SALDI!





The first word I learned here was saldi, which means sale. We had just arrived in Italy and were on the bus going to the hotel. We passed tons of stores with SALDI signs everywhere, and it was a sight for sore eyes! Italian stores have two annual sales, a summer sale for the month of July, and a winter sale for the month of January, which I have been so fortunate to partake in! During a saldi period, all merchandise, except new collections, is up to 70% off!



Inside Coin

To say that the shopping in Italy is great is an understatement. There are stores literally everywhere, all over Rome and from what we saw of Florence. There are plenty of street markets that sell really cheap scarves, which are essential parts of Italian outfits and fashion. I mostly window-shop at small boutiques and designer stores, but I have made purchases at the few department store chains. OVS Industry is similar to a Forever 21 in terms of prices, but it also has health and beauty aids and home goods. Thanks to the saldi, I bought a cardigan for 5 euro and a shirt for 7! Coin is a typical department store, similar to Macy's. The prices at Coin stores are a bit higher, but they carry many different brands, several of which are American. Lastly, there's Upim, which is my favorite so far. As it is similar to a Target, walking into Upim was like my golden arch. The prices are really good and it has clothing, home goods, books, and health and beauty products. I have never been to La Rinascente, but it is quite upscale and appears to be like a Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, so I should probably steer clear in order to avoid the temptation!   

Mangia Mangia!

This weekend we stayed in Roma, which was actually really exciting because everyday when I go to and from school, my Rome to do list multiplies, so I was perfectly content to spend the weekend exploring my new city. On Friday night we went to a traditional Italian aperitivo in Campo di Fiori, which was glorious! An aperitivo is basically happy hour, but when you buy a drink that's a minimum of 5 euro, you get an all-you-can-eat buffet for free! Katie and I decided to try one of the restaurant's specialty beers, and since we had never heard of any of them, we went for the one with the best logo, which was La Chouffe, because it had a cute little picture of a gnome on the bottle. As a result, we learned to never judge a beer by it's cover! Despite the cute logo, the beer was pretty gross, but we got a good laugh out of it! However, the buffet was great, with tons of bread, pasta, and a wide variety of vegetables cooked many different ways. I only spent 5 euro for a delicious dinner, so I think aperitivos will become a Friday ritual for me!

Io parlo Italiano molto bene...

Although Italian is a beautiful and eloquent language, learning it here has been a challenge, to say the least. It's a difficult language to learn and it's a far cry from my second language, French. However, the Italians are very helpful when foreigners try to speak the language, because they appreciate the fact that we are attempting to learn a language that is spoken by so few people in the world. With three hours of Italian class everyday, the teachers told us from the start that the structure of these classes would be very different from the way we've learned languages in the past, and I immediately found that to be the case. The program emphasizes speaking, and places little importance on writing, since the goal is to quickly get us speaking Italian. Since this program focuses so on immersing us into the Italian language, our teacher has spoken to us only in Italian since day one. Naturally, since I came here only knowing how to say "ciao" and "grazie," this was very frustrating. I quickly discovered that learning Italian requires faith, patience, and a good attitude. I was so frustrated that we weren't getting vocab worksheets or learning grammar and sentence structures, but after just three weeks of Italian class, I can actually understand Andrea!

Living in a homestay is the best way to practice, but it's incredibly frustrating when Paola asks me questions and I have absolutely no idea what she's talking about. The first few days I felt so helpless and confused because I had never been in a situation like that before. By now, I understand most of what she says and I'm even able to carry a simple conversation with her! She's really impressed with my progress and I'm really proud of myself. I discovered that helping her cook is a great way to bond with her. When I told her I like to cook, she got really excited and she loves showing me around in the kitchen. Even though I still can't say a whole lot to her, just spending time with her in the kitchen is fun. The other night she needed to go out and get some bread for dinner and she asked me to come along. We walked to a bakery a few streets over, and she gave me a little tour of the neighborhood, showing me her favorite restaurants, shops, and markets. That trip to the bakery was really special for me because it was nice to spend time with her, and I she seemed to really enjoyed showing me around.

Firenze

This past weekend, I ventured to Firenze (Florence) with most of the students in the program. It was a great first trip out of Rome, but it was quite a whirlwind, as we were only there for a little over 24 hours. Since a lot of us have a class on Friday from 2:30 to 5:30, we decided to take the 8:15 AM fast train on Saturday morning, which got us to Florence at before 10. The moment we stepped off the train, we sprung into gear, attempting to cross everything off our Firenze bucket lists by our 1:15 PM train on Sunday.

