When in Rome...

Great Roman snow storm of 2012...well, sort of

2012-02-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

We left Rome for Pompeii last Friday under a cover of darkness...that is, at 6:30 am. What sane person is up at that hour?? The morning was cold as we departed and snow was forecasted. I had high hopes that it would be a light dusting and nothing more as that's all the snow Rome has seen in the last 25 years or so. Was I wrong.

My first clue that something was awry was when we were waiting for our train back to Rome. I was looking at the board to see which platform we were on when "cancellato" scrolled past me. Cancelled? Huh? Oh gosh. Ok, ok. Breathe. Talk to someone. Breathe. Had it just been me, no worries. But 21 other people? Oh my. My colleagues and I made our way over to the information office where a line had already begun to form. We waited, prayed, waited, and prayed until our turn finally came. I asked the man if our train had been cancelled. Yes, it was cancelled. I asked him what we should do. He said that there was another train departing in 20 minutes and I could take that one. I told him that there were 22 of us. His eyes grew large and he repeated the number back to me. Yep, 22. Ok, there is room in cars 9, 10, and 11. Just get on one of those. Could it really be that easy? We headed back to our group and made our way to our new platform. I stopped the conductor to confirm what the other man had told me as I certainly didn't want to be half way to Rome only to be booted from the train or fined. The man confirmed what we were told and we boarded the fast train home. Now, this was a huge blessing in and of itself as we'd purchased tickets for the slow train which takes 2 hours, but the fast train wasn't going to cost us anymore and only takes about an hour.

Anyways, we arrived back in Rome and I saw the snow that had accumulated in front of the trains. Hmm. And then I walked outside. Holy white stuff! There was a steady and heavy stream of snow falling from the sky and much of it had already built up. We quickly made our way over to where we get the bus home only to be told that buses weren't running. Thankfully, though, the Metro was. So, we boarded the Metro to Piazza Bologna and then made the 15 minute trek home---though it took us closer to 20-25 minutes as we had to slow down to account for ice and an occasional snowball. I will say, though, that it was beautiful. So peaceful and quiet.

We arrived home and quickly changed clothes. As we'd been up for forever everyone closed themselves in their room and quietly went about their business. I went to bed and anticipated waking up to slush. Again. Was I wrong.

I got up around 7am to use the bathroom and my eyes about bugged out of my head at what I saw. Snow covered everything like a white down blanket. Everything. The cactus, the palm trees, and the grape vines. It was magic. I began taking pictures and reveling in the unusual quiet of a Roman morning. Stunning. I went back to bed for a bit and waited for students to get up and see the spectacle.

The kitchen was alive with chatter when I got up as we were all in awe over the turn of events. As I drank a cup of hot coffee, we made plans to trek down to the Colosseum as the sky had cleared and the sun was out. So, we dressed and then made the trek back down to Bologna to catch the Metro as the buses weren't moving.

We joined thousands of other Romans around the Colosseum and wondered at the sight of the ancient structure surrounded by snow. Absolutely magnificent. Students engaged in an epic battle of snowballs with Italian teens. We took pictures. We marveled. And we went home to get warm.

The snow wrought havoc on this city as they're not used to it. Buses didn't return fully until that Tuesday and there was still snow on the ground. In fact, we got more snow this past Friday and Saturday. It was wild. It didn't stick like it did the weekend before, but it was almost worse as it was sleet-like and really cold. All in all, I loved my Roman snow experience, but I am sooooo ready for spring!!

Snow? WHAT?!

2012-01-30T07:22:00.000-08:00

I was informed today by a friend that snow is forecasted for Rome this week on either Thursday or Friday. Not good as we're headed to Pompei on Friday. Then again, the last time it snowed in Rome? The time when it snowed in Rome for the first time in 24 years? Well, that happened to be the day that we were headed to Pompei. Hmmm, wonder what the odds are of that?!

Jolly good time

2012-01-28T05:30:00.000-08:00

I love London. Seriously. I love it. In fact, I could live there. Truth be told, I asked Jesus if I could move there some day in the future. It's just so.....I don't know how to describe it. I just freaking love it!

I met a group of students on a Friday in November for a quick getaway. I was looking forward to this trip for two reasons: 1) I had all documentation from Italy, and 2) I had reservations for the Wimbledon tour. WIMBLEDON!! AHHHHH!!!!!

