Friday, August 24
The first orientation day! I woke up early & walked over to the hotel. But I ended up getting there a minute or 2 late because I couldn't find the main entrance to the hotel, so I snuck in the back way. I met up with my friends & met the faculty that are helping us out for the semester. I went with Dr. V (one of the head faculty in Rome). He led a huge group of us through alleyways and small areas around the city. We got bus tickets and started using the bus system. We walked around the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. We had dinner at a restaurant around the corner from the Colosseum. I had mozzarella, tomato & herbs as an appetizer. The main course was rice with a delicious red sauce. And then I had a plate of mixed fruit for dessert. I also had wine, which was their own personal brand that they make themselves. It was delicious! Everyone else had pasta and tiramisu, but I obviously couldn't eat that. Then we all took the bus back & walked back to the hotels.
Saturday, August 25
I woke up extra early to move into the same hotel the students were staying at since I was staying at a B&B I reserved for myself because I arrived earlier. I moved into the hotel & then we were off to do more exploring! We walked to the Italian language school, ItaliaIdea, right near the Spanish Steps. There, we all had presentations/lectures on the housekeeping stuff - safety policies, money, etc. We also were given a crash course on how to take the metro/buses. We went out for lunch to a simple little place down the street. They make healthy stuff there so I bought a little plastic container of rice & vegetables. It was very good. Then we went back to our classroom for more information on living in Rome. After that, we walked back to the hotel & quickly changed for mass. We took a bus to the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le mura (Saint Paul outside the walls). I took a ton of pictures which are on FB. The basilica was absolutely gorgeous! Everyone was floral or gold-encrested. It was especially gorgeous around the time we got there, which was about sunset & the sun was shining right on everything. The whole courtyard was amazing! After mass, we went to a pizzeria/restaurant for dinner. I had a huge ball of mozzarella cheese for an appetizer. After that was a huge bowl of salad with tuna & a ton of others things (tomatoes, olives, etc.) for the main course. I didn't have dessert because I was so full, but I had some glasses of wine! After dinner, we went back to the hotel. Some people went out to the local bar after we got back, but I was so tired & full that I just went to sleep - lol.
Sunday, August 26
I woke up, showered, and had breakfast at the hotel. I packed & checked out of the hotel. After that, I left with a bunch of friends to walk (with all of our things) to the campus. We left our things in another room and went to our classroom, where we filled out our permesso di soggiorno applications (which are the size & length of a TerraNova test BTW)! I went out with friends for lunch down the street to the bar (of food, not drinks - confusing in Rome with all these damn "bars"), which is probably my favorite because a woman named Pina works there. She and her husband run the place & they are big fans of ItaliaIdea students because we can practice our Italian with them. They are very sweet people.
I went back to the classroom after lunch for a quick lecture for homestay students. I was meeting my homestay mother & I was really nervous. But I was the 3rd or 4th student to leave, of the many that are doing a homestay semester. I was waiting and waiting and waiting...and then Rosa came! She is very sweet and extremely animated. She speaks Italian & knows very little English, but I understand everything she says. Somehow. We took my luggage and walked to her apartment in Prati, which is about 10 blocks (a 15 minute walk) from campus. Her apartment is 14 years old, one of the oldest buildings in the city. My room is huge. HUGE. I have tall double doors that lead to my room. I have 2 dorm-sized closets on one side of my room. I have my own balcony that looks over the city from the 5th floor, and since I have to get up between 7.00 and 7.30 every day, it's absolutely gorgeous watching the sun come up.
However, there are a ton of strange things about Italians. They are very sensitive about random things. One of them is shoes inside the house. When I come home, I have to change my shoes at the doorway. Rome isn't exactly dirty, but it is very VERY dusty. The whole city is covered with dark dust. So if you were to walk around the city in sandals or flip flops, your feet will definitely be black by the end of the day. You have to wash your feet or shower entirely if this happens because you are not allowed to stain your bedsheets with dirt. Nothing happens if you do, but that just means you have to do laundry, which is difficult in Italy. Very very few Italians have dryers. They usually wash their clothes in a washer (which only takes a certain amount of clothes per load, much smaller than in the US). Then they dry their clothes by hanging them outside their windows. Hot water is also a big deal in Italy because it's really expensive, along with electricity. You must take a short hot shower, no longer than 10 minutes. I just wet myself, stop the water, soap myself, and wash off. It saves the hot water & is much easier. You cannot leave a light on when you leave a room. Ever. I can't even leave my little desk light on in my room when I take a shower. When you go to the bathroom in the toilet, you have to use a brush to push down your waste. You also cannot use a lot of toilet paper. In Italy, the toilets have much less water. The amount would not even fill a regular sized water bottle. Therefore, if you use a huge amount of toilet paper, it will get stuck & it causes a whole ton of water problems and other damage.
