...And away we go

I'm about to start my second week of classes. Pretty exciting because this weekend I will either go to Florence or just enjoy the nightlife here in Rome. I was skeptical about the night life here since I'm from Miami, BUT boy was I wrong! These Europeans know how to party. It must be noted however that if u don't know a Roman, it would be hard to find these hot spots because they are only for locals. It was clear that at all the places we went to, we (my roomies and I) were the only non-italians there. We had a blast, and now have a reference of where to go if we feel like dancing. It also helps that my weekends start on Thursday nights, no classes Fridays. I was pretty busy this past weekend. I went on a tour of Rome. Let me just say that this city is not as small as I thought and the transportation system has been good to me. The trams and buses have helped me a lot with its efficiency and comfort level. I do walk a lot though but unlike walking in the U.S., it's pleasant and common to do here. Everywhere you walk on or walk by has some kind of historic significance.

I cook here just like I cooked back in Gainesville except for a couple of things. I cook Italian meals only and I go grocery shopping two/three times a week. It's not common to go grocery shopping for more than 3 days worth, weird.. I know. Americans take for granted the fact that our plastic bags are free. They charge here for every plastic bag used for groceries. So instead of handing over my sweet Euros, I say none with a smile and with a swift of a hand I pack my milk, tomatoes, garlic, and pasta in my pockets and purse. The rest ends up being uncomfortably held in my arms while crossing the street back to my italian home and getting whiplashed by the cold wind. AH, paradise!

Also, I've made it a point to notice how it's culturally acceptable here to drive and park however and wherever you want. Cars park on sidewalks, on curves, only half way in, etc. They drive on all the lanes without any consideration for the other cars or pedestrians, but you get used to it. When they try to squeeze in a small opening to park, they bump the car in front of them and the one in back of them with no shame or care in the world. I mean they literally trying to squeeze in so how can they fit if not to shift the other cars right? haha... oh my.... I believe that Mariana (my trooper, right hand and ride-or-die chick) and I are getting used to things here. The weather is still a small problem because as a Miami girl, the goosebumps don't seem to ever go away, but unlike Mariana, the cold makes me smile because it reminds me I'm not home... or anywhere close to it. Things are starting to flow now, I'm not stressing as much as before. Could it be? Yes, the city is finally growing on me, molding me like a little piece of American clay that needs work.

And my italian is very helpful here but I think I'm still nervous about speaking it 24/7. Getting out of ur comfort zone is a difficult thing, isn't it?

Roma, Roma... Oh Roma

My trip here was not easy nor enjoyable, but I made it.
I flew from Miami to Newark,N.J. airport fairly well and on time. I was excited for my next flight from N.J. to London. However, this was not to turn out pleasant. From N.J. to London, a supposed 8 hr. flight, we ran out of fuel, landed at another airport in England AND had to wait in the plane an extra two hours before flying back to the airport we were supposed to. What did this mean? That we had a 12 hr. flight and therefore, missed our connective flight from London to Rome... oh boy. This is where the fun begins. Since we missed it, we had to rebook, meaning I was left to wait almost 6 hrs for the next flight. Meanwhile, the program I was with, didn't guarantee me a pick-up shuttle if I didnt arrive by the hours of service from the Roman airport... again, oh boy. Complications? Definitely. So what to do? Stay in London overnight? or just take the flight to Rome and not know if I had a place to stay? Andiamo! (let's go!) I ended up taking it and after almost 48 hrs of backed-up travel. I made it to Rome...without my 2 luggage bags, of course. So now what?
First things first, I got to Rome exhausted, a bit helpless but still optimistic. The shuttle bus did indeed end up picking me up, but it left me twice at the wrong stop at 1 am... he then finally got the address right. A once fragile, this-side-up package, now delivered as a half-broken, upside-down, oops-dropped-3-times bundle. In all honesty, I was happy to just get to this apt where my other 6 other roomies were already asleep. They are from all over the U.S. and lovely in every sense of the word. I got very lucky. It should be mentioned that this whole time I had a trooper with me. The other roomie who actually sleeps in the same room with me, who accompanied me through this whole journey from Miami, the amazing Mariana Diaz.
We got through that trip and felt like we could take on anything. The next day we realized that we had much to take care of, such as check in papers and ..oh yea our luggage bags! In a nutshell, the airlines couldn't find our bags, reference numbers or even names. Mariana's mother through luck and perseverance got it all done and had our bags delivered to us in two days.
Jump ahead 4 days, when I thought the fun would begin... I got terribly sick. Some would call it a 24-hr-bug.
I ate the night before, happily i might add, pasta arrabiata (angry sauce) and then followed the meal with a gelato. So basically a pasta sauce full of chilis and then strong dairy to end the night, how could I not have anticipated the results. 6 a.m. came and the hell abrupted inside my tummy. Don't imagine what I had but think instead of what I did not have. Yes, that bad. However, 2 days after... here I am strong, and in recovery. I have attended 3 of my classes, since today is the first week of classes. I cannot explain how intrigued I am with my Theories of Personality class. This class "self-fulfills" me. I have plans to travel to Milano and Venezia soon. Oh boy... let the traveling begin. Come for the ride, I'll keep you updated.