Piazza Novona

After dinner we decided to just take a walk. It was a pretty mellow night being just a Tuesday. We went to Piazza Navona. Piazza Navona, is in the pulse of Roma. There is food  at outdoor cafe's and wonderful musicians. It is a place to to sit and watch the world go bye. After a long flight across the pond it is a place to adjust to a less complex lifestyle. The world of art and leisure unfolds before your eyes. It used to be a site of the Domitians Circus which is why it is in the form of an open space stadium. The ancient Romans came there to watch the games. That why it is considered to be a circus. Today, the Piazza Navona is surrounded by fine historic buildings constructed in the Baroque style. In addition, it contains some of the Eternal City's best fountains, most famously, Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). The four rivers are supposed to represent the four different parts of the world. The plaza also contains Church of Saint Angese in Agone that is dating from the 17th century. Each of the bell towers has a clock this also is in St Peters. Since I was there late I was unable to go inside. The piazza is very popular and its cafes are good places to observe the many sights in this interesting locating. There are many restaurants along with gelato places along the outside. In the middle of the square there were a couple of painters who were painting and then selling there art work, guitar players, trumpet player players, and a bunch of kids throwing up these light Frisbees’ and trying to sell them. One of my roommates bought a poster that was made write in front of us with spray paint is was really cool. I plan to go back in the daylight and take pictures.

Junior Year has Begun

Yesterday I started my first day of class. I had two classes both in the later afternoon. My first was economics of development. My teacher was an Italian stallion named Burshi Francesco and he had a really thick accent. Long hair, tan, the whole bit. My second class was Philosophy 101 and my teacher is a lady named Brunella Antomarni. She also has a really thick Italian accent. Language is clearly their second language. She loves me tho because she asked the class what is the problem with language. I raised my hand and answered that it limits our knowledge and provides boundaries. She went crazy and called me brilliant (morale booster). Most of the students in my classes are also study abroad students. I feel like I am in high school again as I have classes of no more than 15 opposed to 500 and the teacher actually gives the syllabus and reads word for word opposed to just posting it on their website. Also none of the teachers like to give dates. They will just announce when the midterm, final, and paper when they feel like its the right time. I just got out of my early morning Tuesday class which is Micro Economics and once again a major language barrier. I think he copied and pasted his syllabus from another teacher because he did not even know how to go over it. The classrooms all have decorated tyle on the floor and white board. Also they dont turn on the light they just have big windows and use outside light to save electricity. After class I met up with my friend Stephanie and walked across the river to a small pizza parlor. I got this weird fried ball thingie filled with rice and mozzarella cheese.

 I went to the market for the first time. The market is about a 15 minute walk from my house so I had to be carful what I bought because I would have to carry it home myself. The market was filled with produce and lots of fresh organic meat. I bought a little bit of fruit, bre and mozzarella cheese, bread, cereal (frosted flakes that had twice as much sugar as in the states), milk, crackers, and some weird Italian chewy bars. I did not recognize let alone any of the brands so I just went off pictures. When I go to the checkout the guy was not very happy with me because apparently you are supposed to weigh each fruit in its own bag yourself and then print out a ticket that says how much it is. So he took me over to the produce and taught me how to do. I finally got home and ate a mozzarella cheese and tomato salad for dinner. The mozzarella cheese is the best I have ever had. It comes as a big circular ball and soaked in a couple cups of this salt water I think it is. From afar it kinda looks like you bought a goldfish haha. Also last night Tara and Marni and I had planned a trip to Venice. The flights were really cheap and booked a hostel right downtown. We booked to Venice through this website called easyjet.com. We will be leaving early Saturday morning and returning Monday midmorning. We will be going October 23 for two nights. After class today I am going over to my friend Stephanie and Erins apartment and we are going to do research a Thanksgiving break to Ireland. It is crazy how cheap it is to get from one country to another only 10 euro from rome to dublin and then hostels are 15 euro a night. Except we are a little confused on the conversion from euro to pounds and also our us money but i guess we will figure it out. Ciao for now! ps. you may be wondering if I have picked up much Italian because of my use of Italian my answer is NO its hard!