Italians also have a fetish with windows. They open their windows (ALL of their windows) at least once every day. They think it's more natural and fresh. They believe that this will "air out" the house, which completely makes sense. But if you leave the windows open when you leave the house, you will get yelled at. I can't even leave the ceiling fan on in my room when I leave. And there's no air conditioning. That's rare too. They only have fans, but they are left off during the day. So my room is usually hot at night when I'm sleeping. I sleep with only a sheet, though, so it isn't too bad.
I have zero internet at Rosa's apartment. Zero. She has no computer. Her doctor told her it causes bad eyesight and she has some healthy problems, so she doesn't want decreased eyesight due to a computer screen. But she'll sit 2 feet from her tv - go figure! So I do all my emailing, blogging, Facebooking, etc. at the main campus in the computer lab - which is where I'm ranting about all this from.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Italian lifestyle. I think it's a lot more cautious & healthy & natural, but it was just a lot to take in on Sunday night when she ranted to me in fluent Italian for an hour and a half. It's a lot of new information.
Monday, August 27
I had my first class at 9.30 - Liturgical Art & Architecture with Dr. V. However, we met "on site", meaning that we met at the famous place in Italy for class. Not in a classroom. We had to meet at Piazza Venezia at the Column of Trajan. I thought it would be easier to take a bus, but after realizing that the 5 buses I just waited for won't take me to Piazza Venezia, I decided to try the metro. (This was all after getting lost trying to find a bus stop near campus since I've never walked from Rosa's to school.) I had to ask around for help, but it was fine. A nice man who worked for the metro system helped me get to where I needed to go. I was 10 minutes late, but it's better than never.
Later I had lunch at the food bar outside ItaliaIdea. And then I took my placement test, which I was super nervous for! But I placed into where I'm supposed to be - advanced level. I placed into 211 here in Rome, which will fulfill my 201/202 credits for my Italian minor! Yay! Then I had ItaliaIdea course orientation for a couple hours. They told us what to expect - that classes would be entirely in Italian, with absolutely no English. Which is perfectly fine with me, considering Rosa speaks only Italian and I know everything she's saying. But since I wasn't able to finish the placement test, I had to finish it after orientation and missed the walk around the neighborhood of ItaliaIdea. So I just took the metro back to campus, went online to check my stuff, and walked home for dinner with Rosa.
Tuesday, August 28
Yesterday, I had my Philosophy class, my Roman History class & my first legit Italian class. Philosophy was just housekeeping stuff - what to look forward to, etc. My Roman History class met in the classroom. We went to a site later, to Musei Capitolini in Campodoglio above Piazza Venezia. The pictures I took are gorgeous. We entered the museum and saw these ancient artifacts that were dug up. There was so much information I had to absorb in that class, so I don't know where to start...
We talked about Romulus and Remus, the birth of Rome, the Bronze Age, the Iron age, Marcus Aurelius, and so SO much more! I apologize if the pictures are a bit blurry. The lighting was not good in certain places & some of the museums and famous places in Italy will NOT let you use a flash on your camrea - especially in churches & museums.
August 29, 2012
August 23, 2012
Roma: Day 2 - Evening
Nothing too extraordinary happened tonight. I'm currently sitting on my bed in my hotel room watching a music video channel, which has already played "Oh Love" by Green Day & "Celebrate" by Mika. Apparently Italians are into decent American music. It isn't just on tv either. They play American/English music from restaurants too, which loudly belts out for the drivers to hear.
I just got back a little while ago from Castel Sant'Angelo, which is a lot bigger than I thought. I wasn't feeling too well today, but I took a long nap and decided to get some fresh Roman air. I walked around the Castel Sant'Angelo. I didn't go inside today though. I went when the sun was setting. I walked around. Tons of tents are set up during the day, selling food, gelato, books, jewelry, posters, other keep-sakes, and clothes. There were tons and tons of vendors around the Castle. I leaned over the bridge and took photos of the river. A couple had just gotten married and their wedding photos were being taken on the bridge when I was crossing - lucky me! They were gorgeously dressed & too cute!
I bought a huge salad & brought it back to the hotel to eat because a bee chased me out of my chair by the bridge.
