"Non abbiate paura...spalancate le porte a Cristo!"

       What a day it was. I don't do this often, but I feel like any time you go to bed at midnight and get up at 2:00 (AM), your day always turns out to be a big one...
       I met eight other people from our residence downstairs (Angelo, Giuseppe, Chiara, Camilla, Anna, Roberta, Marie, and Dan) at 2:40 so we could catch a bus into the city by 3:00 at the latest. Armed with snacks and bottles of water, we jumped on the bus slightly tired, but excited at the prospect of what we were about to experience. As we made our way the five or six blocks to where we were to wait for hours, there were what can best be described as "event staff" lining the streets. I knew that the Beatification was going to be a pretty big deal, but each new sight of the day made the experience more real. Getting free boxed breakfast was probably one of those...

       Below is a picture of what the neighborhood looked like at the beginning of the service - notice how many people there are! I'm going to use this as a reference for our progress over the course of the morning...hopefully it helps you figure it all out! (side note: see the section of white up front and on the left? those are the priests who later distributed communion. let that sink in for a minute...)

Okay, so this big long street in the middle is Via della Conciliazione - created by Mussolini who basically liked to show off Rome and what he could do to it as much as possible - and all of those little white lines are columns that line the street. We made it to the east (bottom) end of the street at 3:30, and were pretty close to the front of the line...as long as you count out all of the people who were literally sleeping on the street and

in the piazza in anticipation for the big day. Over the next two hours (before they opened the gates to the street), we were joined by tons and tons of other people, who filled up the street in all directions - even onto the bridges that cross the river. We filled this time with all sorts of conversation and jokes, but mostly the type that are only funny when you are super sleep-deprived. Throughout the crowd there was some singing, but as time wore on, mostly there were just shouts of "aprite, aprite!" (open up, open up!), because the street was getting so full that when ambulances needed to pass by to get to a nearby hospital, it was literally impossible for them to get through. As the gates finally opened, we all grabbed on to one another and pushed along with everyone else through the teeny tiny opening to try and get as far down the street as possible.

       As we were rushing down the street, we paused only to grab the complementary newspaper and bottled water that was being handed out by volunteers, then joined the rest of the crowd. We were all moving as fast as we could without actually running or stampeding over the people still sleeping on the street and laying all over the sidewalks and doorsteps or tripping over all of the trash that covered the street. (I'm pretty sure that if I had slept on the street, I'd be up to be at the front of all of that excitement, and would have tried a little harder to pick up all of my refuse, but I guess my opinion differs from all of theirs...) We were somehow able to move pretty far up the street before we had to stop again - and the next two hours were a mix of pushing ahead with everyone else and standing and waiting...and waiting. Packed in so tightly that we couldn't move, much less munch on our snacks or read our papers, so we passed time mostly by zoning out - again, the tiredness factor was sinking in. Around 7:30 we found ourselves at the gate of Piazza Pio XII (which is the big open space in front of Piazza San Pietro. Wait a minute...are we going to be able to get into the Piazza?!

6:30am - looking back

6:30am - looking forward

maybe this was worth all of the effort!

       When the gates to Piazza Pio XII opened, we again pushed forward and then walked around to join everyone else waiting (again) to go through security. By this point, we had split up and our group of 9 had become 7, but we kept pushing forward (literally and figuratively). Once we got into the Piazza, we started searching for a spot to stand (but preferably sit), but I was able to snap 

a few photos of the people who were just waking up to start the day - and were annoyingly staying still and sprawled out across the whole area. I think I only stepped on four or five people as I made my way through, but I can't really know for sure. The realization of how far we had come started sinking in once I wasn't quite as worried about being trampled or losing the rest of the group in the crowd, and I began to let my surroundings sink in. Yes, there were plenty of crazy, 

sleep-deprived people who were doing all they could to get as close to the action as possible, but there were also plenty of people enjoying breakfast together, joining prayer circles, shouting across to others from their home nation (mostly in Polish, but that was just to be expected...), and greeting the day in whatever way they found appropriate. We were able to secure a semi-open spot where we could see a good half of the altar and stage (which was what it most resembled), but more importantly (at that time) a place to finally sit that was right next to a screen where we could see everything by around 8:45. Soon after, the prelude music began and helped calm us down, which was very necessary after the crowds that we had just pushed through. The screen also kept flashing the faces of the VIPs who got priority seating, and among those I recognized were the Prime Minister and President of the Republic of Italy and the King of Spain along with the rest of the Royal Family - who knew they were coming?

