Yes, yes...I know...

I realize I'm still slacking on the regular updates; I'm sorry.

Tuscany was absolutely beautiful! Thinking about it now, it almost feels unreal that I actually witnessed all the beauty that was surrounding me. Before I update fully, I need you all to do some quick homework, because I don't feel like explaining certain things. But here are a few things that need to be said:

I haven't uploaded my pictures yet. I think I'm developing arthritis from sitting on this cold, hard linoleum. I've tried pillows. I will do that this week, though!

Friday, I leave for Montpellier, France to visit my best friend, Kirsten, who is also studying abroad. I. CAN'T. WAIT. So that will be another several days senza update.

Did you know?

(This took me awhile to figure out about the geography of Italy...)

Tuscany is not a city. So when I say that I went to Tuscany, and visited several cities, don't be confused! Italy has 20 regions and within those regions are all the cities that we're familiar with. Rome is in the Lazio region. Toscana (Tuscany) is another region, and during our trip, we visited Montalcino and Siena.

Montalcino is the home of one of the most important wine producers in Tuscany, Castello Banfi. We got to visit and experience a wine-tasting and walk around the villa that houses wine tastings and a sort of gift shop. That was pretty cool. It was beautiful. More later.

Siena was amazing. To fully appreciate Siena you must:

-Learn a few basics.

-Know what a contrada is.

-Find out about the Palio.

(Lane and Barb, some day, we need to make a special trip to Siena to experience the Palio. I'm sure you'd love every second of it).

Anyway, make sure to check those links before the next post, because I'll be talking about those things as if you have a basic understanding. I know, perhaps it defeats the purpose of explanatory writing, knowing my audience, blah blah blah...I'm taking a short cut. 

I had a great time over the weekend, it was beautiful, and exciting to see what I've learned so much about. Oh yeah, in one of my classes, we talked a lot about Siena and the culture, so the trip to Siena had much more significance. Mid-terms this week. At this point, one down, one to go. After tomorrow, I'm good to go. After Thursday, I'm super-good to go.

I'm still having the best time, and I still miss everyone. Just wanted to let you know.

Un giorno nella vita.

As suggested, I'll start updating with some day-to-day adventures since, yes, every day is an adventure.

Well, today was any normal Tuesday. It's been getting colder at night and in the mornings and the government doesn't turn on the heat until...November 1st? Well, I got up and took a shower and got coffee with Jen on the way to school. We always stop at Mirko Bar which is right around the corner from "campus." I put "campus" in quotations because our "campus" is really a renovated villa (a large house) with a big cement wall and iron gate blocking it from the rest of the street. It's beautiful! Anyway, the bar is small, but it's always the same few baristas and they are so nice. They know our coffee orders. So we sat, enjoying our morning caffe and headed to class, Jen to her Human Politics class, me to Food and Wine.

Food and Wine was as usual today, an hour and half of the lesson dedicated to lecture, followed by a half hour break, followed by a professional cook coming in and preparing two regional dishes, paired with two wines that we all get to try. Today I didn't so much prefer either dish. One was a risotto, cooked in red wine and butter (yeah, I know, boo-hoo) and the other was a sliced veal with a mayonnaise spread that had lemon and tuna blended in to it, topped with capers; (again, boo-hoo). The wines were both red and very different from one another. I think I prefer whites.

After class, Donna and I made our way to Via del Corso, a long and prominent street in Rome that's famous for it's shopping. I was directed to this area in search of an art supply store. We found it, and it's fabulous! There are two parts to it,  two separate stores, actually. One is like Cappel's, where it had all the holiday decorations, it was great! This was the first sign of anything Halloween or Christmas; just another adjustment from seeing Halloween and Christmas decorations in August. Anyway, we passed all the fun and walked in to the art supply store and I got excited. They had EVERYTHING! 

Mom: They had a fair selection of beads, jewelry supplies, a great selection of books with things such as patterns and pictures and instructions for numerous things. I didn't look so closely, but there was quite a variety.

I ended up getting a sketchbook, markers and colored pencils. I can finally make some Roman art of my own, yeah! All in all this excursion was exciting and successful, I look forward to others. My roommates are starting to come home. And if you've seen the most recent post previous to this, you'd see that my internet spot is right by the door. It's almost dinner time and I have homework to do. Our house smells good.

Mama mia!

Wow, apologies for the lack of updates lately. 

