Bonjour Paris!

This post has been a long time coming.  I’ve been in Paris for about 2 weeks now, and it’s been  a whirlwind already.  I didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to find time to sit down at my computer and write while I have one of the most beautiful cities in the world right outside my window.  But here I am, and hopefully I can finish my last three weeks abroad with frequent posts to this blog.

So yeah, like I said, three weeks left.  That in itself gives me the most bittersweet feelings.  I can’t fathom that I’ve already been here for 12 weeks.  Where exactly did the time go?  It feels like it’s been a year since I’ve been in Rome, yet also like it’s been 5 minutes.  My amazing adventure is coming to a close soon, and I am so not ready for it to end.  In the last 3 months I’ve experienced things I never imagined I would, especially at my age.  If you asked me at this time last year what I would be doing right now, I probably would’ve imagined myself in New York, taking classes, eating (the always delicious) dining hall food, and holing myself up in my room to study.  Yet where am I?  I’m in Europe, taking classes taught by European professors, eating homemade gnocchi & tapas & macarons, walking 20 minutes and seeing the Eiffel Tower.  I would’ve never imagined this for myself, and studying abroad has become the best choice I’ve made yet.  However, no matter how much fun I’ve been having, I’m also really getting those feelings, you know, the homesick ones.  I miss my dogs, and my bed, and not having to pay for food (for real though), and most of all, my family.  Thanksgiving is coming up, and though I have absolutely incredible plans (you’ll see 😉 ) I know with the holiday will come a bit of homesickness as I imagine my family getting together to celebrate.  No matter though, I know I will see them in just 3 weeks, and I am going to spend my last moments here having the time of my life.

Moving on, what exactly have I been doing for the past two weeks that have made me just so busy I couldn’t post?? The list could go on and on.  One of the most wonderful things though, is that I got to spend my first full day in Paris with my dad.  He was in Germany on business for the week, and dropped in for a day of fun before he went back home.  I can’t even explain how grateful I am that I got to see him and spend the day exploring this beautiful city with him.  Though it went by so fast and was a short amount of time, we filled our day completely with sightseeing, delicious food, and unforgettable memories.  I’m so glad my first experience of Paris was with him, and hopefully we’ll be able to come back together again (and drag my mom along nex time of course!)

After my dad left, my first weekend here consisted of trying the cuisine, visiting bookstores, and attending mass at Notre Dame.  If you aren’t a book lover like myself, then these next few sentences may mean absolutely nothing to you.  However, within about a 20 minute walking distance stands one of the most famous bookstores in the world, Shakespeare & Company.  The store, began in the early 20th century, is known for allowing famous authors, such as Ernest Hemingway, to reside (yes in the bookstore) while they wrote.  It is now swarmed by tourists, yet it hasn’t lost any of it’s magic.  The store is completely stacked and packed with (English) books.  Whether it be classics, poetry, nonfiction, young adult, biographies, guides, or anything else you can imagine, the bookshop has it.  I found editions of books in there that I have never ever seen before in all my book-loving years.  It also has a whole section dedicated to first editions of hundreds of books, that unfortunately you cannot buy, but everyone is more than welcome to browse.  I haven’t yet bought anything as the books are a bit pricier than normal, but I can’t wait to come away with an unforgettable souvenir!

A couple Sundays ago, we also attended mass at Notre Dame, which was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve had yet.  The cathedral is absolutely massive, but breathtaking.  Though the mass was in French, and therefore impossible for me to understand, the fact that I was there made it unforgettable.  I thoroughly enjoyed attending the mass, and I hope to go back soon.  (I also enjoyed the crepes we got after 🙂 )

Throughout the week, I had to attend classes (lame I know), but in the free time I had, I ventured out to explore the city.  One day I went to the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris which is a beautiful park, where a couple friends and I stopped to have lunch.

 

I also manged to find a few shopping districts (of course) and explored.  One of my favorite stores is actually a thrift (more like consignment) store called Kilo.  It is jam packed with second hand clothes, some with amazing name brands.  The really unique part however, is that rather than the clothes having price tags on them, they have different colored tags.  These different colored tags all stand for a different price by weight (i.e. green is 20 euro per kilo, red is 30 euro per kilo,etc.) and you weigh the clothes you find to determine how much they are!  Sometimes it can end up being expensive, but if you find a really unique piece (i’ve found more than a few!), or a name brand clothing item the cheap price is astonishing.