After dropping off our luggage at the hostel, (I'd like to add that for the first time in my life, I packed extremely light, bringing only a backpack and a purse. My mom would be proud) we headed to the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Duomo. After looking around the church and seeing Brunelleschi's tomb, we embarked on our epic climb to the top of the Dome. I've been missing my daily trips to the Loyola gym, but forget the FAC, climbing those 463 steps was the best workout I've ever had! Since the basilica was built in the 13th century, the steps are very uneven and steep, with dangerously low ceilings. However, all the huffing and puffing and soreness were worth it, because the view of Florence and the countryside from the top of the Duomo was absolutely breathtaking! We also got a great view of the incredible, painstakingly detailed painting on the inside of the Dome depicting Heaven, Hell, and the life of Jesus. The Duomo can be seen over all the rooftops and because of its central location, it came in handy when we wanted to meet up with others in the group. 

Stephanie, Me, Katie & Trisha at the top of the Duomo

Our next stop was the Uffizi Gallery, the former Medici family residence, which boasts an overwhelming collection of ancient sculptures and paintings dating back to the 1200s. With famous works by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Botticelli, and Caravaggio, the Uffizi features thousands of paintings that depict mythological and Biblical events. It was fascinating to see the many different variations of the Madonna and Son paintings, and the famous "Birth of Venus." The Uffizi has the largest art collection I have even seen. There was art everywhere, and it took us an hour into visit to notice the frescoes on the ceiling!

The Ponte Vecchio

We then hit the leather markets and had an amazing dinner at a little ristorante near the Duomo. Fortunately, my first hostel experience was quite positive. Three of my friends and I shared our own room with a private bathroom for only 17 euro each for the night. The hostel was very clean and well kept with many amenities. Day two started with coffee and cannoli for breakfast in a little cafe off of the cobblestone streets near the Duomo. We then walked across the Ponte Vecchio and did some people-watching in the beautiful Piazza della Repubblica. We were all anxious to return "home" to Rome. Florence is beautiful, but we all missed Rome! That homesickness for Rome was actually comforting in a strange way, because it reaffirmed to me how much I love Rome, and I am proud that I am so comfortable in my new city. We opted to take the cheaper slow train back, but the four-hour ride passed quickly due to the beautiful Tuscan countryside that we passed through the whole way home.

San Pietro



My roommate Stephanie and I in front of San Pietro



Last Saturday, January 15, we left Italy for a few hours and ventured into a tiny neighboring country...Vatican City! With an area of only a few acres, Vatican City is the world's smallest country. It's amazing to think that I can travel to a different country just by walking a few blocks from school or taking the metro a few stops from my house! Although the country is so tiny, it is overwhelming to stand in the square facing St. Peter's Basilica (San Pietro). Although the square is enormous and there are tourists everywhere, the incredible beauty of the architecture takes your breath away and makes you feel like you're the only one standing in the middle, witnessing it all. 



View of San Pietro from PNAC



Outside of St. Peter's square, Vatican City is very mountainous, and it was quite a trek up to the Pontifical North American College, where we started our day. PNAC is the American seminary in Rome where seminarians from the United States come to study for the priesthood. Once their training is complete, usually after three to five years, the students return to dioceses in the United States and are ordained. The seminarians gave us a tour of their beautiful campus (which has an incredible view of the city from the rooftop garden) and cooked us a delicious American breakfast, a welcomed change to the tiny Italian breakfasts to which I am not yet accustomed. The seminarians also brew Dunkin' Donuts coffee, which was quite a treat, as the Italians prefer tiny cups of cappucchino or espresso, which just doesn't cut it for a coffee lover like myself. Over breakfast, the seminarians discussed with us ways in which to get more involved with our faith while in Rome. They invited us with open arms to their weekly Sunday Mass and brunch, an opportunity that I will definitely take advantage throughout the semester. Coincidentally, one of the seminarians graduated from my high school a few years before me and plans to return to the Archdiocese of Washington when his studies are done. It's amazing to think that I didn't know him at school, yet we met in Italy of all places!



