Tonight we all went to see Riccardo III which was fantastic! I skipped out a little early to come home and pack because tomorrow I am leaving at 7 for POMPEII!!!! Only the destination I've been waiting to travel to since freshman year of high school. so when I return updates on: the dinner party, riccardo III, and pompeii/capri/the amalfi coast!!!
PS. Mom you should be proud I fit 3 days worth of stuff in my backpack and it's not about to explode!
Also if I don't get around to it later, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!! Enjoy some burnt almond torte for me please!
16 September 2011
14 September 2011
Filling my time with school and studying
Responsible Decision Making 101: Go to the Irish Pub for Karaoke on a Monday Night.
haha I was in a hyped up mood on Monday evening so I joined the usual suspects at Scholars for Karaoke night which was so much fun. I was ready to call it quits a little earlier than we left but it ended up being fine.
Classes yesterday were enjoyable, nothing too crazy to talk about except that my Baroque teacher and Conservation teacher are one in the same! I went for a walk around IES and stopped in Maia's panini recommendation. Grabbed gelato at the Teatro place again (white peach and lavender is too good to pass up). Did homework and napped between my classes. My Italian class starts at 5 or 4:30 every day but I am done in the morning by 1 at the latest... so there's just an awkward amount of time between the two. Last night I also skyped with Maia for a bit! I miss Ithaca and she misses Italy! It's such a dilemma! This morning I only had my long Renaissance class at 9:30 and nothing until Italian at 4:30. Home for a bite then I need to go shopping for tonight!!
This evening our apartment is having a few friends over for a potluck! We're hoping there's enough food and silverware to go around, but it will be fun no less. Since the guys boast about their cooking skills were hoping they can come up with something delicious and I'm making that yummy garlic bread Nico made. Julia is making Banana/Nutella Crepes!! It will be the perfect thing after 2 hours of Italian class.
Tomorrow night we are all going to see Riccardo III, the Shakespeare play... in Italian... in a replica of the Globe Theatre! It will be long but a really cool experience. The guy's ISC Claudio brought the idea to our attention. Friday morning I have to meet at the Center bright and early to leave for Pompeii!!! I can nap on the 3 hour bus ride. I'm very excited to see in person all these fantastic masterpieces that I've been studying for the past five or so years!
haha I was in a hyped up mood on Monday evening so I joined the usual suspects at Scholars for Karaoke night which was so much fun. I was ready to call it quits a little earlier than we left but it ended up being fine.
 |
| Singing "Gettin' Jiggy With It" |
Classes yesterday were enjoyable, nothing too crazy to talk about except that my Baroque teacher and Conservation teacher are one in the same! I went for a walk around IES and stopped in Maia's panini recommendation. Grabbed gelato at the Teatro place again (white peach and lavender is too good to pass up). Did homework and napped between my classes. My Italian class starts at 5 or 4:30 every day but I am done in the morning by 1 at the latest... so there's just an awkward amount of time between the two. Last night I also skyped with Maia for a bit! I miss Ithaca and she misses Italy! It's such a dilemma! This morning I only had my long Renaissance class at 9:30 and nothing until Italian at 4:30. Home for a bite then I need to go shopping for tonight!!
This evening our apartment is having a few friends over for a potluck! We're hoping there's enough food and silverware to go around, but it will be fun no less. Since the guys boast about their cooking skills were hoping they can come up with something delicious and I'm making that yummy garlic bread Nico made. Julia is making Banana/Nutella Crepes!! It will be the perfect thing after 2 hours of Italian class.
Tomorrow night we are all going to see Riccardo III, the Shakespeare play... in Italian... in a replica of the Globe Theatre! It will be long but a really cool experience. The guy's ISC Claudio brought the idea to our attention. Friday morning I have to meet at the Center bright and early to leave for Pompeii!!! I can nap on the 3 hour bus ride. I'm very excited to see in person all these fantastic masterpieces that I've been studying for the past five or so years!
 |
| Rome in a nutshell |
12 September 2011
School has Started
Sort of... Today was my first real day of classes except there are no Italian classes on Mondays and for some unknown reason my Baroque class was cancelled this morning. The nice part was I got to sleep in later than the roomies and had the apartment to myself to get ready and make breakfast. It was a little bit cooler today but not inside stuffy crowded classrooms with the windows closed!