      They then moved into The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, which (like everything else) was multi-lingual. We all knew that the Mass was about to start when the procession started and the Pope came out (somehow, that's always a sign). He rode through the crowd on the Popemobile and

made his way (along with the countless amounts of cardinals) up to the altar. After the penitential rite, we moved into the Beatification Rite - and here is where I make a confession to you all. I didn't really have a huge personal interest in JPII before the Beatification, especially because I didn't remember him and didn't know much about him, but went because I knew it would be a good experience and that I had to go on behalf of my Aunt Pam, who may have shunned me had I not gone. But as the biography was read and I connected historical events, his papacy, and the waves of emotion running through the crowd that I was a part of, it all became real to me. After he was named Blessed John Paul II, the entire mass of a million people erupted into cheers and applause, which lasted for a solid five minutes, and began waving their flags. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and one of the most emotional things I have ever experienced - I don't know that I will ever be able to fully express those emotions...so I hope that this picture helps.

And although you can see that there are A LOT of people here, I didn't fully understand how lucky we were to be so close to the front until I saw news coverage when we got back - incredible. On top of that, there were piazze full of people all across the city watching live coverage (not to mention worldwide) - the crowds weren't just in this neighborhood.

       As the relic of his blood was brought forward and placed before the altar, the sun came out. Pope Benedict XVI said a few words, but had to take many pauses to let the crowd get all of their cheering, chanting, and applause-ing out. After some more time passed, announcements rang out (at least five or six, each in a new language) asking everyone to be quiet so that we could prayerfully proceed with the Eucharistic Celebration. As the crowd quieted in sections, Mass then 

progressed as usual (or as usual as it can with one million people when it is in Latin) and I somehow made it through all readings, the Gospel, and the homily without falling asleep and without an umbrella to give me shade (note that everyone else thought to bring one...what beautiful colors!) For the Eucharist, all of those priests who had reserved seating came forward so that they could distribute, then dispersed through the crowd. I'm still not exactly sure how far away from the Basilica they went, but there were

definitely a couple hundred priests ready to go. We took Eucharist and then left early, missing the closing rite and hymn - first time I had done that in my life, but also the first time that I had been to a 10:00 mass and already been up for eight hours...and was too tired to want to wait and then try to beat a million other people (literally) to the same modes of transportation. Our main goal was to hit the public transportation before everyone else, which we were somehow able to do. Even as we were leaving, I kept getting new views that gave me a little more of an appreciation for what we had witnessed and how fortunate we were to get to where we were - more people, more crowd control, more smiles, and more tears.

       After getting back to Villa (around 1:15), I showered, ate a sandwich, and skillfully avoided too much conversation so that I was back in bed by 2:00, oh-so-ready for a nap. Although I planned to only sleep for four hours, I somehow woke up right before 8:00, and that is still a mystery. Even after a full night's sleep, I am still tired, very sore from pushing through the crowds and being pushed, but still so glad that I went. That was an unforgettable experience, and one that I can't wait to better share with you all once I see you face to face again.

Anna, me, Dan, and Marie

       Next adventure? Mom and Dad's are coming to visit for a week...in only 8 days! Check back later for details on that experience...

Buona Pasqua a tutti!

       It's kind of interesting how being in Rome and at the Vatican this weekend has given me a completely new spin on and appreciation for Easter. Yes, I did partake in a chocolate egg and my mom did send me Reese's (both of which are significantly important), but there was so much more to these last few days that I don't know if I can explain well, but for all of you, I'm going to try.

       My first big event of the weekend was on Good Friday - the famed Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross) at the Colosseum, with Pope Benedict presiding. I went with four other friends (three from UD and one from Germany) and we walked down Via dei Fori Romani together, which is the street that leads to the Colosseum and goes through the Forums. The whole street was blocked off to mechanical traffic in order to make more room for the pedestrian traffic - aka there were a whole lot of people there. We finally got through and were somehow able to find a place to stand in the open area between the Colosseum and the Forum, right in front of where the Pope was supposed to be. The whole area was filled with people - standing, sitting, kneeling, and packed in as tightly as we could stand. There were Italian boy scouts walking around handing out candles and programs, and nuns using their habits to their advantage to push their way closer to the front. The thing that struck me the most though (and continued to impress me throughout the weekend) was the global presence of the Church that I kept seeing - I don't know how many languages I heard or how many people I saw representing nations that I've never been to, but all of us came together for the events that we considered to be very important.

