Ciao Roma

So today I woke up in Rome, and will go to bed in Minnesota. I am still wrapping my head around that concept. Trust me, I have had plenty of time, I am six hours into an eleven hour flight. Bleh.

In order to not confuse you I will go in chronological order of my last 24ish hours.

We, being the roomies and I, after some last minute shopping walked around Viale di Corso (the shopping street), and the Roman Forum, and the Trevi Fountain. We wanted to soak up our last day in Rome.

Viale di Corso is gorgeous at Christmas. All the way down the street there are red, white, and green lights. It looks like there is a giant, illuminated, Italian flag running down the whole street. The place is packed with shoppers and men selling roasted chestnuts (actually, kinda gross…). In the various piazzas on the street they have big Christmas trees. It is so pretty. Also, let me just briefly say that I loved being in a country that I could say, “Merry Christmas” and be chastised for being politically incorrect.

Then we meandered on over to the Trevi Fountain. It is probably one of my favorite places in Rome. It was pretty quiet over there because the tourists are gone, so the four of us were able to just sit on the side of the Fountain and reminisce about all the awesome things we have had the opportunity to do. We also threw more coins in the Fountain, just to be on the safe side….. : )

When we had soaked up enough of the Fountain we went back to our apartment to do secret santa. Of course, going back to the apartment could not be easy. There was a public transportation strike, so we ended up hoofing it half way across Rome, in the drizzling rain, back to our apartment. I would be bitter, but it is the Italian way. Our trusty friends at ATAC just wanted to make sure we got the full Italian experience and did not go home feeling disappointed.

Brief blogging interlude. I just got a sandwich on the plane and it came with a Kit-Kat. I really am on my way back to America. Huzzah.

Okay, where was I….oh yeah, secret santa. Erica got Kesley, Kelsey got Erica, which left Molly and I with each other. It was a lot of fun. I received a beautiful frame (which will soon have a picture of the four of us) and an ornament.

Then we went out to our fancy dinner. It was a darling restaurant, the name evades me, and it was authentic because there was not a drop of English in the place. We all ordered something different and shared. It was bitter sweet. Sweet, because I love my roomies and spending an evening with them over delectable Italian food. Bitter, because I don’t know when the four of us will be reunited.

Another brief interlude. The Kit-Kat is SCRUMPTIOUS!

When we finished dinner and started walking back to the apartment the clock struck midnight and we burst into “Tanti Auguri” (Happy Birthday) as Kelsey was at that very moment no longer a teenager.

Then commenced more scrubbing of the apartment, listening to “A Muppets Christmas Carol” (ha ha ha its CHRISSST-MUUUS). We all got about an hour-ish of sleep before we said teary goodbyes to the birthday girl at 3:30am. Then back to bed for an hour and half before I got ready. Then it was another round of teary goodbyes.

And now here I sit. Wishing I was not on this ghetto Delta plane. It is an ELEVEN hour flight and we don’t have the individual television sets. It is retro style with one giant screen in the center. I have no books (negative of living in a country where they don’t speak English), my crossword puzzles are ridiculously hard, and my seat companion speaks no English. Though, I did manage to have a conversation utilizing my mad Italian skills. Covered all the basics, thanks Italian 101!

Sorry for the stream of conscious blog post. I thought I would give you a super detailed version of my last hours in Rome. Plus, the last post can’t be short, that would just be a disappointment (sorry, Mrs. Sutton), also, sleep deprivation is not helping.

…….

Leg one of the journey complete. Holy cow. That was an exhausting eleven hours.

Update on Atlanta. That was by far one of my most stressful travel experiences EVER. Yeesh. To start off the disaster that was that layover my flight was thirty minutes late. People were panicking and missing connections left and right. After we got off the plane we were shuttled through the normal passport/customs checks. Unfortunately for me, my flight was 100% full. So were the other two international flights that landed at the same time. Yeah for long lines!!!

Then onto baggage claim. I sat by the carousal watching the time tic on, fearing that I would miss my flight. Boarding started at 4:45 and at 4:25 I was still waiting for my bag. When my bag finally came I lunged for it, heaved the overweight bag off the carousal (so heavy, my things multiplied… also I am “that girl” with a giant carry-on that is smooshed into the overhead), and sprinted to the baggage re-check. Then I impatiently tapped my toe while Mister “let me just use five (no exaggeration) security bins AND forget to take off my belt” was putzing around. GAH!!! It became so bad that after he passed through the security man looked at him and said “just grab and go sir.” I yanked my stuff out from behind him and booked it to my gate, which was a 5 minute tram ride away. Needless to say I was out of breath, hot, and arrived at my gate just in time for boarding.

Also adding a degree of panic to this is the fact that my cell phone is dead, so I would have had to ask some nice stranger to loan me their phone had fiasco come to bear.

Clearly everything worked out, because here I am typing away on my flight to Minnesota (marking hour 12 of my 14 hour travel day). I am trying my hardest not to fall asleep because that will make sleeping tonight that much more challenging. The three hours of sleep in the last two days is definitely working against me though.


…..

So at long last I am home! After the longest day of traveling known to man, I arrived back in snowless Minnesota. My parents, trying to be loving and kind, and wanted to meet at the baggage claim door. However, my seasoned traveller of father (or so he says) went to the wrong door. Long story short, I had to find them. They did not recognize me. I walked up to them was all “after four months of being gone I feel like my own parents would be more excited to see me.” Then, my mom, who never cries, misted up and handed me a bouquet of pretty orangey-pink flowers.

After fetching my bag we went to eat at Pei Wei. Man, I missed Chinese food. The egg rolls and pad thai were super tasty. Except since I was still on Rome time I was not terribly hungry. Something about eating Chinese food at three in the morning is mildly unappetizing.

The semester was so much fun. I saw a lot of amazing things and met great people. It was a wonderful opportunity and I am so thankful that I was able to experience it, but at the same time I am so ready to be home.

This will be the last of my Roman ramblings as my time in Rome is now done. Thanks for following my blog and following my European adventures. I was happy to share them with you and hope you enjoyed reading the posts as much as I enjoyed my adventures. It certainly was a four months to remember.


