Last weeks of January…

It seems like time here in Rome flies by way faster than back in Chicago, that’s for sure! It still feels like I arrived in Rome just a week ago!  Living here at the John Felice Rome Center has been wonderful so far. The campus is located in Monte Mario, on one of the many famous hills in Rome. Vatican City is only a bus ride away as well as  local restaurants, shops, bakeries and cafes within walking distance from campus.

The few past weeks have been an adventure. Last weekend, my friends and I took a day trip to Anzio, Italy. Only about an hour and a half train ride, there is a seaport and a beach off the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We walked along the beach, explored the WWII Historical Center and ate at a local restaurant with a view of the ocean. The food was delicious! Fresh fish, a glass of wine, some limoncello and time spent with friends was a good start to the weekend!

Fresh fish and spaghetti

The next day, friends and I went to the Vatican City and shopped along Via del Corso. During the month of January, there is the event called “Saldi,” where almost everywhere you go, there are sales galore! We all took advantage of the saldi, shopped around for hours and finally bought some new clothes and boots!

February 1, 2012

Today, my friends and I attended the Papal Audience at The Vatican. We saw the pope and were given a blessing.  What an awesome experience!

Weekend of February 3rd, 2012

For this weekend, my friends and I were supposed to take a trip to Florence, however, Mother Nature decided to swap weather with Chicago… 6 inches of snow in Rome! Unfortunately, the train was canceled due to the weather so we all spent our weekend on campus. Instead, a group of us spent the day outside, made snowmen and had a couple snowball fights. Only in Rome! …

“Snow day on campus”

“The JFORCE Snowman!”

Overall, getting adjusted to the Roman culture has been an experience so far. From roaming around downtown Rome, sightseeing with friends, eating the most delicious food in town and tasting the many gelato flavors available, life here in Rome is not bad! It is home away from home!

” By far THE best cappuccino I’ve had in Rome”

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More blogging on the way! Next up….  second attempt to Florence!

Getting from my home in Arizona to my host madre’s apartment was definitely a bit of an undertaking. I flew from Phoenix to Dallas, to Madrid, to Barcelona, to Bilbao. From the airport in Bilbao, I then took a cab to Getxo, the suburb where all of the students in my program actually live. It was long, there were delays, and it definitely wasn’t the most exciting 30-some hours of my life, but it definitely could have been worse. At least it was more or less without incident. Lots of napping, lots of reading (I brought part of the Game of Thrones series along — nothing quite like a good book to make the time go by quickly), lots of waiting in the airport between flights.

I haven’t studied Spanish in an academic setting since I was sixteen. In the five years since my last Spanish class, I most definitely lost a tragic amount of what I’d learned (if only the saying, “if you don’t use it you lose it,” weren’t so true), but I managed to get in enough practice over the years that I maintained at least some of my Spanish-speaking ability. One of my main motivators for choosing to study in Spain was the hope that I could regain what I had lost, and end the semester truly proficient in the language.

My first few days in Bilbao and Getxo were more than enough to remind me just how rusty my Spanish had become. My host mom speaks no English — which is fantastic, because it means I really have to practice… but is also super challenging, as it means I can’t throw in any English words to fill the gaps in my broken Spanish. Many people here have studied English, but generally, they are at either extreme: fluent in the language, or hardly speak it at all. For the first week here, I typically came across Spaniards who fell in that latter category — especially when I was lost, which to be honest, happened a lot. I wasn’t exactly gifted with the best sense of direction, but I usually am able, at least, to finding my way back to where I’d started… it’s just getting to where I’m going that I’m less than fantastic at. So when someone in my program would give directions, (a.e., “Get off the metro at the Areeta stop, cross the plaza, the restaurant is right there,”) and I inevitably would walk in exactly the wrong direction (“cross the plaza” may be the vaguest direction ever – plazas do not have only one entrance/exit) and wander for an hour, at least I was always able to make it back to the metro. And being lost was great practice for my Spanish, too — “perdon, estoy un poquito perdido — sabe usted donde está ___?” (“Excuse me, I’m a bit lost — do you know where ___ is?”) is a fantastic conversation starter with locals, who fortunately are incredibly nice and generally very willing to try to help. Less fortunately, they also seem to not be much better at directions than I am.

