt so lucky. I am in the most incredible place, I have the most incredible family and friends at home who have been wonderful in keeping me connected to my life in the US, and I have had experiences that I could have only dreamed of. I wish I knew exactly how to describe this feeling. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more full of joy. Buonasera and grazie to you all.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.”

At the top of the Basilica

Part of the idea behind studying abroad is to open your mind up to new experiences and to gain new understanding and perspective from it. This quote by Seneca encourages the belief that traveling and studying abroad can truly be a life-altering experience, in an incredibly good way, that is. 

Side note: I have updated my photo album, although they are slightly out of order: https://picasaweb.google.com/100853123413362137278/LaDolceVita?authkey=Gv1sRgCI6NoeLsqoHy_QE#

This weekend involved another jam-packed three days of sight-seeing and exploring the beautiful city of Rome. Thursday night (with no classes on Fridays) was the start of the weekend and found my friends and I craving a simple girls-night-out with some dessert and vino. We ventured to Trastevere (a part of Rome known for restaurants, cafes, bars, and its night-life) and found an adorable restaurant with tiramisu and a fruit torte that were delicious. Between the dolce food and a bottle of wine, it was a wonderful night!

Friday was set-aside for a day of exploring, with a few general destinations in mind but no set plan. This has been a goal of mine since arriving. I’d like to just take a map, head into the city, and start walking the streets randomly, stumbling upon unique places and discovering everything that Roma has to offer. We got downtown and headed in the direction of the Pantheon. It was a perfect, sunny day in Rome and the center of the Pantheon was not roped off (as it had been on the cloudy/potentially rainy day when I had been there before), so we were able to stand underneath the opening directly. There is a large hole at the center of the roof that lets in the light. While I’m not sure of the exact history behind this, I would imagine that it has something to do with providing an opening for God to enter or a window up to Heaven- but don’t quote me on that! Regardless of the reason it is there, it’s beautiful.

After the Pantheon we started in the general direction of the Spanish Steps, one of the few “touristy” areas that I had not been to yet. I have to say, while it is beautiful, it is in fact just a very large staircase. However, there’s something incredible about climbing to the top and looking down at the sprawl of the city before you. By the time we arrived at the Steps, it was also at least 60°F and very sunny, meaning we couldn’t help but to just lay out on the steps and sunbathe. It was truly wonderful.

At the top of the Spanish Steps

After the Steps we set off to find somewhere to sit down for lunch. We wandered around for a while, eventually walking right up to the Trevi Fountain as if it were a small landmark that gets passed everyday on the way to work. No big deal, just the Trevi Fountain. Except that, to me, it never ceases to be a big deal. Anyway, we passed some friends eating at a restaurant a block away from the Trevi (what are the odds that in this huge city we keep running into people from school) and they told us that the restaurant was amazing and that we had to eat there. We decided to try it, being seated by a charming Italian man name Marco who also spoke fantastic English. The reason behind this: he lives in Chicago! We started talking about home and how he runs two restaurants there but came back to Rome to start running this one. After chatting, he came back to take our order, then paused and said, “Just tell me what you like. You like chicken? You like pasta? I take care of it, don’t worry.” He took our menus and off he went, leaving us anxious for what amazing creation he would bring. Marco presented us with a refreshing piece of bruschetta for an appetizer, a perfect way to ignite our appetites. As he took our plates, we had a little conversation regarding the heartbreak of the Bears losing to the Packers- how wonderful to be in the company of a Chicagoan! Our entrees came out as our jaws dropped. A huge tour of pasta was presented in front of me, prompting my to pull out my camera and capture the work of art. The noodles were a soft marigold, like the color of my favorite yellow sundress. They were coated in a delicate veil of cream sauce, just enough to provide flavor but not so much that the noodles were drowning in it. Scattered throughout the stack were pieces of chicken and scallions. This was truly pasta perfection. While I usually don’t finish my entrees at restaurants, Italians never seem to take home any food, so in true Italian style, I cleaned my plate. When in Rome… Finally, Marco topped off the meal with a delicate cream dessert. He called it tiramisu cream and served it in a small espresso glass topped with cocoa powder and a small butter cookie. The cream reminded me of the cream filling in a doughnut, the kind that you would love to just suck out of the doughnut and eat it plain, except that it’s not socially acceptable to be seen scooping out the fillings. Marco and the chef behind this ingenious creation had achieved socially acceptable cream perfection. It was rich, creamy, and yet lighter than air. He was attempting to get us to ask the school for a meeting so that he could set up a discount for students, so he buttered us up by giving us the bruschetta and dessert for free. We permitted this happily! He bid us farewell with a kiss on each cheek and sent us on our way with about a dozen business cards and a promise that we will return. I fully intend to keep that promise. After such a large meal we headed home to book travel plans for Venice! I am excited to be heading to Venice for two days during Carnival. This will be my first trip out of the city and is sure to be a memorable one!

