Appartamento

No, that's not my apartment. But aren't those buildings pretty?! I've tried to get a shot of the outside of mine, but every time I stealthily try to take out my baby blue camera and take a pic, someone walks by and says something in italian and I get nervous.

(this is my apartment! the kitchen/living/dining room)

(the makeshift triple which is sort of a double because alex and i literally share a bed)

(our kitchen-wall. Rome doesn't do microwaves or dishwashers)

(The view from one of our terraces)

It's not exactly the most updated apartment but it's pretty big and in a nice, neighborhoody area. We have an illy cafe right at the corner and a frutteria with great fresh produce down the street. And regardless, my little roman neighborhood beats living in the slums of college park any day.

Romeing Around

After a rocky start, the first weekend turned out to be a success. Saturday we went to a bbq at school, which, with the blaring techno music and mingling, was kind of like a day drink (wah I miss maryland). That night we actually made it downtown with a big group to go out to dinner at the restaurant of the chef who does cooking classes for AUR students. The food was delicious, so simple but just so fresh and well made.

(bruschette miste at Le Fate in Trastevere)

We went out after, first to some bar in Campo dei Fiori where you can drink all you can in an hour for €10, which (for those of you who would know) was almost exactly like the Mark. We went to a different bar after where a lot of american students go. It was kind of just like a night out in cp, except most people (mainly Italians) think we're obnoxiously loud and people don't understand personal space (really though, its unnerving).

(Vatican)

Sunday we took two busses and a tram to get to Vatican City. The architecture here is stunning. Everything, from the angel statues surrounding St. Peter's Square, to the fountains in the piazzas is just so detailed. We wandered down to the river and Castel Sant'Angelo, and I swear I was Robert Langdon from Angels and Demons. I'm like, in the movie. All the time. We walked pretty far into the center, to Piazza Navona (also from the movie, I was bugging out) and I got my first gelato here!

(Piazza Navona)

(Bacio gelato from Blue Ice, a gelateria chain throughout Rome)

I had my first day of classes today, international law and italian. I'll post about them tomorrow, as well as pictures of my apartment. Ciao for now!

Pizza & Piazzas

Ciao from Roma! We landed Thursday morning so early and got split up to be taken to our different apartments, which are scattered all around the outskirts of the city's center (which doesn't really make sense but whatever). Alex and I are in an apartment with four other interesting girls. I can't say they're exactly who I thought I'd be living with, but I'm being as open minded as I can. It doesn't really feel like we're living here for 4 full months, but then again I have only been here for like 72 hours. I think I cried for most of the day on Thursday, which is pretty standard for the first day away from home. Then we went and got pizza, which I can't say was as good as I thought it would be, but the guy gave the four of us a free bottle of wine, which is always nice.

(pizza/falafel from the first night)

Friday we had orientation at AUR (American University of Rome) for pretty much the entire day. The school is so teeny and in a really cute little part of town (Trastevere? Giancoli? I'm not entirely sure). It's only two buildings and has a nice patio out front which will be nice to sit and do work when it gets warmer (though it was like 55 degrees today, so nice). We tried to take the tram down to Largo Argentina, which is supposedly where all the good restaurants/bars/clubs are, but unbeknownst to us the trams weren't running because of a public transportation strike. Just so odd. So we took a cab down to Piazza Trilussa and ate dinner at a reallyy good place. 

(risotto ai funghi a.k.a. mushroom risotto with parmesan) 

Alex and I walked to AUR today just in case there's another bus strike on Monday. The walk was so nice and there are so many cute little cafes and gelaterias (which, believe it or not, are not gelato shops, they're like sandwich and coffee shops). Here's just a few more pictures for now!

(my very first Italian cappuccino at the cafe by school)

(Roasted pepper and mozzarella pizza from a place on Via G. Carini, so cool how they make it like a sandwich)

(view of the center from Trastevere)

      Let me preface this blog by saying that I don't relax, I shmy. My mom says it's a yiddish word, and the first website that pops up on google with you type in "shmy" says it is too. Shmying is an active, purposeful form of relaxation. Like painting your nails, or online shopping. Or doing weird meditation from an iPhone app. Or going to Trader Joes just to walk around. Shmy is also great because it's part of a family of other possibly-yiddish, "sh" words. Like "shmungy" (comfy clothes), "shpilkis" (chub), "shlubby" (sloppy/chubby), and "shvitzing" (sweating). 

      Back to my main point. While abroad in Rome, I plan on shmying around. Being who I am, I'll most likely make very specific itineraries for every trip/day/hour, but I'm going to try my hardest to shmy a bit. I want to wander and find cool, open-air markets and quaint little cafés. I don't want to be so scheduled. And anyway, I think Italians are more laid back than Americans are, so I guess I'll just do as the Romans do.