Just got back from trip. Exhausted- will post photos tomorrow :)

Everything is going great. I have completed three weeks of class. Just starting to have homework/papers. I turned in an Italian paper ALL in italian. I was so amazed that I could actually put to work all of the skills I have learned! Next week will be very stressful. It is midterms. Already. Half way mark- eek!!

Last night a few girlfriends and I got a few bottles of wine and went to the Spanish Steps and had a great time. We just sat on the steps, took pictures and people watched. It's little things like that that make this trip wonderful. On the way to the steps we had 5 or 6 people take pictures of us. Men here are creepy!! Although, we were wearing dresses and skirts it was still not something that would typically happen in the US. Sunday is a Canonization. I wont be in town but it seems like a lot of people are going! There are tons of Australians here because the first person ever from Australia is becoming a saint. The other day my friend Tayler and I were walking by the bakery and this couple was looking at everything and we recommended things and they asked us how many times we've been there. Embarrassing, but I'm okay with that. How this relates to what I was just talking about? The couple was from Australia. Ha.

Tonight for dinner I had a burger!! I have been craving one since I got here. Although it was good, it wasn't a Station burger, that's for sure!

Tomorrow morning - at FIVE am- I have to wake up, leave for the train station. Train leaves at 6:10 and we arrive in Cinqueterre at 9 or something. Cinqueterre is 5 towns all in a row on the coast. They're gorgeous looking and I will definitely be posting lots of pictures!! Bed timeeeeee, goodnight!

Megan (from NY), Megan (from Chicago), Me and Madelyn (Chicago) all on the Spanish Steps

                                                    All of the girlsssss

                                               I guess I know why they were taking pictures....

                                                This is where I am going this weekend !!!

Assisi!

Today was another one of those days. We had a trip planned to Verona today. Earlier this week we bought a Eurail pass for 163 euro. This means on 6 different days throughout the next two months we can travel throughout Italy for free. Well Verona is 7 hours away so we paid an extra 10 euro to book a seat on the fast train which is only 3 hours. So today we woke up at 6 am and got on the bus and arrived at Termini Station at 7:10. We decided we'd buy our return ticket there to get it over with. So we get there and it was sold out. He said the only tickets available were the 1st class (for 45 euro more) or one for 10 euro that had a connecting stop in Bologna. We chose the 10 euro one and went towards our train. No idea what train it was, someone found out terminal 5. We went there when we looked at our tickets and mine and Katelins said October 9th. Mind you today was October 10th. Everyone elses says October 10th. We ask the conductor what to do. That was no help because the language barrier was way to intense. We had no time to run back and get a new ticket. So we got off the train and all of the girls came with us. We went to the ticket place and demanded our money back for our tickets. She said we can only refund tickets that have been purchased within an hour.We all got to return our tickets from Verona-Rome. I still think it was completely rude of them to give us the tickets for the wrong day and the woman stated "after we print it and hand it to you it is your problem". Awesome.

Okay, Phew. Yesterday we went to Tyrrhenian Sea. Here is a picture of Madelyn, Me, Megan, Katelin and Taylor on some rocks at the Sea.

Instead of Verona we ended up going to the Vatican!

Last weekend we visited the Colosseum. 

Friends, Katelin, Megan and I at the Colosseum.

Katelin, Megan, Me and Gabby went on a walk and had a great view of the city.

Repeat:

Watching Gossip Girl. Show over. Hear a flapping noise. Look up. BAT. Scream. Yell for Gabby. Run for help. Little Spanish man comes in with broom. Looks for 10 minutes. Finds it. Whacks it out like he's playing baseball. We are saved. The end.

Update:

Caroline comes back from dinner. Gabby says "there was a bat in the room!". Caroline asks if it's gone. Gabby says "yes I haven't seen it and shut the window". Caroline hesitantly lays down for bed. Gabby turns off light and tells Caroline goodnight. Simultaneously, bat swoops low over Caroline's bed. Gabby runs to bathroom. Caroline hides under covers. Gabby opens bathroom door and shrieks. Caroline thinks bat is on her. Spazzes. Caroline peeks out and sees bat on window curtain. Gabby says stay still. Caroline disregards Gabby's comments, JUMPS out of bed and sprints to Megan, Madelyn and Kaitlin's room with corny in hand. They laugh hysterically. Gabby and Caroline go get Mrs. McHugh.  She gets out of bed. Follows Caroline and Gabby to 305. Grabs a broom. Swats at everything. No sign of bat. Caroline and Gabby sleep on neighbors hardwood floor. Where is the bat? We'll never know.To be continued......

My Oh My.

Lately it has been hectic! That would be an understatement. Sunday authorities posted a Terror Advisory in all of Europe. I was glued to my computer watching videos and articles about how Europe will be attacked and it will be much like the attacks in Mumbai, Indiana. Which some of those took place in hotels. Mind you, I'm living in a hotel. Yeah. Freaking out. My friend Megan and I couldn't even walk down the street without freaking out thinking people with bookbags could be suicide bombers. Then we get a letter in our mailbox saying if theres a loud ticking noise, or unattended packages, steer clear... So the next day I was over it and went shopping with Tayler... every where we look... boxes and packages. so petrifying. needless to say we got what we needed and came back to the hotel.

also last night Katelin, Megan, Tayler, Madelyn and Gabby and I decided we are going to Verona Sunday! Yay!!

I will write more later but I must do Italian homework. Farewell!

I love this city.

Greeeettingggsss! Today was wonderful. Gab and I woke up around 10:30 and went on an adventure. We went to Campo di Fiori. It is a piazza not far from the hotel. It was so great! It was full of vendors with fresh fruit and vegetables and crafts. I bought dried cherries and a bag of mixed nuts. The vendor with the dried fruit had me try one and guess what it was, it was a dried baby tomato!! It tasted really good, too. I have been broadening my horizons- I know eat (but not yet enjoy) Mushrooms and Tomatoes! Yee.

Then Gabby and I went to Pascucci's and got a drink and a croissant for breakfast. After that we walked to Via del Corso and got Gab a new watch. I then took her and Lucy to the scarf shop where I got my scarves (5 for only 18 euro!!) Then we came back to the hotel and had lunch and rested until class.

I had art history and religion. I reallllly like my religion class. It's actually interesting. I think its my professor. Art history though? Terrible. Boredom at it's finest. Last night a bunch of girls and I went out to Abbey Theatre Irish Pub. There is one boy on my program and we celebrated his birthday!

I am having a great time so far! Tomorrow we have tours of the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Sunday I might go to a Papal Service (??) with Bri and Meg! Toodlllesss