For the first day of orientation, my host mom pointed me in the right direction, told me I needed to exit the metro at the Moyua stop, (fun fact about Basque country: even though everyone speaks Spanish, all of the signage is in Basque — and the two languages are really not all that alike… at all) but I failed to have the foresight to ask, “and then what?” After wandering downtown Bilbao for about 10 minutes and realizing that the building I was looking for wasn’t immediately obvious, I popped into the public library and asked, in my broken Spanish, if the lady at the front desk knew where I was supposed to be. She was probably one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and went out of her way to look up my program, make a few phone calls, and walk me to my orientation (which of course was just a block away), all the while speaking slow, clear, simple Spanish so I could actually understand. Even more impressive, that sort of genuine kindness and helpfulness is far from being the exception here; Basque people are typically more reserved than Southern Spaniards, but everyone I have encountered has been incredibly sweet.

And really, being lost in Bilbao is definitely not unenjoyable — it’s just unplanned exploration of a beautiful city.

Ah fresh starts, you have to love them. So, as a few of you may know I was having issues with my old host family..I won’t get into because es el pasado, but today after a lot of packing, more tears (when my host mother was being mean again) and finally new contracts signed- here I am. In my new host family, and I couldn’t be happier! It was like having a second chance, now I speak better Spanish, knew what to expect a little, and just feel so much more comfortable here! My host mother is a yoga instructor, vegetarian and amazing cook. If you know me well, you know this is basically perfection.

Also, I have a pet! I have a little kitty named Luis 🙂 He loves cuddling and laying on my window sill, he won’t fill the hole where Lady and Doogie were but it is a new companion.

Only 3 days left until the big day! We are leaving for the south of Chile, here comes snow, hiking and not showering for days on ends. It will definitely be an experience I will never forget. I am just so excited to really get out there, and hike in one of the places National Geographic put on the top of their adventure lists!

Tomorrow I have to present a poem and an analysis in my class, all in Spanish of course. I really do love poetry but I wish that the professor would realized from the blank stares that some of us, well only 2  out of the class of 7of us have no clue whats going on half the time and would actually teach us Spanish…

Tambien para mañana, I have 2 skype interviews with ResLife at Loyola to become an RA next year!!! I am so nervous yet so excited at the same time, so many things are happening all at once, it really is crazy how much life can throw at you.

Oh and the other night I was introduced to a guy from Peru, and his accent is a million times easier to understand than the Chileans. He even said himself sometimes he can’t understand what a Chilean is trying to say because they slur their words and speak so fast, so that made me feel so much better! I’m still improving though, I just need to really focus in and stop speaking English with my friends so I can get into the Spanish state of mind..it really is a state of mind, a constant exercise for my brain and being here in Chile for 6 months is like running a marathon for my brain.

Last night the exchange students, we all went to an American Bar and watched the super bowl! It was pretty funny to see the looks the other Chileans were giving us, and to see how they actually loved the half time show. The whole time though I was thinking, wow so all of the South Americans watching this right now think- ” Oh so this is what America is like, lots of flashing seizure-causing lights, skanky outfits, and lip syncing? ” Maybe, maybe not.  The world peace thing at the end of the half time show was too ironic though, I couldn’t help but giggle.

I’m sure I will be going around the house tomorrow taking lots of pics of this cute little house and uploading them for you to see my new life and home! I want to know what is up with your life too, so do not hesitate to e-mail, skype, facebook, telepathically send messages or comment below!!

