So before I forget, number 11 of things I've observed...Italian's do not realize the yankees-red sox rivalry that goes on in the states. I saw a young Italian the other day wearing a Boston jersey with Yankees shorts...he would have gotten his ass kicked in the states...
Anyhow moving on. Yesterday I went to the beach with AUR to the Ostia Dunes. It was pretty nice, just kind of inconvenient with all the switches we had to do to get there. After the beach Danielle and I went on a big, huge, adventure...our biggest yet...to...get ready for it....MCDONALDS AT PIAZZA DE SPAGNA. Okay, you're probably like "Why the heck would you go to Italy and go to McDonalds?!" Well this particular McDonalds is in a huge old building with over 800 seats. In addition they have a caprese salad and it was on the Travel Channel and we all know how much I love the Travel Channel and aspire to be the next Anthony Bourdain. Pretty much it was great, except that you had to pay for ketchup...oh well.
Today with my classes we studied the Porticus of Octavia, some stuff from Augustus, Circus Maximous, and the Column of Trajan. The classes are extremely interesting and I truly do enjoy them.
Tonight for dinner I cooked again! I made my own bruschetta with chopped cherry tomatoes, mixed with basil, olive oil (or has Rachel Ray says "a little EVOO") and some balsamic on toasted italian bread that I did as well. For the main meal I made us all eggplant parm on the grill with homemade sauce...Alexis says I should be on "Top Chef" at the rate my cooking is going. Tonight I'm just hanging low. With that being said I'm going to go enjoy some Nutella and shower!
A presto!
<3 Gabbie
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
10 Things I've Noticed While Here
1) Italians are very nice to the elderly, on buses or any public transportation people will give up their seat for the elderly. However it's kind of ironic cause they don't mind pushing them down just to get on the bus...
2) PDA (public displays of affection for those of you who don't know) is perfectly fine. Today on the beach a couple might have well gone the whole way as well...I'll leave that for you to interpret.
3) Sundays suck. I want to cook dinner tonight but, hey the grocery store isn't open.
4) Public places do not let you use bathrooms. The other night someone told us we can mop the floor if we wanted to use the bathroom. Yeah okay.
5) Too many carbs.
6) People don't wear shorts here. If you were shorts you can automatically tell someone is American.
7) I can see how tourists are annoying. I know I've only been living here for 6 days, but seriously. Nothing makes me more angry than people just stopping in the middle of the street to take a picture of something totally irrelevant. Please move to the side so I can walk to class, thanks.
8) Nothing is ever clear, directions, websites, how to get places, what's going to happen. People tend to be a little more 'lax here than the states, it's good and bad.
9) Fruits and vegetables are 10x better here. So fresh. I do not know how I'll ever eat in the states again...
10) Not an observation but, that being said, I can go for a cheeseburger right now...
That's all for now, I'll post more tomorrow!
2) PDA (public displays of affection for those of you who don't know) is perfectly fine. Today on the beach a couple might have well gone the whole way as well...I'll leave that for you to interpret.
3) Sundays suck. I want to cook dinner tonight but, hey the grocery store isn't open.
4) Public places do not let you use bathrooms. The other night someone told us we can mop the floor if we wanted to use the bathroom. Yeah okay.
5) Too many carbs.
6) People don't wear shorts here. If you were shorts you can automatically tell someone is American.
7) I can see how tourists are annoying. I know I've only been living here for 6 days, but seriously. Nothing makes me more angry than people just stopping in the middle of the street to take a picture of something totally irrelevant. Please move to the side so I can walk to class, thanks.
8) Nothing is ever clear, directions, websites, how to get places, what's going to happen. People tend to be a little more 'lax here than the states, it's good and bad.
9) Fruits and vegetables are 10x better here. So fresh. I do not know how I'll ever eat in the states again...
10) Not an observation but, that being said, I can go for a cheeseburger right now...
That's all for now, I'll post more tomorrow!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Class and the Crawl
So I haven't updated in the past few days just cause I've been so busy between school, going out, and aperitifs!
