January 7th, 2010 --- 8:25 a.m.
It seems like when you’re in Rome you’re doing one of four things: eating, exploring, napping or drinking. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, they even overlap. Fortunately for me, I enjoy all four exercises (the drinking I’m still new at, cause I’m under 21 so drinking in the U.S. is illegal :D).
Tuesday (I think, whatever our second day here was, it’s been a crazy week) we had our orientation at the Rome Center and learned what to do (walk with our backpacks in front of us, not going to happen) and what not to do (yell “free Amanda Knox” in any public place). Afterwards we went to a lunch with everybody in the program, and got to hang out and actually meet a few people I had never seen before. We made plans for the evening and then split up afterwards.
A few other students and myself went and got cell phones and explored the Campo de Fiori, where we’re staying a little bit. It’s made up of a farmers market that sells produce and a bunch of stores and restaurants along all the streets leading out from it. It’s a fun place to hang out and people watch, and has kind of become the meeting spot for our group.
After that Semir, Matt and I came home and took a four hour nap until we were woken up by a phone call telling us to go to the bar. Everyone, except a sick Matt :( , headed over to the bar and I got to experience my first bar. It was pretty cool, and I even remember most of it! Me and Semir’s beer pong record is 1-1, and we plan on buying cups and training in our house so we can represent for America the next time we all go out.
The next day the Roman exploration really began. It began with a short run around our area, where I feel like everyone stared and pointed. One kid smiled, pointed and yelled “Americano” so I smiled and waved back. It was so much fun, and a great way to explore. Went for another run this morning before class, speaking of which I better get ready for that pretty soon. My breakfast has become Mentos before class (told you they’d come up again) and then some kind of delicious Italian food afterwards (paninis and pizza have made significant appearances in my diet).
So I better speed this last part up which is a shame cause it was pretty epic. What was supposed to be a “20 minute walk” according to our tour guide Sofi, got stretched a little bit. But was totally worth it. All of a sudden we looked up the road and saw the Spanish steps. I ran up them and got what has to be the coolest picture I have ever taken in my life. Then we visited the Treve Fountain on the way to the Pantheon. We didn’t explore any of the locations too in depth because we’re going to all of them with our Roman Civilizations class. Plus it was a holiday (Epiphany) so it was unbelievably crowded.
The epic tour wined down and we all headed back to the Campo. The guys ventured back home after buying some wine for dinner and layed around. Semir went to one group of girls house and Matt and I went to the other for some wine and then dinner. Semir joined up with us after we were all well past a little tipsy, and had to put up with a table full of loopsy people for dinner. But it was delicious, as usual, and after sharing some personal (and disturbing) stories, we came back home, talked for a little bit and went to bed.
Now the real work begins. But, being in Rome, even school sounds a little less terrible than usual.
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