       As Pope Benedict came into view and got into position under his little red tent, the crowd let out a huge roar - Viva la Papa! With the cameras flashing and people shouting across the way, he gave everyone a few moments as he waved with a smile and addressed the crowd. As he fell silent and kneeled, a hush fell over the crowd, cameras were put down, and the prayers begun. It was like a secret code that everyone knew - celebrate, take pictures, and live in the moment, but don't forget what this whole thing is really about. We progressed through the fourteen stations (all in Italian...so glad I study it!) and were going through the Via Crucis for about an hour and a half, complete with songs sung by an amazing choir and rotating readers so that we could at least tell the difference between the readings and the reflections. At the end of the prayer, the crowd once again cheered and waved as the Pope rose and waved, before heading back to his vehicle. The whole process was filled with a prayerful awe, especially when I looked around and realized that this was still only a fraction of the Body of Christ present - there are not enough words to describe this sensation.

       The other most impressive part of my weekend was Easter Sunday Mass at the Vatican. I had made plans to go with Marie and Amanda, two girls from UD that I hang out with a lot here, and we all had tickets to get in to St. Peter's Square. Mass started at 10:15, and the doors opened at 8:30, so we planned to get there and meet at 6:30. Early, I know, but we thought that it would be the best option - we knew that we did not want to stand the whole time, and were prepared to show up early to get a seat!

       I was the first one there (and, as it turns out, the only one of us three to wake up to her alarm) and got there at 6:15 - yes, before they turned the lights off at St. Peter's, before dawn. As I walked down Via Conciliazione, I saw about 20 other people. total. The really nice part about that was that I got a few moments of the morning pretty much to myself at the Vatican - what a cool experience! Sometime around 7:00, the other two arrived and joined me in line. We killed the time telling stories, complaining about how early it was, and talking to the other people around us. After waiting for just under two hours, they opened the gates. How did I know this? Certainly not because I saw it, but because EVERYONE started moving. I wasn't actually moving of my own volition, but there was no way I was going to even be able to stop if I had wanted to - those Germans, Filipinos, and nuns are downright pushy.

       After somehow getting through security, I saw that Marie and Amanda had gotten through ahead of me and were saving our seats. So I stopped to take a picture of everyone running as fast as they could manage to get the best seat possible - obviously paying no head to the advice of the Swiss Guards, who were trying to tell people to go slowly and take it easy. Because of their hard work, we were able to land seats in the ninth row of the first section! Maybe it was giddiness, maybe it was a bit of early morning exhaustion, but I was extremely pleased with how close to the front we were able to get - and I know that they were, too. Before we had started this whole part of the adventure, I didn't know if I would be able to get there at all, and now I found myself right up front.

       We passed the next two hours chatting, napping, watching people, and taking pictures. We saw all of the last minute preparations, including the uncovering of the ambo, the positioning of the VIPs (whoever they were) on either side of the altar, the cameramen setting up their cameras, the security people (as well as the Cardinals) taking their stations, and heard the sound tests. We even snuck past the guard up front who kept waving people back to their seats in order to take a pretty fabulous picture together (with another girl from UD, Kate, who we sat next to).

       Around 10:00, the marching bands started. No, I didn't know that there was a pre-mass parade, either. But after these bands (and the Swiss Guards) marched through the Piazza, the procession for mass began. Just like the other night, people were constantly taking pictures and working to be taller than (or at least get better views than) everyone else who happened to be in their way - meaning that before Papa B. made his way in the popemobile up to the altar, everyone was on their chairs. Once the entire procession made its way up to the altar and the popemobile made its exit, everyone settled down (and sat down) to participate in the mass - and to watch it all unfold. For any of you who have been to a Catholic mass before, that's pretty much what happened. But it was in Latin...with Italian translations in the program. And over 1,000,000 people in attendance. And of course, the shock-and-awe factor of being at the Vatican for Easter. We were sitting amongst people from all over the world, and it was pretty obvious that we were all loving every minute of it. I especially liked the petitions (7 of them) that were all in different languages - including Chinese and Swahili. My other favorite was all of the chanting - a good number of the different parts of mass were chanted (including the creed), so thanks to all of the time I spent at St. Meinrad I was able to follow (and sing) along!