So class started and so far it is pretty interesting. In the mornings I have archaeology with a teacher that looks like Nigel Thornberry with a german accent. It's pretty crazy. The classes have been pretty good as we go on site with all of them and I get to see a lot of things that I probably wouldn't go to on my own. It's really sick. Yesterday our class went to overlook the Roman Forum and we learned about the story of Romulus and Remus, the 7 hills of Rome and we went to the museum attached to the Vittorio Emmanuel II monument. It was tight. On Monday I believe we're going actually into the forums!
After class Amelia and I climbed up the Vittorio Emmanuel monument, arguably one of the best views in Rome. It was absolutely amazing. We got lunch, I ate a calzone that was okay, but not the best thing I've had since being here. It started to rain which sucked, but we got through it.
Then we went to our Art of Rome class which has been really fascinating. Our teacher is really great. Did you know that people like Bruno the scientist who proceeded Galileo was burned at the stake at Campo de Fiori? Pretttty crazy. During this class we pretty much repeated what we had learned in archaeology earlier and examined the Temple of Saturn.
Later that night we went on the Spanish Steps Pub Crawl...absolutely, ridiculously fun! We went to 3 bars and a club. It was a pretty good deal and we got to meet a lot of different people this way too. Today I'm not sure what we're doing but I'm sure it'll be good. Tomorrow we are going to the beach, I'm pretty pumped!
Well that's it for now, i'll talk later!
A presto!
Gabbie
So class started and so far it is pretty interesting. In the mornings I have archaeology with a teacher that looks like Nigel Thornberry with a german accent. It's pretty crazy. The classes have been pretty good as we go on site with all of them and I get to see a lot of things that I probably wouldn't go to on my own. It's really sick. Yesterday our class went to overlook the Roman Forum and we learned about the story of Romulus and Remus, the 7 hills of Rome and we went to the museum attached to the Vittorio Emmanuel II monument. It was tight. On Monday I believe we're going actually into the forums!
After class Amelia and I climbed up the Vittorio Emmanuel monument, arguably one of the best views in Rome. It was absolutely amazing. We got lunch, I ate a calzone that was okay, but not the best thing I've had since being here. It started to rain which sucked, but we got through it.
Then we went to our Art of Rome class which has been really fascinating. Our teacher is really great. Did you know that people like Bruno the scientist who proceeded Galileo was burned at the stake at Campo de Fiori? Pretttty crazy. During this class we pretty much repeated what we had learned in archaeology earlier and examined the Temple of Saturn.
Later that night we went on the Spanish Steps Pub Crawl...absolutely, ridiculously fun! We went to 3 bars and a club. It was a pretty good deal and we got to meet a lot of different people this way too. Today I'm not sure what we're doing but I'm sure it'll be good. Tomorrow we are going to the beach, I'm pretty pumped!
Well that's it for now, i'll talk later!
A presto!
Gabbie
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Things Get Crazy at Campo Dei Fiori
Hello everyone!
Last night was absolutely crazy fun. After our home cooked meal we went out with the other girls in our program from the other apartment! We went to the Drunken Ship, which apparently is a top 10 bar in Rome...did not meet my standards though for that! The bartenders didn't even know how to make the drinks and had to keep reading the menu for the recipe. In addition the lights would not stop going out! When we there however Danielle and I got the buy one get one free special and ordered a Flirtini which was really interesting and she ordered the Sunken Ship which was some blue drink that I'm guessing is their signature drink...which STILL the bartenders had to look at the menu to make. After we were all nice and good we left their and went to the next bar. We went their got some other drinks and met up with some other people from our program...good times good times.
After that we went to another bar which was also a lot of fun! Then we just hung around the piazza. It is definitely one of my favorite places so far. The nightlife there is awesome. Today we woke up a little late and started going to the Bocca dell' Verita (spelling?) which is a famous statue. It is said in Roman Myth that if you put your hand in the statues mouth and you are a liar it will eat your hand off...well funny thing is...it was closed when we got there. =( BUT we then went to Piazza Venezia and saw the "Wedding Cake" of a building of Rome which is the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. It is by far one of the MOST beautiful buildings here. After we took some great pics we made our way towards the Spanish Steps. We got gelato and people watched from the steps....SO ITALIAN. Here is where I also bitched out one of those street workers trying to sell me flowers and beer and jewelry and light up shit. NO I do not want your cheap shit...NO NON GRAZIE. How many times do I have to tell these people this?! I'm sitting here trying to enjoy the view and they were bothering me!