The delicious pasta

All of that happened on Friday, and Saturday was reserved for a trip to the Vatican. We started this adventure with a 7:00 a.m. wake-up to ensure that we would be there early enough to meet the wonderful tour guide who had been so great at the Coliseum and Palatino. The tour with him (or what wound up being with his wife instead) included admission to the Vatican Museum and a 3-hour tour, after which we were allowed to stay in the Vatican as long as we wanted. Let me start by saying this: The Vatican is amazing! Never in my life have I seen such an impressive, enormous, or moving display of art and history. It feels like stepping back in time. Not only that, but you are allowed to touch almost everything, so it is like touching a piece of history.

Unfortunately, I do not remember all of the historical details of everything I viewed, nor did I see everything the museum has to offer. According to our guide, if you spent one minute looking at everything in the museum, it would take 13 years to see everything they have in their collection. There is somewhere around $40 billion of collateral that makes up the entire estate. The only word I can think of to even come close to describing it is “grand.” Well, maybe “opulent” would work too.

Our tour of the museum included the “highlights,” involving sculptures, frescoes, paintings, mosaics, and everything in between. Everywhere you turned there was a work of art. I felt bad for spending so long with my neck craning to see the ceiling when every floor was a masterpiece in and of itself, often consisting of exquisite marble or intricate mosaics. While many of the historical and religious references were involving people and stories that I was not familiar with, I was thrilled when one painting featured a person I learned about in my Italian Culture class- I expected the class to apply to things I would see in Rome but I can’t believe that after only one class I’m already finding things that enhance my experiences.

The frescoes were absolutely incredible. For such a pain-stacking process, it truly does result in magnificent works of art. We entered a hallway full of painted maps of Italy, but all I could do was look at the ceiling, as it was entirely covered in paintings, moldings, and gold. There was another room consisting of tapestries which depicted religious scenes. One of the tapestries is one of the oldest recorded examples of experimentation with perspective, as Jesus’ eyes truly follow you as you move past him. It is eerie, to say the least. We finally arrived at the Sistine Chapel, the focal point of every person’s visit to the museum. I will be honest, I expected it to be bigger. However, regardless of size, it is the most jaw-dropping, inspiring, and magnificent room I have ever been in. There is not an inch of that chapel that is not exquisitely painted. While it is a true homage to the Christian religion, I believe that it is a meaningful experience for anyone who enters. Regardless of what you believe, no one can deny the emotion behind these paintings. Interestingly enough, the ceiling is the work of forced labor, as Michelangelo refused to paint it and was coerced into doing it by the Pope. The masterpiece left him crippled for years with his arm above his head, as he spent so long painting over his head (he was not laying on his back, as most people think). But don’t feel too bad for him, Michelangelo left three different insults to the Pope immortalized in the frescoes. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed in the Chapel. There are guards everywhere saying “No photo, no photo please.” That didn’t stop everyone from clicking away, holding their cameras over their heads in a very obvious fashion. I would feel bad if the pictures were a risk to the art, but it is a copyright issue. When the ceiling was restored it was entirely paid for by a Japanese television company which now exercises copyright ownership and prohibits pictures. Really? Copyright issues keep people from taking their picture in front of the most beautiful paintings ever? Ridiculous if you ask me. I may or may not have quietly snapped a picture…

