First let me start by going out of order and explaining the title of this post. I live next door to the pope now. Okay, maybe not literally next door. But, we are lucky enough to be living in a gorgeous apartment in Rome right now that just happens to be around the corner from Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica. Basically, we live right near the pope's apartment and some other "important people," according to our landlord. Essentially we're living right now in a high-profile neighborhood where all the tourists come to visit. Hello, civilization!
Ciao from Roma! Wow, I cannot believe I just said that. Nor can I believe that 1/3 of my study abroad experience has already come and gone. But Roma. I actually am amazed that I am even here right now, considering it has been a dream of mine for who knows how long. We got here today around 2pm after waiting around for our luggage at Fiuciumo Airport for over an hour, lucky enough that our stuff actually made it and that we had a van service waiting for us upon arrival. The IES Rome Assistant Director picked us up and rode with us to our new apartment in the heart of the city. She introduced us to our landlord who gave each of us a pair of slippers to wear on the hardwood floors and left fruit for us in the kitchen. We only had about an hour to unpack and get ready to go because we had orientation at the IES Rome center shortly after.
We walked with Arianna, the assistant director, to the IES Rome center which happens to be an even shorter walk than our one in Paris! The center is just over the bridge past St. Peter's Basilica, in a busy neighborhood, one filled with tourists this summer season. And may I say it is beautiful. The 4-story building has colorful rooms with echoey halls and an incredibly welcoming staff. Because it is the only center in Rome, whereas the one in Paris was one of two, it serves as a hub for the students who study there during both semesters of the school year and during the summer. That means when we go back on Monday, there will be actual students at the center. AKA people our age to interact with. Yay. We got our information packets, including a self-guided pizza tour (um, yes) and gelato tour (um, even more yes). Then upon realizing that none of us had eaten lunch due to airport stress, we walked with the center's academic coordinator to a bar where we got gelato...when in Rome, right? Here in Rome, bars are coffee shops or places to eat lunch, not nightclubs. So I got 2 scoops: stracciatella and tiramisu. And it was amazing. American gelato has seriously got to step up their game. And I was told that this is the "lower end" of Italian gelatos, so I know we are in for the good stuff later. I'm excited.
We then walked back (in the light rain) to the center, where we had a quick orientation with some of the staff members, including the center director who I am convinced would be my Uncle Dave in another life. Looks like him, talks like him, even acts like him. I know my family would be impressed. We then learned all about our classes and how the program curriculum would continue based on what we did in Paris. Waaaaaay different. But I am so excited. Here we actually only have 3 days of class each week, with the bulk of them being field studies and museum visits. On the first Thursday we have an official walking tour of the area and the next one we have quizzes. This coming Friday we are walking a historic part of town. And, because there are currently students at the center, we get to participate in some of the extracurricular activities going on here. There's going to be a cooking class, food tour, night at the ballet, etc. After orientation, we got down to the good stuff and took a walking tour of the neighboring area to our apartment and the center. Needless to say, I am in love. Within walking distance of our place we got to see the Piazza Navona and Pantheon. Places I have only ever seen in history books or in pictures that my friends took while they were abroad. This area is so cosmopolitan and historical that it amazes me how people live the way they do. It is beautiful.
After our tour, we sat down with our Rome professors at a local restaurant for dinner. They are awesome. And interested in getting to know us better, which makes this whole 3-student, 1 teacher ratio much easier. And after dinner, I cannot wait to eat like an Italian. As soon as we sat down, we were surrounded by the most appetizers that I have ever seen. And then pasta carbonara. And fruit salad with ice cream. I just ate my first true Italian meal and it was i n c r e d i b l e. After walking back from dinner and successfully navigating our way to the apartment, it's safe to say that I love Roma.
Now I'm sitting here in my room trying to figure out a few things: 1) why nobody in Europe uses air conditioning or heat, 2) why there is no netflix here (like, seriously, OITNB came out today), 3) and how people manage to walk the cobblestone streets daily without breaking their necks. Seriously, I'm amazed. But, until then, I'll be forever unpacking and learning to adjust to living in a brand new city. Wish me luck!
Addio, bella!
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