The internet in Via Nomentana has been very tricky as of late. Also, due to my personal internet situation, I've come to avoid getting online at the apartment much anymore. Please, take a look at the one place where I get a connection, and one that isn't even ours:

Yes, that beautiful, spacious little corner on the floor is where I spend countless seconds catching up with friends and family back in the States. It kind of reminds me of the song, "In My Own Little Corner" from the Rogers and Hammerstein version of Cinderella.

Anyway, really, it's not that I don't care, it's just that I can only take so much of the cold, hard linoleum floor.

Enough of that, Rome is fabulous. Besides the fact that I've been sick for almost two weeks, I still love it here. I went to the doctor today for that little cough that just hasn't gone away, and boy did it make me appreciate what we have in the States. It's not that things are bad here, it's just not as easy; especially being a student abroad. It's alright though, I'm in a different country so of course I have to expect some speed bumps. Either way, I've been thinking lately about adjusting to life here. I feel like the way of life is very easy to adjust to, the pace, the style, the beauty. But of course, being from the United States, it can be a little more difficult to get used to. I hope that makes sense. I guess it's easier for some than others to just accept the fact that things are different, I just suppose that none of us thought it would be so different. I'm not complaining one bit, I love life here. In fact, (mom, dad, don't read the next line), I don't want to come home. Of course I miss home... I miss driving, I miss my friends, I miss my family and Drew, I even miss my unintelligent pets! I've gotten out of Cincinnati for once, and now I want to see what else there is out here. In the world. In Italy. It's all so fascinating and I feel like I could do this forever! 

Don't worry, I know that by December I'll be ready to come home... at least for a couple weeks ;)

Not much else to update on. It's been pretty low-key lately because I've been lacking energy from not going for more than a few minutes without coughing. BUT! In the upcoming weeks I want to take advantage of everything Rome has to offer. There are so many music festivals and clubs, performances and exhibits that are happening this month and I want to see them! I get to visit Kirsten in her world of Southern France in roughly TWO WEEKS! Ohh, I absolutely cannot wait. 

OK, now that I've updated sufficiently, there's not much to say at this point. I haven't been taking pictures because I haven't gone anywhere. I will make sure to document my experiences more thoroughly from now on, I know you've all been dying in anticipation. Not to worry, I won't keep you on pins and needles for long periods of time anymore. Expect more after the weekend.

Capri e' l'isola che non si scorda mai.

We saw that phrase on the awning of a little shop in Capri.

This weekend is hard to describe. I guess I could start by saying it was the embodiment of how I pictured Italy before I got here.

This was my first weekend away from Rome since we've been here, which is only three weeks, but it still felt very nice to get away. I actually didn't realize how busy, loud, and fairly chaotic Rome can be. We went to the region of Campania on Friday; and within that we visited the ancient ruins of Pompeii for half a day, made our way to Sorrento for the night, woke up early Saturday to make our way to the island of Capri for the rest of the day. 

Pompeii is definitely in the top of the coolest-things-I've-ever-seen list. I think, at first, I thought it would just be another boring tour, but there was absolutely nothing boring about this place. The most fascinating part about it is how much it has actually been preserved. When we were walking around, guided by our dear tour guide, Antonio, and hearing about what each structure was and how it was used, I could really get a picture of what life would have been like before 79 A.D. It was very surreal to be walking around the ruins of a city, a place where people lived and walked. There were remnants of things that equate our modern-day "fast food" restaurants, crosswalks, theaters, even brothels! Maybe the fact that we got lucky with the weather helped the enjoyment. It was warm, but cloudy and breezy, so we weren't sweating profusely. It really was incredible. Antonio was quite fun, also. He seemed pretty savvy on American pop music and bust out a few tunes as we were walking such as "Shut Up" by the Black Eyed Peas, and "Don't Stop the Music" by Rihanna, ha! I became his secretary throughout the tour, handling the map as he pointed to it and explained various things. At one point he said, "Where is my secretary? Come on, everyone, come to me!" (We were all walking at various paces and had headsets to hear Antonio tell us about the different sites). So he pulled me in front of him and asks,

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"...Yes."

"Then why are you standing on a penis?"

Everyone laughs as we look down, only to see that I'm standing on carved picture of a penis. First of all, we were in the, sort of, "red light district" of the city; so Antonio continues to tell us that this particular marker was used by a lupa, (lit., "she-wolf," used to refer to the prostitutues), to let men know they were "available." And the fascinating part is really that this is all still here, and that we can know about it 2,000 years later. I have plenty of pictures on the Picasa link, so be sure to have a look-see. 