Buona Festa, grazie, e ciao!

Where did the last 108 days go?

So it is my last day in Rome. Wow. That went by so fast. My life is neatly packed into two suitcases and Roberto (the trusty driver) has been called.

Most of the day has been spent packing and organizing our apartment. We have to tidy it up a bit. It is really amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in four months. The apartment is starting to look so barren. Counters that have been cluttered with things all semester are suddenly clean. The kitchen is nearly scrubbed clean (one last pot soaking) and the trash is all lined up waiting to be emptied. The four of us have exchanged addresses and phone numbers (because in one day I can use my beloved Blackberry again), and have sworn this is not (rather will not) be goodbye.

Last night we had our last home-cooked roomie dinner. It was hysterical. We are in full on clean out the cupboard mode, so the meal was....interesting. I made mac-and-cheese, Kelsey made chicken and potatoes, Erica made bean dip, and Molly, well...she had no food left, so she rented the movie.

We all felt a good way to end the semester was by watching Roman Holiday. It is so weird watching a movie and being able to say "I have been there!" We were all "Look! It is the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps." So strange. One of the funnier moments was when they showed children playing in the Trevi Fountain, that would never happen today. The ending of the movie was sorely disappointing, but we still enjoyed it.

Now we are off to do some last minute souvenir shopping, eat our last italian meal (we are going out tonight) and see the monuments by night. I can think of no better way to wrap up my semester.

Evil Exams

Finals are all consuming. They honestly make me despise being a student. Let me just study for four days straight reading my tear smudged notes, barely leave my apartment, and fall asleep at my laptop. Bleh. I can think of no worse way to spend my last week in Rome. Alas, the demon exams go hand in hand with being a student.

I have finished three of my classes and have one exam left. Woot. My slavery exam was easier than I thought it would be. There were four essay questions and she wanted no more than one to two blue-book pages for each(which over here are give you the writing space of an 8.5 x 11). Luckily for me one of the essay questions was the topic that I wrote my research paper on (*evilly rubs hands together*).

My law final, which I fully expected to cry in the middle of, was actually tolerable. There were five essay questions that we had to answer. Three of which pertained to Libya and where/when/if Qudaffi's son should be tried. The other two questions were more general concepts.

It was a challenge, and one of the questions I had no clue how to answer. But considering we have never applied in class the concepts and cases we have learned I thought I did alright. Plus, I did not melt into a puddle of tears. Bonus!

There is no since in worrying about any of them now. I studied my heart out and did the best that I could. Plus, I can't exactly change anything now.

With that I am off to bed. I have to get some sleep so I can conquer my last final (Italian) tomorrow morning. I may just have to skip the mile back to my apartment when I am done...

Nine Days?!?

So I come home in nine days. Nine days! I still feel like the four months have passed super quickly. All the same, I am ready to come back to the fine state of Minnesota. A girl can only take so many strange looks from wearing no jacket at 60 degrees. The snow banks and below freezing weather beckon (ask me how I feel about that come February though).

It will be nice to have people speak my language, not have to guess what cheeses and meats I am getting at the grocery store, have rye bread, and coffee that comes in sizes.

All the material things aside I am ready to be back in my own home, have a real mattress, family dinners, Sunday brunch, an English newspaper, and my friends and family.

Seeing the snow in my front lawn and the Christmas tree all set up make me wish that the next nine days go quickly. Which I am sure they will. Plus, in nine days I can say that I graduate in one year. *gulp*

Today was pretty nice. I woke up to Erica blasting Michael W. Smith's Christmas album and baking. It was so nice. The rest of us crawled out of bed and joined her. We drank coffee, sat in our jammies, and baked peanut butter cupcakes. It was a good time.

The rest of my afternoon has pretty much been spent studying. Have to be prepared. My first final is on Monday and then they are in rapid succession. One Tuesday, one Wednesday, packing, and home (!!!!!).

Anywho, I must continue to study for finals. Contrary to popular belief studying abroad does indeed entail studying (I don't have a slacker program cough* Kavan *cough*). Three tests and and international flight and I am home free!

Last Day of Classes

Lots of exciting things happening in Rome right now (and only part of that statement is sarcastic!).

Where to begin....

The water heater was out again. That was great. Had to wash my hair in the sink, which is always a fun experience. To make matters worse the SAI people are off all week because of meetings and a national holiday. Luckily we were able to get through to them and a man came to fix it. So this morning, I had a real shower and dishes could actually be done. Woohooo!!!

One of my professors decided, spur of the moment, to make our final cumulative. Can you feel my excitement radiating off the screen, because you should. She also said to make it more "fun" she would test us on things that she had not taught in class. She recommended brushing up on international current events that have taken place over the semester. Does she realize how much has happened and that I have THREE other classes?!?!? BAH!!!!

Last part of my tangent. I promise. I got my paper back for my slavery class today. Over a month after I turned it in. There were only three comments on the whole paper and it was eight pages long. Grumble. I will happily take my grade, but it drives me up the wall when teachers give you an assignment, make you invest time in it, and don't reciprocate. If you don't want to grade the papers don't assign it.

The cherry on top of the last three days though has been finding out that my prof (who is ill and is no longer teaching) won't be grading our final papers.

Oh. Well. I guess it is all part of going to a horribly disorganized school. The really good news is that I have successfully finished a semester of classes abroad. Today was the last day of classes, so now all I have left is finals.

On a much happier note Erica and I watched the entirety of A&E Pride and Prejudice. For those of you who are not Jane Austen aficionados that is a six hour movie. It was well worth it. The best part was our running dialogue mocking the shrill voice of Mrs. Bennet and the obnoxious nature of Lydia and Kitty. Also, just going on record saying that Colin Firth makes an irresistible Mr. Darcy.

The Forgotten

In my hurry to "power down all electric devices" I left out a very important detail o my weekend in Prague. We went on a ghost tour (cue scary music). We found a flyer in our hostel that advertised a ghost tour at night in which we learned various tales of death and woe that happened in the streets.

Turns out that the tour that we wanted to take (at 10pm) happens only in the summer. Luckily for us, a German couple misread the brochure as well. Not wanting to turn down 6 paying clients the tour commenced. But only after he changed into his costume...a cloak reminiscent of little red riding hood. Not at all scary.

