Gelato, jackets, and women

A lot has happened since my last post. It has been difficult to get online and I have preferred to be all-here lately, but I do want to share part of the story that is my life so I will try to post more often. Also I now live 3 minutes from studio instead of 30.

Rome is amazing and I love it. Two of my favorite things that standout to me in this metropolitan area of 4+ million people are the jackets and the women. The jackets vary in design and almost all of them are one's that I would want to wear. I was sad that I couldn't bring more of mine up here, but was happy to find a long black jacket that reminded me of probably my favorite jacket I've ever seen (which would be one of the green one in the beginning of Brotherhood of the Wolf). For those who don't know I'm attracted to dark haired girls, and apparently Rome is where these beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. It really makes me want to learn Italian and live here for a while. There are other unexpected features of the city that have not been as easy on the eyes. I've been surprised to see the amount of spray paint and homeless people around Rome, and while I have yet to see a wreck as it happens, I have seen the aftermath of a handful of wrecks that ended poorly for the mopedian. I've also seen the smoldering rubble of at least a dozen mopeds that included a charred streak up a building and a blown out 2nd floor window. These are probably the main 3 of a list of things that make it hard to believe I'm really in Rome. My mental image of the perfect-city Rome isn't exactly lining up with the Rome I'm experiencing, and I don't think they'll ever meet. There are some close encounters, however: walking into the Pantheon on a rainy day, stumbling into a random church that I've passed by many times and finding it to be utterly amazing inside, a typical Italian girl speaking, gelato, etc...

Speaking of gelato, one of my favorite memories in Rome so far was the first time I ate it here. I was with 3 friends from studio exploring the more well-known features of the city during our first week here. We found our way past the Pantheon, through some winding streets, and to Trevi fountain - which we all immediately claimed as one of the coolest things we'd seen so far. We got some gelato at a store that overlooked the fountain, and as soon as I started eating it 'Born in the USA' by Bruce Springsteen blared through the gelatoria. It rocked. The food in general here is awesome. I'll never get tired of eating panini and pizzas. I've been to a handful of good sit-down Italian food locations, and my roommates and I were surprised to find a really good Chinese restaurant.

Studio has been great this semester. Our professor is a native Italian so he naturally practices the Italian liesurely work. With a couple of cappicino breaks during our 3 hour class and lots of time between due dates, the studio is made complete with frequent trips out of the studio into Rome and surrounding areas. The first big day trip included a 30 minute train ride to Ostia Antica. This is the best place to see the ruins of a complete Roman city as most of it has been untouched (there is a building for food/souvenirs). Our 2nd big day trip took us to Pompeii (a 2 hour bus ride) and it was even better. Having been to a temporary exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago I felt even more familiar with the history of this ancient city that everyone needs to visit. I was surprised at how much of it is still standing, and probably enjoyed the local gladiator arena the most. The 3rd day trip we took was only a few days ago and left the other 2 in the ruinous dust - Hadrian's Villa. It's only a 45 min bus ride from Rome but takes a full day to see. This Villa for one man was so large that it was built in two phases, and it leaves even less to the imagination than Ostia Antica and Pompeii (pictured below). My favorite feature of it included a long pool of water with statues directly around it, hills on the long sides, a large oak tree on one end, and an enclave to gather in at the other.

Music. The culture here is funny to me because they all listen to tunes with English lyrics (for the most part), there are advertisements in English, mtv on tv, and tourists everywhere. I try to imagine the reciprocal with Dallas...just seems strange. Specially since so many Italians here don't speak English and/or speak the local Italian dialect which is impossible, from what I hear, to understand even if you know Italian. So music. I love it. Walking and exploring gives new experiences to favorite songs, like eating a favorite dish at a new, unique restaurant. At first I was getting goosebumps really easily. My favorite songs lately have had lyrics that resound with my steps*. I've been without most of my music (including all my favorite artists), but I'm hoping that will change soon.

