Month: November 2017

What NOT to Bring to Rome!

What NOT to Bring to Rome!

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There are packing lists for ever and ever out there on the Internet, but I wanted to give a brief post as to what not to bring. I’ve seen some people make these mistakes, and boy are they regretting it now.

First off, yes, no matter which semester you come here, it will get very, very hot. That’s climate change for you. Don’t bring a fan, duh. Some people knew what was coming and brought little ones, but they just take up space. You can tough it out here or buy some here. Heck, some of them didn’t even work because of the voltage differences! On that note too, don’t bring your straighteners, curlers, hair dryers, or other large appliances like that. They just won’t work! Sure, you can bring endless amounts of bulky converters, but even then there’s no guarantee. And why waste space?

Second, don’t even think about the heavy down-feather winter coat. Bring layers of jackets, and jackets that layer. Even if you’re going to go up north to say, Norway or Iceland, the more jackets the better for the fall/spring weather, but a winter jacket just isn’t worth all of the space and hauling for a short weekend. Trust me, you don’t have room!

Third, pepper spray and other self-defense weaponry is a no-no. Here in Rome, the use of pepper spray, even in self-defense, is a crime. I don’t know about knives, but they probably wouldn’t fly in just the same way. Best not to risk it.

Fourth, books to read for fun? Don’t bother! The library here has plenty of fiction novels, and interesting non-fiction too. If you’re an avid reader enough to bring your own books, then you’ll be an avid reader enough to enjoy our collection.

Fifth, school supplies! The local grocery store sells things in their dollar bins. Notebooks, folders, and the other stuff? They just take up space! If you get them here, you can throw them out here, no luggage space occupied. Easy as that!

Sixth, hangers. Towels. Sheets. The school supplies them all. Toiletries like makeup wipes, razors, shower gel, and laundry detergent? Can get them all here. Since detergent likes to come in big jugs, I split mine with three other friends, and we haven’t yet run out.

Seventh, don’t only bring summer clothes! Italy will feel like eternal summer, or at least it seems like it should, but it doesn’t! It can get chilly at night, and besides, the locals dress for the season, not the weather. You don’t want to be THAT telltale American wearing flipflops and shorts at the end of October. And for that matter, if you’re bringing flipflops… they’re probably going to be shower shoes. Some people (like me) bring ten pairs of shoes, and some bring just one or two, but make sure they are versatile for the seasons, and comfortable to walk in. That’s key!

If you’re packing in the future and thinking, should I bring this? I might need it, I might not! The answer is no! If you really need it, you can get it here! If you can’t get it here for cheap, it’s a lifelong useful souvenir!

If you’re really unsure, drop a comment here and I’ll see if I can help. Until next time!

Explore Chicago CTA Edition: This is Lake

Explore Chicago CTA Edition: This is Lake

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This is Lake. Doors open on the right at Lake. Transfer to orange, pink, green, brown, and purple lines at Lake. Hey everyone, welcome back to the third installment of Explore Chicago CTA Edition! As always, I’m your blogger, Miguel Molina! Today, we are going to be having some fun with both eats and treats down at the CTA’s Lake stop. Be sure to bring your student ID card, ventra card (u-pass), and as always, an empty belly. Let’s go!

Getting There:

There are three ways that I would recommend getting to Lake, depending on where you live and with time considered. The first way is the easiest. You can take the CTA Red line down from Loyola straight into Lake station (toward 95th). This may take around 45 minutes, give or take. Or, you can take the Intercampus shuttle from the Lakeshore Campus to the Water Tower Campus and take the El from Chicago and State toward Lake. Lastly, you can always take an Uber or a Lyft, depending on the size of the group you are traveling with, and what time of day you are planning to visit the area.