Checkout my photos on Facebook!
I just got back a little while ago from Castel Sant'Angelo, which is a lot bigger than I thought. I wasn't feeling too well today, but I took a long nap and decided to get some fresh Roman air. I walked around the Castel Sant'Angelo. I didn't go inside today though. I went when the sun was setting. I walked around. Tons of tents are set up during the day, selling food, gelato, books, jewelry, posters, other keep-sakes, and clothes. There were tons and tons of vendors around the Castle. I leaned over the bridge and took photos of the river. A couple had just gotten married and their wedding photos were being taken on the bridge when I was crossing - lucky me! They were gorgeously dressed & too cute!
I bought a huge salad & brought it back to the hotel to eat because a bee chased me out of my chair by the bridge.
Checkout my photos on Facebook!
Roma: Day 2 - Morning
My B&B manager, Raul, informed me when I checked in that breakfast is from 8-10am. So I set my alarm this morning for 7:15am, took a shower, got dressed & went to breakfast a little after 8:15am. Besides Raul (who makes breakfast for us), I was the only person there for a little while. So we spent the morning talking (in Italian) about the first day in Rome & what I did. He turned on the news and we spent the morning watching the news - all in Italian.
Raul & I discussed what we were watching - mainly news about the economy. How high gas prices are in italy - which is 12 euro al litro. There was also a ton of news about soccer (calcio) which didn't interest me at all. There was news about this woman Merkel, who has apparently been named the world's most powerful woman. Second is Hillary Clinton. There was news about the wildfires in Italy and the weather, which is EXTREMELY HOT. I think that summarizes what I watched this morning.
I asked Raul what Italians eat for breakfast. He said a pastry of some kind and a cappuccino. Instead of a pastry, since I told him I can't eat bread, he brought me some cheese & prosciutto. I asked him the name of the prosciutto and he told me that it depends on the color mainly. Prosciutto rosso, prosciutto rosa. Red meat, pink meat. The slices were small, like bacon, except they weren't crunchy. The pink prosciutto was thinner and tastier than the red prosciutto. The cheese was white, wrapped in plastic. Like Kraft single slices. Except they tasted like real cheese, not that gross oily stuff in plastic. And I had 2 little cups of cappuccino, which were good. A basic Italian breakfast. Una colazione buona!
During breakfast, a man & woman came in to eat. They were from Ireland, outside of Belfast. They came for the woman's birthday. I also met a young woman from Australia. We spent a while talking to each other about traveling. She told me she was from Perth and was leaving today to fly home. She told me she spent 6 weeks traveling, 3 days in Rome. She told me how she went to Croatia before coming to Italy. She explained how much she loves to travel. She said she's been to Asia, Indonesia, and South America. We talked about languages and she told me that in school, they learn Indonesian, which I think is strange. She never had a choice of choosing a language to learn like I do, choices between French, Italian, Spanish, etc. She was taught Indonesian in school but told me it's useless because most of the people, mainly in Bali, are Aussies (which sounded like Ozzies when she said it, but then I caught on). She told me that she's planning to travel to North America & the US next year so I told her where to go. She hopes to drive cross country through the US next summer - one of my goals in life, but not during the summer I think.
When talking about Italy & Rome, she was completely jealous that I was living here for 4 months. Her mother is Italian and Italian was her mother's first language so this young woman learned some of it, but it was entirely dialect. So it's difficult for her to use in Italy. But she was really sweet. I wished her luck in her travels.
Raul & I discussed what we were watching - mainly news about the economy. How high gas prices are in italy - which is 12 euro al litro. There was also a ton of news about soccer (calcio) which didn't interest me at all. There was news about this woman Merkel, who has apparently been named the world's most powerful woman. Second is Hillary Clinton. There was news about the wildfires in Italy and the weather, which is EXTREMELY HOT. I think that summarizes what I watched this morning.
I asked Raul what Italians eat for breakfast. He said a pastry of some kind and a cappuccino. Instead of a pastry, since I told him I can't eat bread, he brought me some cheese & prosciutto. I asked him the name of the prosciutto and he told me that it depends on the color mainly. Prosciutto rosso, prosciutto rosa. Red meat, pink meat. The slices were small, like bacon, except they weren't crunchy. The pink prosciutto was thinner and tastier than the red prosciutto. The cheese was white, wrapped in plastic. Like Kraft single slices. Except they tasted like real cheese, not that gross oily stuff in plastic. And I had 2 little cups of cappuccino, which were good. A basic Italian breakfast. Una colazione buona!
