Arrivederci!

Looking through all of my pictures from my last month in Italy sure makes this dreary Saturday in Maryland a little more bearable. I returned to the United States on Sunday, May 1, and facing my departure from Rome and the end of my study abroad experience was full of mixed feelings.

The day of departure turned out to be historic on both ends: May 1 was the beatification of Blessed Pope John Paul II, which attracted millions of pilgrims to Rome, and we were welcomed back into the U.S. with the victorious news that our Navy Seals had captured Bin Laden. Our program sure went out with a bang!
April flew by so fast as I traveled around Italy and attempted to soak in all Rome has to offer. The month started with an incredible, 36-hour whirlwind trip to London with some friends. Severe flight complications delayed our departure from Rome and got us into London hours later than we had planned for, but these travel complications reinforced the "carpe diem" attitude for us, so we explored the city non-stop and actually conquered our massive to-do list! London is one of my favorites cities, and I can actually picture myself living there one day. I loved the city for its pure beauty and opulent yet down-to-earth vibe.

The next weekend I traveled to Sicily with some friends. We stayed in Palermo, a city with rich history, fascinating architecture, and a beautiful coast. We explored the city for a day and devoured the incredible seafood, pesce spada, or swordfish, a local favorite. We also took a day trip to Agrigento, a tiny resort town south of Palermo, where we spent the day on the breath-taking beach. It was a perfect day in paradise: the sand was so smooth and the water was a crystal-clear blue, and the sun was beating down on us. Sicily was a relaxing beach getaway from the hustle and bustle of Rome.

Next was the program trip to Pompei, Sorrento, and Naples. Together we all explored the fascinating ruins of Pompei, stayed in a beachfront hotel in the beautiful resort town of Sorrento, and ate the world's best pizza in Naples. During our free day, my friends and I took the ferry from Sorrento to the most beautiful place I have ever seen, the island of Capri. We walked around the island and took a great boat tour around the entire island, from which we got a peak of the famous Blue Grotto. The trip was a great way to wind-down the semester and be together again as a group.

Lastly, my friend Katie and I took a pre-finals retreat to Cinque Terre, a region that is comprised of five hill-top, coastal towns connected by hiking trails. There, we enjoyed the beaches and hiked between each town, Riomaggiore, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, and Manarola, exploring unique characteristics of each town.

Back in Rome, I continued to try to soak in as much as the dynamic city's history and culture as possible, and took full advantage of Italian Culture Week, as all of the major museums were free. I went to the Pope's Mass at the Vatican on Easter Sunday and enjoyed a great lunch with my friends afterward. The last week was surreal and flew by, with exams and final dinners and goodbyes, and before I knew it, I was back in the U.S.

I had mixed feelings leaving Rome, since I was ready to be back with my family but it was difficult to think about everything I'd be leaving: the incredible history and architecture, favorite bars and restaurants, the Italian language, the generosity of the Romans, and just the opportunity to spontaneously explore some of the world's most famous and wondrous monuments and sites. I made a life for myself in Rome, and it hurt to leave it behind. But I am so proud of my newfound ability to be spontaneous, take risks and live in the moment. I made so many great new friends, with whom I have so many special memories. We became a family, and although it's sad to know that we'll never have this experience together again, I can't wait to share senior year and beyond with them. So now I'm happy to be back home in the U.S., but I think about Rome constantly, and I always want to remember the Eternal City as my second home. Forza Roma!     

Touring Italy for the Weekend

This past weekend I stayed in Italy, taking two mini-trips to two very different places. On Saturday I went with two friends to the charming town of Assisi for the day. It was a great day trip from Rome since the train ride was only two hours each way and 20 Euros roundtrip. Assisi is the most beautiful town I have seen yet. I know I've probably said that a lot, but Assisi definitely wins the prize. Like most little towns in Tuscany and Umbria, Assisi is perched on top of a steep mountain, and the views from anywhere along the stone-walled perimeter of the town are absolutely breathtaking. We had such a relaxing day in Assisi. The sun was beaming, it was a warm 65 degrees, and it was so peaceful to walk through the maze of quaint cobblestone streets that lead to piazzas with beautiful, unique churches and ultimately, the Basilica of St. Francis. Out of the many Tuscan and Umbrian towns I've been to, Assisi by far has the most charm and character. All along the quaint, narrow streets are beautiful shrines and gardens that residents have built outside their homes. Each church in the town is remarkably different, which made visiting at each one fascinating. We walked through the labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys for most of the day, stopping to along the way to visit churches and enjoy the gorgeous panoramas, but the Basilica of St. Francis was definitely the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We were strolling through the town, following the signs for the basilica, and suddenly we saw sunlight up ahead, pouring into the end of the shady alley. When we got to the end, the giant white basilica rested on the soft, kelly-green hills at the bottom of the hill, glistening in the strong sunlight. It was so beautiful and perfect that it looked like a painting, not a real scene. The view of the landscape and the entire town of Assisi was incredible from the basilica. Returning to Rome around eight that evening, it had been a great day exploring a beautiful new town.