After a few hours in Pompeii, we hopped back on the charter bus (which we had taken from Rome) and made our way to Sorrento, where we stayed for the night. Dad, don't 

worry, we're starting to see where to money is going! This place was just beautiful. We were directly on the coast of the Mediterranean, on a cliff, overlooking the sea... just... perfect! After an early start to a long day, we didn't do much exploring, but the exploring we did was great. Sorrento seems like a quaint town that thrives a lot on tourism; not much to do, but plenty to see. Some of the girls and I could not stop talking about how content we were to be there. It was quiet and stunning and just so... Italian! We had a nice, included dinner at the hotel (very fancy) and had time to do whatever we pleased. 

Saturday morning we got up early to a complimentary breakfast that was full of beautiful pastries, fruit, bread, EGGS! (Haven't seen much of that lately), cereal and yogurt. Oh man, was it good. At 8:30 in the morning we made our way to a dock to board the boat that would take us to Capri. I'm not sure how long the ride actually was because I fell asleep. The inside of the boat was very much like a large airplane with the seating. You wouldn't have thought that you could still feel nauseous, but it happened. Sleeping helped keep it away. We made it to Capri by 11 or so, and Tom (the Student Services Coordinator of CEA) left us to our own devices on the island. He, first, gave us a quick rundown of how to get around, but we had to be discrete because you are not allowed to give information about the island unless you are a licensed tour guide. So we spared Tom putting himself in a situation where he could get arrested and dispersed until we were to meet back at 5pm. 

Where we docked was called the Marina Grande, I guess this was the lowest part of the island. Not much to see, just a few shops and restaurants. Here we dropped off our luggage for the day and took off to explore. Oh, well, when we first got there, the weather wasn't too great. It had rained a bit on our way there, but stopped when we arrived. It was still a bit cloudy, but the temperature was nice. The forecast hadn't been too promising, but not horrible. Well, we purchased tickets in advance to be able to take the cable car to Capri town, and from Capri town take the bus to get up to Anacapri, and then make our way down- (you need tickets for all the transportation; the island most definitely thrives on tourism). Our first stop was Capri. We didn't even realize it, but as we were going through a tunnel on the first part of the cable-car ride, the sun came out. When we got to Capri town (10 minute ride up), there was a terrace that gave an amazing view of the town below. There, we realized it was a beautiful start to a beautiful day. Jen, Donna, Stephanie and I ended up sticking together the majority of the day. We started by walking around, looking at the stores, window shopping and smelling the fresh waffle cones being made in the gelaterie. The whole place was full of designer shops and beautiful people, dressed to the nines. It's no joke that Italians take pride in their appearances. We stopped at a bar for the best panino and cannoli you'll ever have. We found a bench at the original terrace, overlooking the city and the sea, which is the picture at the very top. There we sat for a good hour, enjoying our food and the beauty of our surroundings. It was a moment where we all just sat quietly together in complete peace and contentment, just soaking in the scenery.

By then, it was probably about 1:30, and we decided to make our way, via bus, to Anacapri. Something I was dwelling on a bit on the way up was the fact that it seems as though life here, and a lot more of what I've seen, is part of the land. Things aren't destroyed to make room for inhabitants, the people took the land and made their lives fit to the curves of its body. It really hit me as we were driving up a narrow, windy road up the side of a mountain to get to the town above. We were let off at a place the was just bustling with activity; again, shops and restaurants all over the place. We set off to explore and see what Anacapri had to offer. We looked in some stores, really just taking our time and enjoying, what turned out to be, a beautiful day. We strolled down the streets, window shopping in stores such as BVLGARI and Prada and found some hidden alleyways and a fabulous little market that was tucked away in the curves of the town. 

Our main goal had been to find a place to go on a boat tour, but had no such luck. It actually just came to me that we never thought that it wouldn't be possible to get a tour of the coast, thousands of feet above the water. I guess our logic was left behind with our jaws, back at the window with the diamond the size of a quarter. Oh, well. As time passed us by, we came across the chair-lift that Tom told us about. We wanted to do it but weren't sure if it would be wise, seeing as it was a little after 3, or so, and we had to make our way back to the bottom of the island in a little over an hour. We decided to check out how long it would take, and after seeing it was an 8 euro ride, 12 minutes up and 12 minutes down, to see the entire island from a chair, we decided it was worth it. Boy, was it worth it. It was like a ski-lift, taking you up individually on a ride that allows you to see the entire island; the town, the hills, the sea. I mean, words just can't describe it. I felt like I was in a movie, in slow motion, panning over an incredible horizon. It was so peaceful in a chair by myself, being taken up the mountainside. After 12 lovely minutes, we were let off at the very top of the mountain, literally overseeing the ENTIRE island. .