       Passing into the Eucharistic rite, we saw somewhere around 40-50 priests come out to distribute Communion. As they were splitting up and heading toward the crowd, we started to wonder how in the world this feat was going to be accomplished...and then we saw the umbrellas.

At first, I thought that they were just to give the priests some shade (it didn't get sunny until mass started - coincidence?), but then I realized it was so that people could find the closest distributor. If you look at those pictures, can you understand why? After receiving ourselves, I spent some time watching ''our'' distributor - he looked slightly stressed. In order to distribute, he had to just keep turning in circles (360 degrees) because people were pressing to him from all directions. And then, I took a look back towards the rest of the crowd - I'm not actually sure when all of those people showed up, but it was obviously sometime when I wasn't looking...

       After everyone returned to their seats, Pope Benedict said the closing prayer, and then processed into the Basilica so that he could read his address - and of course, wish the entire world a Happy Easter (in about 40 different languages, of course). Each language was announced, then the respective Happy Easter was said, and then came the cheers from those who were present and represented that nation or language. Although I completely missed English, I did enjoy (of course) Italian and Spanish, as well as Swahili, Chinese, Ukrainian, Slovakian, and Yiddish - not that I could repeat any of them for you... In between all of the cheers and the message that he was sharing with the people there (and all around the world, thanks to internet and television), I had a sensation of pure joy - Easter day, at the Vatican, with people from all over the place. What an unbelievable experience.

       After we found our way out of the Vatican, we ate some pizza, and Amanda and I went to Tiber Island to rest and catch some rays. That evening, I went to Amanda's apartment, where we cooked together with Kate and were joined by Amanda's roommate Melissa for an Easter dinner - college-student-studying-abroad style. We made pork, baked potatoes, haluski (Slovakian pasta, onion, cabbage, and butter dish), applesauce, and shared a chocolate egg - and of course, some wine and conversation. What a lovely end to a lovely day.

       I hope I haven't lost too many of you (yes, I know it's long, but I couldn't leave anything out) and that at the very least, you enjoyed the pictures! Stay posted as I try to survive JPII's Beatification next week - and hopefully make it into the Vatican. The city has been crawling with people this week with [only] one million extra tourists - how will we ever make it through with three million more?

Playing Catchup....

       Buona Pasquetta! (aka, Happy Easter Monday!) So I know that this is totally unlike how I've been writing these blogs lately, but I'm going to write two today! This one to catch you all up on what I've been doing and the other one, well, you'll see!
       I've been noticing over the last few weeks how much more comfortable I'm feeling in Rome. I know my way around so much better now, and from any point in the city, I can figure out more than one way to get home. For those of you who understand how Roman public transportation works (or doesn't, depending on how you look at it), this is a pretty useful skill. I'm also doing things like walking by Vatican City or the Colosseum without a second thought. I have also stopped taking so many pictures of the really big and famous things, and now take pictures of the random smaller things that just catch my attention - the one below is a bench that is in the park right beside Castel Sant'Angelo.

       I spend a lot of time in that park (near Piazza Adriana) because it is only 2 blocks away from my university, and is such a great place to pass the time - especially since the weather has been warming up so much! I also spend a good amount of time with the other 3 Americans at my residence, and we do things like have after dark picnics on Janiculum Hill (which overlooks Rome), go to bars that play live music (rockabilly night was my favorite) and make American food (casseroles and BLTs) just to surprise the Italians. It's really nice to occasionally give my mind a break from all of the Italian and Spanish and just have fun every now and then!

lookout over the center of Rome

       This month, we also had a "Culture Week" in Rome (which I'm pretty sure was also recognized across Italy in general) where a good number of the museums and historical sights were free! It was such a great week - I finally made it into Castel Sant'Angelo (which has a really great up-close-and-personal view of the city), the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. All of these are pretty important and famous sights in Rome, but I guess I had just been waiting for the right time to check them all out - and that week was it!

visiting friends - Bridget and Mo - at the Colosseum!