“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.” – E.B. White

I decided that the languid pace of European living is detrimental to my physical well-being, so I joined a local gym along with some other ERASMUS/study abroad friends. The facilities are great, however, I had to make one major adjustment: the machines, weights, and equipment are expressed in metric units, which I did not grasp immediately. It wasn’t until I biked the fastest 10 “miles” in my life that I discerned the need for a conversion rate.

Also, my gym is right next to Sagrada Familia. Incentive enough to go to the gym just to look at the majestic facades of Gaudi’s most acclaimed, and incomplete, structure? I think so.

The title of this post says it all… I absolutely cannot believe it’s been exactly one week since arriving here in London, the city that really never sleeps!

Wow! It’s been a crazy fun experience thus far. Although I have had a few ups and downs in the past week, it has been a great time overall. I’ve never been abroad before so the shock of not being in the US got the best of me on Monday night; however once I went to orientation on tuesday and met a group friends, I was back to loving the  idea of being in London for the next 4 months!

If I could, I would write every detail of every day thus far because it’s been so great! But I’ll keep it short and simple 🙂

Although I was very nervous for orientation given that I didn’t know anyone doing this program, or even where I was supposed to go, once I finally found my way (yes, I got lost… again) and met Christina (from Norway), Carmen (from Mexico), and Kathryn (from Texas) I was again reminded why I wanted to study abroad. To meet people and experience an adventure, which I am proud to say I have managed to do both!

On Tuesday the study abroad people who were putting on orientation warned us that classes are much harder than in the US and that the required reading list is just that, required. One of the ladies jokingly said “Class isn’t story time like it is in the US, where the teacher reviews what was supposed to be read the night before…” Yikes! What a way to start off orientation! My new friends and I looked at each other with concerned faces over how difficult classes here have been made out to be!

Throughout the week, my friends and I have been planning where we want to go around Europe! Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day??? Yes please!! Take a three day weekend to Paris?? Count me in!

On Thursday everyone in orientation (including students from all around Europe) went on a bus tour around London where we saw icons like Big Ben, the London Bridge, and the Eye of London, just to name a few! We then took a boat tour back. It was gorgeous! The chance to see the sun set over London and to see London at night was just breathtaking! For dinner we went to an Indian restaurant, which I gotta say was better than any Indian food I’ve had in the US!

On Friday I went to Oxford Circus with my friends where we went shopping and explored some of the streets of London!

It is taking a little bit to adjust to how expensive London is! Even at McDonalds, which is much nicer than in the US, a value meal costs about 5 pounds, so about $7.50- $8.00 US dollars- and that’s just for a cheeseburger, medium fries (more like a small in the US), and a medium drink (again, equivalent to a small in the US).

My first weekend in London was fantastic! We went out to a pub on saturday night which was a lot of fun! The “Brits sure know how to party!” as one of the locals exclaimed as we were leaving for the night.

Today I started off my day with my first class, cognitive psychology at 10AM (I guess studying abroad has to involve some studying, right?). It will take getting used to because they have 3 hour classes one time per week. It is like Loyola’s night classes… all week! But alas, I survived my first day of class and my first week here in London!

It is time to take a much deserved nap 🙂

Until next time… goodbye luv!

Upon arrival into Amsterdam the snow was coming down and the cold was most definitely a shock to all of our systems. But… we got through and this weekend we all had a bit of a wake up call and it was truly life changing. Over the past few days certain events taught me lessons about myself and dealing with life situations in general.

After getting off a two hour shuttle from the airport, we were dropped off with our bags in a foreign city, with a very foreign language, and very little directions to get to our hotel. This is life without and iPhone and instant Google maps, or people who speak English. Luckily, they actually did speak English and thankfully everyone was very nice to us the whole weekend. Though our toes felt nearly frost bitten we made it to our hotel and began our weekend.

Observing the people of this town was entertaining. Everyone rides bikes, even with the slippery roads and inches of snow on the ground they get by like it were 70 degrees. The other option for transportation is the tram. Which somehow we figured out and took everywhere. it was quite the accomplishment, and having figured out the system we were able to fully experience this city.