First Days

Thursday September 3

Today I had orientation where we learned more about the University I will be attending.  There are many different schools that go there including Boston college, Notre dame, saint maries, and Charleston along with other independent programs like SAI.  Also there are some people that are enrolled for all four years or all year.  There are two different campus.  We learned that the hard way and went to the wrong campus at first.  They are about 15 minutes apart from each other. Orientation was pretty pointless they picked a bad time it was two early and everyone had jet lag so everyone basically slept through it.  My roommates and I learned that there are two different campuses the hard way.  We showed up already late and realized that we were supposed to be at the other campus.  They went over some traveling information, housing, and phone information.  They had live music and hamburgers.  The hamburgers here have sausage  mixed in with the beef they are really good.  After orientation I went to the computer lab to use the internet for a little bit because my apartment dos not have internet yet because the system is broken.    John Cabot is an American University in the heart of Rome.  It has been around for 50 years. There are two different campuses one is called the Timbre campus and the other is called the Guarino campus.  One is located on the river and the other is about a 15 minute walk away on a quaint small street located between two delis and cafes.  The entire road is all cobblestone making it hard to look up and enjoy the scenery because you have to look down so you don’t trip!  To get to school I have to walk about 25 minutes approx two miles.  I live on a main street which I walk up and then I go through a tunnel and at the end of the tunnel I end up at the river.  From there I walk on the river for about 15 minutes.

Friday September 4

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I LOVE YOU!

Early on Friday we had a welcome day at Ostia Antica.  At 8:45 am we meet at Piazzza Trilusa which is a square at the center of town.  Ostia was the ancient port city of Rome. Unlike Pompeii and Herculaneum, it wasn't devastated by a natural disaster like a volcanoe. It was however, eventually abandoned after continuous attacks by pirates. The harbor thus silted up as a result to a drop in sea level. Today, the city is a couple of miles from the sea and is quite well preserved. There are superb remnants of mosaics and wall paintings as well as the buildings themselves.  Once a busy port at the mouth of the Tiber, siltage, disease, time and neglect saw the harbour abandoned and the town disappear under several metres of river sand and rubbish. The shoreline changed and today the town, although still lying on the Tiber, is 3 kilometres from the sea. Very much a working port, there are no great temples, public arenas or grand villas here, rather there are the functional buildings of commerce and workshops, housing for working folk and middle class officials and managers, communal baths and latrines and the usual mix of warehouses, shops, hotels, bars and brothels that you'll find in ports all over the world to this day. Mosaics floors lie open to the sky and fragments of sculpture are everywhere.

Excavations began in 1801, mostly for private gain and use - an marble statue for a garden here, a pillar and an inscribed tablet for a folly there, though some pieces did make their way to the museums of the Vatican and the Lateran. Controlled and serious excavation began in 1907 and continues to this day.  Above is a picture of me right across my campus on the river as well as a picture from the day trip to Ostia Antica.

Saturday September 4

More orientation activities at school to get our Permit to Stay in Italy, then a night out at Campo di Fiori. 

Above is a picture of me right across from campus, a picture in my room, and two prictures from Ostia Antica

Jet Lag Day 1

The internet system in my room is broken so we do not have any internet so the only way I can get service is on campus which is why there is such a delay