First class was Conservation and I wasn't really looking forward to it, but my teacher seems nice. While it sounds like it will be a challenging class for me I think I'm really going to like it! It's for people who've already taken art history classes so she assumes some basic knowledge and we won't feel like we're being babied every step of the way. Lots of field trips including to the cleaning of a fresco! It's all about how art is made and thus how they go about deciding to clean or not clean them and the ethical as well as practical sides.
Second class was about the Renaissance. My teacher's English sounds like a French person taught it to him and he has a lisp, so listening in very important! This is a very basic class, today we learned controposto and touched on the Classical period. My professor is brilliant and has a PhD in Roman Art and how it ties into politics. I think I'll learn new connections and history from him more than about art, but that's fine. An easy class or two will give me more time for exploring!
After classes Tom and Julia and I went for pizza, picked up some more books from the copy shop, then did the homework for our Italian class which involved walking around our neighborhood. I stopped by home to write down some of what we saw and grab a drink since it's still very warm. Sophia and I went to the supermarket for some dinner supplies. Skyped a little today, watched a tv episode, going to do homework. It's been a lazy day but St. Peter's was a lot to handle yesterday. I'm happy to be getting into a routine now, these first two weeks had very fluid schedules and were changing a lot. I'm happy to start school for real (only 2 weeks after Ithaca!) and so ready to be done with orientations!! Syllabus week is thankfully condensed into two days. Going to Pompeii and the Almalfi coast this weekend!! I'm very excited!!!!!
Today I had all one hour classes but for the rest of the week everything is in block timing of like two hours or so, allowing us to do field trips for class etc. Except tomorrow's Italian is only an hour and a half, it's our short day and every other day is longer. Ciao for now!
First class was Conservation and I wasn't really looking forward to it, but my teacher seems nice. While it sounds like it will be a challenging class for me I think I'm really going to like it! It's for people who've already taken art history classes so she assumes some basic knowledge and we won't feel like we're being babied every step of the way. Lots of field trips including to the cleaning of a fresco! It's all about how art is made and thus how they go about deciding to clean or not clean them and the ethical as well as practical sides.
Second class was about the Renaissance. My teacher's English sounds like a French person taught it to him and he has a lisp, so listening in very important! This is a very basic class, today we learned controposto and touched on the Classical period. My professor is brilliant and has a PhD in Roman Art and how it ties into politics. I think I'll learn new connections and history from him more than about art, but that's fine. An easy class or two will give me more time for exploring!
After classes Tom and Julia and I went for pizza, picked up some more books from the copy shop, then did the homework for our Italian class which involved walking around our neighborhood. I stopped by home to write down some of what we saw and grab a drink since it's still very warm. Sophia and I went to the supermarket for some dinner supplies. Skyped a little today, watched a tv episode, going to do homework. It's been a lazy day but St. Peter's was a lot to handle yesterday. I'm happy to be getting into a routine now, these first two weeks had very fluid schedules and were changing a lot. I'm happy to start school for real (only 2 weeks after Ithaca!) and so ready to be done with orientations!! Syllabus week is thankfully condensed into two days. Going to Pompeii and the Almalfi coast this weekend!! I'm very excited!!!!!
Today I had all one hour classes but for the rest of the week everything is in block timing of like two hours or so, allowing us to do field trips for class etc. Except tomorrow's Italian is only an hour and a half, it's our short day and every other day is longer. Ciao for now!
11 September 2011
The Main Attraction
First landmark you think of in Rome? The Vatican. Since it's 7 minutes from my front door I suppose I should check it out. Today we did! Roomie trip to the Basilica, words and photos cannot describe this place. Please please please just go. It's breathtaking and overwhelming.....
The paintings and sculptures are marvelous but the columns, ceilings, walls, even the floor are just as beautiful and creative. The basilica is free to the public only costs: wearing pants (cover up the knees!) and cover shoulders, and putting up with crowds. I wore jeans today which was disgustingly hot in the 90+ heat buuuut the heat scared away some tourists we think, especially when it came to the second part of our adventure. More on that in a bit. First BERNINI is kinda my favorite Italian artist (besides Giotto) and the Vatican is smart enough to recognize his talents. There are many pieces by him in the basilica
Ok second part of the adventure! Kat, Ginny, and I made the trek today! We climbed to the top of the duomo (remember those jeans and 90+ degree weather???) It was hot but comparatively empty! It was fantastic. We chose to walk instead of taking the elevator up, saving a euro and to get the authentic experience. After maybe 5 or 6 flights of stairs we are confused because we were barely out of breath but the stairs led out onto a roof. Nope, it's where the 320 steps up to the duomo START, whew! Along the way they let us around one of the cupolas inside the basilica and we were able to appreciate the beauty and details of the mosaics up close.