I fully admit that I was a bit nervous as I approached the passport control agent given my previous experience. Though I knew that I had everything in order and there should be no problems, I think I had a PTSD flashback of a very cross and rude agent making me feel like some sort of illegal immigrant out to take the British crown for all it's worth. Still, I approached the desk with confidence and boldness. I was greeted warmly by a woman who proceeded to ask me what brought me to London. I told her that I was on vacation for the weekend from Rome. She asked me what I was doing in Rome and I told her that I was there for work. "Do you have your permesso di soggiorno?" she asked. "Yes, I do!" I told her excitedly. Not only was this the first time anyone had asked me for it, but it was also the first time on UK soil that I felt confident to be there. I handed it over to her with a modicum of pride. She gave it back and wished me good travels. That's it?! Ok. Thanks!

I met up with my students as they were finishing their tour of the Tower of London. From there we made our way across the Thames to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Now I know it's not THE Globe Theatre, but it was still a really neat tour and experience. To think that Shakespeare was nearby the site while he was alive was pretty overwhelming.

From there we tried to catch a river cruise, but were unsuccessful so settled instead for walking around Big Ben, Parliment (hey! Isn't that a line from a movie? :) ), and Westminster Abbey. We just stood in awe of the sights and marveled. We also talked about the many movies that we'd seen that used these sights as a backdrop: Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, National Lampoons...

We walked around the city for a bit longer, grabbed some yummy fish and chips for dinner and returned to our respective hotels for the evening. After leaving Rome super early, I was ready for bed. Besides, I had to be ready for my big outing tomorrow: Wimbledon.

I am a tennis fan. I have been playing since I can remember. I love the game. When I was studying in Australia, I went to Melbourne for Easter weekend. I took some time and went to Melbourne Park, where the Australian Open is played every January. I went so far as to rent a court for a half an hour and hit with a friend who'd accompanied me. So, if I was going to be in London---I had to get to Wimbledon. Imagine how excited I was to learn that not only could I visit the museum, but have a guided tour as well! Oh. My. By the time I reached the grounds, I was practically hyperventilating I was so excited.

I spent some time looking around the museum that's located below the souvenir shop. There was an amazing collection of tennis history within it's walls and it was surprisingly hi-tech. Afterwards, I joined the 30 or so people for our 90 minute tour. It. Was. Incredible. No jokes, one of the best things I've done in Europe. The tour guide not only was very knowledgable of tennis and Wimbledon history, but she was also entertaining. She took us all over the grounds--from the entrance gates to courts 2 and 3 to the court where Isner and Mahut played for 11 hours and 5 minutes spread over 3 days to the press room to centre court. I can't say it enough: WOOOOOWWWWW!!! I loved every moment of it. But I think my favorite was sitting in the press room where players discuss their matches after play. Nobody's allowed in there unless you're a player or member of the press...or you go on the Wimbledon tour. I felt like a kid in Disneyland. So much to see and process. I really think that I'm going to try to go to Wimbledon in June because how can I not when I am so close?!

Left: Before I entered the hallowed gates of Wimbledon. Center: Press room. Right: Centre court.

Ok. So I've now made it to two of the four major tennis tournament locations. Next: Roland Garros in Paris--guess I'll have to go back--and New York for the US Open. It will be done.

Rounded the day out with a cup of coffee at Starbucks and then dinner with students. We meandered over to Buckingham Palace where it seemed a British man wanted to recreate the Trevi Fountain scene in La Dolce Vita and was wading through the fountain in front of the palace. Why? Who knows.

It was a quick trip, but wonderful nonetheless. I want to move there. I do. I think I would fit in. I mean, let's be real. I love British cinema, books, TV, clothes, and of course, accents. Now if I could only find my British husband....

Il mio accento

2012-01-28T04:27:00.000-08:00

This is a post that was in my draft folder from November: I have to take a moment to say: YES!!! I was paid what I consider to be a rather huge compliment today by an Italian woman. Here's what went down:

Our Italian instructor came in today despite it being an Italian holiday to give our students their mid-term exam. She wasn't able to give it to them before break because Rome flooded the day of the exam. So, she brought her mother and daughter with her as they were to head into the Center to a museum afterwards. I have met her mom on a number of occasions and so I stopped in the classroom and said a quick hello.

We chatted for a moment and she complimented my much improved Italian. In fact, she even went so far as to tell me that when I spoke I did so with a Roman accent. She said I spoke Roman Italian and not as an American speaking Italian. Stop! That can't be true! For one thing, I've never taken a formal language class, and another....that's just too cool. This has inspired me to continue my study of Italian. I want to be fluent....or at least proficient!

