View from the Half Way Point

I have a count-down clock on my desktop.  Today it says "45 Days left in Roma."

Usually, these clocks are used to count down to a celebration, but this one is different.  It's a little way of reminding myself to make the most of every day and fully experience this incredible time in my life before I take to the skies and head back home.

When I started writing this post in my head, it was a few days before the half way point, 56 days.  It's taken me a little while to get it down on virtual paper, but I think half-way reflections are in order.

Things I'm going to miss about Rome

3.  FOOD!  Pasta, Pizza, Brushcetta, Suppli, Nutella, Mozzarella, Gelato and so much more!  All of the food I make here is delicious!  I am convinced it is the ingredients.  Back home, if you want fresh, clean food, you pay a little extra at the local grown organic farmers market.  But here, it's the exact opposite!  You want preservatives trucked in from across the country?  You shell out more cash.  Perfect for the college budget!

2.  The PEOPLE!  From the lovely ladies of apartment 3A, to the friends I've made from around the world, there are some incredible people here that I am going to miss.

1.  ROME!  I walk out my door and I see some of the most historically important and impressive ancient artifacts of all time.  I can eat gelato by the Pantheon!  I can take the bus right by the Colosseum!  This city is truly amazing.

Things I miss about home

3.  FOOD!  I love Italian food, but I've been craving Chipoltle, Olga's, and Dad's Sunday steak nights for a long time.

2.  ENGLISH!  Italian is a beautiful language, but it was very nice being in England and knowing what people were saying.

1.  The PEOPLE!  From my Leo3 peeps to K through 12, my friends around the world to my wonderful family.

This experience is amazing and I am enjoying every day, but I'm also going to love going back to Michigan and Washington, my two favorite places in the world.

5 Years Doesn't Change A Thing (Spring Break!)

Cardiff Bay

 I walked through the arrivals gate At London Heathrow airport with the Love Actually soundtrack ringing off the walls. Ok, that last part may have been in my head, but it was very...British, and I was very excited. Excited for food other than pasta, a language I could understand, and, of course, my lovely cousins (most of whom I last saw in 2006).

Millennium Centre 

I have to say, I'm fairly proud of myself. I managed to get from my apartment in the suburbs of Rome to the Cardiff bus station with minimal friction. I say minimal because traveling with Emily never seems to go completely smoothly (or maybe I just happen to notice the cultural confusion and awkward little hiccups of life).  I left 5 hours before my flight, just in case.  I hopped in the H Bus to Termini Station. I successfully purchased my train ticket and then ran around the station trying to find my platform. I got to the airport, printed my boarding pass, took the tram to my terminal, and sat at the gate. I was still 3 hours early.

View from the Hoe

The only entertaining event was going through customs at Heathrow.  They gave me a form that asked for the address where I would be staying. Oops. Forgot to take note of that little tidbit. I gave my form to the woman at the desk. "You're staying 8 days, where?" "Sorry, I don't have the address. I'm staying with family."  "And what family do you have here?" "Um...my mom's cousins." "and they live...?" "Well, I'm going to Cardiff tonight on a bus-" "a coach. You're taking a coach." "...Yes, that." "All the way to Cardiff?"  It went on like that until I exchanged my cousin's cell number for entrance to the country.  Four hours later, (1am) I was dropped off on a busy street in Cardiff...with now idea where I was.  I wandered around a bit until I found Peter and Sue.  They took me home and put me to bed.

Exeter Cathedral

Day 1: Cardiff
Peter and Sue took me to Cardiff Bay.  It's a beautiful pier with a mix of historic and contemporary buildings.  We saw the harbor, the Millennium Centere, and Techniquest (The science center where Sue works).  After a quick spin around Cardiff, we drove over to Exeter.  I arrived at Hilda's to a delicious lunch of chicken and mashed potatoes made by the fabulous Princess Anne, and we spent the evening looking at family photos.

Dawlish Warren

Day 2: Plymouth
After a great night's sleep in a bed that was most certainly not a rock and a hot shower, Christine, Martin, and Amber picked me up from Hilda's and whisked me off to Plymouth.  This historic harbor was where the pilgrims said goodbye to England and hello to the deep blue sea and a questionable future.  A few hundred years later, here I am!  We wandered around the Hoe, ate lunch along the river, and had smoothies at Juice Mouse at the Drake Circus.