After the wonderful breakfast at the seminary, we returned to the square, where Dr. Dawson, program director and Rome history and theology expert, gave us a fascinating tour of St. Peter's Basilica, which is by far the most amazing place I have seen in Rome so far. Here I realized, yet again, what an incredible opportunity this semester abroad is. Catholics from all over the world yearn to make pilgrimages to St. Peter's Basilica, and I have already been twice and can go back any time I want.

        

Stepping into the basilica is absolutely overwhelming. The sheer grandeur and size of the building took my breath away. Although it is the largest Christian church in the world, it was designed to look small and inviting, and oddly enough it is, once you let your eyes get used to everything. Everything about St. Peter's, every little detail, is beautiful and significant. The basilica was designed to be breathtakingly beautiful in order to attempt to convey God's beauty. The spot on the floor where we stood when we entered looked like just a part of the tile pattern, but it was actually the exact place where Charlemagne was crowned king after conquering Italy! The way Dr. Dawson mentioned these incredible facts with a "no big deal" attitude was hilarious. The nave of the church has statues of the saints who founded the religious orders, and I was thrilled to see a huge statue of St. Ignatius Loyola holding a book that says, "ad maiorem Dei gloriam," which is the Jesuit motto, and therefore Loyola University Maryland's, meaning, "for the greater glory of God." The hundreds of beautiful mosaics, sculptures, and altars made me marvel at the artists' and designers' brilliance. The geometric perfection of the colonnades and the way Bernini skillfully added movement and texture to his marble masterpieces is absolutely incredible. The trip to St. Peter's was so significant for me because everything I've learned at church and in theology and history classes came together. Stories from the Bible, the life of Jesus, and history all tie together to provide an incredibly moving and significant experience. Touring St. Peter's yet again reaffirmed why I came to Rome.     



Sculpture of St. Ignatius Loyola



Do as the Romans Do



The Christmas tree and Nativity scene at the Vactican



Ciao, greetings from Roma! I arrived in Rome on January 7, the last day of the Christmas season, so I was lucky to be able experience the festivities. Everyday while I pass the Colusseum on the way to class, I have to pinch myself because I can't believe I'm actually here (or as we say at Loyola, "is this real life?"). Everything about Rome is beautiful. Whether it's one of the thousands of breathtaking historical sites or monuments, or just an office or apartment building, everything in Rome has an old-world charm that I love.

I named my blog La Passeggiata after a common Italian ritual in which I hope to partake during my time here. In the evening, after work and school, the Italians like to stroll through the piazzas with friends and family members. They leisurely walk through the streets nearby and catch up with neighbors and friends, while enjoying the atmosphere. I love walking through Rome. Everyday is new and exciting here, filled with amazing sights, sounds, and tastes! Rome is so rich, and the best way to take it all in is to do what the Romans do, which is la passeggiata, leisurely walking through the city and enjoying the beautiful surroundings.

 



View of Rome from the Spanish Steps



The Italians are classy people and always look sharp. Why they are all so thin yet eat the world's best cuisine everyday still remains a mystery to me! However, the Romans do have a very healthy lifestyle, which I am enjoying. Rome is filled with little bars (lunch cafes) that have panini that are delicious and fresh, and cheaper than a mediocre sandwich at Loyola! My favorites are the caprese panini and pomodori and fromaggio tramezzini, which are toasted triangle sandwiches.

I live with my friend Stephanie from Loyola in our host mother Paola's apartment in the Centro Storico neighborhood, the historic center of Rome. Paola, a retired teacher, is a great cook, and makes a delicious and healthy three course meal every night. First is the pasta, my favorite, and Paola makes the best pesto I've ever had! The next course is meat and salad, usually Paola's delicious caprese salad, followed by the dessert course, which is always fruit at our house. She makes homemade marmelade that we spread on our bread at breakfast. Paola speaks very little English and I just started taking Italian, so communicating is a challenge, but a great learning experience. Learning Italian is difficult but it is an absolutely beautiful language.



Courtyard of the CUA Rome campus



I love exploring the city and seeing something new everyday. The program is in a great location, which makes getting around and seeing the sites very easy. The campus is close to the Vatican, and my host mother's apartment is a block from the Colesseum, and within walking distance to most of the major sites. Our Italian school is off of the Piazza Spagna, near the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. We walked through the Villa Borghese park during a break from class. Rome has a great metro and bus system that takes you everywhere, but despite the city's large size, everything is in walking distance. Rome is so rich with history and culture, I hope to make the most of every second here...when in Rome!