Also, I feel like he was not he normal tour guide because he kept fumbling over the stories. The tour was not at all ghostly or scary. We spent way more time laughing then being frightened. Funny side note. Every time the guide said "murder" or "death" we had to go "auhhhh."
Moral of the story. Not all ghost tours are scary and some are even given by little red riding hood (note: he was supposed to look like an executioner. Epic fail).

Walking in a Fairy Tale

This weekend marked my last weekend adventure with my roommates. Bittersweet. We took the trip that we had booked back in September: Prague.

People told us that being in Prague was like being in a fairy tale. Man were they right. It was gorgeous!! The town was all decorated for Christmas, so there were lights and little markets everywhere. On our last night there we were so inspired by the Christmas spirit that we sang carols. For over an hour. Some cute little man shook our hands, people recorded us, and there was applause. No joke. It was a lot of fun. I wonder how many of them actually understood us though.... oh well!

It was also fun this weekend because we got to meet Erica's friend Gabriella. They both go to Suffolk and studied in Spain together last semester. Kelsey, Molly, and I have all had people visit us, or we have visited friends, so it was really nice for Erica. Gabriella was a great tour guide. Her Prague history class really has paid off. As an added bonus she is from Eden Prairie. She and her family even went to Wooddale for a time, but now they go to Grace What a small world!

Other activities this weekend included go to the castle in Prague, and seeing a cathedral. That particular spot had amazing views. Apparently they filmed part of Mission Impossible there. Interesting fact. It is currently owned by the state, so you have to pay to see most of it. When it is owned by the Church anyone can go. Clearly, the state owns it now, because there were ropes blocking things off and people collecting tickets. It was a bit of a bummer, but it was still very beautiful (lots of pretty stained glass).

We did not physically go into a lot of things. While there is a lot to do in Prague, we only had a short period of time, and the bulk of the things to do are just walking around and looking at the architecture, stores, and epic views.

Things we did see, Old Towne Square. Sounds moderately boring, but there were some really cute little stores. We got a delicious cinnamon sugar pretzel thing. The name escapes me as it was Czech. I assure you it was good.

While on the subject of food, we ate some really tasty stuff. There is a lot of German influence so it was comfort foody (goulash, stew...). The best restaurant was right off Old Towne Square. They had little heaters set up under a canopy and we could see the Christmas tree.

The only bizarre thing about the weekend was the money. The Euro (and the USD) are waaaaaaay stronger than the Koruna. Their money has like no weight. The bill for our last dinner was over 2000 Koruna. Sounds like a lot right? Wrong, very wrong. It was between 20-25 euro for each of us (less than 30 dollars) in one of the more expensive food areas attached to a shwanky hotel. Score!

The weekend was amazing. I could not have picked a better a place to end my adventure. Sounds so weird to say that. I mean, I still have two weeks left, but this is my last trip with my roommates, and my next flight will be bound for Minnesota, not Zurich or Amsterdam. So adventure-wise the clock is winding down.

With that it's almost time to power down all electronic devices. So here is to a weekend of castles, fairy tales (but no prince charming), caroling (but no snow), great memories, and the last time seeing the Swiss alps from my airplane window. It's been a weekend, and a smester of travels, to remember.

Chocolate, Chocolate Everywhere

I would like to say that my lack of blogging this week has been due to some epic adventure. Alas, it was actually a term paper that kept me away. The good news is the paper is finished. So now I can blog. Woohoo!!

Lets see..... my slavery class was cancelled all week. So that was nice. I got some time to sleep in and clean up around the apartment. I was also able to get my research for my term paper done and still have energy to cook at night for myself. Don't judge. Researching can be exhausting, especially when it happens after almost six hours of class. Woe is the life of a student.

Other exciting news. Erica and I had an impromptu cannoli date. I was working on my paper at home like a good little student when my phone rang. It was Erica (but I am sure that you had gathered that). She told me to go to the fresh filled cannoli place STAT. The store is amazing. You get to pick your cannoli shell and then they ask you what you want it filled with (ricotta, chocolate, or pistachio cream). You even get to pick what you want the ends rolled in (candies, fruits, chocolate, or pistachio). I went traditional (ricotta and choc. chips) and Erica had chocolate cream with pistachio crumbles. Best. Study break. EVER! Bah. I love Italy.

Today I went to the end of the semester JCU art exhibit. Both Kelsey and Erica had works that were being displayed, so I wanted to go to support them. It was really cool. There are some very talented students.

Post the show we went out to dinner at a cute little pizza place. The pizza was meh, but the bruschetta was to die for. Seriously. Whoever thought of the pear and gorgonzola taste sensation should have a monument erected in their honor.

Then to finish off our evening we went to the chocolate fair that is happening this week. Be jealous, Steph. There were chocolate sculptures (shoes, elephants, people...), chocolate covered strawberries, hot cocoa, truffles, the works. So tasty. However, we did restrain ourself to just hot cocoa. Which is rich enough to be a meal in and of itself.

This weekend I am off to Prague with the roomies. It will be a lot of fun. It is our last traveling hurrah, and the first one as roomies since Tuscany. We are all very excited. We were preparing to wake up at 4am to catch our 7am flight when we got a call saying that our flight had been cancelled. The next flight was 7 hours later. So there goes almost a full day in Prague. Boo hiss. On the bright side, there was another flight and we were all able to get on it. Plus, now we get a full nights sleep.

On that note, I am off to bed. Have fantastic weekends with adventures of your own!

So much Plaid

After a bright an early morning we landed with yet another “on time Ryan air flight.” Our flight left so early that when we landed in Edinburgh the sun was not yet up. Uffda! We dumped our stuff at our hostel and hoofed it up a hill that rivals those of GAC to a Starbucks (sensing a trend for the weekend?).

When the clock struck nine we dashed off to Black Medicine Coffee. It was a super cute little place with wooden chairs and antiqued decorations. Kelsey and I twitched every time the door creaked hoping it would be Claire or Ava. Eventually they did come and we sprang from our seats to shower them in hugs. Erica acted like the paparazzi and took pictures of the reunion.