During breakfast, a man & woman came in to eat. They were from Ireland, outside of Belfast. They came for the woman's birthday. I also met a young woman from Australia. We spent a while talking to each other about traveling. She told me she was from Perth and was leaving today to fly home. She told me she spent 6 weeks traveling, 3 days in Rome. She told me how she went to Croatia before coming to Italy. She explained how much she loves to travel. She said she's been to Asia, Indonesia, and South America. We talked about languages and she told me that in school, they learn Indonesian, which I think is strange. She never had a choice of choosing a language to learn like I do, choices between French, Italian, Spanish, etc. She was taught Indonesian in school but told me it's useless because most of the people, mainly in Bali, are Aussies (which sounded like Ozzies when she said it, but then I caught on). She told me that she's planning to travel to North America & the US next year so I told her where to go. She hopes to drive cross country through the US next summer - one of my goals in life, but not during the summer I think.
When talking about Italy & Rome, she was completely jealous that I was living here for 4 months. Her mother is Italian and Italian was her mother's first language so this young woman learned some of it, but it was entirely dialect. So it's difficult for her to use in Italy. But she was really sweet. I wished her luck in her travels.
August 22, 2012
Roma: Day 1
Everyone is going back to DC for school. And where am I? Chilling in my hotel room. In my underwear. In Rome. How awesome! (There's a reason I'm in my underwear, don't worry. I'll cover it later. No pun intended.) I flew out of NY around 8pm on Tuesday night. I got through security and all that just fine - thank GOD. I got my ticket, got my seat, got my blanket & pillow, got my little tv all set up. We're ready for the runway when the captain says we have to go back because they miscounted and forgot a passenger. FORGOT A PASSENGER. They had his/her luggage, but he/she was not on the plane. So lucky little me had to go back to the docking area and sit for another 30-60 minutes.
Prior to my flight, I also lost my passport. I woke up at 9:30 on Tuesday freaking out because I thought I didn't have all the paperwork I needed. I called my poor friend Shannon before 10am (sorry, Shannon) & we spent a good hour or so freaking out to each other over the phone. I was so fed up in the morning that I just wanted to curl up in a ball in my bed and cry until it was ready to leave, but I couldn't. So I manned up...and went to the gym - lol. I sweat all the stress off so when I got home I just showered, took a nap, and I was better. Much better. But packing and re-packing and re-packing is just aggravating on so many levels. (I found my passport. It was under my copier cause I was trying to make copies, but something went wrong & I completely forgot. Yeah, thanks Kiera.)
So my flight took off. Unfortunately for me, I was in the center section of the plane. Ya know, that stupid section of 4 or 5 seats that can't see anything outside...ever?? Yeah, I was there. And some guy and his girlfriend came in after me. He put both their bags up and went to sit down next to me when his girlfriend yelled at him in Italian & got all fussy because she didn't want him sitting next to me. Smut. I don't care, more room to sleep for me. But they thought I didn't speak Italian. So when she was yelling, I was asking if he wanted help putting the bags up and her jaw dropped - lol. If you want to see an Italian woman mad, make it look like you don't know when you're talking about. Then talk to her man in Italian paragraphs. It's hilarious!
She was so fussy for the whole 7-8 hour flight that he felt bad for her. So they were making out 2 seats next to me. And when I mean "make-out", I mean every. thirty. seconds. Without breathing. I wasn't sure whether to be impressed or be the third-wheel.
Landing in Rome was nice. And hot! OMG is it hot here! That's why I'm sitting in my underwear writing this! I got my luggage & found my driver, Marco. And sweet baby Jesus, are these men gorgeous! My driver Marco was dark-haired, tan, adorable. We spoke (in Italian) on the way to the hotel. I asked him if he had always lived in Italy and what his favorite part of Rome was. He told me that he's always in lived in Italy, in Rome specifically. His favorite part of Rome is il centro, or the main city/center. Where all the life is. He also recommends going to Trastevere for happy hour - lol. Ya know, cause the drinking age is 16 now ;)
Then I got to the hotel, which is a bed & breakfast. But whatever - I call it a hotel. I met the main guy, Raul, who is also tall, tan & gorgeous. He gave me a map and told me ALL of the places to go to in Italy. They're all in walking distance, which is excellent. After taking a long nap, I went off to walk around the blocks nearby. There are a TON of shops. Tommy Hilfiger & The Body Shop are 2 places I already know from back home. But I thought there would be a lot more food places. If all else fails, there's a McDonald's down the street - lol.
