Rome, what can I say about Rome. Beautiful, huge, cobblestone streets winding through crowded buildings and monuments. The only open space being the numerous piazzas where narrow streets intersect. Markets and venders line the streets selling everything from fake designer handbags to roasted hazelnuts. Cafes, boutiques, and pizzerias make up the majority of the shops. The Tiber River cuts Rome into unequal halves with the Tiber Island looking like a moored ship near Trastevere. The Tiber has become one of my greatest landmarks to get me around Rome. If I know in which direction the Tiber lies I can usually find my way anywhere, which is saying a lot in this crazy and confusing city.
So far I have seen:
The Forum
The palatine
The Spanish Steps
The Vatican
The Colosseum
And many other interesting and wonderful thing, these are just the “big” ones. I think the one which most impressed me would have to be the forum, the amount of ruins and history concentrated into this one area is astounding!
Where I live:
I live a forty minute walk from school at the Residence Medaglie D’Oro, a mostly residential area. The Residence use to be a hotel (and could still be as far as I know), but is mostly apartments for both students and Italians. We have a maid who comes every morning to make our beds and clean, and 24 hour security. Yes, we are spoiled! Our security guards are very nice, although the speak only a little English, even with this little amount of language ability between us, we have still gotten to know them well enough.
I have five other roommates: Jaci, Nikki (both from GVSU), Toby (from NY), and Lauren and Tanya (from Texas). We have all become a big family, shopping, cooking, studying and hanging out together. Our apartment is pretty spacious so if anyone ever needs “alone time” its not hard to find!
My Routine:
I’ve finally stopped being so homesick (although I still am!) enough to actually function throughout the day. I usually wake up by nine (nove), shuffle out of the room I share with Toby just in time to see one of the Italian maids come in to clean. They don’t speak any English so it is a good chance to try some Italian on them. I’m a bit shy still but I am getting better. The maids are very sweet and even through they know we don’t speak much Italian they ramble on and on in monolog to us, not really expecting us to answer, I just usually smile at them, not really knowing what else to do! Walking to school was incredible scary the first few times, it seemed as if everyone knew I was foreign! The streets are busy with venders and people are everywhere, but I have grown to be a pro at acting Italian and pushing my way through the crowd of people. Everyday I walk past the Vatican, it has become such a common site I almost don’t even notice it!
School is located in Trastevere in Via della Lungara and is probably one of the least touristy parts of Rome, My favorite pizzeria is located a block from school, they have the most amazing pizza (so different from American pizza). After lunch I usually sit in the courtyard to read in the sun. My favorite café is called “Good” and the owner is a lovely man who makes my cappuccino with a heart shaped foam on top. I like to sit in here when it is too cold in the courtyard to read and write. My evenings consist of making dinner with my roommates, doing homework, hanging out in our living area or going out to one of the local pubs for a glass of wine or beer.
Although it has been tough being away from all my family and friends I am really starting to enjoy all the strange and interesting things around me, hopeful as the time goes on I will get better at Italian and make some Italian speaking friends!
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