Roma...

Okay so here is the count for today:

• number of priests walking down the street....28
• number of times I got asked (by Italians I might add) for directions.....3 (I guess I either look Italian or I look like I know where I am going)
• number of times I got proposed to (yes, you read that correctly)....1 (by a guy on a school trip)
• number of Asian tourists.... 2,323,567,978,380 (rounding up)
• these are just a few of them...

Other fun things I noticed...

• The most European things I saw: people doing the double kiss, a woman about 7 months pregnant smoking and dressed in a very cute dress and 3 inch heels
• The most Italian thing I saw:  every single Italian woman walking through the streets in 3-5 inch heels (how they do it is beyond me)
• The most American thing I saw:  A man sitting on the steps of a church in Piazza di Popolo with a small paper cup in hand.  Upon closer examination I saw that it was filled with vino rosso and then saw that there was a box, yes  BOX, of red wine that the guy was trying to hide.  I think it was a lost cause for hims since smelt of alcohol and looked like he had been drinking for the past 4 days straight.

Ciao (kiss, kiss)

Here at long last!

After much delay and complication I have made it to Roma safe and sound.  I am staying at Hotel Saturina and am so happy to be here.  This is the cutest little hotel with the smallest rooms I have EVER seen.  When I say small I mean SMALL.  I am not even sure there is enough room for me to take a picture so that the true size will come across... I shall try!

Yup...that is my little room! 

Okay, off to explore!

ciao ciao

Here we go!

Okay so I am officially on my way!  I have just gone through security at the Richmond airport and am boarding in about an hour.  I would just like to say to all of those people who thought I was crazy to be going to Italy for 5 weeks and not checking a beg that it CAN be done.  Here is the picture to prove it!  I will update when I get checked into my hotel in Roma!
Ciao Ciao!!!

Ciao famiglia e amici!

          Last summer I traveled to Italy for the trip of a lifetime.  Not only did I have the wonderful opportunity to study the beautiful Italian language alongside people from around the world, I was able to see many new and wonderful places.  Although my home base was Perugia, I was able to see many other parts of the spectacular country that is Italia.  In addition to the many stunning sites, I made countless lifelong friends that I now consider family.  At the end of the trip I felt as though I was a changed person, more capable of seeing and understanding the world, more open to various ways of life, and simply more able to fully cherish every moment. 

          My experience in Italy had affected me so greatly that as I came back to the United States, I felt as though I had landed in a foreign and uncomfortable land. Gone were the days of speaking beautifully seductive Italian and spending three hours cooking and enjoying a meal with friends.  Gone were the glorious strolls down winding cobblestone streets at two in the morning with a gelato in hand.  Gone were the historical monuments that had made me feel as though I had been transported to a different era.  Now, there was just traffic, cars, and surprisingly uncultured people.  At that moment, I made a commitment to myself that I would not let a year go by that I would not visit the place that had become my home, Italia. 

              I am about to set off on my journey to the beautiful land yet again and could not be more excited.  Just as I did before, I will be attending class at the Universita per Stranieri di Perugia.  In the class room I will be challenged in numerous ways and will be forced to discover new and wonderful things about the Italian language.  The real challenge, and the most exciting part, will be using what I learn in the classroom when out and about in town.  As it is commonly said, application is key, and it will truly allow me to expand my knowledge of the language.  In addition, I will be working on an independent study while in Perugia (more on that later). 

                This time, I will have the same home base in Perugia but will be going on different weekend adventures.  I will post a calendar so that you can follow me on my trips and check in as I make my way through the beautiful country.  I will be posting pictures in addition to videos on a daily/weekly basis so I can log my ventures.  In addition, I will be posting information for my independent study so that I can keep up with my work and see it progress as the days tick by.  If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to ask!  

Ciao!