(Please checkout all photos from today on my FB page. Album "Doing as the Romans do!")
Prior to my flight, I also lost my passport. I woke up at 9:30 on Tuesday freaking out because I thought I didn't have all the paperwork I needed. I called my poor friend Shannon before 10am (sorry, Shannon) & we spent a good hour or so freaking out to each other over the phone. I was so fed up in the morning that I just wanted to curl up in a ball in my bed and cry until it was ready to leave, but I couldn't. So I manned up...and went to the gym - lol. I sweat all the stress off so when I got home I just showered, took a nap, and I was better. Much better. But packing and re-packing and re-packing is just aggravating on so many levels. (I found my passport. It was under my copier cause I was trying to make copies, but something went wrong & I completely forgot. Yeah, thanks Kiera.)
So my flight took off. Unfortunately for me, I was in the center section of the plane. Ya know, that stupid section of 4 or 5 seats that can't see anything outside...ever?? Yeah, I was there. And some guy and his girlfriend came in after me. He put both their bags up and went to sit down next to me when his girlfriend yelled at him in Italian & got all fussy because she didn't want him sitting next to me. Smut. I don't care, more room to sleep for me. But they thought I didn't speak Italian. So when she was yelling, I was asking if he wanted help putting the bags up and her jaw dropped - lol. If you want to see an Italian woman mad, make it look like you don't know when you're talking about. Then talk to her man in Italian paragraphs. It's hilarious!
She was so fussy for the whole 7-8 hour flight that he felt bad for her. So they were making out 2 seats next to me. And when I mean "make-out", I mean every. thirty. seconds. Without breathing. I wasn't sure whether to be impressed or be the third-wheel.
Landing in Rome was nice. And hot! OMG is it hot here! That's why I'm sitting in my underwear writing this! I got my luggage & found my driver, Marco. And sweet baby Jesus, are these men gorgeous! My driver Marco was dark-haired, tan, adorable. We spoke (in Italian) on the way to the hotel. I asked him if he had always lived in Italy and what his favorite part of Rome was. He told me that he's always in lived in Italy, in Rome specifically. His favorite part of Rome is il centro, or the main city/center. Where all the life is. He also recommends going to Trastevere for happy hour - lol. Ya know, cause the drinking age is 16 now ;)
Then I got to the hotel, which is a bed & breakfast. But whatever - I call it a hotel. I met the main guy, Raul, who is also tall, tan & gorgeous. He gave me a map and told me ALL of the places to go to in Italy. They're all in walking distance, which is excellent. After taking a long nap, I went off to walk around the blocks nearby. There are a TON of shops. Tommy Hilfiger & The Body Shop are 2 places I already know from back home. But I thought there would be a lot more food places. If all else fails, there's a McDonald's down the street - lol.
(Please checkout all photos from today on my FB page. Album "Doing as the Romans do!")
August 19, 2012
Off my chest
It's fine. I'm okay & alive. I made it. I'm not hurt. I never cried. I sat back and watched him screw up, took all those punches to the face. I just took a deep breath and absorbed everything he threw at me. He was a poser, a perfect liar, and a cheater. He was busy running back to the girls who fell for all the lies, who got into his bed so easily. He was busy running back to his ex-girlfriends, ex-hookups, and ex-lays. But I was never one of them.
I caught him on his crap because I'm tougher than that. I worked hard & played hard. I built myself up from the base...again. For the third time. I gained muscle. I gained heart. I gained the fresh blood I needed in my veins that the anger unleashed. I gained speed & agility. I gained spirit & ability. I broke that bridge and built a new wall.
I'm worth it. I'm not a sick little girl anymore. I am no one's toy. I'm healthy, built, and pure. I'm a beauty with a devilish side. I'm cute & intense. I'm a swimmer who transformed into a runner, a "land creature". I am faith in all things. I am love to those who are desperately deserving for mine. I have built back up & entirely restored what he constantly tried to destroy - my heart & soul.
But no more of that. I've moved on - to new people, new places, and new things. To being bold & in the moment - with delicious food, thrilling events, and flirty men. I am creativity & adventure at its best. I am a survivor of dbags & heart-killers, and promiscuous men with marked scores on their fingers. I am a dancer, a lover & a unique beauty. I will remain that way, no matter how many men try to screw me. I don't fall for those lies because I see right through them. No wonder happiness never finds any of these men.