       On April 9th, I took a day trip to Pisa with a friend from school. It is a very cute little town, and walking around it was a relaxing break from all of the noise and busyness of Rome. We started off by wandering around the city for a little while, and actually found a really cool farmer's market (Italian style, of course) where they sold just about everything between all of the different vendors. Obviously, we made a stop at the Tower (it's the main attraction of the entire city) and Kevin even convinced me that we should go up...since we were there. Although it was only about a half-hour visit inside, it was really pretty cool. If you can imagine trying to climb all the way up that tower with its centuries-old stairs at a slant, you can understand how confused my brain was - and how lopsided I felt when I looked out over the city. It was definitely a lot of fun, and we took the obligatory pictures with the Tower (and also of the other people taking these pictures) before wandering around a bit more and heading back to Rome.

The other big event that happened was Il Seminario delle Palme at the residence, and it was basically a weekend conference for all of the students that I live with, and took place over Palm Sunday weekend. I wasn't able to make it to all of the presentations and speeches, but it was really cool seeing all of the students come together to host guests from outside the city, put on a spectacular play, and serve each other at the lunches and dinners - not to mention the dance party they threw together on Saturday night. The interesting part (for us Americans) was seeing the end of the conference approach on Sunday. After mass and lunch, the guests all started to leave, but as we watched, so did a good number of the people we actually knew. We came to learn that because a good number of them had very few classes (if any at all) that week, they were headed home so that they could have a week-and-a-half or even two week Easter vacation. Just one more thing that the States could learn from Italy...

Dan's fingers got in the way...

       Other than all of that, I spend a good amount of time hanging out with people from school, people from the residence, or commuting between the two. Some of the more interesting friendships I've made actually are with people who don't fit into either of these groups, but are people that I know from the neighborhood in which LUMSA (my university) is located. One block to the north of my classes is a street called Borgo Pio, which is a pedestrian-only zone and is full of all sorts of interesting little shops and restaurants. If you go to the end closer to the Vatican, it gets pretty touristy...so I stay at the other end. I've discovered a neat little restaurant named Hungry Bogart (cute, right?) and the owner of the place is interested in hearing all sorts of stories and talking to basically everyone, so I go there to grab lunch pretty often. Between our conversations and the rest of the people in the place (and the fact that the rest of them are all Italian) a quick lunch usually turns into a two or three hour ordeal. There's also a 75-year-old man who lives across the street named Franco who stops by pretty often. I spend a lot of time on Borgo Pio talking to all of these people and I really enjoy it - what better ways are there to practice a language than to speak it with the natives?
       To close this blog, I'm going to add a picture we took at Giuseppe's birthday party back at the beginning of the month. Living in a community definitely has its perks - where else would I be invited to join in on a dinner on the terrace that just turns into a birthday party? These are some of the people I live with - all of whom are really great. Coming to stay at Villa Nazareth was such a great decision!

Doralisa, Camilla, Mattia, Giuseppe, Andrea, Valentina, and I

Ireland...and my first Italian museum

Ciao a tutti! Yes, I have returned to Rome from Ireland and am back to speaking Italian on a daily basis until my brain can no longer form intelligent English sentences. It's funny how your grammar can just get away from you when you are completely immersed in another language...

Ireland, if you haven't heard, is a very quaint country. The entire week I was there was filled with Irish brogues, almost-Americanisms (such as TkMaxx and Eddie Rockett's) and (sometimes green) beer. I flew into Dublin on Wednesday the 16th with the rest of the Americans and Australians who were studying abroad in Europe and were ready for an epic St. Patty's Day. Along the way, I met and held conversations with many people. In and of itself, this wasn't really out of the ordinary, but it took me a little while to figure out why it felt so odd...the reality was that I hadn't really had an introductory conversation with anyone in English for almost two months. Ah, how the time passes! After walking around and exploring Dublin for awhile (and witnessing everyone starting to hit the streets decked out head to toe in green), I met a friend from UD, Katie, and her family, as they were also visiting for the week. We wandered back to her apartment so that I could leave my bag, but then we went out to eat and explored the Temple Bar area, which is one of the larger tourist neighborhoods of Dublin. The morning of the 17th, we all dressed in green and headed to Trinity College to catch the infamous parade. All of the stores up and down the street were closed, with storefronts dressed in green, and people were filling the streets - meaning that although a good number of the streets were completely closed, it was still hard to push through the people. After the parade (and most of us didn't even last that long), we stopped into a bar for a pint - green, of course.