Claire and Ava were our tour guides for the day and gave us the grand tour of Edinburgh. They showed us all the major sites.

The first thing that we did was go to a cemetery where there are graves with the names of Harry Potter characters (James Potter, McGonigal. Riddle….). Then they took us to the cafe where JK Rowling wrote her books. It was one hopping cafe, as one can only imagine because she wrote some awesome books!

Then we walked up a hill to see incredible views of Edinburgh. The wind was so strong. I thought that GAC had prepared me for all windy days, I am used to my hair being a mess and hunching into the wind to walk to class, but this was unreal. It was literally blowing me backwards. Ridiculous. I think I have grown weak while in Rome.

We saw the Scottish memorial, an unfinished monument, and Edinburgh castle (that one only from a distance though).

When lunch time rolled around we ate lunch at a place Biblos. We ordered nachos to split for the table and then Erica, Kelsey, and I all ordered burgers. I love that food in the UK is similar to food back home. Every once and a while it is nice to have a taste of home.

Then we went back to Claire’s flat to chat for while. It was so nice to be able to catch up with them. Then Ava, Kelsey, Erica, and I went shopping on the Royal Mile. It sounds all fancy and formal, but it really just a street of tourist shops. If the conversion from the Pound to the Dollar was not so icky I would have come home with an armload of cashmere and wool. The Scottish have some really nice garments. Everywhere I turned there was a plaid something, whether it was on a shortbread tin, a mug, a scarf, or a skirt.

When we returned to Claire’s flat she and her boyfriend had made dinner. It was a Bulgarian dish called Musaka. We likened it to Bulgarian lasagna. It had potatoes, veggies, and beef with a bready (egg and flour) top layer. Kalin even put a cheese smiley face on it! It was delicious! We even had a popular Scottish drink, sorry, the name evades me. It tasted like orange bubble gum, but carbonated. It was interesting, but I don’t think that I will be getting again.

After dinner we went to a Christmas market. We rode the swings and the ferris wheel (it had an awesome view from the top, though frightening because it was so windy). It was a great end to an even better day.

Side Note: Men in Scotland actually wear kilts. I thought they would only where them for special occasions, you know, holidays and things. Nope. I saw several men just wandering the streets wearing them. Sadly, only one of them was playing a bagpipe.

Leprechauns Exist!

Day two in Ireland was a whirlwind. There was so much to do, and so little time to do it. We got up and went to Starbuck’s to get our day off to a coffee filled start. Such good choices.

I am not entirely sure of the order in which we did things, my apologies, so I will just tell you the sights that we saw.

We went to St. Patrick’s, which is a very old church. They have an awesome park/garden thing outside the church. It screamed photo-shoot. Obviously we took advantage of that (pictures to come soon). Inside the church there were lots of cool artifacts. They had memorials from various wars where Irish people fought. Things I did not know, there was a South African war, and Irish people fought in it. This church was also where Handel’s Hallelujah chorus was first played. In remembrance of that they have the original score. Erica, Kelsey, and I were totally geeking out. They even have the original organ. So cool!

We also went to the Guiness Factory. It was surprisingly cool. There was lots of history of the family and the brewing process. They had old advertisements and the old wooden and copper tools that they used to make the beer way back in the day. I also found it kind of cool that the factory that we toured has a 9000 year lease signed by Arthur Guiness from the 18^th century. My favorite part was the cafe on the seventh floor that has panoramic views of Dublin.

After that we just wandered around. They have all the Christmas lights up so we thought we would walk around and soak that up. It was really very pretty.

For our last night we went to a traditional Irish food. I don’t recall what the restaurant was called, but I do remember that the food was good. Vanessa got a super tasty mushroom soup, and the rest of us got something called Boxty. It was basically like an Irish burrito, but the shell was a potato pancake. Erica got steak, Kelsey had chicken, and I had lamb. We rotated plates to share because they were all so tasty! Also, they split checks in Ireland, what?? We got really excited and our server laughed at us. Not nice.

After our traditional meal, we wanted more traditional Irish. So we went to the Arlington Hotel. Each night they have folk music and river-dancing. It was a lot of fun. Usually that thing is not really up my ally, but seeing as we were in Ireland it seemed fitting to spend our last night doing that.

At this time, I will explain my blog title. All over the streets of Dublin there are midgets (I don't know the PC term...vertically challenged persons of Ireland?) who dress as Leprechauns and you can pay to take a picture with them. They wear little green suits, hats, and all have redbeards. Clearly, this leads one to assume that Leprechauns do indeed exist. I say this, because they would never stoop so low as to monopolize the folklore as a ploy to extract more money from tourists. Thus, proving that Leprechauns are real!

When we were ready to call it a night we went back to our hostel to book a shuttle to the airport. Funny story. We thought our flight left at 7:30 so we could get up early, but not like crazy early. Well...its a good thing we checked, because our flight actually left at 6:30. So we said our goodbyes to Vanessa at night, set our alarms for 4 am (yuck), and went to bed dreaming of our reunion with Claire and Ava.

Oh the Irony

Not going to lie. Spending Thanksgiving in another country, particularly the UK was just plain odd. Not only for the historical reasons, but also because it was sans family. On our flight to Ireland we discussed the things that we were missing most about Thanksgiving at home. We got lots of looks from those who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, a couple people were nodding in agreement though.

We only spent a day and a half in Dublin before we left for Edinburgh, so we were resolved about getting the most out of it.

On Thursday our first stop was obviously Starbuck’s. Italians don’t believe in chain coffee stores. I love them (the italians), but they feel like they have the best coffee. Don’t get me wrong, they do have good coffee, but every once and a while a girl just needs a taste of home.

When we made our way to the hostel, we discovered that Vanessa, who was meeting us for our stay in Ireland, had missed her bus and would be late. Kelsey and I wiped our tears and then began our wanderings around Dublin. Erica, Kelsey and I had an awesome afternoon. We saw lots of cute little streets. The best part of the afternoon was by far finding an Irish grocery store. Erica knew that the UK had Dr. Pepper, so we were on the hunt for it. So we found a grocery store and scampered in. Sadly we did not find our fizzy drink of choice there, but we did find other goodies like Doritos and cheddar cheese, and some chip Erica had in England and really liked. We also saw other things that Italy does not have that sent us into squeals of delight. There was BBQ sauce, real brown sugar, gallons of milk, and cranberry juice!!!! Italy is really dropping the ball by not having these things.