Day 3: Dawlish Warren
Adam took the day off work and drove me down to Dawlish Warren, an amusement park by the sea side.  We walked along the beach and sat down for refreshments.  After a beautiful morning, we drove over to Hilda's for cheese sandwiches made by Chef Adam.  A few hours later we met Amber down town for a delicious steak dinner (a much needed break from my pasta-based diet).  We finished the day off with a night of joking, laughing, and movie watching.

Perfect Pasty!

Day 4: Exeter
After another heavenly night's sleep, Christine took me on a historic tour of Exeter.  We strolled along the cathedral grounds and down to the key where we saw swans, bikes, and cute little shops.  Later, we picked up Hilda and drove down to Teignmouth to surprise Chris at Luder's, which was bustling with customers.  It was quite posh, as they say.  We got hugs and goodies (which we sampled at tea), and the first chocolate Easter bunny of the season!  That night Hilda took us all out for dinner at a pub overlooking Dawlish.  It was so nice to be with family, telling stories and reminiscing.


Day 5: Pasties, Labrador, and Torquay

Beautiful Dawlish

There is nothing better than a pasty.  A hearty beef-and-potato mix wrapped up in a soft, flaky crust, Mmm.  After breakfast, Hilda and I made a batch (ok, I just put the initials on the side).  We ate them for lunch and then drove down to Labrador Bay for an ice cream cone with a flake (Cadbrry chocolate bar, YUM) while we watched a paraglider attempting to take flight.  Next we drove down to Torquay for a lovely view of the sea side.  Apparently, the largest full moon in 15 years created the lowest tide in 15 years.  Pretty cool.

Black Swan!

Day 6: Dawlish
Hilda and I had a leisurely breakfast and then walked down Dawlish for the afternoon.  We climbed up Lea Mount and strolled down the shore, passing a beautiful coast line, shining beach, and the little nook where Hilda met her husband Henry. Say it with me now, AWWWWWW.  Dawlish is famous for its waterfowl, including the rare black swan.  We walked around the green and had lunch at a cute little cafe.  Afterwards, we sat on a bench in the park and ate Cadbury Creme Eggs. MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmm!


Day 7: Heathrow

Oh hey, Stonehenge!

After spending some quality time with my cousins late into the night, I said my goodbye's and Christine and Martin drove me to the airport.  At the half way mark we pulled off to a cute little village with thatched-roofed cottages and a field of horses.  It was like a fairy tale.  We walked into the pub and were greeted by a huge, fluffy, newfie.  We ate lunch in the garden before jumping back into the car, zipping past Stonehenge, and arriving at Heathrow.


Whew!
I love England.  I love the culture, the atmosphere, and of course, the incredible people there that I love.  I have to admit, going back to Rome was difficult.  But I wanted an adventure that was different from anything else, so here I am! Already more than half way through with a jam-packed home stretch!


To see, yes, EVEN MORE PHOTOS click here!

A Walk Through Ancient Rome (Giant Snakes, Millions of Cats, and Communist Rallies)

Last Friday, my history class met for a "field trip."  We didn't actually go to one place specifically, rather, we walked around Rome, reliving the glory of the empire.

Tiber Island

We started out on Tiber Island, where legend tells us a giant healing snake god named Aesculapius made his home when he traveled from what we know as Turkey to Italy.  Later, one of the emperors remodeled the island to look like a boat to remember how the god came to Rome.  You can still see some of the boat-like decorations.

Really old meat market.

Next, we went across the river to the Forum Boarium, the original forum, or public space, in Rome.  It was used mainly for markets.  Barges would line up along the Tiber to unload goods.  Cattle were walked from the outer fields to the city to be sold at the markets.

Circus Maximus! Epic.

After that we visited the Circus Maximus, where the chariot races were held.  Apparently a race was only one lap.  The turn was very dangerous and caused many accidental deaths, to which the spectators celebrated with wild cheers. How do we know what people cheered for in 200 BC? I can't wrap my mind around it.  Regardless, it was pretty cool.

The usual residents

Largo Argentina was the end of phase 1 of the trip.  Most study abroad students know the site as "the last stop on the tram line that takes you to The Drunken Ship bar."  But in the daylight, it is the ruins of Pompey's Theater, the Baths of Agrippa, and a few temples to various Roman gods, some dating back to the 4th century BC.  It's also a home for about a million stray cats.