View from our balcony

From Sunday to Monday, my friends accompanied me on my visit to the beautiful little beach town of Francavilla al Mare to meet my distant cousin Alberto De Merolis, who owns a gorgeous beachfront hotel there. It was on my study abroad bucket list to meet Alberto and his family, so considering we had a free weekend and a good beach weather forecast, we decided to take the train to Francavilla. Meeting Alberto was a great experience! It was such a special and unique experience to reconnect with relatives and to be able to explore my Italian roots further. What made the experience even more special was that it was a great way to honor Uncle John, my late great uncle who passed away three weeks ago today. We had a great two days in Francavilla. Alberto gave us the best room in the hotel, a suite with two balconies that overlooked the Adriatic Sea. The beach had white sand and beautiful bright blue water. It was so relaxing to lie on the quiet beach for the day. When the sun started to go down, we left the beach, went for a long walk around the beachfront, and found an interesting restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious and fun dinner. I had a delicious seafood pizza, with salmon, crabmeat, shrimp, marinara, and cheese. The next day we enjoyed a large breakfast at the hotel, said our goodbyes and boarded the train back to Rome. Between my trip to Assisi and meeting my cousin in the beautiful Francavilla, it was a great weekend!

Me and Alberto

Never a Dull Moment in Rome

Trisha, Me & Angela at the Ice Club

My parents left last Friday morning, and I had a free weekend here in Rome, which turned out to be a really busy weekend, but a great one. On Friday, after a great dinner with my roommate Stephanie and her parents, we went to the Ice Club, one of the few ice bars in the world. Before entering the bar, we had to put on gloves and a heavy thermal cloak, which reminded me of something an astronaut might wear. Armed with our heavy protective gear to shield us from the elements, we entered the bar, which was a cool 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The entire club, from the bar to the walls itself, was made out of blocks of ice. We enjoyed sipping our drinks from the ice cube cups and sitting in the little igloo rooms carved into the walls. It was a fun experience and great way to cool off from the warm spring weather!

Our homemade apple strudel

On Saturday, I went with a bunch of my friends from the program to one of our favorite local restaurants for a lesson in Italian cuisine. Chef Andrea took us into the kitchen and taught us step-by-step how to make three delicious classic Italian dishes: fettuccine alla bolognese, Straccetti di Manzo con Pachino, Rughetta e Scaglie di Parmigiano (a thin cut of beef with tomatoes, arugula and shaves of parmesan, and apple strudel Italian style, with raisins and pears). The fettuccine was homemade, and it reminded me of when I used to cook with my grandmother, and we would make homemade gnocchi. The class was long, since we were in the kitchen from 10-2, but it was a lot of fun and I picked up some great tips and recipes to make for my family when I get home and for my roommates next year!

Rome Marathon

I thought Sunday would be a quiet day, but instead, I was awakened by a marching band outside my window! As I left my building to go to church, I saw the band marching up my street. Sunday was the feast day of San Giuseppe, or Saint Joseph, which is Father's Day in Italy, so maybe the parade was for that, but whatever the occasion was, it was a nice way to start the day! As I continued my walk to church, I saw large crowds of people on Via Nazionale. When I turned onto the street, I realized it was the Rome Marathon! Hundreds of men, women, kids, and dogs were zooming by, and in the distance I saw thousands of people marching towards Via Nazionale from the Vittorio Emmanuele monument. Although it was a little chaotic, watching the marathon provided me with a lot of entertainment for my walk to church...there's really never a dull moment in Rome!

