So here is my second post and already it's my third week in Rome, Italy. It's true that time goes really quickly while here. With my six classes and a trip so far every weekend, I have had little time to relax!

The first week here was syllabus  week and so far, my classes have been fun and interesting. I have two on-site classes: Theology of Pilgrimage and Writing in Rome. Those two are my favorite so far. I had class in the Vatican last Monday and that was seriously cool. For my writing class, we read short stories writeen by soem of the greatest writers and then visit those sites they describe in their stories. I can't say my Sculpture class isn't fun though, but seriously messy. Theatre also looks like its going to be fun. We will be performing a musical type play called The Frogs written by the Ancient Greek playwright. Aristophanes. Fancy stuff. My professor is actually from LA and went to school at Berkley and Oxford. Small world in the end. :)

For the first weekend we travelled as part of our Orientation to the Amalfi Coast, part of Southern Italy.   We bused it down to the cities of Sorrento, Salerno, Agropoli, and Positano, where we visited a mozzarella farm where we watched the bulls line up to get milked, tasted fresh mozzarella, and even saw the leather store right next door. Those poor bulls. After, we visited a lemon farm where we had a limoncello tasting. It was a great trip, regardless of the long bus ride. All these cities are all really close to Naples, home of the pizza. Needless to say, we ate amazingly the entire weekend. The waiter at one of the restaurants kept bringing us more and more pizzas even though we tried to tell him we had already been served! Never too much pizza in Roma (said with an Italian accent)! The Italian performers and the dancing between courses made the meal special as well.

After going out on the streets of Rome almost every night this past week to places such as Piazza Campo de Fiori and Piazza Novona, my friends Paige, Hannah, Giuliana, and I travelled to Florence where I had one of the greatest weekends of shopping, eating, and touring in my life! We ate about four meals a day and its the season of sales there and so I bought new boots (since their leather is the best) a new scarf, and a change purse. On top of it all, I got to meet up with some of my Delta Zeta sisters, since a lot of them are studying abroad there right now! I even got to spend the last meal there with my big Delaney where I had a calzone that was as bigger than my head! I have just been informed that it's snowing there right now too. I always just miss the snow!

But soon I will have snow cause I just finished booking my skiing trip to the Swiss Alps! It will be cold which I will not be use to being a wimpy southern California girl. I also ended up booking my Germany trip at the end of the semester! That and Amsterdam this weekend and Tunisa during Spring Break and now I am all set. Although I still need to sneak Venice in there somewhere too.  

There is something very important I have to do at every place I travel to. I have to get a spoon in every special city. I have been collecting spoons since I was in Middle School. I now have thirty or more spoons that have the name of the special city/picture I have visited. Now that I am in Italy I have been to a total of seven different countries and that number will be growing, even by this upcoming weekend, so I must not forget to get a spoon wherever I go...can't forget!
So much has already happened!

Ciao! Benvenuti nel mio blog! Sono arrivato a Roma ed è bellissimo!  In other words, I have arrived and ready to dive into the Italian culture. I'm actually not Italian, but wish I was! My spelling could use some work, but its getting there! It would give me an excuse for my eating!


Before arriving into the Eternal City I had to fly into Chicago since I am doing the program at the John Felice Rome Center through Loyola University Chicago. I stayed one night in the city and met up with my friend. I wanted to eat anything but Italian. The next day was the beginning of a longer flight, about seven hours. I couldn't help myself. I watched the Lizzie McGuire Movie on the way. After all, it made me want to come to Rome. Gave in to my inner child. Of course they served wine on the plane...it was practice for my Foods and Wines class. 


The first couple of days here were a bit tiring. We went through a lot of orientation stuff. But I finally headed out on the town on Thursday night. We wandered around the Spanish steps. So bella! 


This past weekend we visited the Colosseum, the Forum, and the city of Tivoli. Oh, and I signed up for a week trip to Tunisia, Africa for Spring Break!!! I'm getting excited to ride a camel!!! I've already had several of my classes and my professors all seem really nice. I'm taking:
-Italian 1
-Food and Wines
-Theatre
-Sculpture 
-Theology of Pilgrimage
-Writing in Rome


I love my schedule!


Yesterday, we visited Plaza Novena where we ate dinner at this adorable Italian restaurant. The owner was so nice that he gave us two free bottles of wine and 10% off our bill. Their hospitality is great indeed!


Overall, a great start to my four month stay in Italy! I will be trying to write a little each week. Check in!