Aug 30:
Arrived at fiumicino at 8am but didn't leave the airport till 10. I experienced very minor culture shock, I am prepared for this "learning experience" which is more like a (quasi) 4 month vacation. I took the train to Roma with Carolina who sat next to me on the plane from DC. She will be studying in Tuscany this semester. I checked into Hotel Nizza which was super close to the train station, only a 7 euro cab fare. I took a shower and then a long nap (pisolina), because even though I took a sleeping pill before I left DC I was unable to sleep. Woke up at 5 pm and began to explore with the map they had at the front desk. First stop was the church of Santa Maria Degli Angeli which was absolutely beautiful. From there I went to a bar for some caffé, which apparently is espresso. From there I walked aimlessly into the Trevi fountain, which was quite a sight to see. Then I walked to Monumento di Vittorio Emmanuele II which is located in Piazza Venezia. I walked past it and saw a great view of the ancient Roman ruins. It was so happy that I laughed out loud when I saw them. Then I continued to walk around aimlessly and ran into the tiber river, crossed it, and headed north. To my surprise, I found John Cabot's Tiber Campus. I went inside, met some staff, and found out what I have to do tomorrow for check-in. I crossed the Tiber again and found a place for pizza and vino. I walked back to the Trevi after the sunset and it was even more beautiful than before. Walked around a little more on the way back to Hotel Nizza which is where I am writing this now. A domani!
Aug 31:
Woke up, checked out of Hotel Nizza, and took a cab to the Gianicolo residence for check-in. I met my first friend in Roma, Adam from New Jersey. I also met two people from Kosovo, Leart and Anyla-who told me to call her "a" because her name was hard to pronounce. Adam and I got our keys and found out we will be living in the same apartment building, Via Bonifaccio 8 numero 22. I was the first to arrive at our room so I got first choice of beds. The view from my balcony is really nice, and my building is 2 minutes away from the Vatican. My first roommate I met was Bill from Chicago, and he chose the other bed in my room. Then Adam and I went wandering around and stopped for some pizza and vino. The wine was really good so we bought a bottle from the restaurant for 6 euros. When I went back to the apartment, Bill was sleeping so I took a little pisolina as well. I woke up to Leart and "a" knocking on my door. Turns out Leart is my second roommate. Then we went to the Guarini Campus for an orientation meeting and there I ran into Kyle, Chris, and Kelly from Marquette. After orientation we hit up the city to experience the night life. We went to DJ bar, ate a panini (mine was Vucinic-all names of panini were from AS Roma players), and drank some vino. Tonight we called it an early night because the bars have better deals on Thursdays.
Sep 1:
Woke up early at 730, showered, and headed to breakfast with Leart and Adam. Leart showed us a shortcut that will shave off about 3-4 min from our walk to campus. We had to fill out a bunch of paperwork for orientation, and after we hit up trastevere to find cell phones from Wind. After we got phones we ate lunch at D' Umberto. I got spinach ravioli, which surprisingly can compare to our family's new years ravioli. In Italy they really put a lot of love into their food. We went back to Tiber campus to get our ids and had to sit through a boring 2 hour common-sense presentation. Adam and I stopped at Carrefour which is a mercato close to our apartment. Then we headed home to recoup before going out for the night. Adam, Leart, Bill and I went to Tiber Campus for free dinner and then to DJ Bar for euro shots and met up with Kyle, Chris, Kelli, and her roommates. There were a ton of JCU students there which was really fun. We walked to a bar in Campo di Fiore called Drunken Ship but we didn't stay too long. Then we all walked home.
Sep 2:
Woke up at 10 today after just 4 hours of sleep. We had to go to Tiber Campus to fill out the Permisso di Soggiorno (permit to stay) which will cost me 75 euro. Then we ate free food from the cafeteria which I won't complain about only because it was free. At 3 we met with our orientation groups and walked around for 3 hours. Our guide Demitri was fun, and I met some cool people including a couple of Italian students. I threw a coin into the Trevi fountain with Camilia who was born and raised in Rome, but she said she had never done that before. Our group got free gelato from the gelateria by the Trevi (I had pistacchio-AMAZING), my first time eating gelato in Italy. When orientation was over we got free dinner at the Tiber campus and I met a cool Swede named Marcus. His friend from home is a DJ named Avicii who is gaining popularity in America. After dinner we went home and met up with Adam's younger sister Basia who is also studying in Rome. When we got back, our last roommate Alfi moved in. He's from Mexico but lives in San Antonio. We drank some vino and took a taxi to Piazza di Poppolo where a boat party was happening. I met a ton of fun people including a beautiful Italian girl named Laura right before we left. We took a cab home and called it a night.
