i am just so lucky, it is unbelievable

another picture album

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025355&l=f5e29&id=14501905

Another weekend has passed...I only have two more weeks left it is so sad! I have had such an amazing weekend with my friend Samantha. It is great having someone to share Italy with, and tell her all I know about Rome. The weekend has been amazingly beautiful. Everyday has been warm and sunny. On friday we went to the beach, and it was quite lovely. My friends and I actually went swimming in the ocean. It was so refreshing. On Saturday we went on an adventure to Florence. It was really nice, yet very crowded. Tourist season has begun! But we wandered around and found this amazing food fair. A man told me it happened once a year, and there were tons of little stalls promoting and selling their foods. So, we got a bunch of cheese, bread and other foods, and had a picnic on the steps of a church. Then we went to see the synagogue, which was absolutely beautiful. It was built in the 1800s. I have really had an amazing weekend!

Why is my art history professor so cute? She is petite Italian woman, who is so excited to talk about art. Today, we went to the Borghese gallery which was so beautiful. We studied works from Bernini and Caravaggio, which were only few of the intricate paintings and sculptures within the villa. When we left the gallery my teacher said, "Jenny, I know you like to keep the tickets, so I wanted to know if you wanted to choose one." She was so thoughtful to remember that I like to keep those sort of things from our trips. She usually has to give them to the program, but she knew that I like them, so she gave one to me. It was so cute. 

Gardens and Sunshine

I am coming to the end of my trip. It is very sad I know...But, don't worry good times are still to come!

Having passover is a little sad, basically because it is a Catholic place all around me, and I dont really think they understand the concept of Passover. But, I had a good time going to the Seder on Saturday night. It was nice just being around Jewish people, even if I didn't make the best of friends. It was somewhat funny celebrating the holiday Roman style. Instead of Choroset, they had this purple jelly goo that look slightly odd, despite the fact that it tasted amazing. It tasted like marzipan and honey and yumminess. 

Before Passover I went outside of the city to this mall I read about in the guide books. It was so crazy being there, because I feel like I haven't been inside a mall in forever. I had a good time going there, because it reminded me of home.  There was even a food court and a Mexican restaurant. As many of you know quesedillas are one of my favorite foods, other than grilled cheese and french fries...so that was amazing. I had to convince them to not put ham on it though, because of course italians put ham on anything. But, they had some cute stores, and Mindy and I had a good time. I got a new dress for passover! But, we were kind of bandits, because we couldn't find a place to buy a train ticket on the way back, so we kind of jumped train. And then two gypsies came and sat right next to us, which was worrisome, but we made it out alive.

Sunday, was such a great day, until the end of it. We had an optional 15 euro field trip to the Rome countryside. It was so beautiful and we went to the Ninfa gardens, which were natural gardens with beautiful flowers and the ruins of an old town. Then we went to this olive and wine vineyard/farm house and had a BBQ. It was so much fun, and they fed us amazing food. They first gave us these Italian beans, that were similar to huge peas, and some sort of cheese. We ate delicious chicken, patates, and artichokes. the artichokes were stuffed with onions and garlic and served to us slightly still on fire. But, they were amazing. They also served us wine, and lots of it. The sucky part was that 20-21 year olds couldn't hold there alcohol, which was not a pleasant bus ride home. But, over all it was a beautiful day the sun was shining and everyone was happy.

here are my pics...

some of them are of my market, that i did a huge paper on, and when I went to thai food for my friend ximena's birthday. They thai restaurant gives free wine to americans....

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025131&l=32b80&id=14501905 

The Opera

Mindy, Me, and Ximena in front of the Opera House 

I don't really have a direction in life right now. I am lost and in Italy. 

Capri is so BEAUTIFUL!

As some of you know...I went to Capri this past weekend. I just would like to say...that capri is sooo beautiful! It is quite possibly one of my favorite places in Italy. Even though it was raining cats and dogs, it was still quite a sight to see. I had such an amazing time with my friends, we explored the island, got some tight shoes, and danced a lot. Before we went to Capri, we went to Herculaneum, which was really interesting, despite the fact that my scary professor led the tour.The next day in Capri, the entire program walked up this huge hill to see this old ruins of a Villa Jovis (Built by the emperor Tiberius, a fun fact) and some natural arch. The hike was so crazy because it was raining so hard, and by the time we reached the top we were soaking wet and struggling not to slip. The view was spectacular, and the natural arch was in fact natural, and quite spectacular. After our morning tour, my friends and I went to this really cute Trattoria on Anacapri and ate pizza, like we always do. Then, we went to the ocean. It was a little disappointing that the water wasn't calm, and we couldn't jump into the Blue Grotto, but it was so amazing none the less. That night we watched the sunset which was so beautiful. The next day we left Capri on the rockiest boat possible and went to Napoli to see the National Museum something or Other. I didn't really like it, but what can I say...I love Capri and I really want to go back. I am convinced it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, at least that I have been to. I really want to go back one day. 