On our way back to our hostel we found a convenience store type thing that had Dr. Pepper for Erica. As an added bonus they even had root beer AND Reese’s peanut butter cups. The man at the register laughed at us. Realizing that he spoke English (WHAT?!?!) we were able to explain why we were so ecstatic. He smiled and laughed and told us to enjoy.

Back at the hostel we unwrapped our block of cheese and and passed it around our little circle. I must say, after months of white cheese (though delicious) it was really nice to be able have cheddar cheese.

In the middle of our cheese/chip feasting the door knob jiggled. Kelsey and I both jumped up (expecting it to be Vanessa) in preparation of the worlds biggest hug. We were right, and the three of us soon became entangled in a massive hug (Erica was still feasting on the cheese like a very cute gerbil).

After our mini reunion we decided we should eat a real meal, not just chips and cheese. So we went to a restaurant that we found in our wanderings. It was a cute little Irish pub and we all (sans Vanessa the vegetarian) ordered fish and chips. Best fish and chips that I have ever had. They were crispy and tasty, and the french fries all salty and delicious dipped in catsup.

Since we knew that Ireland was known for its live music we wandered until we found a place that we liked (ie. the music sounded good from the street) and grabbed a table. The place that we decided on had a guy on a guitar doing covers for popular music. Much to our delight (mainly Erica and I) he looked exactly like a young Collin Firth.

Overall it was a good Thanksgiving. It was filled with fun, good food, and friends. The only thing it lacked was family. Although who knows if there would have been space at the table, I heard my spot was stolen AND someone else helped my mom cook. I feel as though I have been replaced.

Happy Turkey-Day (one day early...)

Wow. This week went by so quickly. I had just enough time to do a load of laundry and have everything completely dry before jetting off on my next adventure. Tomorrow morning we (Erica, Kelsey and I) head off to Ireland. Then, on Saturday we go to Scotland. The weekend will consist of visiting Claire, Ava, and Vanessa. I am so excited!!! I can not wait to see them and give them giant hugs.

I am a bit sad, however, that I will be missing Thanksgiving. My mom makes the most delicious food ever! I feel as though my absence will be particularly rough on her as I am her sous chef. I am not quite sure who will fill my role. I mean, love you Jim, but lets be real. You are not very gifted when it comes to the kitchen. You are a master of the grill though, so don't lose heart! As for Dad, he too is a master of the grill, but in the kitchen the kitchen he peaks at eggs and pancakes (remember the candy 'cakes, things that happens when mom jets of to the PNW for the weekend).

Fun Factoid: We were talking about Thanksgiving in my Italian class and learning the words for the foods. When we got to cranberries she looked at us and was all confused. After much describing and funny looks we learned that in Italy it is called "mirtillo rosso americano." Direction translation: blueberry red american.

I am off to dinner. Molly's parents are in town and we are all going out to dinner. Should be a good time. They are super nice and her dad and I are political BFFs. Her mom also had quite the zinger today. She made me laugh hysterically.

Enjoy Thanksgiving everyone. Eat lots of turkey, stuff yourselves with stuffing, eat an extra slice of pie for me, and enjoy watching the football game.

Side note: Mom, don't leave the sweet potato casserole in the oven over night, as Molly would say that is "bad news bears!"

The Land of Lederhosen

This post is happening a bit later than I would have liked, but at least I got my pictures up in a timely manner. Anywho... This will be a long one. So brace yourselves.

Friday:

We woke up at 4:30 in the morning. Ick. I have not been up that early in ages. Our flight out was at 7:10, and with rush seating we wanted to be there with plenty of time to spare. Success. Erica and I were able to get seats next to each other and rocked out to the Wicked Soundtrack while looking at the swiss alps from a birds-eye view. When the end of our flight approached we had to listed to "Springtime for Hitler." We thought it was necessary given we were spending the weekend in Germany, Berlin to be precise.

When we arrived at our hotel for our whirlwind 36 hour adventure we promptly scampered off to the Starbucks down the street. They have there Christmas coffee out AND they had bagels!!!!!! Erica and I snagged a table feasted on our treats and created a plan of attack.

First stop: Hamburger Bahnhof Museum fur Gegenwart. Translation, museum of contemporary art. We saw some Cy Young, Andy Warhol and other really random things.

Second stop: Luther-Wittenberg. This was a must for us. Ever since we found out it was an hour from Berlin we knew that we had to go to the birth place of the protestant reformation. Funny story. Since we had no idea how to get there we asked for directions. When we said "Wittenberg" the man looked at us and said something that sounded like "Luther Van Vittenberg?" I dumbly looked at him and replied "uhhhh, Martin Luther.....the protestant reformation......" He proceeded to type feverishly and then printed out directions. Turns out he was right. Yeah for locals!

We were told that it was a small town and would find everything easily. Lies. It took us almost an hour to get to Market Square. We wandered and wandered, we almost asked someone for directions, but then realized that we spoke no German. Uh-oh. Then, through the haze of the fog (which made for awesome pictures) we saw a promising looking building. Turns out we were right. It was the church where Luther first delivered a protestant service. We also saw the chapel where he pleaded to not be labeled a heretic, his statue, and the 95 thesis doors. It was amazing. The town was super cute. In addition to seeing all of this history we ate the most amazing chocolate truffles. Gotta love those Germans.

After finding our way back to the train station we had a silent (I felt like my breathing was audible to everyone on the train) and very clean train ride back to Berlin. After coming out of the train station we heard screaming. Without missing a beat Erica and I looked at each other and followed it. We were led to the Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz located a few blocks from our hotel. Much to our surprise we stumbled upon the Berlin premier of Twilight: Breaking Dawn. There were throngs of screaming tweens, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and others. We got some pictures, and nearly got tickets to the premier.