Campo Market

We finished up in Campo de Fiori, the historic public square that holds the oldest morning market in Rome by day, and the largest college student hangout by night.  In the center is a statue of Giordano Bruno, burned at the stake for heresy for claiming the Sun was just one of an infinite number of independently moving "heavenly bodies."  300 years after his death, this statue of him was put up in Campo.  Shaded by the hood of his cloak, his eyes stare coldly at the Vatican.

At this point we enter another episode of "How well can Emily survive in Rome?"

The "Wedding Cake"

So, there I was, listening to the last pieces of Professor Higgin's lecture in the middle of Campo, when she dismisses the class for lunch and instructs us to meet her at Piazza Venezia in one hour.  I looked around, and suddenly everyone was gone.  'Ok,' I thought to myself, 'get to Piazza Venezia.  I can do this.'  And so I started walking, alone and without a map.  I decided to get to the meeting place first and find some lunch around there so I could be sure I wouldn't be late.  So I started walking in what I thought was the right direction...until I stumbled into Piazza Navona.  Oops, wrong direction.

Communist Rally?

I turned around and walked back to Largo Argentina, and then strolled down a busy street until...there!  The Wedding Cake!  I was close.  I found a street going straight towards it, when suddenly two riot-proof police cars swerved in and completely blocked off the road.  I turned around, went another block over...and came to two more police cars.

Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo

This happened twice more before I finally found an open street and bee-lined for the meeting spot.  All of a sudden, the piazza was echoing with loud music and chanting.  People carrying big red flags came marching through, accompanied by about 100 police officers in riot gear.  Their flags and banners said "USB."  I thought maybe they were just computer people, but my professor told us it had to do with immigration workers rights...although I saw quite a few Hammer and Sickle flags which gave it a very different tone.

We always end up here.

After they cleared out, we walked up to the top of the Capitoline Hill, the Campidoglio.  There, we started the Imperial Forum tour.  We walked through the various forums built by emperors.  I've come to the conclusion that they were all just a bunch of insecure men fighting to be remembered, but in this fight, they didn't do much except build monuments to themselves and their families.  Caesar built his forum, then Augustus built his next to it because people liked Caesar more than him, then the next guy built a bigger one, and the next guy built one even bigger than that until there was really no more space to build forums and the next guy had to resort to building the Pantheon, which is where our field trip ultimately ended up.

Whew.  There you have it.  A walk through ancient Rome.







See more photos of my walk HERE!

My Tuscan Weekend - Day 3 Trequanda

At 8:00am Sunday morning we dragged our bags down the stairs, grabbed some light breakfast, and checked out of the hotel.  Two nights with a shower that was actually hot and a mattress that wasn't a rock was heaven, but we were excited to top off our Tuscan adventure.

Our last day in Tuscany was spent at the Donatella Cinelli Colombini vineyard in Trequanda.  Apparently when Mrs. Donatella decided to open the vineyard, she went to the Siena University to find a Winemaster.  The dean told her all of the men were spoken for, but she could have any of the women.  Well, Mrs. Donatella wasn't happy too happy to hear that, so she hired an all female staff.  They are up-and-coming stars in a traditionally male-dominated field.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a bouncing ball of golden fur.  Felix is one of the many fluffy residents of the vineyard along with a few other dogs and a handful of cats.  Our host lead us around on a quick tour of the estate.  Rolling hills, beautiful gardens, and  deserted vines, all make up the perfect Italian countryside image.  We got to see the wine-making process from start to finish, and then sat down in the historic brewery for tasting.

I don't drink.  I'm not saying alcohol is bad or wrong.  I know that in the right amount, with the right people, and at the right time, it can compliment life's journey.  That being said, I decided wine tasting in Tuscany would not fundamentally oppose my philosophy and would be a positive part of my Italian experience.  The first wine was the vineyard's specialty, Chianti Superiore 2008.  The second was Brunello di Montalcino, the "Best Brunello 2004" award winner.  I can understand growing to appreciate it, but it is definitely an acquired taste.


After tasting, we had a traditional pasta making lesson, flour volcano and all!  I can't wait to try it myself...maybe back in the US...away from the risk of being shamed by the locals.

Finally, we sat down for an amazing, traditional four course Tuscan meal.  It was the best food I've had so far!  However, two of the courses were eerily familiar.  Antipasto was a piece of Bruschetta, and sliced cheese and meats.  Next was a pasta of long, flat noodles in a red sauce with ground beef, almost identical to our family tradition "Pattironi" back home.  The third course was roasted chicken and rosemary potatoes (also identical to mom's back home).  The meal was finished with a wonderful apricot tart.  Mmm!