 

Another grand shopping experience was when we visited Galeries Lafayette, which is somewhat comparable to a department store, except about 5 times the size.  It was absolutely beautiful, and we ventured here because of the fact it holds a Topshop within it.

Moving on to the more touristy attractions, my dad and I visited the Eiffel Tower while he was here.  We rode in an elevator all the way to the top, where we got the most breathtaking view of the entirety of Paris.  The height was a little nerve-wracking, especially as the wind was quite heavy that day, but it was something I never imagined I’d be doing.  We climbed down to the first level where we stood on see through glass floors that had recently been installed. You could look down, and see directly below you, about 100 feet down. It took some convincing, but I got my dad to stand on it too.

Glass floor!

View from the top

View from the top!

The next week my school took us to visit the Arc de Triomphe which was built by Napoleon. ( If you’ve never seen it or pictures of it, it looks like the arc in Washington Square Park in my other favorite city, New York)  Not only did we get to snap a few photos of it, but we also climbed all the way to the top.  That experience was interesting as there were not only tons of stairs, but said stairs were part of a winding staircase, all the way up.  The view made it completely worthwhile, as once again we got a perfect city view of Paris.

View from the top of the arc

Finally, a couple days ago we visited a district of Paris called Montmartre.  It consists of a beautiful Basilica and a more countryside feel.  In order to get there however, we had to walk through the Red Light district of Paris which was interesting to say the least.  Among the plethora of sex shops and cinemas, the famous Moulin Rouge stands with it’s giant red windmill attached to the top (a show costs 185 euro per person!).  As we walked a few more blocks however, we came upon quaint cafes and boutiques that made up a completely different side of Paris.  We traveled up the winding roads and came upon a huge basilica, The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, or Sacré-Cœur Basilica.  The Basilica was enormous with a huge dome resting on top that can be seen from various parts of Paris.

Love Wall

Basilica

 

Moulin Rouge

As you can see from most of the photos above, Paris is usually quite cloudy or even rainy.  But has a little rain ever hurt anyone?  I’ve been absolutely loving my explorations of this beautiful city, and I can surely say I am in love with Paris.  I won’t be ready to leave.  All in all I am so grateful for everything I am getting to experience and my sentimental side is really starting to kick in as the end to my adventure draws near.  I am planning on the next few weeks being the best yet, and I’ll actually be sure to share them with you.

 

Until next time.

I’m Alive!

First and foremost, let me apologize!  I know it’s been quite some time since I last posted which I am sorry for.  The process of traveling to a new country, getting adjusted to this new set of customs, and having to figure out things like scheduling, jobs, and internships had me stressed and busy. But no worries, I am back!

I currently reside in Seville, Spain, a small city in the southern region of Spain, known as Andalucia.  The city is beautiful, but quite different from Rome, which as I said above, was hard to adjust to.  The pace of life in Spain is very slow and relaxed, something we as Americans aren’t accustomed to.  The Siesta (yes, it is a real thing and does exist) occurs between 2 PM-6PM and was probably one of the biggest obstacles for me personally.  In this four hour period just about every store, restaurant, and pharmacy shuts down, creating some what of a ghost town vibe when you venture out on the streets.  I can’t say I particularly love this part of the culture, but that’s just plainly because I have never been someone that likes to slow down.  I moved to New York City for crying out loud!  But experiences like these, the Siesta and different style of living, are why I am so glad I chose to study abroad.  I am getting to experience these types of things first hand and decide for myself whether it’s my kind of lifestyle of not, which I think is incredible.

So now to what I’ve been doing over the last few weeks.  Spain is historic and beautiful in it’s own right.  I’ve been visiting their city center (many times may I add, because this is where all the shopping is! woohoo!), the many historical sites (like Christopher Columbus’ tomb!), and even took a weekend to travel to Portugal (but I’ll create a separate post on that).  I’ll talk about a few of the place I’ve visited below, so this post can maybe salvage some sort of organization.