We spent the rest of the day walking around and watching (but not fully partaking) in the shenanigans that have made St. Patrick's Day in Ireland such a tourist trap. After spending the afternoon altogether, Katie and Courtney and I split off to join the rest of the tourists and college students at Temple Bar before heading home.

The next day (Friday) I got up early to catch a bus to Galway so that I could see the Cliffs of Moher. There's really only one phrase I can use to sum up how standing on the edge of that cliff felt: breathtaking. As my new friends Bryan and Elliot decided, God did a pretty great job on that one. Travelling for about 8 hours on a bus that day (to Galway, on the bus tour, and then on to Cork) was completely forgotten once I got up that hill and was able to see the overlook. I'm adding a picture, but I can't accurately convey how awesome they truly are - hope that my crutch of a photo helps! (take a moment to appreciate that I can't even fit their entire length in one picture. think over 600 feet high)

After this amazingness, I jumped on a bus to visit Maureen, another friend from UD. She spent her weekend showing me around her new city, Cork, and it was so much fun learning about a new place from someone who is obviously so in love with her entire experience. We ate fish and chips, scones, the best hot chocolate I've ever had (yes, I was sorry to finish it), watched some rugby, and went to a pub to hear some trag (traditional Irish) music with her friend Carrie. After a few beautiful days in Cork, I headed back to Dublin Sunday evening for one more day of tourism without the madness of St. Patty's. While Katie was at work, I made a second round to some of the tourist spots, but also a first trip to the Guinness factory - who knew that they would include a complementary pint with that entrance fee? That evening, we went out to eat together and then I jumped on yet another bus to the airport, where I hit the climax of every cheap-student-studying-abroad's trip - spending the night at an airport while waiting for an early morning red-eye flight. Although it was a bit uncomfortable, I again, met a lot of interesting people. Travelling from place to place on cheap airlines makes for experiences that are never wanting for people who just want to travel, have fun, and learn about others. I love it!

Overall, Ireland was so much fun - I got to see a whole new part of the world, some more friends from UD, and even got a little bit of family time (not the same as my own family, of course, but it was nice to semi be a part of that dynamic for a while). For the first few hours back in Italy, I almost missed that Irish brogue. However, upon landing at Ciampino (the airport) and having to navigate my way back home in Italian and recognizing sights around me, I realized that there is definitely a reason that I chose to study in Italy - I love it!

Over this last week and a half, life has continued semi-normally. I've gone to classes, wrote my first paper (in Spanish, for my History of Spanish Culture class), went to the Immigration Office to file for a permesso di soggiorno, which is basically permission from the government to live here, and been going on all sorts of little trips around the city with friends from school to discover all sorts of new things. Oh yeah, and my friend Elyse was here this weekend! Elyse is from Boston, but we met in Spain when I was studying Spanish in Salamanca, and she came to Rome this past weekend for a visit. I didn't realize until she came and I became her tour guide how much I know about the city now - not only the sights, monuments, and gelato shops, but also how to get around a city that is twice as big as Columbus (square area) and has around five times the population. One of the most memorable spots (at least for me) was finally making it to the Vatican Museums. Technically not in Rome but in the Vatican City, these museums were the first that I have visited in Italy (and after living here for a month and a half in Rome, I find that somewhat impressive) and they were amazing. The last Sunday of the month is free day in the Museums and they open at 8:30 (and just to make things even more complicated, the spring time change happened this past weekend here), so Elyse and I decided to go along with Marie (Foy, friend from UD). We got there around 7:30 and got inside within the first 20 minutes they were open, unlike those at the end of the line that had to stretch for at least a mile (literally). I think that by spending four hours inside, we were able to see over half of the whole place, but once we got through the Map Room, Raphael's Rooms, and the Sistine Chapel, we were fairly exhausted. But if you ever make it to Rome, this is one stop that shouldn't be missed. I was so impressed by everything that I saw. We finished out the day (after a nap, pizza, and gelato) with Vespers and Mass at San Pietro...and a little shopping. Overall, it was a great weekend, and I'm glad I got to spend it with Elyse.