Anyhow, when we got back to our apartment we went to dinner and I got this awesome carbonera pasta at a place up the street. Seriously all the locals go here...you can tell.
Well I'm off to bed now...nothing like waking up for a 8:40 am class...that I have to take a bus to. I forgot I was here for class! Oh well! Buona Notte Italia e America!
A presto.
Gabbie
Last night was absolutely crazy fun. After our home cooked meal we went out with the other girls in our program from the other apartment! We went to the Drunken Ship, which apparently is a top 10 bar in Rome...did not meet my standards though for that! The bartenders didn't even know how to make the drinks and had to keep reading the menu for the recipe. In addition the lights would not stop going out! When we there however Danielle and I got the buy one get one free special and ordered a Flirtini which was really interesting and she ordered the Sunken Ship which was some blue drink that I'm guessing is their signature drink...which STILL the bartenders had to look at the menu to make. After we were all nice and good we left their and went to the next bar. We went their got some other drinks and met up with some other people from our program...good times good times.
After that we went to another bar which was also a lot of fun! Then we just hung around the piazza. It is definitely one of my favorite places so far. The nightlife there is awesome. Today we woke up a little late and started going to the Bocca dell' Verita (spelling?) which is a famous statue. It is said in Roman Myth that if you put your hand in the statues mouth and you are a liar it will eat your hand off...well funny thing is...it was closed when we got there. =( BUT we then went to Piazza Venezia and saw the "Wedding Cake" of a building of Rome which is the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. It is by far one of the MOST beautiful buildings here. After we took some great pics we made our way towards the Spanish Steps. We got gelato and people watched from the steps....SO ITALIAN. Here is where I also bitched out one of those street workers trying to sell me flowers and beer and jewelry and light up shit. NO I do not want your cheap shit...NO NON GRAZIE. How many times do I have to tell these people this?! I'm sitting here trying to enjoy the view and they were bothering me!
Anyhow, when we got back to our apartment we went to dinner and I got this awesome carbonera pasta at a place up the street. Seriously all the locals go here...you can tell.
Well I'm off to bed now...nothing like waking up for a 8:40 am class...that I have to take a bus to. I forgot I was here for class! Oh well! Buona Notte Italia e America!
A presto.
Gabbie
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Stay out of dark places and parks at night...check.
Hello everyone,
Rome has been awesome so far. The flight in was pretty good except for the fact that I couldn't really sleep...I met someone from our program though which was good. When we got here we flew through customs as the Italian Officers didn't really care and was on his cell phone when he looked at my passport...safety first right?
When we got here we were put into our apartment which is really sick. We are living with two girls from Towson who are also really nice. We had lunch which was really good...pizza naturally on the first day. After lunch we all took naps and then decided to wander our way into the central city as we are more so on the outwards. We ended up at Castel dell'Angelo which was in the movie "Angels and Demons"..it was really neat and really great photography opportunities. We then proceeded onto Piazza del Popolo and the Trevi Fountain. We ate dinner over there as well.
After we had enjoyed our gelato (I got nocciola and nutella..buona!) We realized we didn't know how to get back to our apartment. We ended up at the bus terminal (which we learned today not to go to at night) and just got on the first bus we saw being that the Roman workers did not want to help me and I guess my clearly failing Italian at that time. Our bus was going past the Colosseum when we realized this was kind of strange...it took some nice British guy to tell us we were on the complete opposite side of the city. We get off at the next stop and start bolting towards the metro to realize that it is a bad idea to take that too. Naturally we were also standing in some sketchy ass park with sketchy bums of Rome.
It was here that we started walking...we stopped in a McDonalds and the people there told us pretty much we were screwed and would either have to take a cab or walk...so we walked...20 miles back to our apartment. It was hell and pretty scary and needless to say I am extremely sore today.