 

The City Center

The city center is where my friends and I usually venture to when we just don’t know where else to go, because seriously, this place has just about everything.  There are are various historical structures to see in the center like the Cathedral and the Alcazar, but it’s also where modernity meets the history.  There are at least 4 Starbucks, a couple Burger Kings and McDonald’s, and even a Dunkin’ Donuts.  Fast food never was my thing, but it is somewhat comforting seeing these types of places when you’re nervous about the new country you’re in.  My favorite part (obviously) is the abundance of stores down the stretches of streets in the center.  International brands like H&M and Zara are located here, but also various Spanish clothing stores and boutiques.  I always have a blast venturing through the center!

 

 

 

La Catedral

La Catedral

Christopher Columbus’ tomb

La Giralda

View from the top

View from the top

The Cathedral of Seville is the third largest cathedral in the world and largest Gothic cathedral.  It is immaculate and ornate and houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus (I know, super cool!).  We took a tour of the Cathedral through school and were able to learn about the history the Cathedral contains.  Attached to this “Catedral” is La Giralda, which was built in the 12th century as a minaret, and is now a bell tower.  The structure itself is beautiful, but my favorite part of the tour and La Giralda itself, is climbing up to the top!  It’s quite a work out (about 35 steep ramps to get to the top), but the view when you arrive at the top makes it all worth it.  You can see for the landscape of Seville for miles at this specific locations and it’s absolutely breathtaking.

 

Alcazar

The Alcazar is a royal palace in Seville.  It is the oldest palace that is still in use in Europe, but it is actually only used for short periods of time.  Once again, we were able to tour this site with our school.  The palace is extraordinary, with beautiful mosaic tiles, open layouts, and picturesque gardens.  One of the coolest/most disappointing parts about our visit though was that Game of Thrones was using it as a filming location at the time!  We were all hoping to see some of the stars (we never did find any of them), but because of the filming, many of the sections of the palace were blocked off.

Game of Thrones set!

 Plaza de Espana

One of the most recent places I’ve been, and also one of my favorites, is Plaza de Espana. It was built in the 20th century and is found in Parque de Maria Luisa.  The Plaza is huge with buildings patterned in a semi-circlular format that now house Government agencies.  The architecture is magnificent and the Plaza even has a moat! Yes, a moat.  You can actually rent a boat to ride around the moat in.  Though it was a hot and humid day (90 degrees!), the walk and the heat were more than worth it when I was able to see the plaza, unlike anything I’ve ever seen befor

e. 

 

 

So my past few weeks in Spain have been fairly successful as you can see.  The weather has been hot, hot, hot, and mostly sunny, however being an Ohio girl, I’m craving some cold.  Seville has so much to offer in the forms of history and sites to see, and I’ve been making sure to see them all.  I have enjoyed my time here, but I must admit the slow pace is starting to get to me.  It’s making me all the more excited for my next adventure: Paris!

 

Arrivederci!

Similar to how I started this blog, I’m currently sitting in an airport waiting to board my flight to a new adventure in Seville, Spain. This is such a bittersweet time, because I am so excited to see more of the world and explore. But I managed to fall in love with a city in five weeks.

I started my time in Rome nervous and worried (as usual) about being in a new country, with a new language, and people I don’t know. If you would’ve told me a month ago I’d love Rome so much that I would be teary eyed leaving, id have said you were crazy. But it happened, I learned some of
The language; I ate some of the food; I immersed myself in a new culture; I got to know some of the people (and absolutely loved them). Overall, I began to embrace this new place and now I don’t want to let go.

Over the last five weeks I’ve seen some of the most historical sites in the world (seeing the Colosseum still seems surreal!), visited Florence, ate so much gelato and pasta I thought I was going to leave 5 pounds heavier, drank cappuccinos everyday at the same wonderful cafe everyday (I’ll miss you Il piccolo diavolo), and learned so much about culture and myself.

Though the first third of my semester and travels are already over, I am so excited to start my new journey and grateful I have the chance at all. Seville is going to be amazing, but Rome will always be special to me. I can’t wait to find my way back (soon hopefully!). So thank you Rome, and see you soon.

La Cappella Sistina

I’m sure you can all figure out by my super cool (not) Italian title what this post is about.   If the Italian is just too much for you, I went to the Sistine Chapel a couple days ago.   It was incredible, and magical, and completely surreal.