Main Attractions:

  1. Millennium Park: Completed in 2004, Millennium Park is Chicago’s park and is among the top attractions for tourists who visit the city of Chicago. This is a place for people of all ages to appreciate and enjoy. Come, I’ll give you a short tour. First, there is the Cloud Gate, affectionately dubbed “The Bean”. The structure is a smooth steel structure with no seams and reflects the beauty of the Chicago skyline. Which makes it a perfect place for selfies for Snapchat and Instagram! During the holiday season, there are carolers who perform right by Cloud Gate. This is the perfect time to sing holiday carols and sip some pipping hot chocolate. Right underneath the promenade with “The Bean” is McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink. This is the perfect place to spend time with friends during the holiday season. During the winter months, plaza oval becomes an ice rink. This would be the ideal place to bring out your significant other on a special date or to relax with some family and friends. The grill next door, offers some deliciously warm food as well! A couple paces from the ice rink is Crown Fountain. Here two glass towers have projected faces of the family members of the people who designed and built the structure. The two act as “water fountains” and allow for all to cool off after a hot day in the summer sun. The key feature is that every 5-10 minutes, the faces open their “mouths” and water comes gushing out, much to the delight of young families who gather at a special spot to get soaked. Before you go, please sure to check out the Pritzker Pavilion, a popular place for young families and college students, to come and hang out. During the summer, it is very popular for bands and concerts to be performed at this open venue. Luckily, it is free if you sit on the lawn. And who wouldn’t? Spring and summer are the perfect time of the year to enjoy a picnic with some quality music. During the months of July-August, the Pavilion also offers free movies to the public. This can range from movies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to the Breakfast Club to Prince’s Purple Rain. You may be wondering how you will get to hear the movie if the venue is massive and open? Luckily, the pavilion is equipped with some surround sound audio allowing all audience members to enjoy the experience. After to enjoying some music and snacks, be sure to cross over the BP Pedestrian Bridge designed by world renowned architect, Frank Gehry (who also designed the pavilion). Here the bridge’s serpentine appearance acts as a sound barrier from the park to the main street, Columbus Drive. When exiting the bridge on the other side you will find some beautiful gardens for you to explore and another special park we are going to visit next. For more info, check out: (https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html)
  2. Maggie Daley Park: Completed in 2015, Maggie Daley Park is dedicated in the memory of former Mayor, Richard M Daley’s wife, Maggie Daley who died of breast cancer. Here, there are several sights and attractions for both adults and children. The park is basically a large scale playground. But some of the notable sights include the ribbon (shaped in the style of a cancer ribbon), which doubles as an ice skater during the winter and a rollerblading track during the summer months. There are also climbing walls, available to all ages. Near the entrance of the park, there is also a memorial garden to all those who have been affected and survived their battle with cancer. For more info, check out: (http://maggiedaleypark.com)

Places to Eat: 

  1. Latinicity: On Block 37, across from the iconic Chicago Theatre is a food hall that caters to all South American and Latin American cuisine, called Latinicity. Here, the music and atmosphere is vibrant, the food is delicious and tasty, and the experience is truly a special one! Upon entering the hall, you are given a meal card which you can use to access all the mini-pop up restaurants/cafes within the hall. They have stations that special with tortas (Mexican style sandwiches), ceviche (Latin American style, marinated raw fish salad), Brazilian steaks, and some Peruvian style Japanese noodles (their aeropuerto is delicious). This is a place for a truly savory experience! To check out their options and other info, check out this link: (https://www.latinicity.com)
  2.  Seven on State: Across the street from Block 37 is Macy’s Chicago flagship store. On the 7th floor of this architecturally aesthetic building, is Seven on State. Here, several world renowned chefs have small restaurants/cafes for the public to enjoy. For example, Rick Bayless, known for his Mexican inspired cuisine has a cafe, their is a Japanese noodle place by Takashi Yagihashi. Like Latinicity, this is the perfect place to go if you and your friends have different pallets and want to try something new. For more information, please check out: (http://chicago.metromix.com/venues/mmxchi-seven-on-state-venue)
  3. Magnolia Bakery: Do you still have some room for dessert? Of course you do, before heading up back to Loyola, be sure to check out Magnolia Bakery at Block 37. Here, you can satisfy your sweet tooth with some special American favorites. Whether you want a piece of cake, a pastry, or a cup of soothing, hot cup o’ joe; Magnolia got you covered. For me, I always go for their sweet cupcakes, always getting the German Chocolate one. To learn more about what they offer please check out their website and menu online for more details and facts: (https://www.magnoliabakery.com)

Still hungry and looking for more to visit? Be sure to tune in the week of November 28 as we go and explore Chicago and State (Loyola’s Water Tower Campus) on this edition of Explore Chicago CTA Edition. Doors closing.