The museum's courtyard

After the Sistine Chapel we grabbed a quick lunch in the food court (an odd American lunch of a “hamburger” and French fries for €9- some things don’t matter if you are in the U.S. or Rome, museum food is always overpriced). We then ventured around the museum and saw more statues before heading to the Egyptian wing, as close to Egypt as I’d like to be right now. While this was very interesting, it was slightly underwhelming after the grandeur of the rest of the museum.

The next stop required us to leave the museum, leave the country, and re-enter Vatican City by St. Peter’s square. After countless pictures around the square, we couldn’t wait any longer and entered the long line for a climb to the top of the Basilica. A short elevator ride and 320 very steep and narrow steps later, we reached the top of the Basilica, truly a breathtaking moment. This is the highest I have been in Rome and provided me with a stunning 360° view of Rome and the Vatican. I couldn’t help but take pictures of everything. I kept telling myself, “Stop taking pictures Julie, just look at it.” Then I found the “sunset mode” on my camera, and all hope was lost. Words don’t do this view justice. The 611 pictures of the day might.

After a fun dinner with friends at a local pizzeria, I crashed in my apartment, completely exhausted from an amazing, inspiring, and moving day.

Another thing I am truly enjoying in Rome is the weather. It is warm and sunny, with average temperatures this weekend somewhere between 60-65°F. This morning I decided to go for a jog in the park near my apartment, Villa Pamphili, the largest park in Rome. It was about a mile walk to the park, and then I jogged for a half an hour, getting both lost in its beauty and actually lost. Everyone was out with his or her dogs, children, spouses, bikes, and running shoes to enjoy the day. I ran past soccer games, children playing catch, a little girl dressed up as Woody from Toy Story, and many couples reading the newspaper and enjoying each other’s company. There was also a lake with swans and ducks, fountains, fields, statues, and gardens. It was a picture-perfect day. Plus, I got to practice my Italian: “Buongiorno! Scuzi, dove Via Donna Olimpia”… “Good morning! Excuse me, where is Donna Olimpia [the street that takes me back to my apartment].” Italians are so kind and friendly and helped me find my way back. Grazie mille to them!

The rest of the day has involved homework and working on this blog post. A simple dinner of hash browns (if only I had some barbeque sauce!) and a mix of peppers, spinach, and green beans in a white wine butter sauce with a blood orange for dessert have topped the day off perfectly. While the Super Bowl is on tonight, I won’t be venturing to an American bar to watch it- the Green Bay Packers are not worth losing sleep over in my book!

Buonasera to all of you who I love so dearly!

“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.”

Buonasera to you all! I’m writing this as I enjoy my most adventurous dinner yet. It is hard to cook in a small kitchen that is not as well supplied as the ones I’m used to, but I’m trying to make due without resorting to pasta every night. Tonight I made chicken and mushrooms in a white wine lemon cream sauce with garlic green beans on the side. Perfecto! I started the sauce with a roux, a thickening mixture of 50% flour and 50% butter. This is my first attempt at a roux and I am pleased to say it went well! It is quite a delicious dinner and I feel very accomplished considering I had no real recipe and it still turned out so yummy.

This post’s quote by Francis Bacon has a significant meaning to me this week, as I’ve just finished my first week of classes. Studying abroad really is part education, both inside and outside the classroom.

My first week of classes went very well. First, I have to say that, while I knew I was coming to Rome to go to school, it is hard to get back into “school mode” after a week-long vacation when I first arrived. I started my morning early on Monday, getting ready to race to campus and sign up for trips sponsored by the school. I chose a weekend trip to Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, and Trequanda) and a day trip to Assisi, a beautiful town that my grandfather told me was a “must-see.” I started my Italian class that day, incredibly eager to learn the language. I find the Italian language beautiful, romantic, and very pleasing to the ear. Unfortunately, I am having a hard time convincing myself to not go into Spanish, as the languages are so similar that I have a tendency to want to say “Me llamo Julie” instead of “io mi chiamo Julie.” Regardless, I can’t wait to be able to converse with the locals soon!