The last hour of our trip was spent wandering the beautiful vineyard grounds taking in the breathtaking countryside.  The perfect end to an inedible weekend!

See more of my Trequanda photos HERE!

My Tuscan Weekend - Day 2 Florence

There is something magical about Florence.   Between the history, charm, and beauty, I fell in love.

We arrived at Piazza San Marco around 10:00am.  We met our guides in the square surrounded by beautiful facades and adorable Italian women feeding pigeons.  We grabbed some maps and started walking down the street.  One of the first things I noticed was the street.  There were people walking in it!  In Rome, crossing the street is a game of human Frogger.

After a few minutes, we turned a corner and there in front of us was yes another beautiful cathedral.  San Maria del Fiore translates to St. Mary of the Flower (the official symbol of Florence).  Construction began in the late 1200s.  Our guide told us it was funded by the people of Florence, which my child-of-the-architects brain links to the Gothic arches inside.


On the front wall is a clock that has been working since the mid 1400s.  It has twenty-four numerals, one for every hour of the day.  Hour I starts when the sun rises.  The dome is famous because it was the first built without the use of a wooden support frame.  Apparently the main concern after construction was wind damage, so there are a number of holes to prevent the wind from ripping the outer shell off the inner shell.  It is now covered by a beautiful fresco.  I'm still not sure exactly how they painted all of these ceilings without serious neck damage.


Around another corner we found the Piazza della Signoria, the original location of Michelangelo's David.  David, with his over-sized hands, feet, and head, represents a hero for the people.  The ruling family didn't really like that.  Unable to remove the statue, they put up many statues of their own in the square to take away the spotlight.  The result? A pretty cool place to look at a lot of beautiful statues.


Next, we walked down to the river and strolled along the Ponte Vecchio, one of the oldest bridges in Europe.  Parts of it have survived World War II.  It's famous for the jewelry shops that line the sides.  As we walked to the center, we noticed hundreds of locks on the metal railings.  While pondering what on earth they could be, a young couple walked over, wrote their names on a gold lock, locked it on the rail, and tossed the key into the river.  I think we embarrassed them with our "Awwwww!"'s.

Florence is the leather capital of the world, and after the tour, the hunt began.

We prowled through the market, passing belts, bags, and coats.  After a few minutes, a cell phone dinged.  One of our friends had a friend who had friend who knew a guy that owned the best leather shop in the city.  After walking down narrow streets and passing many eager salesmen, we met Massimo, of Massimo Leather.  "Oh! Beautiful girls! Come in! Come in! Yes, I have the perfect coat for you..."  Now, I've never been very trendy when it comes to fashion.  I like my classic grey wool coat and I can't imagine myself in much else, especially not a leather jacket.  But after 40 minutes of pairing the other five girls with the perfect coats for them, Massimo's assistant turned to me and said "Ok, you.  You try just one. Yes?"

I tried just one.  Then one more.  Then one more.  He paired my skin tone and hair to the right color and found the perfect cut.

I now own one of Massimo's beautiful chocolate brown leather jackets.



With only an hour and a half left, we made our way to the Galleria Academia, home of Michelangelo's David. I could have stayed in that gallery for a day.  Once again, words fall short.

Once home to Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Galileo, Raphael, and of course, Michelangelo, there is something very special about Florence.

Click HERE to see more photos of  my trip to Florence!

My Tuscan Weekend - Day 1 Pisa

This past weekend was the AUR trip to Tuscany!  We visited Pisa, Florence, and Trequanda.  The trip so amazing, I have to split it into three parts to tell you about.  So here is Day 1 - Pisa!

In the wee hours of Friday morning, Becca, Brigid and I tiptoed out of the apartment and trekked up to school.  Under the arches and across the street is a little cafe called Archi Bar.  It's a popular meeting point for the AUR community and, as a result of all the American customers, once in a blue moon they sell bagels.  I've yet to experience this magical event, but I hope too soon.  I've been craving a bagel with cream cheese for a few weeks now.  Anyway, we got on the bus and promptly fell asleep for the first part of the five-and-a-half-hour ride.

At noon we pulled into a bus depot and staggered out into the sunlight.  We were immediately surrounded by street vendors aggressively trying to sell us knock-off designer sunglasses.  After shaking them off, we walked towards a small pair of arches where we met our tour guides.  Two steps around the wall and-oh, look! It's the tower!