I love Italy so much. I was thinking about how I am going to have reverse culture shock when I leave. Everything here is so different than America, and although I miss so many things about being home, I know it is going to be an adjustment to leave Italy. I dont know how I am going to go a day without a pizza, because I eat one practically everyday! It is so crazy how fast this is going by. It is such a different life here, and I think I am finally starting to understand the impact it is going to have on my life. 

PICTURES...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024911&l=24c5c&id=14501905

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024909&l=e5627&id=14501905

Panini

About once or twice a week I go down the hill from my convent to little grocery store called Giacominis. Basically, it is a family owned store by two brothers named Mario and Claudio. They are cutest older men, possibly in their 60s, and they tell us stories about their lives, and know us on a first name basis. They always greet me with a smile saying "Ciao Jenniiiifer! (pronouncing the i like an eeeeee) Come estai?" Going to get my panino is such a happy part of the day. They make my sandwiches with such care. I can't believe how nice and personal it is, and how they are so trusting of their customers. Italy is filled with relationships such as these all around me, which is very different from America. 

Who said you cant make new friends everywhere?

Yesterday I went to the park to draw. It is a little park in a part of Rome close to my campus called Testacio. The area is pretty much working class, consisting of stores, an open air market, and this little park for mothers to bring their children and old people to sit on benches and think about life. I was hoping to spy on some old people and mommies and their children, and maybe get a picture or two out of the situation. But, I got much more than that, I got a pretty cool experience. I was sitting there observing the Italian lifestyle within a park filled with purple blooming trees. I was approached by a young man, who was possible in his late 20s, and he asked me if he could see my drawings. Now, one would think this was slightly creepy/ odd, but he came from across the bench across of mine, and left an elderly man and a young girl. He took my drawing pad and started flipping through my pictures. 

The man began talking to be about guitars, which was slightly odd and random, until I remembered I had drawings of guitars in my sketch book. His English was poor, and my italian was worse, but somehow we got by. Suddenly he said "I go get my guitar". And I was like "ummm....ok"... He told me to stay there and he lived near, and he wanted to hear me play guitar. So, I figured, what the heck? I will sit here and continue to draw. 

The man came back with his guitar and we played a bit, and he played blues for me and he was really good. And then the old man joined us and started telling me about his life, and how he lived in America for one year. He said that the newspaper is a gift and I should take advantage of it, and it will help me learn italian. He was a very cute old man. And the young man started teaching guitar to the girl. And they were so friendly and nice, even though I did meet them in a park! 

It is spring time in Roma! The weather has changed completely, and now all the trees are blooming. It is quite lovely! It is nice to be back in one place, but at the same time I wish I was traveling a little more. I had a pretty interesting first week back. On thursday night, our school arranged a party with Italian students from the university here. Most of them were studying English. It was really fun talking with them and discovering the similarities between us. It was funny how embarrassed they were to speak English to us, which is ironic seeing that speaking Italian in virtually impossible for most of us at this point. I mean their English is amazing, seeing that they started studying it a young age. 

On friday morning I had to wake up at 6:30 am to go to this market outside of Rome for my City of Rome class, you know the one where they teacher is a crazy. It was so early and cold! The assignment is extremely vague, so basically we just walked around and observed the area. 

Today, I went to Siena with a group of girls. It was beautiful there! Tuscany is amazing, and I think one day I would like to travel there for a week or two. The city is so cute. We went to the Duomo there, walked around, and ate lunch in the Piazza. It was a three hour train ride each way, but we only went for the day. I am happy that I got a chance to go though! Next weekend we are going to Naples and Capri!

More pictures

this is Salzburg

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024524&l=74d96&id=14501905

more salzburg and Vienna ( not in order)

 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024541&l=039dc&id=14501905

Berlin and Praga

Prague 1

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024493&l=e567c&id=14501905

Prague 2

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024498&l=88abf&id=14501905

I dont know if I did Berlin already, but here it is....

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024450&l=d5ea9&id=14501905