Let me just start by saying you can’t actually just go to the Sistine Chapel, at least not to my knowledge.  You actually have to buy tickets to the Vatican Museum, walk all the way through, and the very last stop is the Sistine Chapel.   Our trip started off wonderfully as we were able to get student discounts for our tickets and pay half price (and for a college student, this is the highlight of a day).  To be completely honest, museums aren’t my favorite thing in the world, but the entirety of this museum (not just the chapel) was amazing.  There were paintings dated back to sixteenth century and even earlier and entire rooms (yes rooms) painted by Raphael.  I can’t even draw a stick figure and these talented people could paint entire living spaces, by hand, with intricate designs and pictures. It’s astonishing and whether you’re a art/museum/painting person or not, you can’t help but be in complete awe.  I include a few pictures below.  You’ll also probably realize I’m weirdly fascinated with floors and ceilings, as that’s what most of these pictures are.

   

Ahh, and now for the moment you, and I, and every other museum goer is waiting for: The Sistine Chapel.  Let me start off by saying there were about 5 guards along the first 20 feet of the chapel directing all of us pesky tourists to the center of the room to avoid congestion.  Let me also say this chapel is small, a lot smaller than you probably think, so we were all packed in there like sardines.  A huge group of tourists, wandering a small room, staring up at the ceiling even more oblivious than usual is every Italian’s dream.  The uncomfortable lack of personal space was completely 100% worth it however, as you take 10 steps into the mob of people, look up, and realize you’re seeing one of the greatest masterpieces to ever be created.

According to Wikipedia (sorry, I had to find some historical context somewhere) there are over 300 figures painted on the ceiling of the chapel.  Every single one of these figures looks three dimensional and appears to be reaching out from the ceiling, which may have been the part that fascinated me the most.  As I found myself staring in awe at the ceiling I felt like I could reach out and be pulled up into the ceiling, or that one of the figures could be falling out towards me, and it was incredible.  The most unbelievable part of all of it was the fact that a person, just like you or me, painted this intricate masterpiece on a ceiling, with their hands.  Michelangelo painted the ceiling for four years and yet his talented hands created something that has lived on for centuries, and will continue to do so.  I will never forget the five minutes I had gaping at the most immaculate thing I’ve ever seen.

P.S. I hope you appreciate the couple pictures I got of the Chapel as I had to be sneaky to avoid the guards consistently reprimanding everyone for taking pictures and talking. I can’t tell you how many times I heard “Silenzio, per favore”  in those five minutes.

Firenze

Through my study abroad program I am traveling to three countries, and spending five weeks in each (as many of you already know).  One of the things everyone recommends doing is going beyond said travels, and planning your own weekends of travels. So that’s what I did last weekend.

Italy is such a beautiful country that I’ve always wanted to explore, and for this reason I want(ed) my travels in Italy to be visits to cities throughout Italy.  Last weekend my two friends and I packed backpacks of clothes and only necessary toiletries and rode a train to Florence, Italy.  What a trip it was.  We only ended up going from Friday to Sunday, but within those three days we learned so much about the history of Italy, explored a new city, and experienced a different part of Italy. We visited so many places, especially with the small amount of time we had, and had such an amazing time!

One of my absolute favorite things we did was go to the Galleria dell’Accademia.  Yeah, I didn’t know what the heck that museum was either.  Until you type it into google and find out that’s where the statue of David is on show.  The ticket was 11 euro, and though it is a bit pricey, not one part of me regrets spending that money.  I am not artsy at all, and honestly, museums usually bore me. But when you round one of the various corners of the museum expecting just another room of paintings, and instead find yourself staring at one of the most miraculous masterpieces in history, price doesn’t even cross your mind.  The statue was just as you’d imagine it.  Beautiful, incredible, and awe-inspiring.  With a sea of tourists surrounding me, I was stuck in a trance staring at this ancient structure.  How did someone not only create this, but create it with their hands?  How has it survived so perfectly for so many centuries? (Where is my talent? hehe) I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, and I honestly still can’t.  It’s something I will never ever forget, and something I recommend to anyone traveling to Europe.

Another unforgettable part of my visit to Florence was seeing the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, or the duomo as it seemed to be called by most Florence locals.  Though I didn’t make the climb all the way to the top (though it is highly recommended that you do so), the structure itself was beautiful.  This cathedral has a meticulous and precise facade that in itself is noteworthy.  As you continue to stare, however, you can’t possibly miss the gigantic dome on the back half of the cathedral.  The dome itself can be seen for miles, and stood to be our beacon whenever we didn’t know exactly where we were.