Once things started to wind down there we decided to go get some food. We chose a place in the Sony Center so we could keep an eye on the action. Erica and I were both super excited to eat German food. We split Weiner-Shnitzel and brats on a bed of sauerkraut. Yum. Two things made it fantastic: it was not Italian food, and it tasted like home.

Then we wandered back to where the premier was and hung around for a while to see if we could snag pictures with any of the stars. We saw the man who played Carlisle, but were to slow/unwilling to shove through the people to get pictures of him. Meh. I think I will live.

After our whirlwind day we tiredly made our way back to our hotel where we fell into bed and instantly fell asleep.

Saturday:

Up bright and early, though not as early as Friday. After a quick breakfast we hit the ground running. We had a lot to see and not a long time to do it.

First stop: the Jewish Museum. This does not focus on just the Holocaust, but the history of Jews in Europe. It was really fascinating. It kind of reminded us of a science museum for kids because they had a lot of hands on things. They had a memorial garden, a tower that brought to mind gas chambers, and a memory void where you walked on metal faces symbolic of those who died in WW2.

Second stop: Checkpoint Charlie. This is a checkpoint from when the wall was up. There is a big sign that warns that you are leaving/entering the American Sector (depends on what side you were on). Where the wall once stood they have banners (in wall shape) that show the history of that time period. They even have a spot where you stand with a foot on each side of Berlin.

Third stop: Topography of Terror. This is where a portion of the wall still stands. Oddly enough, right below the wall were the crumbling foundation stones of the Berlin S.S. headquarters. It blew our minds that two horrible things happened in one town so close to each other. We took our pictures next to a portion of the wall that had "madness" spray painted on it. They could not have been more right.

Fourth stop: Lunch. We were starving so we headed off in the direction of the shopping district. We managed to find a little pub. I say managed, because unlike Italy there is not a restaurant every three feet. At one point we began to question whether or not Germans actually ate. Luckily we found this place. It was so good. Once again, we shared. Erica had currywurst (brats with a bbq type sauce and curry powder) with potato salad and I had goulash. Seriously, Germans know how to cook. I realized this weekend that most of my favorite foods that my mom makes are German. They have mastered the art of food for cold weather. On that note. I LOVED THE WEATHER IN BERLIN (happy caps, picture me jumping up and down with glee). It was in the 30s and I could see my breath. I even saw pine trees (photos happened). Erica said I looked like a happy Minnesotan.

Fifth stop: German History Museum. This was a history of Germany from the beginning, before they were actually Germany. Erica and I, not really caring about Germany in 500 BC walked to the 1800s. There were some really cool antique weapons (swords, canons, and such) and old military uniforms. It got pretty depressing pretty fast. I feel like Germany has been at war for the better parts of the recent-ish history. Once we got to WW1 there were old posters (Uncle Sam, War Bonds....) that I loved. There were also some really depressing pictures, but what isn't depressing about WW2?

After this our time became more filled with random wanderings. We went where ever things looked pretty. So pretty much everywhere. They were starting to set up for Christmas, so lights were going up as were little villages.

As we wandered back to our hotel we found a Christmas village that had been set up. It was so cute. There was a tubing hill and the swing rides for kids. There were also stands that sold corn on the cob (literally dipped in a vat of butter), brats, chocolate, cotton candy. The works. Erica and I pretty much ate our way through. It seemed like it was the quintessential German Christmas.

Feeling full and happy we continued our wanderings. We went to Brandenburg Tor (something exciting happened there, but I don't remember what) and saw German Parliament. Both are very pretty all lit up at night.

All in all we were out and about in Berlin for 12 hours that day. I am sure you surmised this from my description of the day, but we only sat down for lunch. That means a grand total of 11 hours and 15 minutes on our feet. Thank goodness we are young!

The weekend went by far too quickly. There was so much to see and do, and we flew in on Friday morning and out on Sunday morning. It gave us about two days to explore. We were constantly on the go, but we were able to see everything on our list.

And now I shall right no more. If you made it this far you are a trooper. I am off to bed. Hope you all have a great day!

Old Adages prove true

Time really flies when you are having fun. Exactly one month from today I come back to that states. It is hard to believe that I have already been here for three months. I feel like I just got here yesterday, alas, I did not.

Throughout the course of the last 90 days I have done amazing things. Trips have been taken to Venice, Pisa, Florence, and the Maremma towns of Tuscany. Various exhibits in Rome have been visited, I have wandered random streets and gotten tragically lost, I have braved Rome's public transportation, eaten the best pizza ever, become regular at a cafe, mastered the art of cooking with my retro stove, and soaked up the history of the city I currently call home.

I am truly blessed to be able to go on amazing adventures like this with my awesome roomies in tow. Even more blessed to have shared this experience with my parents. It is hard to believe that this once far off dream of studying in Italy actually became a reality. Three months later I still have to give myself a pinch to remind me that this is real. I actually live in the eternal city.

Three of my four months in this amazing place have passed, and the last one shall not go to waste. There is still so much to see and do. We have trips planned to Berlin, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Prague. The month will be a whirlwind and my passport is going to get a serious workout, but I will enjoy every second of it.

The adventure spree commences tomorrow morning, bright and early, when I head off to Berlin with Erica. It will be a weekend filled with pretzels, sauerkraut, and schnitzel. There will probably not be any waterfalls with sharp pointy rocks at the bottom (Emperor's New Groove anyone?), but I still say "bring it on!"

All you need is a light jacket...

Oh hey. Its me again. Nothing terribly exciting has been happening in Rome. Now that the political turmoil has subsided there are not riots around every corner. It is a real shame. Never fear! Now that the drama surrounding Berlusconi is calming those in the unions are picking up the slack. I just got notification that there will be a strike tonight and tomorrow night. Woohoo! You may be thinking, "self, I thought she said there was no excitement in Rome, that seems like excitement." You would be partially correct. It would indeed be excitement if I relied on public transportation to get to and from school and the store. Alas, I am within walking distance of everything. So no excitement for Kate.

Classes today were interesting. My human trafficking prof decided to do our final exam review today. It was five minutes in length and she told us the final would cover everything after the midterm. Super helpful. Also, the exam is not until December 13. The next three weeks will be student presentations. Things I am not really looking forward to.

