Putrid Smells, Nutella, Rain and Skating

Libby and I pinky swore not to hit the snooze button this morning so we could get ready fast, and venture out to find a department store with discounted items called Upim before class at 2:05. Hitting the alarm clock twice, I jumped in the shower for literally :45 seconds (due to roommates showering before their class, I never have the chance to enjoy a warm shower *tear*!!!) Taking the tramline, Upim was a lot closer than we thought, which was a pleasant surprise. It had a few stores but they were separated into 'departments' such as women's clothing in one store, bath, kitchen, beauty products in the next store, and (I am assuming men's and children's wear in the other building). I bought a handy dandy pocket sized notebook for an absurd price of €3.40 but I knew it was worth it because everywhere I shop and eat around Rome I wish I had something to write down the names. After Upim, we went next store to SimplyMarket (recommended by a friend because of the cheap prices). Now, Rome has it's aroma (get it- aROMA) but stepping into the market...was awful. The fish deli's smell traveled 5 aisles over to the laundry/detergent aisle...that just aint right. lesson/travel advice of the day when shopping in Italy:
WHAT to expect:
Bad smells.
An entire aisle dedicated to pasta.
Crazy loud people freaking out when they're ordering from the bread/butcher guy/counter (They were acting like there was one fruit cake left for Christmas Eve...but I guess it is Italian nightly dinners for ya).
When paying- they like it when you pay with your closest dollar (pay with 5 bill when it's €4something instead of a 10 bill) <-It has to do with the fact that they have €1 and €2 coins not bills
All and every American food/product price is jacked way up (Things such as: Activia yogurt, face wash, crackers, makeup, detergent)
Your local deli man to be sad when you don't see him as often because you found cheaper cheeses and meats...(sorry Rinno).

What NOT to expect:
No popcorn for over the stove. Over the past few days I have only found a maximum of microwave popcorn (3 packages) for a ridiculous price of €5.98.. (i heard i might be able to find real popcorn at a chinese store...hmm due i dare?)
No peanut butter..but we all knew this. Yes Libby and I caved in on buying a €3.76 jar of Nutella (It is great btw)

AUR's resgrads invited people to go ice skating at the Castel Sant'Angelo! (fun fact alert) Its a sheet of ice in the backyard of Roman Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum. Castel Sant'Angelo is a beeaauuutiful castle...for a dead man and his mourning family? ...Now a museum
We met to bus on over...and it started raining! This whole day was drizzling but it started coming down the closer we got to the rink. ANyways- I didn't skate.. was being cheap and didn't want to rent figure skates. But it was a fun time (the rain magically stopped when we were there, then started up again when we were leaving)

I heckled for an umbrella (saved €2 doing so) [Those guys always pop up where ever you are...with something handy -Sunglasses when it's sunny..umbrellas when it's raining..i hope they hand out €€ when Im broke *winky face*!]
...but I got what I asked for when it wasn't as durable as I was hoping it would be.

It's 1:08AM and I have class at 9AM.

Goodnight to all. xoxo

Go to School or Stay at Home Sick?

I planned to wake up at 8AM in order to sign up for a 3 day, 2 day, or day trip that AUR puts on…but instead I hit the snooze button three times before waking up at noon. Libby and I made a hearty breakfast of eggs, toast, emergen-c and juice, along with half a banana. We ventured outside for an hour on search for any small open-air markets or a tabacchi store to purchase a card for my cell phone. Several minutes into our journey, I began to feel dizzy, and experience nausea. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t make it to my classes on THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL but around 3PM Libby made me get up off of the floor, and go with her to class. (AUR has an absence rule requiring students to make 70% of each class- therefore I can only miss 1, 2 or 3 times, depending on how many times I have the class per week).

Never Have I Ever: sat in a wrong classroom until today. When the professor wrote MGT on the board instead of ITIL and started talking finance, Libby and I quickly figured out this was not Introduction to Italian Language.

ITIL was a great first day! I felt pretty good about myself, knowing 95% of what we covered today (the basic greetings, what to say in restaurants/buying things/etc.)