My next class was Media and Gender. The professor was funny, interesting, and very friendly. Unfortunately, a lot of the gender discussions are very similar to what I have already done with sociology, so it’s a little repetitive. In a way this is good, since it will help me connect both of my majors to this class. In other ways, it could get a little boring. I’ll just have to wait and see.

I switched into another class that started Wednesday called Introduction to Italian Culture. I thought that this course would really help me make the most of my time here and begin to understand the history of this place. While I’ve only been to one class, it was very interesting and will surely come in handy as I tour the city and Italy in general. But now on to my favorite class.

Drum roll, please….

A Moveable Feast: Writing About Food! Those of you reading this know me well enough to know that I truly am a “foodie.” I love to cook, eat, read food blogs, watch the Food Network, and look up recipes online. This love affair with food makes the course perfect for me. One of the things I love the most about it is that I am being taught skills that will actually make me a better writer. So many of my college courses have been about theories, where teachers have even said “You’ll never use this but you have to know it for the test.” I love that this class makes me feel as though I am learning with a purpose, allowing me to develop better writing skills and a true voice as a food writer.

While the quote I chose for this post mentions education, it also discusses experience. One of the most memorable moments of the week was an experience that I had outside of the classroom. During a break on my first day of classes, I decided to walk around the park across from school. AUR is nestled between two of Rome’s largest parks, Villa Pamphili and Villa Sciarra, the closer and smaller of the two. As I entered Villa Sciarra, I was immediately taken aback by it’s charming nature. There were trees, fountains, and a playground where several children were plying with their parents. As I ventured further in I found more than just charm, but true beauty. The pathways are lined with many trees, including palm trees (a universal symbol of peace and serenity in my opinion). There are dirt and stone pathways winding throughout large grassy hills that beckon visitors to wander further and further. I found a staircase and decided to explore, spotting an adorable gazebo at the top. I also found an adorable couple- my apologies go out to them for interrupting what appeared to be a rather intimate moment! I quickly turned around and continued on, finding many fountains, fields, benches, and pathways. The park is also famous for its views of Rome, as this area sits on the highest hill in the city. The vistas of Rome were absolutely breathtaking. A pathway along the side of the hill was covered with a canopy of vines and branches, creating a setting that any Hollywood set designer could only dream of. It was one of those moments where I was filled with nothing but happiness and gratitude that I am able to have these experiences and be in such a wonderful place.

The rest of the week allowed me to settle into a bit of a routine. Classes, grocery shopping, etc. It’s now starting to feel like I truly live here, as opposed to feeling like I’m just visiting. Along those lines, I also feel like I’ve been here two months instead of just under two weeks. The semester has started off very slowly, but I know that it’s only a matter of time before it begins to fly. On tap for the end of February is a trip to Venice. Then in March, I have the trip to Tuscany, then my sister surprised me with booking a trip to see me, then my friend is coming out for spring break (and we are planning a trip to many parts of Italy), and then my parents are coming here for a week and a half (we will be visiting Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast). This brings me to April, where I will be spending the first weekend with my parents, then taking the day trip to Assisi, followed by hopefully Easter weekend in Greece (as Italy and Greece are the top places in the world that I want to go, I figured I can get to Greece while I’m here too). By the time that’s done, the semester is basically finished! It’s just started but already I know that it will fly by! To my sister Steph, my friend Julie, and my parents: I can’t thank you enough for coming out to see me! While I want to savor my time in Rome, you can’t imagine how badly I want it to be March so that I can see you all! Now that I’ve started to learn my way around the city a little more, I am eager to share this incredible place with you!

Ciao!