Well, I'm headed to bed. Tomorrow I'm going to play catchup on homework, and maybe start even working ahead. There's another transportation strike tomorrow, and it's just not worth the headache trying to fight my way into the city along with the rest of the population in order to get to a class that probably won't even happen (because no one else in the class is going to try to go). 

Until next time, or a dopo,

Heidi

La Dolce Vita

Che bella giornata in Roma...
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!

Adios Salamanca, Ciao Italia!

Well, so much has happened since my last post, that I'm not exactly sure where to start...so we'll start with my weekend trip to Madrid. After spending two days there, the only (single) word that I can think of to completely describe this city is alive. Yes, all of the things I got to see and experience were beautiful, especially in a country like Spain that is still enjoying its democracy (since the death of Franco in 1975) to its fullest, including taking a city-wide vote on what color to paint the Plaza Mayor. What do you think of the result?

And maybe it was due to the fact that it was Valentine's Day weekend, but everywhere I went, there were people out just enjoying the day, the weather, and each other's company in general. (This was much easier to witness and be a part of after I figured out the metro system and where my hotel was.) Saturday was pretty much filled with a pleasant walk through the city guided by the one and only Rick Steves - well, his book anyway. In between all of the famous monuments, plazas, and historical sights, I also saw a lot of, er, interesting people. On every other corner I found someone with an accordian, an interesting talent, or people like this guy:

And after a relaxing night at the hotel, Sunday was dedicated to museums - places that had discounts or even free entry on Sunday, a free bag check so I didn't have to carry my bag all day, and shelter on a cloudy and somewhat colder day. How perfect. I was impressed with the Reina Sofia (modern art), but decided that the Prado is more my style. I only gave myself two hours for each, but ended up leaving the Reina Sofia a half hour early, and was glad that I did. You could spend two days in the Prado without seeing everything, so I can't fully express how little two hours seemed once I got inside... I spent my last few hours walking down one of the main streets of the city, Gran Via, before having a picnic lunch in one of the larger plazas. What a lovely end to a lovely weekend.

The last week of my stay in Salamanca was rather bittersweet. I was so excited to go to Rome, but at the same time so sad to leave the friends I had made in Spain. However, we topped of my last week with oh so many fun things, including a paella (traditional Spanish dish with rice, seafood, and meat) for 20 people. It was served in three of these huge pans and was delicious.

Yes, the bill was 260€, but when you consider the number of people in our group, that's not too bad. And we demolished all three of them, so we got our money's worth. The next day (Friday), I got the result from my final exam - and I did quite well. Apparently, all of my professors loved me enough to let me pass. That night was the last night out with everyone, so we spent some time wandering around the city before we went out dancing (literally) all night long. There's nothing quite like getting back to the house at 7:00 and getting up at 9:00 to catch a bus. Here is where I'd like to say never again, but I can't actually promise that...so I'll just say here's to Salamanca and my friends there, who I miss so much already!

And yes, I have been in Rome since Saturday. I am living in a community of Italian students who are here to study at one of the many universities across the city. What I didn't fully understand before I came was that it was founded and is run by a branch of the Vatican, so having the Cardinal in charge of the place over for dinner is apparently no big deal. My roommate is very sweet, as are all of the girls who live in the building (there is a separate building for the boys), and some of them are also a little crazy. For example, I may have just spent 10 minutes riding in the elevator with three of the girls singing the (American) National Anthem. We have a very old woman running our side of the residence (we all call her Professoressa) and she has already decided that I am "la più bella", but I've pretty much decided that's only because I'm the only blonde in the building. No joke. I have had some time to wander around the city and eat some gelato, but most of this week has been filled with all sorts of paperwork for school, for the city of Rome, and Italy in general. Because of this, I'm looking forward to the chance to actually have free time after classes start!

It's not the best picture of me, but after walking around for hours, we happened to enter the Vatican just as Mass was starting. So of course, we went to mass, then waited until after dark to take our pictures. Not a bad decision, right?

So, until next time...or a dopo

Another Two Weeks Already?