Io torno

2012-01-28T04:24:00.000-08:00

I was in bed this morning and I realized two things. 1) I have been back in Rome for 16 days, but it feels like an eternity, and 2) I haven't blogged in forever. Now, this isn't a new realization. In fact my sister, Lindsay, who has an awesome blog of her own---www.lindsaysoulfood.wordpress.com---reminded me while I was home that I've been a slacker. And I have. Please forgive me.

I'd like to say that I've neglected the blogosphere because I've been so busy living life up here in Rome and in Europe, and while I have, my absence can best be attributed to laziness. Pure and simple laziness. No More!! (Don't I say that at the start of every new year?!)

There's a lot going on here at the moment. Students arrived a week ago and so this place is hopping. I have travel plans in place for February and Spring Break. And finally, I am trying to decide what to do with my life----stay or go? My contract expires at the end of June and so it's time for me to decide if I want to remain in Rome or return to the good ol' U.S. of A. Not an easy choice. There's too much on either side of the plus columns and God's being awfully quiet in this area of my life---not so quiet in others. ;)

I digress. I am sitting at home today and it's a beautiful, albeit chilly, day here in Rome. I am looking out across the yard into the high school across the way and watching the class of dancers practice their routines. It's time to head out of the house. I'm thinking that today's a good day for wandering around behind Campo dei Fiori and around the Jewish ghetto. I am on a mission to find shoes! And what better place to buy them, but Italy?

So, I'm going to venture out and live life in Rome. Before I do that, though, I am going to write a quick post about my triumphant return to London in November. It was an amazing trip and I am so thankful for it.

Ciao for now! I will be back....

Bonjour Paris!!

2011-11-01T05:08:00.000-07:00

Upon learning that I was moving to Rome, I made a list of "must-see" locations. These were places that I had only read about, dreamt about getting to. Places like London, Ireland, Barcelona, Prague, Austria, and more. And which city held the distinguished number one spot? Paris.

However, since I was having trouble with my visa I didn't feel comfortable traveling. As such, each semester when my students left Rome and spread throughout Europe my heart was inevitably heavy when they returned with their tales and pictures of the City of Lights, the City of Love. Sigh. I wanted to go so bad. So, when I finally received my visa this summer what was the first thing I did? I posted an invitation on Facebook to anyone who was interested in going to Paris with me for a long weekend in October. My friend, Beth Ann, accepted and so the trip I'd been dying to take for well over two years started to take shape.

Each semester we have a 10 day break that hits smack dab in the middle of the term. I get to leave Rome for 5 days of that break. This leaves me enough time to get out and about, to see the sights, to live it up, if you will. Paris in 5 days? Not sure it's entirely doable, but I'll work with what I've got! So, the planning began. Beth Ann and I met 4 times before we left and nailed things down like flights, hotel, what we wanted to see, where we wanted to go, what we wanted to eat, and anything else we could think of. We had a little trouble with the flights and finding a hotel, but once we got all of that set we were good to go. Paris: here we come!

As I began to write this I realized, you don't need (or want for that matter) every single detail of our trip. So, I'm going to try to keep this brief...from this point on. :)

We arrived in Paris on Friday and checked-in to our hotel. We surveyed our surroundings and headed back out into the city in search of a restaurant that was recommended in our guidebook. After a few moments of backtracking and re-situating ourselves on our map, we found the restaurant--Restaurant Polidor. It was supposed to be a more rustic restaurant with family-style dining in that the tables are all put together and you sit with people you don't know. This doesn't mean that you share food with those people, but you do share space. I'm not going to lie, it was a little awkward sitting next to a couple and being a part of their conversation, but not being a part of their conversation all at the same time. Still, the food was ok. I was fairly disappointed when we received our pumpkin soup and all it was was pureed pumpkin---only pumpkin. There wasn't any hint of salt, pepper, or any spice whatsoever. Huh. We then dined on boeuf bourguignon, as seen on Julie and Julia. That was pretty good---hearty and very filling. Finally, dessert. Oh dessert. Say what you will about French cooking--and quite frankly, until our last meal in Paris I wasn't all that impressed by French cuisine---no one, and I mean NO ONE, does dessert like the French. We had an apple pie/cake/tort thingy that was cinnamony, sugary, buttery deliciousness. Heaven really. But, I'm getting away from my promise of brevity....

So, from dinner we meandered to the Seine and looked out over Notre-Dame all lit up in the Parisian night. I loved Paris from that moment. It was all just so....Parisian. The architecture, the sights, the sounds, even the smells were exactly what I thought it would be. All that was missing for me at that point was a musician playing La Vie en Rose on some sort of instrument. We paused for a moment, soaked it all in because we had a lot to get done in the next 5 days...