The only difference between him & I is that I will be happy one day with a ring on my finger. And his list will grow longer & longer with the drunken, one nights with hoes that don't matter.
I caught him on his crap because I'm tougher than that. I worked hard & played hard. I built myself up from the base...again. For the third time. I gained muscle. I gained heart. I gained the fresh blood I needed in my veins that the anger unleashed. I gained speed & agility. I gained spirit & ability. I broke that bridge and built a new wall.
I'm worth it. I'm not a sick little girl anymore. I am no one's toy. I'm healthy, built, and pure. I'm a beauty with a devilish side. I'm cute & intense. I'm a swimmer who transformed into a runner, a "land creature". I am faith in all things. I am love to those who are desperately deserving for mine. I have built back up & entirely restored what he constantly tried to destroy - my heart & soul.
But no more of that. I've moved on - to new people, new places, and new things. To being bold & in the moment - with delicious food, thrilling events, and flirty men. I am creativity & adventure at its best. I am a survivor of dbags & heart-killers, and promiscuous men with marked scores on their fingers. I am a dancer, a lover & a unique beauty. I will remain that way, no matter how many men try to screw me. I don't fall for those lies because I see right through them. No wonder happiness never finds any of these men.
The only difference between him & I is that I will be happy one day with a ring on my finger. And his list will grow longer & longer with the drunken, one nights with hoes that don't matter.
August 18, 2012
August 10-18
Last weekend was great because it was the last few days of my Bingo job with my other coworkers - Fabio, Steve & Izzy.
Friday night, I went with Fabio & Izzy & a few other guys to see The Dark Knight Rises, which was pretty good. Saturday we worked Bingo with Steve. Sunday after mass, we went to Bahama Breeze for lunch & worked after.
Monday-Thursday was the last week of office work for me! Wednesday was my last day of Bingo & Thursday ended office work. I had lunch with my co-workers & had a lovely week!
Friday night, I went to Starbucks at the mall with Amber. We walked around, briefly shopped, had dinner & ended the night. This morning, we went to the gym together - briefly, thanks to my once-a-month friend. Sad panda...
But I'm seeing her again Monday at the gym before I leave for Italy! :)
Friday night, I went with Fabio & Izzy & a few other guys to see The Dark Knight Rises, which was pretty good. Saturday we worked Bingo with Steve. Sunday after mass, we went to Bahama Breeze for lunch & worked after.
Monday-Thursday was the last week of office work for me! Wednesday was my last day of Bingo & Thursday ended office work. I had lunch with my co-workers & had a lovely week!
Friday night, I went to Starbucks at the mall with Amber. We walked around, briefly shopped, had dinner & ended the night. This morning, we went to the gym together - briefly, thanks to my once-a-month friend. Sad panda...
But I'm seeing her again Monday at the gym before I leave for Italy! :)
Packing List
I feel like I've spent the last week packing. I have to make sure all my clothes are clean, of course. So I've been doing laundry all week & throwing Italy-worthy clothes into my suitcase. I'll actually pack them in tight the night before I leave. I currently have 3 days until I leave for Italy! Tuesday night I'm leaving from NY. I'm getting into Rome early than my friends. I am bringing 1 big suitcase & 1 carry on. Here's what I've currently packed:
My carry on (tentative as of 8/18 @ 9:15pm):
- 1 pack of cleansing wipes (for makeup removal/can't shower on plane)
- 1 soap dish w/1 bar of soap (still in box)
- 1 extra bar of soap (still in box)
- 1 first aid baggy w/bandages, tylenol/advil/midol, tissues & neosporin
- Baggy of 4 bottles (3oz) filled: 1 of perfume, 1 of 2in1 shampoo/conditioner, 1 of face lotion, 1 of body lotion
- 1 baggy of bathroom supplies: tampons/pads, toilet seat covers, travel roll of toilet paper, razor, floss, toothpaste, eye drops
- A little baggy of extra makeup (that I am not currently using) & small inexpensive jewelry in case I have a glamour emergency - which won't happen but it's Italy and those women are dressed to kill 24/7 (this includes earrings/necklaces)
- A little baggy of snacks
I am also packing deodorant, makeup, face wash stuff & hair stuff later because I need those things until I leave for the airport.
My suitcase (which is currently a battlefield, tentative as of 8/18 @ 9:15pm):
All of my baggies are plastic sandwich bags. If I sound like I'm forgetting anything that I might not currently be using, let me know.