Besides seeing these two unbelievable sights, we walked the Ponte Vecchio, wandered (and got lost) the streets of Florence, ate great food, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.  The weekend flew by, just as it seems they all do, and I am so glad I got to visit such an amazing city. Our hotel was cozy and authentic (thanks mom and dad 😀 ) and we were treated so kindly.  (Oh and the hotel had a Lizzie McGuire movie-esque elevator.  Vintage and so cool!) So, Florence, thank you for such a wonderful weekend and I’ll be back soon.

Buon Appetito!

As I was reading my last couple of posts I realized I haven’t talked much about one of the best parts of Rome and Italy in general: the food.  Before I begin my unnecessarily, in-depth analysis of all things Italian food, I should say I have been completely trying to immerse myself in the Italian culture.  Other students studying abroad currently have begun to hunt down the few McDonald’s and Burger Kings located throughout Rome.  And to them I say, what the hell is wrong with you?  Italian food in the States was one of my favorites, but I now realize the “Italian” I had been eating at home was nothing in comparison to the real thing.  Here I will share some of my favorite Italian dishes (so far).  Please don’t judge too harshly.  I’ve noticed there seems to be three food groups in the Italian culture: sweets, carbs (always my favorite), and coffee.  I promise I walk a lot to (hopefully) work off the ridiculous amounts of unhealthiness I’m taking in.  But what a great place to put on a few pounds.

Gelato

Ahh. The gelato.  What a great food to start off with.  I have always loved ice cream, and more recently frozen yogurt (if you know me, you know why), but now I fear for myself.  How am I supposed to go back to eating regular old ice cream or froyo after I’ve had the wonderful masterpiece that is Italian gelato?  There are two gelaterias across the street from my campus (I know, how unfortunate).  Both are incredible and serve up so many varieties of flavors I could probably have a different combination everyday for the rest of my stay. The one thing I love most about the gelato I’ve had here is how fresh it all tastes.  You order mango gelato and it tastes like you’ve bitten into a frozen mango.  Some of my favorite flavors have to be said mango, pear & caramel (yes that’s one flavor), coconut, melon, pineapple, and my most favorite of all: peanut butter.  I continue to try all the different flavors offered and various gelaterias, and my lactose intolerance won’t keep me down.

Arancina

Arancini are of Sicilian origin and like most Italian cuisine, loaded with carbs.  They are rice balls. That have been fried. That have also been stuffed with some sort of filling in the center.  Can’t you just feel your arteries clogging? Though they are quite unhealthy, I absolutely love these!  My favorite one stands to be the ball stuffed with tomato, cheese, and basil.  The “rice balls” are decent sized, but oh so filling!  It’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before, and I most likely won’t be able to find anything similar again.

Pizza

I can’t be writing a post about my favorite Italian foods so far, and not talk about the pizza. The pizza here is actually not sold by the slice (that’s the Americanized version of pizza), but by weight.  As you can imagine,this can get very dangerous, and very expensive quickly.  It’s Sicilian style pizza, meaning it’s thicker and in a rectangular shape. You tell them what kind you’d like and they cut, yes cut, as in with scissors, a square of pizza off the larger pie itself.  You have to be assertive when it comes to the size you want or else you’ll end up with a piece of pizza the size of your head.  That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, except for the fact that they then weigh your slice of pizza and determine the price based on the weight.  There are many pizzerias around Rome and even just my school itself, and I’ve tried quite a few of them.  All of them are wonderful! My favorite pizza as of yet, however, would have to be a pizza that I ordered at a restaurant (and therefore wasn’t Sicilian style).  It was a “hot and spicy” pizza (the English translation they gave), and was absolutely mouthwatering!  The pizza itself was thin crust, with a spicy tomato sauce, cheese, and the BEST pepperoni (meat slices, not peppers) I’ve ever had in my life.  I managed to eat the entire thing, something I should be embarrassed about, but I don’t regret a single bite.