Thanks Ma and Pa…

Photograph of Roman Scenes: Sat in the classroom (still wanting to curl up in a ball next to a bucket…) waiting for 45 minutes for our professor to show up. Some smart kid walked outside, took off a sign that read: ‘Meet at 6 please.’ (class time was originally 515-815).

During this class, the professor went around asking e.v.e.r.y student what ‘photography means to you.’ I am thinking of dropping this class due to its long hours or boredom.

Finally back at home from a long day from feeling sick at school. I went to a Tabacchi Store and bought a card for my phone *Lets hope this will work for 5 months*

Arrivederchi

The Vatican & Mercato

Every last Sunday of the month, Rome provides free tours/entrance for The Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and other various museums around the city in order to keep Rome. The tours are free in order to keep the city civil by letting the people who cannot afford the tours to visit, learn, and explore. 
The pour student I am, was able to go with AUR at 9AM this Sunday. Waiting in line for 45minutes (give a little more) was totally worth it. Walking inside, we had to check our bags, walk up a few flights of stairs...then BAM! Rooms beyond rooms of statues, coffins, and more statues. I hesitated to purchase the headphones that explain each and every item in the museums, and decided not to rent...which I regret. It's hard to appreciate all the art work when you don't know the background of it. Everything was cool to look at but it became simply 'statue after statue' without complete knowledge.

This being said I still had a wonderful time. I was able to see/read/learn about ancient Rome.

Emperor Claudius 

I want to go again before I leave because it was hard to appreciate every room in one day. Favorite part was The Sistine Chapel. Walking in the crowded room, everyone's heads were cranked back. I stared for a good ten minutes, trying to absorb the fact that I was able to experience, and see live- the famous part of the ceiling- where God is reaching out to Adam. I searched for Michelangelo himself..no luck. Is that even true?

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: The crazies trying to sell you a tour- they 'can sneak you up in front' so you don't have to wait in line. However, this is highly illegal and they have no true knowledge about the things except from reading in a book.

Wear comfortable shoes- Libby

MERCATO EXPERIENCE:

Libby and I had only one banana to last us until tomorrow (our first day of classes eek!) and knowing that the markets are closed on Sundays we thought we were S.O.L. However, there is one mercato open 7 days a week until 8pm. After The Vatican, we got lost (naturally) trying to find it. Of course I did (I am quite the navigator). Walking in the store was no where close to a Rainbow/Cub/Festival. There was one whole aisle full of wines but no over-the-stove popcorn? Come on Italy. 

Paying €28.40, we walked out with eggs, bananas, pasta, sugo in a jar, mushrooms, yogurt, chicken, nesquik, and cookies. Nummers

Do’s and Don’t when Touring Around Rome

I toured with a group of about 15 students from AUR around the center of Rome. We took Bus 44 until the stop across from a side of the Coliseum. No words can explain how exciting it was to walk next to the BEAUTIFUL structure from AD 72/80. Walking on the cobblestone, I was imagining myself as one of 55,000 spectators watching thousands of animals and gladiators fighting for their lives for the crowd’s amusement. 

DO’s:

-Visit the coliseum more than once. Go during the day for a well worth paid tour (haven’t done that yet-but highly advised by many that it is worth it), and go during the night when it is lit up. It’s breathtaking.

-Take pictures. Make sure you fix your settings for nighttime so you can take quality photos.

-Walk to get gelato at Della Palma near the Pantheon on Via della Maddalena. €3.50 for a good helping with up to 6 flavors! However be careful about asking to sample, the man didn’t seem too happy.

DON’TS:

-UNLESS you want to legitimately buy a lit up coliseum cube or other gadgets from the people walking around- do not ask how much it is. They WILL follow you. I learned this the hard way and was pressured into buying it, “For a good price. No problem. For you, Mam, I lower it.”

-Hang on the gates. If there are polizia near the stature, structure, or building- just don’t touch whatever you are by.