Crepes. One evening I was invited by 2 girls in studio to a house to eat crepes that were being cooked by students of another school. Sounded fun so me and 1 other guy went and had crepes with about 10 girls. There were people from all over: U.S., Finland, Switzerland, etc. I was one of the last to go through the serving line so I grabbed 2 crepes and loaded them with nutella (which is everywhere here), apple sauce, cheese, and other assortments that were on the fixin's table. I didn't think I would get full that night, but ended up eating 5 total; they had leftovers. I stayed until the last guests left and talked with one guy there about getting a guitar and joining him in his cello playing out at the Roman streets and piazzas. I really wish I had my guitar.

Superbowl. Hard rock cafe is where 8 of us went to watch the Superbowl at 12:30 am. For 16 Euros we got reservations that went quick, 2 beers, chips and salsa, and a sweet mug souvenir. To the shagrin of my roommates I was rooting for the NY Giants because they beat the cowboys (so they needed to go all the way) and also so that I could joke about how much Eli Manning is than Peyton (which I haven't gotten to do yet since none of my friends here like the Colts). He's way better, Wes and Dre. Before the game started I waited at a table with my new Finish friend, Taina, with some other Italians who were waiting for people. Samuel, who I met while waiting, was one of the Italians who was also rooting for NY since his dad works there. I ended up sitting at the table in front of his group so throughout the game I would get pats on the back or get up and cheer with 10 Italians. Before the game he hit me so that I would stand with him for the national anthem. Hand on my heart and everything with 1 other person in the room. Halftime happened outside. The sidewalk was big enough for a 4 vs 4 football game in which I was the only one who spoke fluent English. With a hodge-podge court that had a car parked on one side, short passes that usually fell incomplete, and more laughter than sweat it felt like I was in Middle School. After the second half the cheers at the end of the game lasted from the tv to down the street.

Church. A few friends from studio told me about the Baptist Church of Rome where I went this past Sunday for the first time. It was relieving to sing old English hymns again, and I found Dani, the cook from the crepes night, to sit by. At the end they had all us first-timers to stand up and say our name and where we're from. This allowed for me to meet a handful of people who came up to me afterwards. One of which was a DTS professor who's here on sabbatical. He's heard of you, Gunter, but hasn't met you. The meetings continued into lunch as a large group of us walked to a sit-down restaurant. I met a girl from Jamaica and another from Wales. I've found it's easy meeting people in Rome. Well, maybe not Italians.

Travels.
I've gone on 2 awesome weekend trips within Italy (Sorrento and Capri; Bologna and Ravenna) which I will post about soon. I'm going to Florence with the Studio tomorrow and Athens for Spring Break with a group of people. I have about 3 weeks after Studio finishes on April 24th before I head home to do the majority of my traveling. There are a few trips I'd like to do before then, and the top of those is snowboarding in Switzerland. Stories and pictures will abound.







*
Copeland - Thanks to you
This far from home,
It doesn't feel as far when I know you're doing well.
Distance is what you make it.
The distance is what you make it.

I hope that you can see the strength that pulled us through
Is now passed on to me I wear it like you always do.

Underoath - Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape
Hey unfaithful I will teach you
To be stronger, to be stronger
Hey ungraceful I will teach you
To forgive one another...
And Jesus I'm ready to come home

The National - Mistaken for strangers
You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends
when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery citibank lights

Ryan Adams - Friends (from memory not ipod)

From 2008 to Rome

Friends, Romans, countrymen. Welcome. I hope you don't have big aspirations for future posts since I am no journalism major, but I do hope to put up at least a picture a post since I love taking pictures (thanks mom and dad for the new camera :)

Now that that's out of the way...2008 started out awesome. The Christmas approach with the Wood Pile never fails to help make for a grande ole celebration to bring it home. Family (that's me with Nelson and Ali's baby Kennedy), friends, and the ungodly amounts of food are a must. This New Year's Eve was one of my most favorite as a handful of my closest friends came to Dallas to rock. The night was all planned out, but nothing happened according to plan - which turned out to be better because of the people I got to celebrate it with. Thanks to all who brought in 2008 with me. I hope everyone else had as much fun as I did.