Saturday: The Louvre. This was our goal for the day, along with Saint-Chapelle, and Musee l'Orangerie. Ha. How naiive could we be? I love art and Beth Ann has her degree in Art History...did we really think that we only needed a 2-3 hours at the Louvre?! Try 4 or 5....and that's not even seeing everything! We did manage to see all of the major pieces--Mona Lisa, Nike/Winged Victory/Cupid and Psyche/the Prisoners, The Wedding Feast at Canna and the Venus di Milo. In between those pieces we saw some other incredible work by Giotto, Botticelli, Bernini, Raphael, and others. We could have spent days in that gallery and still not have seen everything! If you thought the Vatican museum was hectic and crowded...ha! Try the Louvre. I couldn't even get in front of Mona. Nope, I had to settle seeing her from the side...and that was fine with me. She wasn't even my favorite. Nope that's a three way tie between Nike, Cupid/Psyche, and the Venus di Milo.

After we left the Louvre, we hoofed it over to Saint-Chapelle to see the stained glass. Oh.My.Stars. Breathtaking doesn't even begin to describe it. Nor do pictures do it justice...still...here ya go...

Absolutely...amazing....

Next, we tried to get into Musee l'Orangerie...but it was closed. Drat! Then, we tried to get hot chocolate at Angelina's, but there was a line down the block. Foiled again! So, we settled on a corner cafe where we had crepes and hot spiced wine. Yumm. From there, we "hopped" onto the hop on/hop off bus and saw the sights of Paris as the sun set.

Sunday: Versailles. Need I say more? Yes. Ok, I'll try to be brief. A-mazing. Incredible. Opulent. Overwhelming. Over the top. WOW. The Chateau was so wonderful. Such a rich history, furnishings, and sights. We got to see the kings' bedroom, Marie-Antionette's bed, the desk where they signed the Treaty of Versailles, and so much more.

After the Chateau we picnicked on its steps overlooking the massive and impressive gardens. From there, though...we went to my 2nd favorite place in all of Paris. Marie-Antoinette's Hamlet. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I found...far exceeded any expectations that I might have had.

Imagine stepping into a picturesque fairy-tale village. Think Beauty and the Beast. A village of small houses with thatched roofs, gardens, window boxes, and lush grounds. Welcome to the Hameau.

As the story goes, MA wanted to know what it was like to live like a peasant. So, she had the village built so that she and her friends could experience life as a commoner. I am sure that that the peasants of that time didn't live like this...

Upon our return to Paris we grabbed dinner and then took a relaxing boat tour up the Seine. A great way to cap off a magical day...

Monday: We spent the day seeing everything that we didn't see the days before...Notre-Dame, Musee l'Orangerie, and the Eiffel Tower. Notre-Dame was impressive and, again, the stain glass was incredible!

My favorite, though, was Musee l'Orangerie where I was able to sit and stare--literally--at Monet's Water Lillies. I wanted to go to Giverny and see his gardens so badly, but it wasn't possible this trip. I made due with the museum and I wasn't disappointed.

Tuesday: We took our last day before we returned to Rome to see the rest of the sights. We went to Montmartre to see Sacre Couer, the neighborhood, and Moulin Rouge. The church and the view from in front of the church were stunning. So worth the trip up there! Moulin Rouge....ehhh...but still, it's nice to say that I've seen it...

Overall, the trip was AMAZING! I had the best time with Beth Ann, and would gladly travel anywhere with her again. I loved Paris. I didn't see nearly enough...so I figure that a return trip is necessary. Perhaps this spring....

It only took 2 years....

2011-10-27T04:26:00.000-07:00

I am headed back to London the first weekend of November, but this time...well, this time I have no worries. Because. I received my permesso di soggiorno!!! (Stay permit)

I started this process back in June of 2009. I was advised to wait until I arrived in Rome to apply for my work visa. So, I did. And I waited...and waited...and waited. In the meantime, I was "prohibited" from entering the UK for 6 months...went to Sofia, Bulgaria...and continued to wait for the Italian government to process my paperwork. Finally, I received notice this past March that my visa application had been "set aside" for bureaucratic reasons. So, I returned home for four months and began the visa process all over again, but from the States this time. I received my visa in August, returned to Rome at the end of the month, applied for my permesso within 8 business days, reported for fingerprinting 3 weeks later, and received my permesso 3 weeks after that. Alleluia!