Sep 3:
Woke up and had to go to an ra meeting which was only about 20 min long. We got another free lunch right after. Then Adam and I hit up the mercato again, dropped a little more money this time. Took a nap and then went out with my roommates to a JCU pub crawl. It was a ton of fun and we stopped by some pretty cool bars.
Sep 4:
Slept a lot today, an easy Sunday morning. Walked around Vatican City with Leart and got some gelato on the way home. Then I made some spaghetti and had some vino. Hit up trastevere for some caffé and bruschetta and it started pouring rain. The walk home messed up my Birkenstocks and my feet were soaking when I got back to the apartment. Gotta get some sleep, tomorrow is my first day of class!
Sep 5:
Woke up, took a shower, and went to Art History at 9am. Out of the 13 people in my class, I was the only guy. My second class was Media Ethics, which had 4 guys including me. Took a pisolina before my third class, Italian Politics and Society. There are more guys than girls in this class, but it will probably be my most interesting course. I took the long way home today because it is more scenic. Adam made dinner tonight which was nice on the bank account.
Sep 6:
Woke up today for Into to Marketing, and my teacher is nuts. I will be dropping this class for sure. My next class was Italian Conversation and Composition, which will be by far my most challenging course but my teacher seems very helpful. After class I hit up the library to do some studying, went home, made pasta, and called it a night.
Sep 7:
Woke up for my first class and then went on an adventure with my friend Marcus from Sweden to find books. It took 4 hours because everyone kept giving us the wrong directions. We jay walked in front of an Italian driver who yelled at us in Italian. When he realized he wasn't getting his point across, he told us we can, "Go suck ass" using hand gestures and all. After my last class I went home, got some groceries, and then went out for some wine with a girl from Long Island named Corinne. It was really good Chardonnay but I don't know too much about wine yet. Then I went home and got some sleep.
Sep 8:
Only one and done today for classes now that I don't have Intro to Marketing. After class I walked around, took a nap, then made Pasta Alla Whiskey for the new fam. We went to a club called Escopazza tonight, but it was too American for my liking. We walked all the way home and unfortunately had to climb 5 flights of stairs because the ancient elevator needs repair.
Sep 9:
Got to sleep in today thanks to no classes on Friday. I walked around the city and took some pics, then went home and made spaghetti with chicken. I drank some vino with the bros and we decided to stay in tonight to save some money.
Sep 10:
Woke up early and took the train to the beach (spiaggia) with Adam, Alfi, Leart, and Anyla. It was really cool, and some women were topless- first time for everything. We came home after a long day in the ocean and drank some wine. We walked to trastevere and went to DJ Bar but we didn't end up going in. Then we walked to Campo di Fiore without going in anywhere and headed to another club that we didn't end up going into. We decided to spend our money at Old Bridge on gelato instead and then headed home.
Sep 11:
Wow, a decade since the collapse of the twin towers. I slept in today and went to old bridge again. Then Alfi, Bill, Leart, Anyla, and I went to church at Santa Maria in trastevere. We ate Chinese food with our ra right after mass and it was not bad at all. The Vikings played tonight and I was unable to stream it. Unfortunately we blew a double digit lead going into the half but such is life-at least for MN fans. We'll get 'em next time...
Sep 12:
Woke up and went to classes. It was my first day of Sociology of Southern Italy which I decided to take instead of Art History. It might be more interesting than Italian Politics and Society, we'll see. Came home, made spaghetti, and got groceries. Skyped dad and Jen, went to Old Bridge, and filled up my water bottles. Did some homework (competi), drank some vino, and went to bed.