What To Pack: Rome pt 1

What To Pack: Rome pt 1

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I’ll dedicate another post to the clothing of what to bring, but I wanted to take some time and talk about non-clothing related things I wish I had brought along with me, or that I brought and have not found much use for. I hope this list is useful to you who will come to JFRC, whether you are an incoming student just browsing about, or a student getting ready for your journey here next semester and you happened to stumble upon this page.

Also, just as a side note, I wanted to add that our President Rooney is visiting J-Force today! It’s very exciting for us LUC student, while my friends from other Jesuit universities like SLU and Santa Clara are less so.

So without further ado, the list. It’s not complete, since I haven’t completed the semester, and it’s individual, so if you think you’ll need something, don’t just take my advice – follow your heart!

First off, we do not have access to a kitchen here, unless you stay over winter break, so if you like to eat outside hours that the mensa or rinaldo’s is open, bring or buy some cheap Tupperware you can throw away at the end of the semester. It’s not encouraged, but if you’re of the rule-flouting sort, you can temporarily borrow utensils from the mensa without the knowledge of the staff. But there are microwaves, so if you have leftovers, eat just half a panini, or want a bowl to mix the groceries you buy in, bring a Tupperware.

Second, a shower caddy. All restrooms on the residential floors are communal, so you’ll want to bring a shower caddy for ease of transporting things to and from your room. And bring a bathrobe, if you are not a fan of walking down hallways in just a towel. If you’re like me with thick, long hair, a hair towel wouldn’t go amiss either, since they only provide you with one large towel.

Third, a money belt and padlock, either with key or combination. A majority of the students here travel on the weekends, and even if you’re staying in the safest of hotels or only flying to places far-off, neither of these things will hurt. I often put all my money except one 20 euro bill in there, so that I do not spend too much and also so that when I am bargaining the price of something with a vendor, I can show them my wallet and honestly say I don’t have anything more and can’t pay their price. That’s gotten me quite a few bargains in my time. Padlocks on your luggage is just good sense, for flights, buses, or hostels. Can’t go wrong – but don’t lose the key!

Fourth, extra things you can’t live without. By that I mean adaptors, headphones, portable chargers, and charging cords for your electronics. I have lots of friends whose electronics that have been lost or broken by use, and they bemoan paying the price when they could have spared a square inch or two and packed their extras they have back in the States. I don’t mean bring five or six pairs of headphones, but I brought three and one broke, so now I’m glad I have two. Especially since one is plugin and the other wireless.

And fifth, bring your hobbies. You might think you’ll be having fun every second and studying the rest of them, but believe me, there is plenty of downtime. Plus, everyone needs to relax some times. If you like knitting, bring your needles, but there’s a yarn shop here so you don’t need to bring that. If you like video games and you have them on your computer, bring a controller or your good gaming mouse (not the whole Xbox 360 though, goodness). If you like watercolor, bring a palette that’s halfway used but not emptied so by the time you leave, you can toss it and it won’t take up the room. Bring your GameBoy or your Kindle. I’m not talking large things, mind, and many things you can acquire here, but I wish I had brought a few more things to occupy my time.

Sixth, a VPN. Loyola’s wifi here is terribly annoying and blocks you from downloading any here, and if you want to break free of the Italian Netflix or anything like that, there are free VPNs and paid ones that do the job.

 

That’s all for now! I’ll make another post soon about what NOT to bring, and probably update this when I think of more things, but just let me know if you have any questions. 

Band Baja Baarat: Loyola PSA’s Mock Wedding

Band Baja Baarat: Loyola PSA’s Mock Wedding

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Pakistani Students’ Association at Loyola University Chicago is holding a mock wedding ceremony on Friday, November 3rd, at 6 p.m. at Damen MPR. The goal is to recreate a Pakistani wedding ceremony.

Pakistani wedding ceremonies consist of colorful decorations, lavish clothes, tasty food, heart-warming rituals, and more!

This event will feature a mock wedding with a bride and groom, performers, dance, and dinner.

All attendees must have a ticket to gain entrance.
Loyola Students: FREE tickets w/ ID
Non-Loyola Students: $10

Dress to impress: Formal attire is required!

Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m.
Open dance floor at 8:30 p.m.
Doors will close at 8:00 p.m.