After we took pictures and admired the mountain-top lounge areas, we made our way back down the lift and back to the Marina to meet the rest of the group. I can't think of a way to fully convey how much I enjoyed our whirlwind trip to Capri and the other parts of Campania. There are pictures to give a visual and this blog to add more description, but there's still no way to fully capture how wonderful this place truly is. As I get to experience something outside of Rome, I am getting to experience more of the beauty and richness that Italy has to offer. Alongside what I'm learning about the history and culture in my classes, I'm getting to experience it firsthand and I'm finally starting to feel like I'm not in a movie anymore.

Oh, and incase you were wondering: Capri e' l'isola che non si scorda mai, means, "Capri is the island that one can never forget."

Oh, don't worry.

Have no fear, I will do my best to update more often and include pictures in the posts to add a little spice and interest. But join me, for I've added another album. Ch-check it out and let me know what you think.

La differenza...

This whole experience, thus far, has been quite an adventure. 

I don't think I've been here long enough to manage through my thoughts and what I've been learning, because I haven't really processed it all quite yet. I had my "Living Italy" class, which is a class in which we'll be learning about the culture of Italy and touching on many areas such as government, music, cinema, culture differences and similarities, etc. 

The first day was yesterday, and he asked us, "How do you feel so far?" And we just had to write down how we feel so far as visitors. And while I was thinking about it, it really did hit me that we are just visitors. Yeah, we're staying here for four months, but on the other hand, we're staying here for four months. There are people who work for the CEA program who have lived here for 10+ years and are still learning all the time. It's hard to get out of the American mindset that we know everything, because whether we like to admit it or not, we do think that way. We think that everyone is like us if they have similar foods, or look like us, or have families like us. Wrong! The culture here is so different than I ever would have expected. I'm not sure if I can explain how or why quite yet, but it just is. The past two weeks have just been up and down with everyone trying to compromise with one another and learn about each other, while still keeping in mind that we are visitors in a foreign country and can't just do what we want. Things don't fly here the way they do in the United States. And as I've observed, some people have a hard time accepting that.

It's all very fascinating and I love it. It's not hard to get used to life over here because the Romans really know how to do it and, in the words of Tim Gunn, (whose twin I saw the other day), "...Make it work." 

le Foto!

I have pictures! FINALLY!

Just click here and step in to my world for a little bit.

Anyway, life has been interesting thus far. I'm still in a somewhat dream-like state everywhere I go. I need to snap out of it, only so I'll be able to fully soak in my surroundings.

I don't think I realized how big Rome actually is. I mean, there is the main city of Rome, ancient Rome, and all of its surrounding neighborhoods. The thing I'm appreciating is living in a residential neighborhood. There is a lot going on all around here, but still has a sort of calm and sophistication of families and all kinds of people. Some of the people from the CEA program and I were talking about how Rome has so much to offer that not even four months will do it justice. And that's okay, it's exciting. It's a reason to come back. But the exciting thing is that even within the country, every city has something different to offer. Every city has it's own adventure and own culture and personal beauty, and that's what I can't wait to explore!

I so very much appreciate the way that the CEA program is structured. They value education in a practical, and very real, sense. For instance, in my Italian class, we'll be going outside the classroom and taught to find our way around the city, the market, the transportation, as well as pairing up with students from an Italian university and doing a conversational partnership for each person to improve their foreign language skills. We aren't just going to be sitting in the classroom, attempting to improve our Italian, we'll really be using it, and that is exciting. 

Yesterday I feel as though I had a very Italian moment. I didn't have class until 11:30 so I got up a little early and made my way towards campus. On the way, there is a little bar (where you get coffee, cold drinks, small items) right around the corner. I was on my own at this point, so I stopped to get some breakfast. I ordered un caffe' latte freddo (cold latte; they don't do "iced" here) and a croissant. I sat outside at one of the tables under an umbrella, enjoying my italian breakfast as I read my book. It was the first time I was able to gather my thoughts, at least a little, and really just sit and observe my surroundings. It was almost like I had a little bit of a re-boot. 

They weren't kidding when they told us the first week or two would be challenging. It most definitely has been, but it's all a learning process with plenty of trial and error, and we're among a wealth of history and beauty. It's hard not to fall in love at first sight! It's hardly been 2 weeks and we still have plenty ahead of us. 

Don't worry about me, I'm just going down to the Tiber river later tonight. What are you doing?