10/15 - 10/24

10/15 - Monday

I didn't know what to do with myself besides study for midterms today. We all had off and people were away for the 3 day weekend. So I basically just spent the day studying, eating somewhere in the city, and chillaxing.

10/16 - Tuesday

We went to the Forum Julium and walked around that area of Rome for the rest of the class. In Italian class, we were learning about Sapienza University of Rome and we were going to go there Friday.

10/17 - Wednesday

We finally had our first final presentation for my advanced italian class - our first oral project. We had to present on the area of Monti in Rome, off the Cavour metro stop & interviewed my friend Sarah's host mom.

10/18 - Thursday

For philosophy class, we went to the Altemps Museum near Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori.

10/19 - Friday

For italian class, we met at Piazza Aldo Moro before we walked onto the Sapienza University campus.

10/21 - Sunday

I woke up really early for the canonization mass, which was ridiculously crowded. There were so many people there. We were stuck outside St. Peter's square for a solid half hour before we were allowed to go through security. It was packed with people when we FINALLY got in. Everyone, from young to old, religious life or married, speaking different languages, wearing different clothes -- it was a huge mess of people in St. Peter's. The mass started at 9:30am and went on for 3 hours or so. The closer noon time came, the hotter it got in the square. People previously reserved seats for themselves, so there were only so many. The rest of us had to stand. Police were everywhere, Cardinals and bishops were coming through the crowds of people. It was a huge mess...

but was absolutely worth every second, which is difficult to keep telling yourself when you're melting in the noon sun in the middle of St. Peter's Square, literally 200m from the Pope.

Pictures and videos will be posted on FB!

We didn't even stay for Eucharist, unfortunately. By noon, we left, after giving the sign of peace. Then I went to get food nearby with a friend and we went back to St. John's to continue our studying.

10/22 - Monday

Absolute hell. I was too anxious about my Liturgy exam at 2:30pm, but I had my Philosophy class at 10am, right before it. So naturally, I was dying of anxiousness during the class. Thankfully, the test ended up being easy...I mean, I think I did well.

I also went to the supermarket to pick up some food for the next week and a half. But apparently every time I go to the store to buy something, there's some kind of issue...first it was the toilet paper incident. Now this time...

I was in line to pay, my items sprawled out on the assembly line (which is unusually small here). The cashier is giving change to the woman ahead of me. A woman 2 people behind me is holding a bottle of alcohol and saying something to me that made me stare at her blankly. It sounded like one long word that I didn't understand, though it WAS italian. So, thinking she was asking if it was my item left behind on the assembly line, I told her in italian "that isn't mine, it's not for me". She looked at the guy behind me in line, chuckled, then I asked if she could repeat what she said. She wanted to go in front of me so she could pay for her bottle of alcohol, since it was only one thing she needed to pay for.

Now I look like the stupid American...every. time. I go. to the store.

10/23 -  Tuesday

For my Roman History class, we went to the Ara Pacis which was gorgeous. It's a glass building with this huge marble/stone section of a sacrificial table. It includes pictures and inscriptions of Augustus and his family. It's quite interesting. The building is quite small and there aren't many things to see so I don't totally know if it would be worth it, but if you're a history buff or if you feel you need to see everything Rome has to offer, then go see it.

While we were outside the Ara Pacis, waiting for silence so my professor could talk, was an Italian man on his vespa with his cell phone tucked into the right side of his helmet. Left hand controlling the vespa, right hand covering the phone so he could hear. UN-BE-FREAKING-LIEVABLE! Why they never get stopped here for that crap, I will NEVER understand! Yet in America, for texting while driving, you can get your license taken away, plus a fine! @#$%^&!!!

Then the opera! We went to see La Gioconda, an amazing Italian opera. The opera house was off the metro and a (maybe) 4 block walk. We sat up high, all dressed up - it was a handful of us who just felt like going to see an Italian opera IN ITALY. So naturally, I got all dressed up (thank GOD I brought a really nice dress with me!) and off we went! Having an hour to spare before the curtains opened, we went for drinks together to a bar nearby and stopped for gelato which held most of us over.

There were tons of people at the opera! Some dressed up..very expensively...and some not so much. There were box seats and the all-too-familiar nosebleed section. But I think I saw the most amount of English speaking people at the Italian opera with no subtitles. Ironic?

I understood practically everything that was going on, given 2 or 3 mixups with names and plot stuff. I was translating for my friend Tracy, who sat next to me asking every 30 minutes or so what was happening. Just so she understood.

Being a huge fan of Italian opera, I loved it! It wasn't the best Italian opera I've seen, but it was great! I loved having no English subtitles (the only subtitles were in Italian on an electronic board over the stage). I loved the atmosphere, the music, the dancers...it was fantastic! For once, it was an experience that made me feel like I wasn't a student. I was actually a part of all this...I was immersed in Italy...in it's fullness!

10/24 - Wednesday

Roman History midterm...ugh.

10/25 - Thursday

Philsophy midterm...it's over. Freedom & my well deserved 10 day break BEGINS!




BRING IT ON, ITALY!