All profits will be donated.
This event is sponsored by SAF.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to a PSA Executive Board member or visit the event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/163609087557851/?active_tab=about

8 Movies to Get You Hyped for Rome

8 Movies to Get You Hyped for Rome

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I love movies. I love watching movies, thinking about movies, discussing movies – love love love movies. I’m watching a movie as I write this (it’s The Two Towers, jsyk). I was walking through Rome today, thinking about movies, so I decided to share with you all eight movies I watched before I came to Rome, each of which got me excited to arrive in all sorts of different genres. Here they are, in no particular order.

  1. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) directed by Guy Ritchie.

This movie is endless fun. I love this movie so much. Although it is not entirely in Rome, the majority of it is – combined with jazzy ’60s aesthetic, spy movie stereotypes, and the combined chemistry of Henry Cavill, Alicia Vikander, and Armie Hammer. All of that plus the clever genius of the director means that every time I watch this I see something new and smile a little bit wider. Prominent Rome locations include the Tiber river, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps.

2. Roman Holiday (1953), dir. William Wyler

The classic Roman movie with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. How could you go wrong? The spirit of exploration fills this movie, and makes you want to wander the city streets endlessly – and you can, when you’re here! It has all you could want in a Roman movie – Italians who talk with their hands, café and food culture, and beautiful fashion. Prominent Rome locations include the Mouth of Truth, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps.

3. Gladiator (2000), dir. Ridley Scott

Okay, okay. This movie is barely set in Rome. But you can’t walk five feet downtown without being hit in the face by a tourist-junk shop, and all of those stands and stores sell Colosseum and gladiator-related trinkets. Did you know there was a Colosseum here? Does Rome have a Colosseum? I had no idea. Still, Gladiator is a beautiful movie that gives you a look inside Ancient Rome, one of many you’re bound to get anyway. Prominent Rome location: Uh, the Colosseum. And they mention Ostia Antica, which you may or may not see during your time here.

4. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), dir. Jim Fall

Of course this movie is included in the list. It’s teen bop, 90’s kids childhoods, and good clean Disney channel fun all in one. Plus, you’ll be hearing everyone and their sister reference this movie at least three separate times, so if you haven’t seen it yet you’ll miss all of the lines! I mean, Rome is what dreams are made of… Prominent Rome locations: Trevi fountain, of course. No need to look elsewhere.

5. La Dolce Vita (1960), dir. Federico Fellini

If you’re looking for a classic Italian film, look no further. La Dolce Vita gives a lot of Americans the only perspective they have on modern Italy, and it sure is a shiny one, but so much fun. And jewels. And high society. Romance, cinematography, fame and fortune, blitz and glam and drama drama drama. But also the beauty of life, and of this eternal city. Watch this movie. It’s wonderful. Prominent Rome locations: Everywhere. The Tiber river, the Vatican, the Baths of Caracalla, and on and on.

6. To Rome with Love (2012), dir. Woody Allen

As you’ll soon learn, Rome is a city of stories. Your own mingles with mine, history with the modern day, people from around the world and even just the story of how one brick got to another place, and why. Woody Allen’s slightly-magical slightly- romantic stories in this movie mix together to highlight some different paths that can be taken, and have been taken, in Rome. It’s exactly what a movie called ‘To Rome With Love’ should be like – equal parts praise and postcard and red lipstick kisses. Prominent Rome locations: Everywhere. Italian culture. Not so much the tourist spots but the life of the city where people live and work.

7. Angels and Demons (2009), dir. Ron Howard

As a history student, I’m not Dan Brown (the original author)’s biggest fan. But, as someone who loves Rome, I can at least say his work and the subsequent movie have brought more interest and tourism. My father really likes Dan Brown, so I brought him to all the places where priests were murdered in this movie. A pleasant family outing – but we sure saw a lot! Watch this movie if the lightheartedness of the Lizzie MccGuire movie or La Dolce Vita is getting you down. It’s dark. It’s edgy. It’s fictional (but still real) Rome. Prominent Rome locations: The Vatican, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, and more.

8. Elsa and Fred (2014), dir. Michael Redford.

Whether you choose to watch this version or the original Argentinian version, it’s like gelato on a summer day. Sweet, delightful, but a little sad towards the end when everything starts melting. This movie is not exactly set in Rome, but the main character loves La Dolce Vita, so if you love it, you’ll love this. It’s very charming, two old people falling in love and following their hearts. I relate to Fred, one of the main characters, who is described as ‘spends most of his time lying down.’ At least, in Chicago. Here, there’s so much to do and see, I barely lay down to sleep!

That’s all I have for today. Until next time!