Perdersi un sacco

This past Saturday my school took us on a day trip to Villa Adriana, which is about an hour outside of Roma. The sun was out that day and it was so nice to just stroll around this huge villla and check out some old monuments and statues. The Villa had many function, people would often go there to vacation with the emperor, or to work for him. All in all it was gorgeous like pretty much everything else I have seen in Roma.

Saturday night my friends and I went out to Trastevere a popular district in Roma that has a really fun night life. The center of Trastevere is an arch and then from there are three streets that branch out from it that are filled with bars and restaurants. I again had an amazing piece of salami pizza. Soooo our night was fun but the best part was trying to get home.... we walked probably a good 2 miles and then accidentially walked up to St. Peters Basilica which is gorgeous at night! Eventually we found our way home and the detour was totally worth it.

Sunday I was on a mission to find Katarina and her apartment, so I did which is ridiculously close to me, the bus that runs by my school runs by her apartment! So we meet up and went to the Trastevere flee market which is massive!! I got a leather jacket and skirt for 3 euro! Then her and I had lunch and I had an amazing chicken paramagian. Later that night I went to the 9pm student mass which was soooo nice, great music and everyone is really nice and friendly. I always feel better when I have a church community.

Classes have been good this week, I got into a class Human Rights: A View from Rome which I am SOOO excited about! We are required to do community service so I am trying to work with the Vatican...hopefully that works out. Tuesday my morning class went on a field trip to a local market and I bought a bunch of cheese =) then went over to Katarina's and we had a lovely lunch with wine, cheese, bread, salami, olives, olive oil, haha the list goes on. It was freezing and raining that day so it was nice to me indoors.

I FINALLY got the internet working on my laptop so I can skype people now! add me lindseyxelle.

Ciao!

Scuola in Italia

So I started school on Wednesday, since I started planning this trip I keep forgetting the whole reason I am here is to...go to school. haha. But I am actually really excited about what I am going to be learning this semester. All my classes involve exploring the city of Roma and/or other interest I really enjoy. My frist class is Italiano due (Italian 2) with a young italian Professor Schwarten who seems great but already gave me a ton of homework. Thursday I had Art in Rome which is an on-site class and every class we meet at a different museum or historical site. Later on Thursday I have Italian Filmmaking. THIS class is why I go to school!! My profesor is 1. extremley good looking and 2. stoked on my movie idea. Before coming to Roma I was brainstorming on what I wanted to work on while I was here, which is a documentary on the immigration (war) occuring right now in Italy. I was afraid when I pitched the idea nobody would jump on it or think it was boring but two of my classmates are just as fired up as me and have some connections on who I should contact. I am just itching to start this project, hopefully half way through I do not get burned out like I did last semester. My last class (at this point) is Italian Film Genre and every week we watch a movie with Vittorio Di Sica then we discuss it. Fun right! what a great excuse to watch movies and I love analyzing movies with people after haha so might as well get some credit for it!

Enough about school! The social scene here at John Felice Rome Center is interesting, I am not getting the best impression of midwest people. Haha not to sterio type but weirdly I have befriended all USF people, most of whom I didn't know untill we got here. Maybe it's just the honest reality that people in San Fran are amazing or the Chicago (mid-west) people are clingy. Regardless I really like my group of peeps and it has been fun exploring this beautiful (extremley cold) city together shopping downtown, bar hoping, and bus riding!

me enjoying a buffalo pizza after my frist day of class.

Maia and I with some yummy chocolate milk gelato!

lo sono qui

(Spanish Steps)

I am here!! I have actually been in Italy for a week now. It is crazy how much has happened so far. It took me awhile to unpack, figure out the internet and what not. Today was my first day of class Ionly had one, for an hour, my Italiano II class. Tonight after an important group meeting a few of us are going downtown to buy cellphones. I have a love hate relationship with not having a cell phone for a week. Trying to met up with people and plan stuff has been annoying but also this week I have had very little sense of time so I can relax.

Italy is absolutley beautiful! I mean everyone knows that but you dont really know until you are here. For our school's orientation we went to Assisi which is about 3 hours from Roma and is where St. Francis of Assisi was born, prayed, and died. The town is medival and built on a mountain that is surrounded by a huge wall and a castle. The town is also a huge pilgrimage site and heavily influenced by the works of St. Francis. I went on a two hour tour and a three hour hike of the town so I am now an expert on St. Fracis and the city, if anyone is interested!

(this is the main church in Assisi, the day we went it was bring your animal to church day so they could get blessed- soo cute!)

Overall all the students and staff are super friendly. Today in my class I was the only one from another school other than Loyola Chicago and I have not met any non-USF students from California. So I am a little odd ball but of course I love it. The experience feels very similliar to my first semester at USF, hanging out with diffrent people experimenting with who you will really be hanging out with and just being in a completley new place. The only thing that is bugging me is not having a set schedule, once all my classes start and I have a routine I think my life will feel more normal.

I have been downtown and in the heart of Roma, twice. Both times I went to the Spanish steps and I walked around the shopping area and stopped in a couple bars. This weekend I am for sure going to explore the Vatican and meet up with Katarina!!

Ciao, enjoy the pics!
(this is me next to the Castle in Assisi looking over the town)

oggi e il giorno!

Today is the day! In 2 hours my parents will be dropping me and my 2 huge suitcases off at LAX. I just found out a fellow JFRC student, Shane, will be on my flight so I will not have to make the 14+ hour treck alone.

The last few days have been crazy- filled with 2 surprises while still trying to get all my travel suga done, because obviously I do everything last minute. In the last few days I was able to hang out with and say bye to pretty much all my closest friends and family! Three of my 'perrrrrfect' friends Aaron, Lisa, and Laura surprised me from USF for the weekend and then they took me to my surprise party at my house! I am excited beyond words and exclamation marks excited for Rome but when it has to end I know I have alot of amazing people and a wonderful family to return to.

My homegirl and fellow cheerleader for life, Jessica (lil mama), brought me my last boba today and a sweet card that I think nicely ends this entry.

"Life is a beautiful journey- we all must travel in our own unique way, with memories behind us and dreams ahead and a brand-new beginning each day"

(this photo is of cookies my roomates made me ;)