A Big Week in Rome

Teatro dell'Opera illuminated in the trecolori

Last week was an important one for Rome. On Tuesday March 15, was the Ides of March, which was special this year, because I got to stand near the spot where Caesar was killed and see his burial tomb in the Roman Forum. It was interesting to see the men dressed up as gladiators all around the ruins where Caesar was assassinated.  But more importantly, Thursday, March 17 marked the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, or as the Italians called it, the festa trecolori, or the festival of the three colors, for the green, white, and red national flag. Needless to say, this was a pretty important milestone, and there were many festivities around Rome to celebrate the occasion. There were lots of parades and concerts and many of the major historical museums throughout the city had free admission and were open until 2 A.M. My favorite display though was the illumination of the major monuments throughout the city with green, white, and red. It was so cool to walk to the end of my street and see the Vittorio Emmanuele monument and forum columns all lit up with the colors of the flag. At midnight on Wednesday I was getting ready for bed, when I suddenly heard fireworks going off. I ran outside to try to get a better look, and all the neighbors were out, standing in our little piazza, watching the beautiful trecolori fireworks show. As I stood there with the neighbors watching the color bursts, I realized that despite the fact that I'm in a different country half-way across the world from my home, I'm in the same situation: whenever we hear fireworks on the Fourth of July, we all run outside and watch them with our friends and neighbors, and here it is no different. It was a really special moment standing there, because it made me realize, yet again, what an incredible experience this is. I'm so lucky to be able to immerse myself in a different culture but also find incredible similarities. I'm so lucky that I got to be here to partake in this important occasion in Italy!

Mom, Dad, Me and Aunt Carol inside the Colusseum

 Another important reason why this was such a big week was because my family came to visit! My mom, dad, and Aunt Carol came to Rome on Sunday morning and stayed until Friday. It was so great to see them, since I hadn't seen my parents since I left for Rome in January and my aunt since Christmas, but it was even better to be able to show them all around my new city. I took them to many of my favorite places in Rome, like the Villa Borghese park, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Croce, and so many more. We also visited St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Roman Forum and Colusseum thorough Dr. Dawson's organized tours. I had a lot of fun with my family, and what made it so special was that I got to show them my new life here, taking them to my favorite lunch bars, restaurants, hang-out spots, and stores, and showing them my schools and my neighborhood. When I left in January, I was so excited for the experience ahead of me, but also very nervous and afraid of transitioning into a different culture, learning a new language, and going way outside my comfort zone. However, the culture shock was minimal and I picked up Italian pretty easily, so it was so special to show my family what I accomplished here and how much I've grown from all of these new experiences

Spring Break

 During our midterm break from March 7-11, some of my friends and I traveled to Paris and Barcelona. We had a blast, and it was a great travel experience because both cities were fascinating and immensely different.

We started in Paris, spending Saturday to Tuesday there. Ever since I started taking French in elementary, it has been a lifelong dream of mine to visit Paris, and the city was even more incredible than I ever imagined. The perfect gardens, beautiful fountains, luxurious mansions, and stately monuments created an air of sophistication, making me feel like I was an important aristocrat from Louis XIV's time. I don't know if it was all those years of French or just my pure excitement, but Paris immediately clicked with me, and I conquered the confusing metro system in no time, navigating us all over the city. I was really proud of all of my hard work in my French classes, because I successfully asked for directions, ordered our dinners, and understood important touristic information.  Following the quaint city streets to the Eiffel Tower, strolling along the Seine, exploring the opulent Versailles Palace, relaxing in the Versailles gardens, and window-shopping on the Champs Elysees instilled in me a constant feeling of excitement and satisfaction, since I was finally experiencing the city I have be learning about for much of my school years.

Along the Seine

After four amazing days in Paris, it was time to head to Barcelona. Although I was not ready to leave Paris, I was excited for what was to come. I knew absolutely nothing about Barcelona before going, which actually made the trip more exciting, because I had no expectations, and I came to the city with a blank slate, ready to just explore. Going from Paris to Barcelona was a dramatic change in pace. Paris is opulent, bustling, and uptight, while Barcelona has a calm, quirky and fun vibe. Barcelona was so relaxing because of its laidback atmosphere. Everyday we just walked around the city, discovering something fascinating and new. Unlike Paris, there was no itinerary and no race against the clock to see and do everything, it was all about exploring the fascinating mix of gothic and Mediterranean architecture, the flavorful Spanish food, the exciting nightlife and the beautiful beaches and landscapes. Barcelona is a filled with vibrant colors, from the bright colors of the impressive fruit market on Las Ramblas, to the bold colors of the Gaudi masterpieces in Park Guell.



On the beach in Barcelona



I had the best of both worlds on this trip. I fulfilled my dream of going to Paris where we played tourists, visiting all of the major points of interests and crossing things off our to-do lists. Switching gears in Barcelona, it was great to just grab smoothies at the fruit market everyday and lay on the beautiful, sunny beach, relaxing, talking and laughing about our great travel experiences.    

Shake the Glitter off Your Clothes Now...

...That's what you get for waking up in Venice!