When you see photos of the Tower, it always looks like it's standing on its own, rather isolated.  But in reality, it is only twenty meters away from some other very impressive structures.  The main square is a very large rectangle with tall stone walls all around.  There is green grass surrounding the Tower, the Cathedral, and the Baptistery.  Along the south wall you can buy any Pisa-themed souvenir you can imagine.

Fun Fact!  The Tower has always leaned.  In 1170, the people of Pisa, decided they wanted a beautiful free-standing bell tower to compliment their Cathedral and Baptistery.  The footprint of the tower is very small, but the materials are very heavy.  The people of Pisa wanted something so grand, visitors could ride a horse up to the top.  So, instead of making the steps out of timber, they chose stone.  By 1178, the first three stories had been built and the tower had started to lean.  Construction stopped for about 100 years until another architect picked up the project.  Construction continued, and to solve the problem the architect made the columns taller on one side to offset the leaning.

Our guide says this is probably the most primitive architectural solution to the problem, and obviously didn't work.  In the 1980s, construction stopped again.  It was finally finished in the 1370s with a bell chamber that was offset from the center.  Thanks to a group of engineers from around the world, the Tower stopped leaning in the 1990s.

Next to the Tower is a beautiful medieval cathedral that was built in the mid 1000s.  Another Fun Fact!  The Cathedral leans too!  If you look carefully at the foundation, you can see it leans in the opposite direction of the Tower.  Our guide says "Everything leans in Pisa."  Along the side wall, we saw an interesting pattern on a block of marble.  Italy is very superstitious.  Every town has their own legends, and Pisa is no exception.  So here is the story: One day the Devil came to Pisa and said "This is so beautiful, it must be the work of God. I will destroy it!" So he sank his fingers into the marble and began pushing the Cathedral over. God saw this and froze the Devil's fingertips in the marble. The Devil was so scared, he ripped out his own nails and ran away.  To this day, they are stuck in the marble.

Next to the Cathedral is the Baptistery.  Completed in the mid 1300s, it is dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  The outside is very ornate, but I was surprised to find the inside almost completely bare.  At 3:30, I found out why.  A guard walked to the center while her partner shushed the crowd.  Becca and I had walked up to the second level and were looking down at the floor.  The guard started singing a series of scales to demonstrate the acoustic perfection of the building.  I recorded the last minute of it below.  This is only one person.  Can you imagine a full choir!?

We finished the day with...you guessed it! Gelato.  Mmmm.  We piled back on the bus and drove to our hotel where we slept like logs.  For more photos, click HERE!

Stay tuned for Day 2 - Florence!

Oh Yeah, That School Thing...

Whew. It's been a week since my last post and I apologize for the fact that you've been on the edge of your seats for the last seven days.  I know the suspense has been brutal.  You've probably been asking yourself again and again "Did the Orange Mafia finally get her?"

Well, you can finally relax.  I may be cold, wet, and tired, but I am citrus free.

It's been raining for the last five days and Rome has reminded me of the true meaning of wind chill.  When the sun is hidden, the temperature drops about 20 degrees (Fahrenheit).  When the winds blow, they bite.  And it takes an extraordinarily long time for anything to dry.  But life in Rome carries on as usual.

For example, the elderly population remains very concerned for my health.  There was a break in the clouds this morning around 8:30 when I was walking to the bus stop.  I was wearing two shirts, a sweater, and my wool coat.  The sun felt nice so I didn't bother brining my scarf but I did make sure my hair was dry.  Sure enough, in the exact same place that I was last confronted, a tall man with white hair and a cane stepped directly into my path.  He put one hand on his chest and gestured to his scarf-covered neck with the other saying "Freddo! Freddo!" (Cold!).

I wish I knew how to say "I'm not crazy, I'm just from Michigan!" in Italian.

This weekend, I felt almost as if I was living back home for a few days.  Between internship applications and housing arrangements, I'm not sure what time zone I was in.  I kept some very strange hours, and planning things for after I leave Italy is surreal, but I have my resume out in DC and I know where I'm living in the fall, so that's a load off my mind.  Other than that, things were quiet for the first weekend since I arrived.  It was a much needed break, even if it was spent mainly doing school work.

The photos are from my Art History Class at St. Peter's.  I'll let the pictures tell you about the incredible beauty because words just can't cut it.  I couldn't take many because we were on a tight schedule, but don't worry, I'll be going back for a full experience (including climbing to the top of the dome!) very soon.