Today so far we went to our orientation which was good, also found out that we are going to hear the Pope speak at the Vatican on July 16th which I am also pretty excited about. Later we went to the Italian supermarket which was also awesome and now we are cooking our dinner and drinking some vino. La bella vità ! Tonight we are making our way to Piazza del Spagna and then the famous Drunken Ship bar! I'll write soon!
A presto!
Gabbie
Rome has been awesome so far. The flight in was pretty good except for the fact that I couldn't really sleep...I met someone from our program though which was good. When we got here we flew through customs as the Italian Officers didn't really care and was on his cell phone when he looked at my passport...safety first right?
When we got here we were put into our apartment which is really sick. We are living with two girls from Towson who are also really nice. We had lunch which was really good...pizza naturally on the first day. After lunch we all took naps and then decided to wander our way into the central city as we are more so on the outwards. We ended up at Castel dell'Angelo which was in the movie "Angels and Demons"..it was really neat and really great photography opportunities. We then proceeded onto Piazza del Popolo and the Trevi Fountain. We ate dinner over there as well.
After we had enjoyed our gelato (I got nocciola and nutella..buona!) We realized we didn't know how to get back to our apartment. We ended up at the bus terminal (which we learned today not to go to at night) and just got on the first bus we saw being that the Roman workers did not want to help me and I guess my clearly failing Italian at that time. Our bus was going past the Colosseum when we realized this was kind of strange...it took some nice British guy to tell us we were on the complete opposite side of the city. We get off at the next stop and start bolting towards the metro to realize that it is a bad idea to take that too. Naturally we were also standing in some sketchy ass park with sketchy bums of Rome.
It was here that we started walking...we stopped in a McDonalds and the people there told us pretty much we were screwed and would either have to take a cab or walk...so we walked...20 miles back to our apartment. It was hell and pretty scary and needless to say I am extremely sore today.
Today so far we went to our orientation which was good, also found out that we are going to hear the Pope speak at the Vatican on July 16th which I am also pretty excited about. Later we went to the Italian supermarket which was also awesome and now we are cooking our dinner and drinking some vino. La bella vità ! Tonight we are making our way to Piazza del Spagna and then the famous Drunken Ship bar! I'll write soon!
A presto!
Gabbie
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Night before (or day of)..
Hello everyone!
This is my first post on my blog while I am away in Italy for a big chunk of this summer! Tonight my parents threw me a going away party which was a lot of fun. It was great to see a lot of family and friends, plus my sorority sisters Caitlin and Britta who came up to see me from Fairfax! That anxious-nervous-excited feeling you get before depature is really starting to kick in, but I am so ready for this trip and have been since I've been accepted to the program. I'm all packed, ipod is updated, and now all I have left to do is have my last American brunch with my mom at the diner (typical Jersey) and then be dropped off at Newark Airport. My flight leaves around 5:30 pm and I will be landing in Rome around 7:30 am at the Fiumcino Airport (not sure if that is spelt right).
I am so excited to get to Italy. After my trip to Seaside Heights today, I think I've had enough of this fake Italian-ness of "guidos" going on in Jersey and across the country...funny to laugh at, but it gets REAL old fast.
Well off to bed I go as I have a long day of travels. I'll write again soon!
A Presto!
-Gabrielle
This is my first post on my blog while I am away in Italy for a big chunk of this summer! Tonight my parents threw me a going away party which was a lot of fun. It was great to see a lot of family and friends, plus my sorority sisters Caitlin and Britta who came up to see me from Fairfax! That anxious-nervous-excited feeling you get before depature is really starting to kick in, but I am so ready for this trip and have been since I've been accepted to the program. I'm all packed, ipod is updated, and now all I have left to do is have my last American brunch with my mom at the diner (typical Jersey) and then be dropped off at Newark Airport. My flight leaves around 5:30 pm and I will be landing in Rome around 7:30 am at the Fiumcino Airport (not sure if that is spelt right).
I am so excited to get to Italy. After my trip to Seaside Heights today, I think I've had enough of this fake Italian-ness of "guidos" going on in Jersey and across the country...funny to laugh at, but it gets REAL old fast.
Well off to bed I go as I have a long day of travels. I'll write again soon!
A Presto!
-Gabrielle
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