¡Hola por otra vez! For those of you (unlike Jean) who haven’t been checking my facebook page three times daily over the last two weeks, here is a long-awaited update. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but even though I feel completely accustomed to Salamanca, not a day goes by when I’m not surprised by something new. Like the reactions of everyone in the city the one day we got a little bit of snow. One thing you should know is that Salamanca is a university city, and a place where many students flock from across Spain and across the world. Therefore, at this time of year, you will find many Spaniards, but also a good number of Brazilians, Chinese, British, Americans, Dutch, Germans…and the list never stops. (Although my father would be happy to know that of these students, only 35% are male, and 65% are female.) For those students who have never seen snow in their lives (hard for us to imagine, I know), looking outside at 3:00am on a Friday morning and seeing a snowfall was cause for celebration. At the time, I was in a discoteca with some friends and, along with everyone else, we grabbed our coats and rushed into the street so that everyone could take at least 57 pictures of this “once in a lifetime event.” How peculiar.

These last two weeks I have spent a lot more time with people from school, um, out and about the city (at all hours of the day…and night), and because of this have been spending less time just wandering around. However, I did get a chance to take some post-dusk pictures at the southern limits of the city. Want to know how beautiful they are?

Although many people are pretty focused on how unbearably cold it is during January and February, I would describe this 20 minute walk refreshing – any Ohioan can handle this without a problem. I also skipped one of my afternoon naps (which, believe me, was a really big deal) in order to get a few pictures closer to the end of last week of the city in the sunshine – because of the type of rock that most of the buildings are constructed of, Salamanca basically glows in the sunlight. I hope you appreciate this contrast on the side of the main University building - it is absolutely stunning to witness.

Food: I love it. Okay, so I loved it even before I came to this country, but it is so much fun to just order something on a menu and see what you get (good thing I’m not as picky as I was when I was younger). Not only have I eaten an array of paellas, but I’ve also had my first Turkish food (introduced by a few friendly Turks), churros and tapas, but also an interesting concoction called “arroz alla cubana,” or Cuban style rice. A fairly simple dish to prepare, arroz alla cubana is a basic staple in many of the restaurants here – start with a small mound of rice, place a fried egg (sunny-side up) on top of the pile, and season with tomato sauce. Yes, that’s it. It’s not my favorite, but I’m getting a little used to the eccentricity (or rather, lack of) of this meal.
As I’ve mentioned before, don Quijote (my school) gets new students every week, but this also means that we have friends who leave every week as well. While this gives us a good excuse to celebrate Salamanca every weekend, it’s also a little like constantly living in transition. I have made quite a few friends, but have also seen a few leave. However, it is very common for a group of us to go out for tapas (similar to hors d’oeurves) after our evening class – especially when we go to a place where the tapas are free with the purchase of a drink. One of these evenings, I was at a bar called Murphy’s with the Turks and a girl from England when one of the Turks turned to the couple next to us and started a conversation. Within minutes, we were talking with Carlos and Julia as if we had been speaking Spanish our entire lives…and it’s moments like that where I can really see how I’ve improved in only three short weeks. After the next half hour or so had passed, we all exchanged emails so that we could meet for dinner someday – if we get it to work, I’ll let you know how it goes!

The amount of “Americanisms” that I see everywhere is also pretty incredible – from the songs on the radio (including “Born in the USA.” Think about that for a second) to the presence of Burger King (where sundaes are called “Sandys”) to the movies on television and in theatres and, most importantly, the Super Bowl. To celebrate this great American event, I joined forces with one of the few other Americans that I know here to introduce a group of Latinos and Europeans to the wonderful world of [American] football. A bar that is extremely popular with the international students was playing the game on a projection screen, so we took our crew of about 10 to the Irish Rover. Apart from explaining the sport in three different languages, not getting to see any of the commercials, and trying to decipher what the Spanish commentators were saying about the game, we really enjoyed ourselves. Oh, and we didn’t actually watch the whole game, because in Spain it didn’t start until midnight, and we decided that two hours was long enough. However, we did get most of the rest of our group to stay for a half hour, which Ian and I decided was a pretty great accomplishment.

That’s pretty much the news from across the Atlantic. It has been warming up during the day recently, even reaching temperatures around 70F (during which, of course, fur coats are still commonly seen in the streets) so people have really been enjoying the sunshine and the (somewhat distant) promise of spring. Don’t worry, I’m sure that it will come your way sometime soon – after all, Phil didn’t see his shadow! (And yes, I had to research Groundhog Day to explain this great American holiday to my class. Imagine that one for a good laugh.)