Italia in February!!!
Rome, Assisi, Perugia, and Venice
Rome, Assisi, Perugia, and Venice
After a wonderful stay in Switzerland for six weeks, it was finally time for me to re-pack the suitcase and make my way to Rome for my spring semester abroad. After my eleven hours on the trains I arrived in beautiful Italy ready for my next adventure. Sorry its taken me so long to write but unlike luxurious Switzerland I am back to the days of rarely any internet access and a painful return to school work. But here is just a quick summary of my life so far in Italy...
I am living in an apartment near The Vatican, in fact I can walk out my front door and see St. Peters Basilica. Nice scenery but far, far away from everything else. I have an hour and a half commute to school everyday beginning at 7:30 am (bus, metro, bus). I don't think I have ever spent more time on public transportation in my life... it definitely makes me miss San Francisco and London, where I could get anywhere at anytime without much trouble. Thank God for ipods! I live in my apartment with a 75 yr old non english speaking grandmother and a roommate from New York. I never realized how hard living with girls was until now!!! Anyways our italian nonna is very nice, she makes us dinner twice a week and is great for homework help. Things are definitely different here in Italy and I am still not adjusted in the least. To be completely honest I never thought it would be this hard.
School is, well, school. I go to school five days a week from between three to nine hours a day. The mornings are early and definitely have been putting a damper on my social life. Not many of the kids in this program live in homestays so they are mostly centrally located in Roma and can go out all the time with their roommates. I guess its saving me money. I have another full load of classes including intensive italian which is helpful but frustrating. I try to hold conversations with people but they tend to answer me in english... living with the grandma is helpful though. I've met a lot of nice students but in the entire program (150 kids) there are only four people from California, and the other three are from SoCal. Sometimes its like these people are from a different planet. Its too bad I have so much class but it definitely makes me prioritize what I do with my little free time. Weekends have been a good opportunity to travel (see pics below). I look forward to the little trips that I have planned.... and the few visitors who I can't wait to enjoy.
One thing is for sure, I don't really have that feeling of amazement that I did in London. Maybe because I visited Rome in October but its just not as awe-inspiring. I do miss the comfort, location and friendships of London. These are just two very different programs and Rome is my newest challenge to conquer. One thing is for sure, the food is ten times better than London!!! Anyways that's pretty much the update for now. I have to run to class for three and a half hours and then look forward to my two hour commute home, but for the next fifteen minutes I will be enjoying my cappucino here in the coffee bar. I have a new appreciation for coffee since moving here (like mother like daughter)!!! xxx baci, ciao!!!! Caroline
I am living in an apartment near The Vatican, in fact I can walk out my front door and see St. Peters Basilica. Nice scenery but far, far away from everything else. I have an hour and a half commute to school everyday beginning at 7:30 am (bus, metro, bus). I don't think I have ever spent more time on public transportation in my life... it definitely makes me miss San Francisco and London, where I could get anywhere at anytime without much trouble. Thank God for ipods! I live in my apartment with a 75 yr old non english speaking grandmother and a roommate from New York. I never realized how hard living with girls was until now!!! Anyways our italian nonna is very nice, she makes us dinner twice a week and is great for homework help. Things are definitely different here in Italy and I am still not adjusted in the least. To be completely honest I never thought it would be this hard.
School is, well, school. I go to school five days a week from between three to nine hours a day. The mornings are early and definitely have been putting a damper on my social life. Not many of the kids in this program live in homestays so they are mostly centrally located in Roma and can go out all the time with their roommates. I guess its saving me money. I have another full load of classes including intensive italian which is helpful but frustrating. I try to hold conversations with people but they tend to answer me in english... living with the grandma is helpful though. I've met a lot of nice students but in the entire program (150 kids) there are only four people from California, and the other three are from SoCal. Sometimes its like these people are from a different planet. Its too bad I have so much class but it definitely makes me prioritize what I do with my little free time. Weekends have been a good opportunity to travel (see pics below). I look forward to the little trips that I have planned.... and the few visitors who I can't wait to enjoy.
One thing is for sure, I don't really have that feeling of amazement that I did in London. Maybe because I visited Rome in October but its just not as awe-inspiring. I do miss the comfort, location and friendships of London. These are just two very different programs and Rome is my newest challenge to conquer. One thing is for sure, the food is ten times better than London!!! Anyways that's pretty much the update for now. I have to run to class for three and a half hours and then look forward to my two hour commute home, but for the next fifteen minutes I will be enjoying my cappucino here in the coffee bar. I have a new appreciation for coffee since moving here (like mother like daughter)!!! xxx baci, ciao!!!! Caroline
Enjoying Venice's Carnivale in Piazza San Marco
Our super cool Carnivale Masks!!!
San Marco in Venice, just as pretty the second visit
All nighter in Venice with the ladies
Venice Carnivale 2007
Crossing the Bridge of S. Angelo over the Tevere River at dusk
Walking to St. Peters Basilica on my way home
Field Trip #1 Assisi & PerugiaWe had enough guided walking tours to last a lifetime
Perugia
The Rooftops of Assisi
Assisi, our first field trip
The Rose Window
The Beautiful views of the village of Assisi
Visiting the church of San Francesco in Assisi,the patron saint of Italy and San Francisco
Nickolas would love that they sell "ziguener sauce" here in Rome
View of the Vatican from my bus stop
The Pantheon's ceiling
My first weekend... enjoying dusk at the Spanish Steps
The Trevi Fountain... threw my three coins in already!