I am so thankful for it and for the Lord's provision during my waiting period. I know I wasn't always patient--and not always quiet about my impatience--but in the end it all worked out.

So, to mark the occasion, I am returning to London for a weekend with some students. I have everything in order this time England---so watch out!

Noticed in the neighborhood

2011-10-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

I love where I live in Rome. It's a great neighborhood that isn't saturated with tourists. Rather, it's a neighborhood full of locals who frequent the same corner bars, grocery stores, gelateria, and other shops. I see the same faces pass me by day after day as I go about my business. I love knowing that I live in an area where people who know you stop to say hello and ask how you are. It's comforting to be part of a community in such a large metropolis. And every time I get recognized here...well, it makes my day.

About two weeks ago I popped into the bar on the corner---bars are not BARS, but instead are what Americans would consider a cafe--to get a sandwich for lunch. I was paying the woman, who did recognize me despite my four month absence, when the guy who has regularly made my cappuccino over the last 2 years saw me. He did a double take and smiled saying "Ciao! Tutto va bene?" (Hi! All's good?) Yay!!! I am remembered as being a member of this community! Then, I saw him again as he was getting on his moto and strapping on his helmet to leave for the evening the other day. He stopped and said "Ciao!". I just love that. I love that I am someone here rather than just another face.

My favorite moment, though, was the other night after we went to the AS Roma match. Let me preface this by saying that Rome has two soccer teams: AS Roma and Lazio. They are bitter rivals and you are either for the one and against the one, but never for both. And people will let you know which team they support. Anyways, I stopped to pick up a pizza to go for dinner with a couple of my students. I had my Roma scarf in my hand and my girls were all wearing their newly purchased Roma t-shirts. One of the waiters started to say something to me and I was able to catch "Lazio!" So, I deduced that he was a Lazio fan. Come to find out...the pizzeria is a Lazio pizzeria. This means that the owner and all associated with the establishment support Lazio and NOT AS Roma. The owner and the rest of the waiters proceeded to give us a hard time and even went so far as to pretend not to let us order! Then, there was this kid of about 11 years who was clearly an AS Roma fan. He chimed in and shared his 2 cents. I looked over at him and said "Forza Roma!" Well. If that didn't start a rapid fire of Italian, I don't know what did. He clearly agreed and clearly told the Lazio people what's what. It was fabulous! I was a part of something big and something innate in this culture. And I loved it. I loved every minute of it...even those minutes of not understanding a word of what was being spoken to me.

I love Rome. I love living here. There's something magical and yet gritty about this city, it's people. But for all intents and purposes--it's home. There are still things that drive me nuts about this place, I miss my family and the familiarity of the US, but I've become a part of this place. And I am in love with this eternal city.

Unexpected blessings

2011-09-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

If you've been following this blog or have read anything in the last couple of posts at least, then you know that things here in Rome changed a bit when Lynda returned to the States and I gained a new married male colleague. I don't like change at first, but am capable of adapting fairly quickly. So, things are still a bit new and I am finding my way in them. The biggest change for me has been the loss of the constant companion I had in Lynda. She and I did everything together from cooking/eating dinner together, to grocery shopping, to eating out, to shopping, to traveling. And now, well, it's different. And it's been something of a challenge. But, God has reminded me that I am not alone. That He has not left me here to my own devices.

This week He has demonstrated His love for me through a beautiful bouquet of flowers my students bought me just because I'm me. He demonstrated His faithfulness to me when a friend invited me to dinner on my first Friday night off of the semester so that I wouldn't spend the evening alone. And, finally, He demonstrated how much He cares about how I'm doing when another friend in Rome called to chat and check-in with how I am doing.

No matter what circumstance I find myself in, how alone I feel, or how surrounded by people I am--our Heavenly Father is quick to remind me that above all I am treasured, loved, and wanted by Him....and there's nothing better than that.

Ace of Base, a blast from the past

2011-09-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

There were 2 songs that hit the charts big while I was living in and around Venice during the summer of 1993. The first was Haddaway's What Is Love and the other was Ace of Base's All That She Wants.

Any time that I hear either of these songs I am transported back in time. I can so clearly see myself as a very young...and somewhat naive...16 year old, away from home for the first time and in a foreign country all alone. Hands down, the best summer of my life. It was that summer that I fell in love with Italy for the first time. It was a summer that helped to form who I am and the adventurous spirit that drove me to apply for the job that ultimately brought me back to Italy and to Rome.