My favorite attraction was the Anne Frank museum hands down. Truly a humbling experience, this place put everything into perspective for me. It makes you stop and think about how incredibly lucky we all are.

Our returning flight ended up being delayed for four hours, putting us in another testy situation. Let’s just say if you don’t have patience, don’t come to Europe. Without wi-fi, a charge on my ipod, a book, or a cent left in my wallet you have to make do with what you’ve got, and live in the moment.

I am going to see things a little differently after this weekend, now knowing that life is not predictable, nor can you have any expectations for what you will experience. Just live each day knowing there will always be someone out there in a far worse situation than yourself, and there is no reason to not have patience and seize the day.

Should this confuse you, too bad.

I’ve been in Rome a few days now and it’s unlike other places I’ve ever been. It’s definitely unlike America. Don’t come here expecting to find everything you would at home. Because, except for a few things, you’ll essentially find nothing. Here are some of my impressions:

1.       The people here drive like crazy. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. There seem to be no rules of the road except to speed and have no fear. Cars park in different directions, sideways and backwards. I’m sure they would park upside down if it was possible. As long as there’s an open space, they’re going to park there. Motorcycles have a completely different system. They weave in and out of traffic like super crazy people. They seem to be paying attention, but we say someone with a helmet that had a slot for a phone. The driver could be talking on her cell phone while driving! I will say this, they do stop for pedestrians. Unlike Americans who never stop for anything, Italians are very quick with the brake.

2.       People here are very friendly. I don’t think I’ve met a mean Italian yet. I’m sure they’re here, but most of them seem pretty nice. They don’t seem to care that our Italian is horrible and we have no idea what we’re doing half the time.

3.       The weather is beautiful. All the Italians are walking around in like heavy duty winter coats that you would see back in Michigan this time of the year. I, on the other hand, am walking around in a fleece at the most. That is my “winter coat”. The nighttime is about the same temperature as some of the warmer days back home. The day is absolutely gorgeous. Also, there is this clean, crisp smell that I can’t get enough of. I like to open the door to my balcony and let in the fresh air during the day.

4.       Everything is super old. Like, you think things in the States are old. They’re only babies compared to Rome. We visited the Forum and the Colosseum today. I can’t believe how old it all is. It amazes me that people were able to build such structures back then with the technology they had. We could never do anything like that today. Also, the fact that everything is still standing is completely amazing. After everything Rome has been through, for there to still be things standing is incredible.

5.       I’m in love. Even though I’ve only been here a short time, I can honestly see myself calling this place another home. Once I get to know the language better and really experience being a Roman, I can say that I will always consider this place to be a home.

That’s what I think of everything so far and it’s only been a few days! Once I get through orientation and have some more time to get out and explore, I’m sure I’ll have even more to tell. Also, classes start soon and I’ll be back with my impression on them as well. For now, ciao!

All right, so here is attempt two at starting this blog. I started to write a post a few days ago, but as would happen, I got sidetracked and left it. Now, it’s a bit unusable since it basically says that I have four days to go and have not packed yet. Well, that’s all changed because now I have zero days to go and have packed! I am actually sitting in Newark airport right at this very moment. I have a good six hour layover here (my flight landed early) so I am bound and determined to find some place to access the wifi and update. I’d really love to watch some Merlin too, but we’ll see if that happens.

If you couldn’t tell by the title, I am heading off to Rome for the semester. My school has a campus there and I will be spending four months there. Just a little excited about that. I am a journalism and history double major and will be spending my time there mostly studying the latter. What better place to study history than in the Eternal City?