My carry on (tentative as of 8/18 @ 9:15pm):
- 1 pack of cleansing wipes (for makeup removal/can't shower on plane)
- 1 soap dish w/1 bar of soap (still in box)
- 1 extra bar of soap (still in box)
- 1 first aid baggy w/bandages, tylenol/advil/midol, tissues & neosporin
- Baggy of 4 bottles (3oz) filled: 1 of perfume, 1 of 2in1 shampoo/conditioner, 1 of face lotion, 1 of body lotion
- 1 baggy of bathroom supplies: tampons/pads, toilet seat covers, travel roll of toilet paper, razor, floss, toothpaste, eye drops
- A little baggy of extra makeup (that I am not currently using) & small inexpensive jewelry in case I have a glamour emergency - which won't happen but it's Italy and those women are dressed to kill 24/7 (this includes earrings/necklaces)
- A little baggy of snacks
I am also packing deodorant, makeup, face wash stuff & hair stuff later because I need those things until I leave for the airport.
My suitcase (which is currently a battlefield, tentative as of 8/18 @ 9:15pm):
- 2 bottles of spray sunscreen
- 1 pack of cleansing wipes
- 1 deodorant stick
- 4 boxes of soap
- 2 baggies of extra shampoo/conditioner/lotion/perfume
- 1 baggy extra deodorant/makeup/hair ties
- 1 baggy extra toothpaste/razor/wash cloth/q-tips
- 1 baggy school supplies: pens, pencils, highlighters & crayons
- 1 baggy extra supplies: white-out, batteries, post-its & tissues
- 1 pack of cleansing wipes
- 1 deodorant stick
- 4 boxes of soap
- 2 baggies of extra shampoo/conditioner/lotion/perfume
- 1 baggy extra deodorant/makeup/hair ties
- 1 baggy extra toothpaste/razor/wash cloth/q-tips
- 1 baggy school supplies: pens, pencils, highlighters & crayons
- 1 baggy extra supplies: white-out, batteries, post-its & tissues
- Clothes
All of my baggies are plastic sandwich bags. If I sound like I'm forgetting anything that I might not currently be using, let me know.
August 8, 2012
....and the reason is you.
Reason:
It seems we have reasons for everything. Reasons for coming or going somewhere. Reasons why we fall in and out of love. Reasons to say yes. Reasons to say no. There are many, many reasons for everything in life. Reasons why we do what we do. Reasons why we do right things or wrong things. Many, many reasons.
There is a reason I'm leaving the country in 13 days. There is a reason I am going to Italy and nowhere else. There is a reason for everything I do. There is a reason I am single, why I have red hair, & why I will be 20 years old in a few weeks. There is a reason why I write this blog & why I love helping people. In fact, there may even be more than one reason for all of this.
There is also a reason my grandma is in the hospital again this summer. She passed out in her kitchen and was rushed to the ER when she awoke and called the ambulance. There is a reason her health is not well. I don't like it, but that's life. People come and go. People love you and hate you. People build you up and hurt you. But people also live and die. It's a fact everyone needs to accept. The when or how are irrelevant.
I'm nervous that my grandma will die while I'm in Italy. That's the only thing that concerns me. If it does happen, I won't be able to come home because airfare is expensive. But, naturally, I'm hoping for the best. Hopefully she can wait until Christmastime when I'm home again. Maybe she'll be able to hold out for me. Maybe she'll hold out for 10 years, or 10 seconds. I don't know. I just have to deal with life as God directs it.
But there's a reason for everything. There's a reason I have changed small things about myself since I've been home for the summer. There's a reason I cannot be with anyone right now. There's a reason I spend all day working in my office, or at the gym, or in my room wrapped up in a book. There's a reason for all this.
Life is difficult, yes. No one ever said that life would be simple. So I try to find the simple in life. The growing my own herbs and vegetables in my backyard. Eating simpler & healthier. Reading constantly (I'm almost done with my 7th book of the summer!). I constantly keep myself busy so I don't think negatively. I also have some amazing friends who I hang out with constantly so I don't have to worry about the stupid little things. I can't let anything ruin my experience in Italy. If my grandma dies, I'll thank God for her even more than I do now. And I'll Skype the funeral I guess. But I hope she's okay.
