Wandering, Acquainting, and Reaquainting

Hi!

Well, it's been a few weeks. I told myself that I would update this at least once a week and I've failed at that. But, I will try to do better from now on. :-)

I realized that I haven't really talked about anything I've done since I've been here or how I've felt about it or anything of the like (Well, I've only posted once in the entire month that I've been here, but that's not an excuse, I suppose).

So, like I said, I've been here for a month. Rome is an interesting place. It has so many people and places and things to see. On the days that I don't have class in the afternoon, I have been wandering around the city voluntarily getting lost and stumbling upon the same few streets or entirely new ones.

One day a few weeks ago, there was a strike on the metro (that's how I get to school) but, in Rome, they let you know a few days before that it's going to happen. Also, the Metro will still run in the morning so people can get to work and in the evening so people can get home from work. So, though my Italian classes start at 9:45 in the morning, the strike was starting at 8:30, so I left my house pretty early and got to Piazza di Spagna around 8:30 with not much to do. So, my friend Christina and I grabbed a cappuccino and a cornetto and were walking around. We were looking in windows and found a few churches to go into. This one that we found was so tiny. It was probably smaller than my living room at Loyola--a closet compared the majority of the churches in Rome--but it was really very nice. There was adoration going on and it was great to pop in and say Buon giorno to Jesus in such a concrete way before class in the morning. :-)

That is just one example of the great things that I have found just walking around. I've looked at so many nice clothes and some strange ones that I would never consider buying, I've window-shopped hundreds of boots, I have seen so many people taking advantage of the nice weather by making out on the sidewalk, I've eaten some delicious gelato, I've developed some pretty rock-solid calf muscles--all thanks to Rome's streets.

Last Thrusday, I went out to dinner with my host family to celebrate my host parent's 12th wedding anniversary(!). It was really nice to do something outside of their home with them and also to see how they acted at the restaurant. I suppose it wasn't that interesting or that different than Americans acted, but it was interesting to see what they ordered to eat. My host mom Daniela got this ginormous steak, but other than that, pasta and the like... I am truly enjoying living with them, by the way. I think that if I was fluent in Italian, we would be closer and I would understand them better and them me, but despite the difficulties I have with the language and the nerves I feel about communication, they have adopted me as their own and are so very, very nice to me.

Other nice things I've done/ have happened to me is that I was able to visit my friend Dan who is studying at North American College (the US seminary located in Rome). I had lunch with him, our friend Kelsey, and 250 priests, bishops, deacons and seminarians at NAC a couple weeks ago. I was late getting there because my class let out late, and as we were going in Danny said, "Just try to blend in." Yeah, right. Like two young women walking into that room are really going to blend in... Anyway, it was great to see Danny and learn about his new life in the seminary and see the campus. He also gave me a tour of San Pietro (St. Peter's) with so much information, I probably should have taken notes.


Kelsey, myself, and Dan on the sixth-floor balcony of NAC with the Vatican in the background. It was a beautiful, clear day and we could even see the Appeninni Mountains in the distance with snow-capped peaks!

The first week I was here, Dr. Dawson, our professor and program director took us all to St. Peter's and lead us around with a tour containing similar information to Danny's, but we also were able to climb to the top of the Dome of the Basilica. The view was spectacular and we could see all of Rome!



Well, I'm signing off for now, but look back soon to hear about my trips to Florence, Siena, Arezzo, and Assisi plus other fun and exhilarating adventures!

~Susan