What a lovely day in Rome today! Of course, all of the true Romans are still walking around with sweaters and/or large winter jackets. I tried, but 70 degrees Fahrenheit is just too much - so I took my coat off, but the long sleeved shirt is keeping me warm. How's Ohio?
But really, Rome is such a lovely city. I'm still getting used to the craziness that is Roman driving and public transportation, but it's all just a part of the cultural experience. In case you don't know, crosswalks are optional here - and you really only ever see tourists waiting for the green light. Everyone else just steps out in traffic because they know that the drivers will stop - or at least slow down significantly. My American mind doesn't completely understand why this system is seen as more efficient, but I also don't really know why it is okay for the professor to take a 15 minute cigar break...before he starts class. This is my third week of classes, and I'm almost to the point that I can keep up with the professor's lecture as I take notes - how exciting! I'm only taking four classes this semester, but when added to the classes that I took in Spain, it will end up equaling a full semester. In my free time (before homework and term papers set in) I have been wandering around the city. Once you begin to know Rome, it is much more approachable as a group of smaller towns (which is what it was originally) rather than a big city.
One of the rules of Rome today is that no building can be built higher than San Pietro (St. Peters of Vatican City), so there are no skyscrapers to be found. It is just neighborhood upon neighborhood, each with its own sights, its own traditions, and its own culture - what fun it has been discovering them! I'm not a professional yet, but I'm working on it. For example, I have four go-to gelato shops in four different neighborhoods in Rome. What else does a girl need to know, anyway?
My two favorite places so far are the Vatican (Piazza San Pietro) and the Trevi Fountain (which gets its name from the tre vie, or three streets, that meet there). The Trevi Fountain is just one of those places that you see in every Roman movie that becomes 100% more real once you are there to witness it. The last time I went was with Marie, who is also a student at UD and is living with the Italians at our residence.
The Vatican is literally around the corner from my school (and two blocks down the street), so whenever I have an hour to kill (which is long enough that I want to go somewhere but not quite long enough to go very far) I go to Piazza San Pietro and tourist watch. Somehow it is so much more satisfying to watch tourists with their maps now that I usually don't need one anymore. I've gotten to the point that I can guess where they are from just by their mannerisms and what they are wearing. The Vatican is probably one of the most visited sights in Rome, and I find it super interesting to see people drawn from all over the world to this one place that means so much to me as a Catholic. It's also a great place to just go hang out for an hour or two.
Other daily events would have to include food. Yes, I'm almost a gelato expert (I have four favorite shops across the city) and can also spot the difference between good pizza and tourist traps, but I'm also loving Italian oranges. They aren't shipped from a long way away, and they are called blood oranges - for the most part, like American oranges, but with a hint of red and about 5 times more juicy. Mom, you'd be so proud - I eat one every day.
Rome is great and all, but one of the other great parts about it is that it's close enough to a lot of interesting places, so we can take day trips. This past Friday, about half of Rome went on strike - including a number of schools, firefighters, and all public transportation. Since we couldn't do anything in the city anyway, Marie, Amanda and I (all from UD - Go Flyers!) went to Assisi. It was a great day trip, full of clean air, open countryside, castles, and Medieval art - and of course, a lot of saints (Saint Francis, Saint Clare...). Overall, it was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the life in the city, and Assisi is such a beautiful little town - we all loved it.
As I finish up this post, I'm going to share a little story from earlier today. I originally sat down in a park right beside Castel Sant'Angelo to write this blog because it has been such a beautiful day. The park that I chose is relatively unvisited by tourists and is below street level, so most of the sounds from the street are also lost in the trees. I was online and a friend called me on skype. While Greta and I were having our conversation, a little two-year-old Italian waddled over to where I was sitting. I looked at him for a little bit, and he looked back at me, and ended up wanting to watch what I was watching. So I continued my conversation for a little while, but was soon joined by his older sister and his mother, all three of which had just arrived from Venice for three days in Rome. After a short and somewhat awkward conversation between all of us, the family went on their way. This sort of thing happens every day - not necessarily with toddlers, but with everyday people who just want to learn about everyone else. It's why I'm here, but it's also pretty cool when the feeling is mutual!
Early tomorrow morning, I fly to Ireland to visit two friends from UD. I'm sure that when I come back, I'll have more to share with you. Until then, ciao!
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