Sun rising over Saint Mark's Basin

On Friday I boarded the night train with some friends from the program, arriving in Venice at 5:30 AM on Saturday, ready for a full day of celebration. We came just in time to ring in Carnevale, which officially started on Saturday. The Carnevale season started throughout Italy several weeks ago, but the actual celebration started in Venice on Saturday, February 26, and ends on Mardi Gras. During Carnevale in Venice, people dress up in extravagant costumes with elaborate masks and parade through the streets throwing confetti and attend masquerade balls and parties. Venice is already dazzling, but with the excitement of Carnevale all around, the atmosphere is incredible!

However, unlike New York, this city sleeps. When we arrived at 5:30 AM, the city was so dark and eerily quiet. Nobody was around, except for the occasional workers sweeping up confetti from the celebration the night before. Although the usually chaotic St. Mark's Square was oddly quiet, it was great to sit by the Grand Canal and watch the sunrise. We sat right by the water, in front of the gondola docks and waited for the sun to come up, watching as the dark night turned into shades of blue, then purple, pink, and finally the sun came out and lit up St. Mark's Basilica. Although I loved the excitement of the Carnevale celebration, the tranquility of the sunrise was a beautiful and relaxing way to start my marathon day.

View of San Marco from the ferry

After a long coffee break, we began exploring. There's not an overwhelming amount of things to do in Venice, but there's so much to see because everything is so beautiful. Each water-lined ally was more beautiful than the next, and the city is an incredible (and sometimes frustrating) confetti-filled labyrinth of waterways, bridges, alleys, and tiny piazzas. We crossed over the Academia Bridge and stood in the sun at the tip next to the beautiful Santa Maria della Salute church and watched the boats ride through St. Mark's Basin, in awe of the gorgeous Venetian panorama.

The island of Burano

By noon, the Carnevale kickoff was in full swing, with music, costumes, and parades throughout the streets. Katie, my best friend from home who is studying in Seville, Spain this semester, was in Venice for the weekend as well, and despite the absolute chaos in St. Mark's Square, we somehow managed to meet up! After navigating our way through the crowd, we ended up at the water's edge and got our ferry passes to go island-hopping. We went to Murano and Burano, two tiny islands off of San Marco, only about 15 minutes by boat from St. Mark's Square. The boat ride was beautiful. We enjoyed sitting out in the sun and watching the beautiful Venetian coastline and sparkling water. Murano is known for its glass art, so we got to see an incredible glass-blowing demonstration and marveled at the amazing creations in the stores. We then traveled to Burano, which is breathtakingly beautiful. The tiny island is like San Marco shrunk into a mile radius, except the houses are painted in crazy bright colors. It reminded me of the Bahamas, except these houses were bolder and brighter, and no two houses had the same color. A tiny canal ran through the town, and the residents in the colorful houses had brightly-colored boats to match. We just sat on the dock under the sun for awhile, with our feet hanging over the clear, sparkling water. Burano is truly a tiny piece of paradise.  



Wine fountain in Piazza San Marco



As the sun went down, we decided to head back toward the mainland and get ready for the official Carnevale kickoff. After a delicious pasta dinner at a little trattoria, we put on the masks we bought and headed with the crowds to Saint Mark's for the kickoff concert. The piazza was absolutely wild! Everyone was wearing crazy masks and costumes, and running around chanting, singing, screaming, and laughing. It was absolute chaos, but it I loved the sheer excitement! My marathon day in Venice was one of my favorite days in Italy so far! I was completely exhausted the next day but the great experience was definitely worth it, and coming home covered head to toe in confetti and glitter made it even better! 

Aperitivo con Andrea

For this program, we are required to take Italian everyday for two months, each month counting as a semester. There are only seven other students in my class and since we're together everyday for three hours, we're all pretty close to each other and our teacher. My favorite teacher was Andrea, who taught us last month. He's so enthusiastic, caring, and helpful, so he made daunting task of learning Italian enjoyable and not so difficult. Andrea is young, not too much older than us, so we could relate to him, and we all had so much fun in class. Unfortunately, everyone switches teachers after the first month, so while our class stayed the same, we no longer have Andrea. We don't see him that much anymore, but on Thursday we went out to an aperitivo with him. I went with Andrea and a few girls from class to Cafe Pompi, a restaurant, bakery, and gelato shop known for its great aperitivos and tiramisu. The aperitivo was delicious, and there was such a big selection of food. There were pasta salads, rice dishes, different types of quiche, various types of bread, tomato pie, and lots of different varieties of salad. It was a filling and delicious meal for only 6 euro. Cafe Pompi claims to have the best tiramisu in Rome, so of course we all had to try it! It was not only the best in Rome, but the best I've ever had! I think we'll all be frequenting Cafe Pompi from now on. The food was delicious and the company was great. It was so nice to catch up with Andrea and go out to dinner as a class. We're planning on making aperitivo with Andrea a regular occurence!