Sep 13:
Woke up and went to class, only Italian today. After class Adam and I got some more books near the Spanish Steps. We walked to Villa Borghese which was close by to take some photos, and they had plenty of surrey, skelter, and mountain bikes. People were even rollerblading and it made me feel like I was back in Milwaukee. Then we walked to nearby Piazza del Poppolo and snapped more photos. On the way home I stopped by Castel Sant' Angelo which was Hadrian's Mausoleum. I read about a quarter of Christ Stopped at Eboli which I have to read for Sociology. I walked to a nearby Piazza that I had never been to and took some photos. Then I went to Piazza San Pietro to read some more, and I would have sent Mal her birthday postcard but I didn't have a pen. Came home, made some pasta, drank some vino, and went to Scholar's Pub. It was karaoke night and we will definitely be coming back here, tons of fun!
Sep 14:
Full day of class today and had to complete the Permisso di Soggiorno. I didn't make it home till 9, made some dinner, went to Old Bridge, and sent Mal's postcard. Now its time to study.
Sep 15:
Woke up early and studied a little bit before Italian class. After class I hung out with my Italian friend Emmanuelle and some of his amici. We went to a place between the Tiber and Guarini campuses that gives free caffé to JCU students. Then I left and wandered around the city to take pictures, spending most of my time on or near the Aventine hill. On the way home I got a really good panini from Due Cento Gradi, gelato from Old Bridge, and some really good, cheap wine from our corner store. I made some pasta and went out to Campo di Fiore with the fam.
Sep 16:
Woke up and took the train to Napoli. We ate McDonalds to save money, the first American food I have eaten since coming over here. THen we took the metro to Sorrento and had to figure out which bus would take us to Via Amerigo Vespucci which was where our hostel was. We finally got there around 9, settled in a bit, and headed down to the beach for pizza and vino (which we got for 2 euro at the grocery store at the train station). Our hostel was a small, private cabin and it was only 23 euro a piece. We hung out on the beach until we were about to fall asleep and then went back to our little cabin.
Sep 17:
Woke up early, checked out of the hostel, and headed to the beach again. It was super hot but the water felt amazing. We ate pizza at the same spot we went to last night because it was so delicious. We took the bus back to Sorrento and checked into a hostel for 18 euro for the night. We headed to a nearby beach with ancient Roman ruins until sunset and hiked back. We got some pasta and cleaned up a bit. Then we went to Hostel 7 which was where Kyle and Kelli were staying because their hostel had a rooftop bar. It had amazing views and we had a blast. We walked home from there which took about a half hour, but it didn't seem as bad as the walk there. When we got to our room it was full of people. It was a good thing I was so tired because it was a little awkward, but I fell asleep right away.
Sep 18:
Woke up early to an empty room (relief), checked out of the hostel, and got some free breakfast downstairs (by breakfast I mean orange juice and a pastry). Then we headed to the closest beach and it was really cool. The sand part of the beach was completely covered with shade but most of the water was in the sun. The water was so blue and we swam out to the nearby rocks to soak in Sorrento's scenic coast. Then we headed to the train station and went to Napoli. In Napoli, where pizza originated, we stopped at a pizzeria before getting on the train to Roma Termini and I had the best pizza of my life for dirt cheap. When we arrived to Roma Termini we got on the last bus to San Pietro and had a short walk home. What a weekend! Ill sleep well tonight.
Sep 19:
Full day of class today and I finished Christ Stopped at Eboli, which is the first book I have completed since reading The Yankee Years. After classes I got some groceries, made pasta, did some laundry, and studied. Then I met up with Emmanuelle in trastevere and got some caffé. He had a moto and he showed me the view of the city from Gianicolo hill which is my new favorite view of the city. Then he dropped me off at Old Bridge where I met up with Adam, Leart, and Alfi. We got some gelato, headed home, and called it a night.
Sep 20:
Woke up early to study Italian and after class I went to the bar to get caffé with Emmanuelle and his amici. THen I walked around trastevere and took some photos. I also stopped at a fruit stand and got some fresh oranges (1 kilo for 1.50). I met up with Leart, Anyla, and Agron and on our way to Carlo Menta we saw Corinne who decided to join us. Dinner was really good and affordable, and Ill be going back in the near future. We went home and I tried to do some compiti but instead I uploaded photos from my camera. Then bill and I went to Old Bridge and called it a night after wishing several people tanti auguri.