Pasta

This is my personal favorite.  By pasta I mean spaghetti, because pasta is actually the American term for noodles/spaghetti.  Here in Italy, pasta actually means pastry.  It still amazes me how one word can have a completely different meaning across the ocean.  Anyway, I’ve had “pasta” at least a few times a week, every week, and have been in heaven because of it.  I’ve had tortellini, ragu, gnocchi (one of my absolute, forever, all time favorites), and most recently carbonara.  The carbonara I actually had for the first time a couple nights ago at my new favorite restaurant in Rome.  The restaurant made the noodles fresh, and all the other ingredients seemed to be fresh as well.  After my first bite, I fell in love.  I still have about another three weeks here in Rome though, and I plan on trying as many different pasta dishes as possible before I leave.  I’m not quite sure how I’m supposed to go from eating these delectable dishes, to the “Italian” we have in America.

Coffee

And finally, we can’t forget the coffee.  I’ve been a coffee person for years in the States, but I now feel like I haven’t actually tasted anything close to coffee in my life until I tried it here.  Every morning my friends and I go to a cafe down the street and get cappuccinos, which by the way Italians don’t drink after 11 am.  We’ve been told many times if we order cappuccino after that time, we might as well write TOURIST across our foreheads.  Moving on, the coffee is unlike any I’ve tasted before (and so inexpensive!).  The espresso is so rich and strong, which makes any of the other coffee drinks they serve just as delicious as the plain espresso itself.  I’ve not tried everything yet, but the macchiatos, cappuccinos, and “caffe” (here when you order coffee, you’re given a shot of espresso) have already blown me away.  The cafe is one of my favorite places to be and I am so excited to explore more of the Italian take on my favorite drink.

So there you have it.  I’ve been immersing myself in the Italian culture and trying to eat and drink as the locals do, and I’ve been enjoying every second.  I’m anticipating exploring so much more of the cuisine, but I thought I’d share some of my favorite discoveries thus far.  I’ll be sure to keep my mind wide open, my taste buds prepared, and the foodie in me alive and ready.

8 Days of Rome

Wow. Rome. I’m here. 

 

I’ve officially been in Rome now for 8 days, and that in itself is a bit mind blowing.  The past eight days have been full of excitement, nerves, exploration, and just of the Italian culture in general.  I know it has been a few days since I’ve updated this blog, but I felt I really needed to focus on getting settled in and exploring (and overcoming jet lag) for my first week, and that is exactly what I did.  I am completely caught up with the time change and fully immersing myself in Italian lifestyle.  

 

As I said, the past week has been filled to the brim with exploration and new experiences.  Throughout the week I have come to realize how full of history this city is, more so than any other place I’ve ever been.  On one of my first nights here a few friends and I walked to the Vatican.  That’s right, I am able to WALK 15 minutes and see one of the most famous religious sites in the entire world.  I cannot even begin to describe how it felt.  It was one of those surreal moments where you can’t even comprehend what it is you’re seeing.  I had only seen pictures or read about the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, and then to actually see something so magnificent in reality didn’t seem believable.  I have yet to actually go inside St. Peter’s Basilica, because as you can imagine it’s a HUGE tourist attraction and we did not have the time that day to wait in line. I do plan on going back as soon as possible, though and fully experiencing the Vatican.

 

 

A few days later (after a wonderful shopping trip) we walked about 30 minutes and stumbled upon the Pantheon, an ancient Roman structure.  I must include that it sort of popped up out of nowhere.  We walked down a couple winding side streets, and all of a sudden came upon a large plaza with this immaculate structure within it.  The city of Rome was built up around the history that lies within it.  The Pantheon is one piece of history and stands to be one of the best preserved ancient Roman buildings, so well preserved in fact that if you didn’t know what it was you most likely would never guess how old it actually is.  Being the great tourist I am, I stopped to read the blurbs throughout the structure explaining it’s history, and I learned if today we tried to recreate the Pantheon (including it’s incredible domed top), using the same tools used when it was first built it would be nearly impossible.  Nearly impossible with all the technology we currently have, yet the Romans were able to manage in 126 AD.  Oh and did I forget to mention it is also used as a tomb? The painter Raphael’s tomb is within the Pantheon as well as composers, queens, and kings. These types of things are oh so common here in Rome, yet I am completely in awe every time.  