Rome.
After staying up all night packing I got on my flight. Mom dropped me off at DFW, where I was happily mistaken as a marine, where I was finally setting out on my own. There was a layover in Philadelphia, and off to Rome. I switched seats with a girl on the flight so she could sit by her parents and ended up sitting by a Roman mother and her 2 daughters. One of the daughters flipped through the little black book of Rome that Asher, Missy, and Gaia got me and circled all the restaurants, bars, etc that she loved. She spoke as much English as I did Italian so we flipped through a translation book, watched The Bourne Ultimatum in Italian, etc. This was the flight. Having stayed up for 2 straight nights (1 packing and the other on the plane) I arrived in Rome. My cell phone wasn't working, I couldn't get my debit card unfrozen in the 3hrs I was between flights in Philly (yeah, no cheese steak either), and I was going to pick up my apartment keys at a convent where a friend was staying. The train into town was easy and my mental picture of 'Chicago but different' proved to be pretty close to reality. Once in town I realized that I was miles from where I needed to be and talked a cabby down in price (at first accidentally) to get there. After arriving at the convent (cobblestone streets are no fun with rolly-anything), I sat in a small room for my friend trying my best not to sleep but failing a couple of times. After my friend arrived and I learned that there were no keys yet, I went to stay at a hotel that the lady who was working the desk setup for me. I walked a while, took the 15 Euro cab ride to who knows where, went in a gate, and walked up to what looked like someone's house. It was a bed and breakfast that was owned by an older couple. I spoke Spanish with the Father of the house while we watched his wife prep the room and bathroom. After saying goodnight I took a picture of myself in my room. I showered and got in bed to list some things or make a plan or something before sleep and found myself drifting in and out of consciousness. I was able to do whatever I needed to and slept 12 hrs. I remember thinking it fitting as I correlated my delirious entry to Rome like that of Dante's entry to Hell, and it made me feel all the more far from home the next day. Here's me, my room, and it's morning view.


Charming, ain't it. The first full day in Rome has been my favorite to date. After eating wafer bread and jam with warm milk and an espresso I headed out into the unknown. One of the few things I understood the wife say is that the bus tickets can be bought at a tabacchi (small vendors throughout the city). I bought a ticket for 1 Euro but decided to walk since I had the time and the weather was inviting. The walk was great. I used the maps at the bus stops to find my way since I found I was off of any map I owned, and saw that I had about a 5 mile walk before me. One woman tried to speak to me in Italian and I could only say 'no comprende' as I kept walking. As I neared more urban territory the white noise of any city (cars, people walking, trolley, etc) tasted different to my ears as it was mixed with the Italian language dancing in the air around me. Lately I've enjoyed walking with my headphones on (it's been easy to get goosebumps during certain songs), but I'm glad that I didn't think to do that on the first day. I walked in circles a bit, went through a few markets, was surprised at how many people had dogs, and finally decided to rest my ankle at an outdoor cafe. I later learned that I was resting right in front of the door to where a group of my friends were living and where I resided until I moved into my own apartment. After a rest I walked uphill off the major street with the trolley and; you probably wouldn't be far off from picturing the next neighborhoods I saw as the architypical Roman streets: winding, narrow, hilly, etc. I got to the top of a hill and noticed 2 Americans that i chatted with for a bit. They gave me a map and, after we traversed the top, proceeded to the base where we parted paths. The top had views over the whole city. It was also large enough for a park with meandering paths, statues, and mobile vendors.
Did you know: the white building above with the winged charioteers is called 'the wedding cake' by the locals since has a large, layering base and totally disreguards the surrounding environment. After the hill I called a roommate and met up with some of the class. Since then I've been in a watered-down Italian culture since I speak English all the time. That first day really imprinted on me what it means to be in a foreign place where nobody knows who you are, what you're saying, or what the deelio. It really made me want to learn Italian.

Since then I've moved into an apartment with 2 roommates in a neighborhood that's been described as the Beverly Hills of Rome, started my studio course which will probably be the best one I've ever done, and daily life has started to get some structure. As I am one who loves change you can count on each day being different as I continue to explore both the city and the culture.
Ciao!