Then onward and upward through teeny tiny hallways that lead to teeny tiny stairs that go on forever and ever and ever and EVER! I got extremely dizzy twice and had to take a pause on the spiral stairs. Pictures time!
Out onto the duomo:
So once you're at the top there is a nice breeze to cool you off from the climb. We enjoyed ourselves and it was nice because there were so few other people at the top with us! After admiring the view for a while though we were all hoping to go home and get out of those hot clothes! Funny thing: getting down isn't easy. At all.
And that's pretty much our adventure. We came home and got some water and clean lightweight clothes and a snack. Tonight I tried going to the Steelers bar for the Ravens game... it was pitiful attempt by the Stillers and I'm very disappointed in them. I left partway through the game and came home. Rumor has it a karaoke bar is the hot spot for my friends tonight, we'll see if I end up going out or just staying in and resting up for school tomorrow. My first class tomorrow has already been cancelled for some unknown reason, so I get a sleep in!! great start to the school year! Ciao!
 |
| Michaelangelo's Pieta |
 |
| You'd be stupid not to spend as much time admiring the ceiling as they did making it |
 |
| Picked a good time of day |
 |
| stunning |
The paintings and sculptures are marvelous but the columns, ceilings, walls, even the floor are just as beautiful and creative. The basilica is free to the public only costs: wearing pants (cover up the knees!) and cover shoulders, and putting up with crowds. I wore jeans today which was disgustingly hot in the 90+ heat buuuut the heat scared away some tourists we think, especially when it came to the second part of our adventure. More on that in a bit. First BERNINI is kinda my favorite Italian artist (besides Giotto) and the Vatican is smart enough to recognize his talents. There are many pieces by him in the basilica
 |
| This is my second favorite Bernini piece of all time (nothing beats that sexy David!) |
Ok second part of the adventure! Kat, Ginny, and I made the trek today! We climbed to the top of the duomo (remember those jeans and 90+ degree weather???) It was hot but comparatively empty! It was fantastic. We chose to walk instead of taking the elevator up, saving a euro and to get the authentic experience. After maybe 5 or 6 flights of stairs we are confused because we were barely out of breath but the stairs led out onto a roof. Nope, it's where the 320 steps up to the duomo START, whew! Along the way they let us around one of the cupolas inside the basilica and we were able to appreciate the beauty and details of the mosaics up close.
 |
| Ginny and I going up the wide stairs |
 |
| Bernini's chair and altar from above (sorry the fencing is in the picture) |
 |
| Kat and I on the ceiling!! |
Then onward and upward through teeny tiny hallways that lead to teeny tiny stairs that go on forever and ever and ever and EVER! I got extremely dizzy twice and had to take a pause on the spiral stairs. Pictures time!
 |
| you think these are small, and then.... |
 |
| ...then there are these (that rope is the railing/handle) |
Out onto the duomo:
 |
| This reminded me how lucky I am to be here |
So once you're at the top there is a nice breeze to cool you off from the climb. We enjoyed ourselves and it was nice because there were so few other people at the top with us! After admiring the view for a while though we were all hoping to go home and get out of those hot clothes! Funny thing: getting down isn't easy. At all.
 |
| Ginny going downstairs |
And that's pretty much our adventure. We came home and got some water and clean lightweight clothes and a snack. Tonight I tried going to the Steelers bar for the Ravens game... it was pitiful attempt by the Stillers and I'm very disappointed in them. I left partway through the game and came home. Rumor has it a karaoke bar is the hot spot for my friends tonight, we'll see if I end up going out or just staying in and resting up for school tomorrow. My first class tomorrow has already been cancelled for some unknown reason, so I get a sleep in!! great start to the school year! Ciao!
Already my second weekend here!