 

 

 

Finally, one of the many perks of traveling with my university is that they take us on excursions to tourist destinations, and even better, they cover the cost!  Our first trip was to Tivoli, a town outside of Rome, and within, Villa d’este.  The villa used to belong to Cardinal d’Este in the 16th century, and is now a historical site in Italy.  The villa itself is absolutely gorgeous, with intricate paintings on the ceiling and architecture that is to be marveled over.  My favorite part however, would have to be the “backyard”, although as you’ll see in the pictures following, it’s a backyard like none you’ve seen before.The gardens behind the villa contain hundreds of fountains and pools of water, supplied by the river, all continuously running.  It is one of my favorite places I’ve visited yet, and was otherworldly.  (You may recognize some of these fountains from the Lizzie McGuire Movie, which made it even better in my opinion 😉 ! )  You MUST visit at least once in your lifetime.

 

 

So yes, I have already seen some wonderful things in the 8 days I’ve been here, and I am so excited to see more!  I have begun to learn a bit of Italian and have tried many new things.  One of my favorite parts of Rome is the food!! (And the COFFEE!!!!)  I love spaghetti (not pasta. In Italian, pasta means pastry!) so being able to have it whenever I want has become a bit dangerous. I had my first bowl of genuine Italian gnocchi and it was to die for!  And don’t get me started on the gelato. 🙂 (Pear & caramel? Who thinks of such strange, yet tasty combinations?) The Italian meal times take getting used to however, as dinner time is at about 9 PM, so sometimes hunger gets the best of me before then.  The coffee is also a favorite of mine, but it is not coffee as we are used to in America.  When going to a cafe and asking for a coffee, you will receive a tiny cup of espresso.  Most of the time we stand at the bar to drink these, as it’s supposed to be a quick stop and go.  It’s wonderful but so strong!! I’ll stick to my cappuccinos for the most part 🙂 Fun fact though: Italians only drink cappuccinos before 11 AM.  If you order one after that, you might as well wear a sign that says “NOT FROM HERE”.  

 

As you can see, I’ve begun to learn a lot about the Italian culture and I am eager to learn even more! I know this post was a jumble of photos and anecdotes and food, but there is so much I want to share!  My first week in Italy has been absolutely magical and I am anticipating even more magic to come.  Until next time!

 

Arrivederci!

Ciao, Roma!

I’m here! I made it. It took one car, 2 buses, and 3 planes to get me from home in Ohio to Rome but I finally arrived. What a trip it was!

First, I arrived at my second flight too early. I know what you’re thinking. How could I possibly be too EARLY for a flight? Because my airline’s checkin didn’t begin until two o’clock and I had arrived at 11:30. But oh well, early is better than late! I finally got through to my gate and was greeted by two small birds eating off the floor at my gate! I was more than a little shocked as it’s not an open air airport, and when I told someone about the odd guests the employee looked at me like I was dumb to think that wasn’t a normal occurrence. Okay i learned my lesson. However, not only did a bird greet me, but also a small, screaming child. (If you know me you know children are not my favorite, especially the screaming ones). The boy was running around the gate, jumping on chairs, and telling gibberish. I was having the time of my life and was oh so happy when they boarded a different plane. What I did not know then was that my 7 hour flight to Dublin was going to be filled with kids,
One of which cried about every other hour. Though my travels were not the smoothest or most luxurious, they were an experience I’ll never forget!

After all my hours of travel, I am currently laying in a bed and not an uncomfortable airplane chair. We just finished our first day in room exploring and starting to learn about the culture. The building we’re staying in is absolutely gorgeous and historical and oh so Italian. I’m looking forward to exploring this beautiful city!

Until next time!

Dear Mom & Dad

Dear Mom & Dad,

I’m sitting at my plane’s gate only hours away from starting my semester abroad. Though this is quite a public forum to be doing this, I think it’s necessary and just right. This goodbye (hard and sad) is definitely part of my study abroad experience. And people do need to realize how incredible you guys are 🙂 Before I start my crazy adventure there are definitely a few things I feel I need to say.

First, thank you. Thank you for letting me do this. Thank you for making me feel like I could handle this. Thank you for helping me prepare for this. And thank you for pushing me to do this. I’m traveling to Europe to study for a whole semester. How many people my age get to say that? And it wouldn’t have even been a passing thought without you guys. I’m able to take a trip like this because of the fact I was blessed with you as parents. You support me and made me remember how amazing this experience really is when I began to forget that (amidst my mental breakdown a few days ago). With you guys backing me, I feel like I can do anything.