Tuesday- August 31

My alarm clock went off at 3:30 am this morning.  Punkie wasn’t too happy about it.  I said goodbye to my mom and my dad and I left in the truck at 4:00 am.  We first arrived to SFO international but were quickly informed that even though the flight is international I should be in the domestic part of the airport because I will be first flying to Washington DC.  We checked in my luggage and it weighed in at 48.5 pounds.  I had one and half pounds to spare!  I said goodbye to my dad and proceeded through security.  I then proceeded to gate 82 where I boarded my flight at 7:00 am.  The flight was easy and I had an aisle seat which was nice.  I was so tired I don’t even remember take off.  I fell right asleep.  My flight arrived early into Washington DC.  It was really hot!  I then went to gate C8 and waited for my next flight.  Three hours later I was on the plane heading to Rome.  I sat at a window seat next too a nun I think.  She had a black head piece, long white shirt, and a long black skirt.  Towards the beginning of the flight I decided to ask her why she was traveling to Rome.  Turns out she is hard of hearing and I had to repeat the question 6 times louder and louder as she took off her black headpiece to hear better.  Finally she understood the question and gave a quick response that didn’t even make sense.  All I could make out is that she was connecting somewhere else.  8 hours later we landed in Rome at 8:30 in the morning.  I got off the plane and met a group of kids who were in the same program as me.  Luckily my luggage arrived and I then walked a mile with both my luggage to the Hilton Hotel where I had to cheek in.  I received my phone and keys and was then shuttled off to my apartment with eight other people in a Mercedes taxi van.  The cab driver pulled over to the side of the road got my luggage out of the car and zoomed off leaving me on the side of the rode by myself.  It took awhile to figure out where I was going and I finally found the apartment.  I have to go through 4 different keys just to enter the apartment .  Luckily three of my roommates were home and they are all really cool.  The apartment is one of the nicest apartments I have ever been int.  All new hardwood floor, three double bedrooms all with there own bathroom and showers, a big kitchen and living room.  The lady told us we had the nicest apartment in the program.  My roommates were hungry so right away I put my stuff down and went to a deli right across the street.  Just crossing the street was a struggle.  I swear when a car sees you crossing the street they put there foot on the gas.  I got a Panini with tomato and mozzarella and brought is back to the apartment to eat.  My roommate is named Tara and she is here with her friend Marni who live in Florida.  My other three roommates all live in South Carolina.  After a nap, we went out to explore and went to dinner at Campo di fiori.  I ordered a pasta with a mushroom sauce.  Above is a picture of all my roomates.  In order from left to right is Me (Duhh), Maddy, Marni, Carly, Bridget, and Tara.

Goodbye USA Hello Rome!

Hello!

Today is my last day in America before I jump on a plane to Italy to spend the next four months of my life.  I am finished putting my entire life in one large suitcase and one little one.  My big luggage is exactly 50 pounds which is the limit.  Keep your fingers crossed it is able to make the journey all the way to Italy with me without getting lost.   My passport and visa are both ready to go.  My parents gave me money and quite frankly it looks like monopoly money.  Apparently after I get off the plane I look for a sign that says SAI and there my journey will begin as I arrive at 8:30 am in the bustling city of Rome.  I will be studying at John Cabot University which is an American University in the center or Rome.  I will be taking two economics classes, cognitive psychology, philosophy, and a history of Italy class.  I have class Monday through Thursday. I will be living in an apartment with six other girls.  More details to come later about school and living situations.

The feelings I am feeling right now are a little anxious.  I think change is one of the biggest fears in life.  It’s a little scary leaving what seems to be a perfect life to a foreign country knowing no one. I know two things: 1. There is no such thing as a line and 2. They do not sell peanut butter.  PREPARE FOR A CULTURE SHOCK.  I have been told time and time again I am going to have the time of life.  I had an amazing summer in La Jolla and I am blessed to have great friends.  While I am in Italy I have a couple goals.  I plan to immerse myself within the culture as much as possible.  As the famous quote states, “when in Rome, live as the Romans do.”  I want to take advantage of the great location of Italy to travel.  I also plan to update my blog daily with my daily doing and excursions.  My goal is to be able to look back on this great opportunity my parents have given me and to share with my family and friends.

Goodbye for now my American Friends,

Malia