Day Tre

Getting lost is the best way to figure out the bus system in Rome. Libby and I only walked back to our apartment twice to re-look/re-figure out how to get to bus 63, which would lead us to Upim, a shopping center, where we were told we could find discounted clothes, hair products, and our main priority to find- hair curler, flat iron, and blow dryer! Knowing our luck, we were deceived as we entered the center of Rome that is very historic with tall buildings, statues, etc (what people think of when they think of Rome). However, riding through this before our stop made my stomach sick…I AM IN FREAKIN’ ROMA! =]

We were unsuccessful in our shopping adventure until we came across a stand with an assortment of ties, hats, and scarves. I used my heckling skills to cheapen my two beauuutiffull scarves I purchased (and a thin red belt), saving nearly €10.  Sorry friends- I know I told you that I would bring back scarves/gifts for you…but I will most likely be wearing them out because they are gorgeous.

LESSONS OF THE DAY:

-Do not buy Napoli Pizzeria. We were starving when we arrived, so we naturally craved italiano pizzeria right? We walked into a bar and looking through the glass, my mouth watered looking at the fresh sandwiches and different types of pizzas. However, the bar was connected to a restaurant that lured people in to sit down (of course I followed Libby…) Anyways, the menu described the meals in English underneath it’s name, so I felt confident in my decision… until I had it in front of me. Sardines. A sardine pizza all for myself. I have always denied the offer to try one when my dad would open up a jar…and to be starving in Rome with a sardine pizza in front of me!? I almost cried.

-Don’t buy toasted walnuts. While waiting for our bus to get back, there were several ‘grill stations’ that were toasting what looked like chocolate nuts. Looking closer, we realized they were walnuts that cracked open from the heat…12 for €5. Disgusting.  Bad spending decision again. However, I won over the bus driver, an old man, and an old woman by giving them one. What can I say besides, “prego, nessun problemo!”

Day Duo

Having the best sleep I had this entire January I wake up to an absurd beeping. Naturally it was apart of my dream but then I realized it was the alarm Libby and I set for 8am. We planned to get ready fast, find a market for a few groceries (the only eatable items we had were emergen-c powder, vitamins, and pills) then take the bus to receive student cards and our Permit to Stay at our University (AUR). Enough time to get dressed and leave our place if we wanted to get to our destination at 1030 right? Wrong.

Leaving at 9, we grabbed food at the cute and classy bar connected to our apartment, ordering a fanta and a no-crust white bread sandwich with tomatoes, chicken, and spinach. The people didn't know english. Libby froze and tried to use her spanish... luckily because my parents drilled me with a few words before I left, we were able to get out of there quickly. We walked to the tramline which is one block away with our apartment with our one bus pass and our sheet of directions to the university. Long story short- we were at each other's throats until 11:30 (when we finally arrived to AUR). Why 3.5 hours later? We didn't read the directions carefully enough and arrived in front of the colosseum...oh hey there! (In our directions it told us to get off after we passed under the arches-Libby was positive the arches were the colosseum's).  Freaking out because we thought we were late, we probably walked 3 miles back and forth. In this time I asked a tour guide for directions (didn't really help but he thought he was fancy with his iphone, which told us we were only a 40 minute walk away), a young couple with their baby who laughed and responded with "prego" whenever we replied, "grazie," (they had no idea where we should go either.)
We decided to start over and arrived to AUR, relieved to hear american speaking people. Also- a huge weight off our shoulders when we realized 10:30-5 was the time frame you can go and not the start to finish time.

Something I learned today: 

There is a bar (caffè/sandwich store) every block.
The bus passes are meant for the tramline, bus, and train. We received a one-time use pass...never used it.. bought 6 more but then told that people don't use them unless there is an officer on the bus (then you are fined 45 euros).
   Something to think about: ...Is this why there are so many bus strikes in Italy?