I know this is going to be hard for you. It’s hard for me too. I hate leaving you guys. You’re always my hardest goodbye, but I’m kind of grateful for that. It stands to prove the strength of the relationship we have. A relationship I’m so thankful for and I value more than anything. I know you’re anxious and worried and don’t know what to expect but I want to tell you I’m going do my best to make your fears for me unwarranted.

I’m determined to make the most of this trip and I want you guys to make the most of your time too. Of course I’m going to miss you and I do adore your attention 😉 but try not to fret about my being abroad the whole four months I’m gone. A hard feat for parents, I know, but please try. I’m always going to wish I could share some of the moments I am going to have with you guys but I already can’t wait to tell you all about them when I come back home. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures in Ohio too.

Overall, I just wanted to thank you and for you to know how lucky I feel to have you. I have a mom who was with me every step of the way preparing for this trip, even though she was absolutely dreading and hating my leaving. And a dad who was just as present and did little things like drop me off at the airport and send me an email giving me advice for my time abroad, putting some of my fears to rest. I’m definitely forgetting things to say right now but I hope you can at least feel some of my gratitude from this post. I’ll miss you guys more than you know and I already can’t wait to see you four months from now.

Much love,
Emily

Tick Tock

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” – William Penn

 

T minus 3 days until I embark on an unforgettable journey to Europe and time is all I seem to be able to think about.  I have three days.  Three days to pack (nope, i haven’t started). Three days to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for the travels I have ahead.  Three days to get back into school mode.  Three days to say goodbye to my friends and family.  Three days to completely ready myself to go off on my own once more.  Three days feels like infinity, but also like no time at all.

 

I haven’t only been thinking about the time left, but also the time that has already passed.  I came home mid-May, excited and comforted about being home.  Now, I find myself mid-August readying myself to say goodbye again.  DId three months really pass, already?  I can’t be the only one asking myself this.  Fellow students whether they be escape-ready high school grads, anxious soon to be HS freshmen, or even kids about to start their very first day of school must be wondering what they did with this summer.  We probably all wish we would’ve devoted a little less time to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit marathons (or maybe that’s just me), and a lot more time doing things we’ll actually remember ten years from now.  Let’s not forget about the parents too.  Parents saying goodbye to their now college students; goodbye to their scared teen on their first day of high school; goodbye to their kid now somehow old enough to go to school all by themselves.  Parents and students alike have to be wondering where exactly the time went, the summer and the last few years of their lives.

 

I personally still can’t believe I graduated high school a little over a year ago.  I don’t really mean this in a bad way, seeing as I didn’t particularly enjoy high school, but in a “Oh my gosh how am I old enough to be a high school graduate?” kind of way.  For at least the last five years of my non-college schooling experience all I wanted was to be done.  I can name on one hand the amount of teachers I actually liked.  I liked my dogs more than I liked most people (and still do), and let’s not talk about my school spirit, or lack thereof.  My high school years were NOT the best of my life, and I am more than okay with that.  But looking back, I wish I could tell my young self to slow down.  Cliche and cheesy I know, but so true.  I wish I would’ve gone to a few more basketball games, taken school dances a little more seriously, joined one more club, but most of all I wish I would’ve stopped wishing the time away.  Not so much because I regret how my high school experience was, because I don’t at all, but because now I’m out of high school and so much closer to actually being an adult which I find I am not quite ready for yet.  I want a few more years living with my family in my house that I grew up in, spending time with my best friends, and definitely a few more years before I have to completely fend for myself.  Time, which seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace at the time, has flown by and I can’t get any of it back.

 

So, enough of my boring, cheesy, emotionally-packed, completely uncharacteristic Emily post. This time flying shit sucks, but so does AP Calculus and reading Frankenstein, and I somehow found it within myself to get over those things, so I think I can manage (though it will be a terrible struggle) doing the same again. All I know is that for the forthcoming years, especially my impending trip, I am not going to wish my time away.  I’m going to spend it exploring, and trying new things, and doing all the things I’ve always dreamed of doing.  I hate that time goes so fast, but I know I am so lucky to have this time at all.