The class that is now being taught by the University's President has gone from my favorite to my least favorite. I feel like we are being babysat. We all shuffle into class, my peers give their presentations, and we shuffle back out. He takes attendance and says a few words. Today however, he decided to lecture on how one should give a presentation. Good idea, yes. However, it would have been better had he not used the two presentations given in class today as the "what not to do" examples. He spent a good fifteen minutes critiquing their presentations. I felt awful for them. If you have problems with their presentations address it with them individually, not in front of the whole class. As Molly would say, "bad news bears."

On a completely different note, IT FEELS LIKE FALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! *happy dance* The lows in the evenings are in 40s and during the day it is in the low 60s. The Italians, and those from warmer climates, are all freezing, but I could not be more ecstatic. I chuckle to myself as I watch them waddling to and fro all bundled up. Some of them even have a slight Minnesota lean going on. I have been wearing a light jacket (not too hot, not too cold... Ms. Congeniality anyone?) or no jacket at all. They look at me like I have six heads. Oh well.

I have been throwing open the windows and basking in the October like weather. I even have been sleeping with the window open. My roommates think that I am insane. They have been shutting my open windows and turning on the radiators. *sigh* To each his own I guess.

Look! A pij-ee-ohne-ay

Think back to my post about my MIA prof. Well, today I got some news. He is being replaced. He has asthma and chronic bronchitis, and as such does not have the energy or lung capacity to get to school and lecture. As a result, we now have a permanent substitute teacher, the president of the JCU. Should be interesting. I am really grateful that I am done with my presentation. The good news is that he will still be grading our papers and is available be email to answer any questions. More good news, we are done with the lecture portion of the class, it is now all presentations. That aside, we all really liked him and it stinks that he is no longer teaching. I hope he recoops quickly, because it can't be fun for him to be sick for so long.

In other news while eating lunch today on my usual bench with Kelsey I was nearly killed by a pigeon (here they call them pij-ee-ohe-ays), not once but twice. I am not lying. The darn birds swooped at my head. I saw my life flash before my very eyes. Luckily no bodily fluids landed on my head or persons. However, when wings brush your head and sharp orange talons are inches from your head it is frightening. I may, or may not, have squealed.

Well, that is my day in a nutshell. Hope you all are having a good day!!

Arrivederci Parents

I have, once again, been remiss in my obligations to update this blog on a more regular basis. My apologies. So here is the update on my life since the last post. Ready, set, GO!

Thursday:

This was my first full day with my parents all week! After class I scampered over to their hotel for a fun filled day. After a quick bite to eat at a local cafe, we commenced our day. Essentially we walked all over Rome. I took them to all the major sights. Along the way we did some shopping (Dad loved that) and generally soaked up the atmosphere. As dusk set in we decided that we all wanted to see the Trevi fountain at night. It was AWESOME! I would say it is better at night, it just seems so much more magical. It is by far my favorite tourist site in Rome.

For dinner we went to Hard Rock Cafe. I have been here for three months and was dying for cheddar cheese and a taste of home. It was scrumptious. I hate to say it, but I am growing weary of pasta. Another bonus, it is super close to the American Embassy. I was so close to American soil, and I got to see Ol' Glory all lit up and pretty. So worth it.

Friday:

This was my favorite day with my parents. It was so leisurely because we had already seen the sights. We spent close to an hour drinking coffee and eating chocolate croissants in a cute little cafe called "H." They had massive green couches that were super comfy and, well, green. Enough said.

Then we meandered over to an Audrey Hepburn exhibit (shout out to Amy, totally made me think of you). It was amazing. There were black and white pictures of her throughout her career, her old passports, outfits, the vespa from "Roman Holiday," and home videos. It was really well done.

After that we went back to Campo di Fiori. That was cool because we got to see the change over in the piazza. The open air market is only open until three-ish, so we got to see them break it down. We had a snack at an place called Obika Mozzarella bar. We ordered a cheese sampler with bread. My parents were astounded by the tasty cheese, and of course, mom loved the presentation. Upon Mrs. Steen's and Mrs. Luckie's recommendation, we ordered a hot cocoa. It was the best ever! It tastes like a melted chocolate bar and had the consistency of pudding. Dad thought it was too rich, I thought it was delicious as did mom.

Then Erica joined us and we went off in search of a black and white photography exhibit. In typical Italian adventure style, we did not find it. We wandered, asked some people, wandered some more, hiked up a hill, and well, gave up. We did, however, find an awesome view of Rome at night. The moon was pink and we could see the twinkling lights of the city. So the hike up the hill to the non-existent museum was so worth it.

To cap off our evening we feasted on fine italian pizza and pasta, stopped at a delicious chocolate store, and went back to my apartment for brownies (baked by Erica). We all said our goodbyes and then I packed my parents into a cab wishing them safe travels.

Saturday/Sunday:

Fairly lazy days. Worked on some homework, looked into law schools, uploaded pictures. The highlight of the weekend was seeing Mr.Whittaker from Adventures in Odyssey. We were sitting in church and all of a sudden Erica elbowed me in the side and said "Look." I discreetly looked and Erica and I both went wide eyed. This man was the spitting image of Mr. Whittaker!! Oh the good ol' days of car rides with the family and Adventures in Odyssey cassette tapes. That makes me sound old, but hey, at least it was not played on one of those eight track things my parents reminisce about.

A lesson in being Politically Correct

Tangent time again, conservatives read on....

My human trafficking class is driving me insane. Right now we are talking about migration. Obviously, the topic of illegal versus legal migration came up. My prof decided it would be a good time to lecture us on politically correct terminology. She explained that illegal migrants are not actually illegal, rather "irregular." She argued that no human can be illegal.

This, as one might assume, incensed me. Humans can be illegal. Sorry, but if you cross a border without the proper identification and credentials, or hire someone to smuggle you across said border you are illegal. The very word "smuggle" would connote illegal action. Yes, I agree that all humans have a certain degree of rights, but we also have to follow moral code and abide by laws.