Here’s what’s going on right now. I’m sitting in a lonely airport terminal fervishly wishing I had wifi so that I could relieve some of my boredom. I’ve already taken one flight and have two more to go. Tonight’s flight will be my longest at just over eight hours. I’m heading to Munich where in the morning I will make my final connection into Rome. I think I’m feeling a little bit of everything right now. I’m excited, happy, hopeful, a little nervous and genuinely looking forward to what’s about to happen.

I can’t say for certain, but there’s definitely a good chance that I am going to change and I am looking forward to it. Who knows what’s going to happen, but I’m definitely going to make the best of it. There’s not much more to say for now, but I hope that you’ll hang around for the ride. I have a feeling that it’s going to be pretty spectacular!

EDIT: As you can probably tell, I didn’t find internet access in the airport. And it’s been a bit crazy since I got here, but I’m getting a chance to post it now! That means I’m officially in Rome! Have been for three days now. Let’s just say that I’m already in love. I haven’t done much venturing out beyond the neighborhood I live in, but it’s one beautiful place.

The people are so friendly even if we are obnoxious Americans. Getting a taxi at the airport was a fun experience since there were a couple of drivers who wanted me to ride with them as soon as I walked out. Just as a note, don’t ever accept a ride from someone offering! Those aren’t official cab drivers and they can charge you a boatload of money to get anywhere. Always use the taxi stand.

I used my first bit of Italian when giving my driver directions (it was just our address, but so what?). Somehow, despite the fact that I was tired, I managed to take in and enjoy the beautiful countryside. I started to get worried that he might not be taking me on the most direct route, but didn’t have too much to fear. I made it to school for about €50. Not too shabby.

After that there was just a bunch of paperwork and picture taking for our special JFRC IDs (after three plane rides I looked totally awesome). This is getting to be a long first post, so I’ll leave you with the fact that I somehow made it through the rest of the day, moved in, met my roommate and stayed awake. Needless to say, I had an early night.

Here’s to being in Roma and starting my great adventure!

[For those of you reading from Loyola, I got a late start in posting here. This is from a couple of weeks ago. I’ll add the rest soon. ^_^]

Hahaha wait a second! When I woke up this morning, I didn’t think that I was going to end up participating in the best snow ball fight this winter…in Rome! Coming from Milwaukee, WI, I am not a newb to the snow and its awesome packing qualities, but snow in Rome? I also didn’t expect to go to lunch and have the Student Life Assistants play “Let it Snow” on the speakers.

Yup, chunky white flakes were definitely coming down on the city today. Had I gone back in time? Was Santa Claus to have a return? Unfortunately… no. There was no eggnog, no candy canes, no big man in a red suit with a jolly laugh. There were however, palm, orange, and lemon trees frosted with the good ol’ snow. What an interesting landscape. Whoever thought that palm trees and snow could make such a beautifully odd  site. But you know what? When the sky giveth forth snow, one must taketh and throw it at someone. Hahaha well, you can guess what some friends and I did after lunch!

Not everyone thought it was pleasant. A man on campus wanted help putting chains on his tires! The snow was not light, but after experiencing the “Snowpocalypse” in Chicago last January, it was a little amusing to see the man freak out over three inches of snow.  Taking pictures standing next to a tall snowman, my friends and I had recorded Romes’ weird weather history. And it was really weird. Apparently the last substantial snowfalls in Rome were in 1985 and 1986, though there have been other cases of lighter snow since then, including in 2010. Pay attention to the word “light”. This snow was definitely not light, and it’s supposed to go till tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.

Hmmmm, I wonder what the Trevi Fountain looks like in blanketed in all this white? And I bet there aren’t as many courageous tourists to venture up the Spanish Steps today! It is beautiful outside though, and the fact that it’s a rarity makes it even more magnificent.

After the snowball fight, I got a big cup of hot cocoa, some toast and nutella, cozied up in a blanket and watched the snow continue to blow through the palm trees. Oh, the little details of the day that it make it pleasurable. Till it’s sunny again, I’ll be singing, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…” Look out for pictures to come! It was pretty neat.