I can't be with anyone because this is a very exciting and emotional time for me. I can only hope that my friends will remain good friends and keep in contact with me while I'm away. I'm very nervous for this and I don't want to be held back. I have had many people ask me out to dinner or a movie, but I just cannot be involved right now. I'm taking this time for myself and I want to experience this journey as a personal reflection. I cannot be held back by jealous boyfriends, etc. I need to experience everything in the Italian lifestyle for myself - which includes meeting Italian men and drinking alcohol. These things will be new and difficult, especially since I need the language practice. I can't have an overprotective guy hovering over me every 5 seconds. I need to breathe the Italian life & "do as the Romans do!" ;)
Please pray for my grandma. Thank you :)
noun
1. a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.: the reason for declaring war.
2. a statement presented in justification or explanation of a belief or action.
3. the mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences.
4. sound judgment; good sense.
5. normal or sound powers of mind; sanity.
It seems we have reasons for everything. Reasons for coming or going somewhere. Reasons why we fall in and out of love. Reasons to say yes. Reasons to say no. There are many, many reasons for everything in life. Reasons why we do what we do. Reasons why we do right things or wrong things. Many, many reasons.
There is a reason I'm leaving the country in 13 days. There is a reason I am going to Italy and nowhere else. There is a reason for everything I do. There is a reason I am single, why I have red hair, & why I will be 20 years old in a few weeks. There is a reason why I write this blog & why I love helping people. In fact, there may even be more than one reason for all of this.
There is also a reason my grandma is in the hospital again this summer. She passed out in her kitchen and was rushed to the ER when she awoke and called the ambulance. There is a reason her health is not well. I don't like it, but that's life. People come and go. People love you and hate you. People build you up and hurt you. But people also live and die. It's a fact everyone needs to accept. The when or how are irrelevant.
I'm nervous that my grandma will die while I'm in Italy. That's the only thing that concerns me. If it does happen, I won't be able to come home because airfare is expensive. But, naturally, I'm hoping for the best. Hopefully she can wait until Christmastime when I'm home again. Maybe she'll be able to hold out for me. Maybe she'll hold out for 10 years, or 10 seconds. I don't know. I just have to deal with life as God directs it.
But there's a reason for everything. There's a reason I have changed small things about myself since I've been home for the summer. There's a reason I cannot be with anyone right now. There's a reason I spend all day working in my office, or at the gym, or in my room wrapped up in a book. There's a reason for all this.
I can't be with anyone because this is a very exciting and emotional time for me. I can only hope that my friends will remain good friends and keep in contact with me while I'm away. I'm very nervous for this and I don't want to be held back. I have had many people ask me out to dinner or a movie, but I just cannot be involved right now. I'm taking this time for myself and I want to experience this journey as a personal reflection. I cannot be held back by jealous boyfriends, etc. I need to experience everything in the Italian lifestyle for myself - which includes meeting Italian men and drinking alcohol. These things will be new and difficult, especially since I need the language practice. I can't have an overprotective guy hovering over me every 5 seconds. I need to breathe the Italian life & "do as the Romans do!" ;)
I just bought another book for myself for Italy. I need to read up on everything. I also need to put my contact book together and finish up little things before I leave on the 21st.
Please pray for my grandma. Thank you :)
August 6, 2012
2 more weeks!
Only 2 more weeks left and I'm super excited! I basically have everything I need, I just need to pack it up which might pose as a challenge. But it's worth it! I've started re-studying my Italian, just to refresh myself. I'm getting together with tons of friends before I leave, I'm mainly seeing 3-4 friends a week which is crazy! I have a ton of "last days" coming up, especially at work and I'm having my simple family birthday celebration the night before I leave. I know I haven't written much in a while but I've been so busy, running all over the world for copies of things and for work. For now, I'm back to working out at the gym every day after work. But I also have to start working on my Italian. I'm also still working on my list of what I need, but I will put that up for those of you who need it!
Have no fear - I cover everything for my "packing list" in great detail :)
Have no fear - I cover everything for my "packing list" in great detail :)
August 5, 2012
15 Days Left!
I have created my list of everything I need for Italy - at least all I can think of. I'm reading the 3rd book of the 50 Shades Trilogy, which hopefully I will have finished before I leave. But on Thursday, I ran a 5k in NJ. I've been training since June almost every weekday - doing 3.5 miles. A 5k is 3.1 miles. I ran this 5k with my older brother and younger sister. Of the 3 of us, guess who came in first? I did :) I ran 3.1 miles in 31:33 (31mins & 33 seconds!) which was a huge goal for me since I'm not a runner at all. But it was fun and I had a ton of people cheering me on. Next year, I'm aiming to do a triathlon - a beginner one. Start small :)
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