To be afforded the opportunity to study here I had to fill out a visa application. It was a lengthy process, and sure, I got frustrated, but every study abroad student had/has to do it. It is the law. It is no different for working in a foreign country, you must go through the visa process. It is something you have to do. If you knowingly violate those laws you are illegal. There is no other way to slice it. To use the term irregular migrant, in my opinion is to thumb ones nose at the the government and the laws that give us our safety.

Okay, tangent over.

In happier, less controversial news my parents are having blast. They have seen all the major historic places and are soaking up the experience. I have eaten dinner with them the last few nights. We have eaten at some cool restaurants and talk about our days. Its like the old days of family dinner. Another bonus, I don't have to cook for myself. Obviously, being with my parents is bigger bonus.

My dad says he is a natural when it comes to the language. He is picking it right up. So much so, in fact, that he has been debating pronunciation with me. He usually loses.

Tomorrow they are off to Florence. Its just a day trip, but I think they will have fun. It is smaller and quieter than Rome, so it will be a nice break from the hustle and bustle. Sadly, this means I won't get to see them at all. Woe to me.

A Labyrinth of Canals

So after an international flight, my parents had just not had enough. So a mere ten hours after they landed in Rome we took off for Venice. A lot of flying in one day for the parents, but worth it. The flight is only one hour, and Mom slept the whole way. She was out and twitching (like Mo after the Hound Dog Hotel) before the flight even took off. It was kind of cute.

The landing in Venice was very similar to that of my experience in Rome. By that I mean we did not get a terminal. We stayed on the tarmac and were herded onto a bus, and that bus took us to baggage claim. When we were walking to the bus we were faced by what some would call bitter cold, being a Minnesotan I scoffed at them. Personally, I find 45 degrees refreshing after the heat of Rome. Also, they don't know bitterly cold until they have walked to class in eight feet of snow (uphill both ways mind you) with wind whipping in their face and the weather at well below zero.

When we made it to the hotel we were blown away. It was so beautiful. It was sitting right on a canal with red and white striped poles in front of it, and the water was lapping onto a set of stairs (the bottom one covered in algae). Our room looked out to the canal and when we were sitting in it we could hear the boats passing by. Each time one did my dad would perk up and say "Una Barca!" (italian for boat) and race to the window to see it. I love my parents.

After a bite to eat in the hotel we all fell into bed. Well, my parents did. My bed was actually a pull out couch that was horrible. So I pulled the cushions off the couch and covered those in my sheets. So let me rephrase. My parents fell into bed and I fell into my couch cushions.

We woke up bright and early for our first day in Venice and had a scrumptious breakfast at the hotel. Our servers name was Bane and we loved him. He was so happy and friendly (on day two he remembered our coffee orders, I found that impressive). We happily munched on an assortment of pastries before heading out.

First stop: the island of Murano. This island is known for their blown glass, and the hotel had set us up with a shuttle and a tour of one of the factories. It was really cool to see. In order to become a master glass maker you have to do it for thirty years. The factories are usually family owned and operated, a fact we all found interesting. The experience would have been way more cool if they had not kept trying to get us too buy stuff. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to buy glass, just not a huge sculpture or chandelier fit for a palace. Not really my cup of tea.

After that we just wandered over to San Marco. This is the main hub of the island and home to a huge and beautiful church. The piazza was filled with people. Turns out we had stumbled onto a University graduation. At first we thought it was cute. Then they started chanting a song, loudly, and repeatedly. It very quickly went from cute to obnoxious.

Over the course of the two days we did a lot walking over cute bridges and down darling streets that ran along the canals. We also went into nearly every store. Mom and I were on the hunt for gifts. Dad, growing anxious and being a stereotypical male who hates shopping started a hunt of his own, one for pastries. So the girls stopped in every glass shop and Dad stopped in every bakery, I think it was a fair trade off.

The weather while we were in Venice was kinda crumbly. We spent part of the first day walking under awnings to avoid the rain. The second day was mainly really nice. That is, until the evening. The skies opened when we were on the way to meet my roommates for dinner. I became soaked (we all did). I think I liked it the least.

Other note worthy news. My mom is in love with the linens and dish-ware over here. She gasps when she sees them and picks them up and proclaims that she must find them. She is also in love with the windows and doors in Venice and Rome. She is starting albums entitled "Doors in Italy" and another called "Windows in Italy." I am in full support of this endeavor. I myself have taken pictures to contribute.

I am currently working on editing my pictures to get them up. Don't hold your breath though. It may take me a few days to get them up.

Mia Famiglia!!!!

First and foremost MY PARENTS ARE HERE!!!!!! They made it here in one piece and, despite extreme levels of exhaustion, they made it through their first day in Italy. Second, and nearly as exciting, the peanut butter made it safely to Rome. It is as delicious as one might expect.

The first order of business upon my parents arrival, after copious amounts of hugging was taking them for a cup of coffee. I took them to a little place next to my apartment, we call it Giovanni's (the name of the owner and a man that I want to be my grandfather). Mom thinks the coffee is strong (shocker) but after two packets of sugar she proclaimed it to be drinkable. Dad drank his with no qualms.

After coffee we traipsed the whole five feet back to my apartment to meet my roomies. My parents, wanting to make friends, brought them pastries. They promptly made a pot of coffee and became fast friends with the parents (who also brought them gifts from the land of Minnesota: wild rice soup mix, fish pen, "you betcha" card deck).

Fortified by large amounts of caffeine I then took them around Trastevere (my neighborhood). They instantly fell in love with the cute little streets, shops, and darling charm that it has to offer. I also showed them the market in Campo di Fiori. It was actually the first time that I had been to this particular market and it was really cool. There are little stands everywhere. They sell things like spices by the kilo, kitchen-ware, shirts, veggies, and fruits. Both locals and tourists flock to this market. It is the quintessential European experience.

Hungry after all of our walking we went out to lunch at the pizza place next to Giovanni's. We did discover, much to our chagrin, that no pizza is served at lunch. So instead we opted for delicious pasta dishes. First meal in Italy, check!

Then we went back to my apartment to ready ourselves for our journey to Venice. Spiked your curiosity? You will have to read the next post to hear all about it! Buonanotte!