On our way back, we stopped in many stores...LOVING EVERY SECOND. Why? Because the following made us smile:

-old women on the motorcycles

-bars/markets open 

-delis open with happy middle-aged men working

-women with dogs inside the butcher store

-fooled for being italian (people thought I was a local) *blush*

-we had the bus lines down to a tee and our friendship back 

-roommates arrived! (3 girls from Miami U)

Enjoyment of the day:

-After ditching a 'tour around the university' libby and I went back and stopped in a store to buy a bottle of wine. The man working didn't know English but we were able to communicate with him with hand gestures and the few words we know. He not only helped us pick out fantastico una bottiglia de vino bianco but also gave us multiple samples of bread with pesto, different cheeses, and eau claires. He knew I was italian and after I told him I was Sicilian he made me try the sharp Sicilian cheese. He loved our charm and our attempt to speak Italiano for him. (Yes- we did indeed break out the 'jiffy phrasebook for Italy' book to say a few things). 

We purchased the bottle of wine, pesto, bread and cheese. 

Thank goodness we practiced unlocking and locking our door the night before- it's not just old school but old Rome locks and keys. 

NOTE: When ordering a pizza or 'slice' of (flat) bread they will ask if you want 'whole or half) and then weigh it out for you. Most of the bars with panini, pizzeria, e sandwiches will heat them up after  for you)

CAIO! 

Arrival Day

-Ciao bellas!

Starting this a day late but from what I can remember...

Plane ride: When did Minnesota's heavy snow finally decide to fall? The day of my departure of course. But that's what I wanted...to leave everyone with a snowy winter wonderland as I adventure to the 'fall feel' of Roma, Italia.....but before I got there- I got to experience a terribul-iffic (ups and downs) of 3 flights/2connection plane rides.

MSP's plane was two seater; 3 rows full :49 minutes to Chicago. The way over, many things were running through my mind, I was happy I didn't cry saying goodbye to mi mamma e papà. Thinking of them made me sad that I wasn't going to be able to talk to them as easily via phone/texting/etc. Due to the fact that we were flying through WI, I thought about my fellow La Crosse friends and what they were doing..hopefully sending kisses in the sky when they saw me (I tried looking down to see yalll but I couldn't see the ground. ANYWAYS blah blah right?
Plane excitements in summary:
We were able to lay out across our seats because the plane wasn't full.
-No movies played...rough
-Fooled the flight attendant with my spanish-speaking skills; (muy agua por favor...gracias;))
-I was teaching Libby the Italian language and the hand gestures at '2am' (it was still 8pm for us) and got shushed at by the flight attendant.
-Libby spilt MY coffee on my pants and white t-shirt at 'breakfast.' Not cool.
Madrid's airport was pretty cool.
Being in a spanish speaking area (Spain) but going on an Italian flight- couldn't figure out what language to speak.
I was spoken to too many times by people in spanish/italian- I think it was because I looked exhausted (dark features-pale from insomnia with dark circles around the eye [standard italian woman])
-at one point a woman with her boyfriend came up to me asking me something, speaking way too fast my facial reaction gave away my 'oh shit i have no idea what you just said' expression and the man said, "Can't you tell- look at her she is American." ...I felt insulted and especially more after they continued to talk about me! ey iy iyy...
-Flight to Rome: caldo (hot) flight, i was sooo tired but couldn't sleep. Especially because I was intrigued by the hot kid from NY returning to AUR..mmm hope I see him around at school.
-Arrived to the airport, was 'country struck' because so many people didn't only try to have a simple conversation with me- but spoke to me so frickkin fast in some other language..non parlo englese!
-AUR was waiting for us (THANK THE POPE!!!) with signs held by beautiful volunteers from AUR, who helped carry our luggage and rode with us to our new home...which we had no clue where and what we were living in until we arrived.
-Drivers are crazy. Lets break it down:
walkers<bikers<Aprilias (motorcycle/mopeds)<cars<bus<tramline
quickly learned to: watch out. beware. walk across the crosswalk. watch out. run.

Libby and I were able to pick our room first (the one with the door to the biggest patio/balcony that AUR offers to students).
Unpacked. Organized. Went out.
First 'meal' here: pizzeria from an Indian bar (bar means cafè) not the best...

End the first night: talking to my mama via facebook as Libby zonked out.

CIAO!

PHRASE OF THE DAY: para inglese..... non parlo bene l'italiano (Do you speak english?...i don't speak good italian)