Starting with Friday night:
My apartmentmates and I went to Prati to check out our friends apartment. Somehow we messed up some pretty easy directions and oops, we were at the Vatican instead! haha We're never truly lost because there is always some giant landmark nearby. We called Tom to help us with directions and while waiting for him we goofed off and admired St. Peter's at night. |
| Proud to say I took this |
 |
| Less proud about living with these nutsos! |
A fun FYI for anyone considering studying abroad in Rome, it's much more strict than any other part of Italy because you are only allowed to drink on the streets until 23:00 (11pm)! haha some Italian youths are a little bitter about that, but yes my roomies were drinking wine outside St. Peter's.
We had a fun time checking out the guys place. It's just about as nice as ours except no common/living room which is tough, and it's 20min away from us but in the direction where nothing else is! haha They do have a sweet kitchen and a nice table where they can eat together. Ginny and I walked as far as the San'Angelo bridge with everyone but we were calling it a night (like I said, early so the beach could be fun!) and everyone else went to the usual spots to see more IES students. A good night. Curious what a Pepperoni looks like?
 |
| This is Prince Pepperoni |
So Saturday morning: Up and at 'em! Earlyish morning so Ginny and I were out the door by 9:15, stopped at the grocery store to pick up some oranges as a snack for the day. We then hopped onto the bus that takes us to Piramide at the edge of the city then took the train back out towards Ostia beach. This time (thanks to Ginny's wonderful suggestion) we made a stop at Ostia Antica, the ancient port city of Rome. 3 min walk from the train station is a sprawling city that has been partly excavated and for a small price you can get lost in there for hours. Since it's not in the heart of Rome there are fewer tourists and we are given more freedom (no guards watching everything or constant supervision) you really get to explore wherever your heart desires. There are fantastic mosaics that have been uncovered in the bathhouses and a beautiful ampitheater! Ginny had to wheedle me into going and I am so so glad she did! We spent two hours nosing around looking at artifacts 2,000 years old.
 |
| You need to see up close, click to enlarge if you can! |
 |
| Even ancient Romans loved elephants |
 |
| Port city means lots of fish/water mosaics |
 |
| Each tile is probably 3/4th a centimeter square... think about it |
 |
| In the theater just after we stopped to sit and eat some oranges, no biggie |
 |
| Ginny on a column (shhh) at Temple Fortuna |
So we felt great for being up and out early, enjoying the sun and checking out a really neat place and being semi-academic/touristy. Ok so let's go have relaxing fun!! We hopped back on the train and went to Ostia beach again, meeting up with Pepperoni, Mike, Matt, Lauren, and Hope! We brought the oranges and they brought nutella with ritz and cookies! The snack stand has some good panini if you can fight off the crowds of Italians trying to pay. A nap miiight have been taken and as a result my left leg/stomach is sooooorta pink/red/ouch. I read a little more of my book and splashed in the water. It was cooler at the beach because there was a breeze but the water was glorious. Mike had to talk to EVERY vendor on the beach buying sunglasses, a doughnut, and a coconut. The vendors on the beach are like the people handing out roses, they come up and talk to you and put their product in your face and need to be told at least two times you're not interested! We were at the beach for a solid 5 hours before a less salty/sandy/sunny location started looking good. When we started packing up the woman next to us starting chatting with us because she heard us speaking Italian and English to each other so she thought we were Swiss! haha that's cool with me! But she was sweet and joked around with us about how slow Mike was and how living in Prati means the boys' stay in Rome is blessed cause the Pope is so close. It's fun talking to natives in their language. An uneventful train ride back to the city and hopped a bus to Largo Argentina so we could get some groceries before everything closes down for Sunday! If you don't have food Saturday you will starve on Sunday.
Saturday night we hosted a little get together and I met a few new people. We went on a hunt for Bloom, a club where girls can get in for free, but it took an hour to go the three blocks. I peeked inside (since it didn't cost me anything) but was not in a dancing mood. It was nice so maybe some other night I'll check it out. I headed home, sykped, chatted with my roomies and had delicious bread and nutella. That is the perfect midnight snack.
Church bells on Sunday woke me up and here I am blogging my heart out instead of eating breakfast, because people just don't do that here. It's almost lunch anyway, I'll go try to find a pizzeria or snack on the tomato/mozz I have here. Hope everyone is having a great weekend whichever continent they might be on!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)