Sep 21:
Full day of classes today, I did homework in my free time. There was a free dinner and get-together at Guarini and it was a good time. I went home and wrote a paper for Italian, and I'm beat so I'm going to call it a night.
Sep 22:
Only Italian today and I woke up early to print my paper and study a bit. Im not progressing as fast as I fell like I should be, which means I need to spend more time studying. After class I hung out at the Tiber campus with some friends, studied, and then got some caffé. I took some photos from Gianicolo, my new chill spot. I headed home around 6 and stopped at captain cono because the cute Italian girl is finally working again. I put in a load of laundry, walked around the other side of the San Pietro train station, and took more photos. Then I made dinner for the fam and we went out to DJ Bar and Campo di Fiore. I had a blast, came home around 3 but I only spent 12 euros today- not bad!
Sep 23:
Woke up for my Friday class which is a make up for a Tuesday class we will be getting off soon. I studied grammar and vocabulary for a while at Gianicolo before heading to Piazza di Poppolo and Villa Borghese. I studied there until 6:45 and then started to head home. On the way back I stopped at the Spanish Steps to see the sunset and then decided to try a new gelato place called Giolitti. Turns out its better than Old Bridge! I was close to the Trevi fountain so I stopped there for a minute before heading home. Alfi made some pasta so I ate that and then went back near the Trevi with Adam to find Giolitti again. However, I was unsuccessful but we hung out at the Trevi for a while which was really relaxing. On our way home we decided to go to Florence tomorrow, so we booked a hostel and contacted Ellie and Jeanette who are both studying there this semester. I need to get some sleep, Firenze a domani!
Sep 24:
We woke up and took the 64 to Roma Termini. The 30 euro regional train was sold out so we had to take the fast train for 45 euro. It was much nicer and we arrived an hour and 15 min earlier so it was actually a pretty good deal. We walked out of the station and I immediately realized that Firenze was much different than Roma, but still amazing. We walked around the piazzas, crossed the Ponte Vecchio, and took a ton of photos. We checked into our hostel which was much nicer than the ones in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast and it was only 26 euro per night. After we were settled in we dropped off our bags and got some dinner. Adam got margherita pizza and I got spaghetti carbonara. It was good but not nearly as good as Uncle John's recipe. Then Adam and I did wine tasting around the city and it was awesome. We walked to stands all over the city (both sides of the river) and each stand had live music. We tried to hit up appertivo at Open Bar near the Ponte Vecchio but we arrived too late. Then we met up with Ellie and her roommates at her apartment and we went to two bars and a club called Twice. At the second bar which was called Lion's Fountain they had a U of M shot so Ellie and I took one for our great state of Minnesota. We had a great time and headed back to our hostel to get some sleep, we have to check out at 10 am tomorrow.
Sep 25:
Woke up, left our hostel which was really an apartment, and went to Piazza di Santa Croce. There we met up with Jeanette and she took us to a spot for breakfast with some of her friends. After we ate we went around the city and took some photos. We went to Giardini di Boboli which had amazing views of the city. After that we went to a few places including the duomo of Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the casa di Medici, and Piazza di San Marco. We got some vino, met up with some of her friends again, and watched the sunset at Piazzale di Michelangelo while taking some photos. We had dinner at Ristorante Pizzeria il Gato e la Volpe. I had ravioli and it was so good. We missed the last train to Roma Termini because our dinner ran late but Jeanette and her roommates kindly allowed Adam and I to crash on their couches. Not the most comfortable but I was not about to complain and besides, beggars can't be choosers! Can't beat a free night stay.
Sep 26:
Woke up early, said goodbye, and took the first regional train back to Roma Termini. Its tough leaving such a beautiful city but I have 3 classes today. I can't believe I have been in Italy for 4 weeks! After class I was beat. Leart and I walked to Anyla's apartment to give her soup because she was feeling sick. Then I came home, skyped a bit, and now off to bed.
Sep 27:
Woke up, did some compiti, had class, and then ate pranzo (4 course lunch) at Tiber with Alfi. Then I headed to Gianicolo to do some studying before going home. When I got home I did some laundry, ate a light dinner, and started this blog. I have some studying to do but before I begin Im going to go to Old Bridge with Adam to find some motivation and mail some postcards.