So, anyways, there I am just the other day walking through the Bata shoe store while on my way to the grocery store--yes, I have to walk through a shoe store to get to the grocery store---when what do my ears pick out amongst the chatter of shoppers? Ace.Of.Base. I immediately see myself in my mind's eye at a disco-tech in Venice with my host brothers, Paolo and Antonio, and my travel companion, Catherine. The four of us are dancing and laughing--just enjoying the night and each other. How I wish time travel were possible! I would go back to that moment in a heart beat!

I miss my host brothers. We have lost contact and I haven't been able to find their address. I would love to write them before my spring trip to Venice so that we can get together. I wonder what that reunion would be like; I wonder what they're doing---are they married? Have kids? Still live in Italy? I just don't know and I think of them often and that short span of time when I was a part of their family.

I wonder what will trip my memory in the future of my time in Rome. I wonder if it will be a song, a smell, a phrase, or a particular food. I want to soak it all in while I am here so that one day I can look back with as much fondness as I do my time in Venice. Both were/are life-changing experiences and I am so thankful for the opportunities that God has afforded me. What a blessing to live what I love.

I think it's time for a dance party in my room...the only question is Haddaway or Ace of Base? :)

Busy as a bee

2011-08-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the utter the lack of sleep that I have had since I arrived back in Rome, I have been uber productive and busy. I don't know where all of this energy is coming from, but I like it. :) I have things well in hand and prepared for my students' arrival next week and I feel so ahead of the game that I am a little nervous that I've forgotten something major!

Though I've been back in Rome, I have spent most of my days behind my desk and computer as I prepare for the coming semester. Signs have been printed, the handbook has been updated, hotels have been reserved...so efficient. Who am I becoming? EEK.

In the midst of all this, though, there have been pockets of connecting with friends. I met a friend for un cafe freddo e un cornetto on Saturday, went to church on Sunday and had lunch with some friends afterwards, explored the Center with Sean and Joy, experienced the Baths of Caracalla for the first time yesterday, and had a fabulous evening of food and fellowship at a friend's house last night.

All in all, the week back has been a good one...it continued to be a hot one....but a good one nonetheless. I know that the Lord has some big plans in store for me this year---I can feel it in my bones. So, maybe that's why I'm so on top of things so early on...I just want to be prepared for whatever He has for me. Bring it on.

Posso parlare in Italiano! (Kind of...)

2011-08-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

I arrived back in Rome on Monday night to stifling heat. I mean, it is August in Rome--what else would you expect? Anywho, back to my story. I got in and headed to bed. It was late, it was hot, and I was tired. The next day I got up and greeted my new colleagues and showed them around their new house. I also said hello to Roberto---the ridiculously attractive young man who repairs odds and ends around here. Again, I digress...we all settled in and then, I got a call from our labor consultant asking us to please come to his office on Wed. for a meeting regarding our stay permits. Ok, here we go. The man speaks no English. I know I can do this! I've been studying all semester for Pete's sake. Italiano: SI!

So, we made our way to his office today (it hit 100 and the humidity was somewhere in the 50% range....uhhhhh) and I played tour guide for Sean and Joy, pointing out the sights along the way. We arrived at his office and for the next hour we talked about what he needed and what I had for him with respect to our stay permits. Guess what?!? I understood 85-90% of what he said!! And the other 15-10%? I understood the context and could glean from that what he meant. You have no idea what a victory this was for me. I mean, for the most part I have felt fairly comfortable with my Italian since last year, but this...this was huge. This was a whole 'nother experience. I belong! I fit in! I can do this! And it only took me 2 years!!!

I am excited by this revelation because that means that as I go through this year, my Italian will only get better and better. This means that I won't stare at people with a blank look and then reply: Si, even though I have no clue what they've just said/asked for...which is scary because who knows what they want!?

Getting back into it....life in Rome

2011-08-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

Huh. What happened to me last semester? It seems I dropped off the face of the blog world seeing as my last post was in January! Since then I have started and finished the spring semester, traveled throughout Italy and Athens, dealt with a student stay in an Italian hospital, dealt with a family medical emergency in the States, celebrated the birth of my niece in April to my baby sister and her husband, said a tearful goodbye to Lynda while she stayed in Rome for the end of April and first half of May, returned home for four months, celebrated my other sister's wedding in June, traveled to WI to see family, traveled to Philly for my visa, and am currently preparing to return to Rome. Sheesh. I'm tired even thinking about all of that!

Still, I want to be better about keeping up with my blog---though I fear that has become a frequent hope and desire of mine only to fail at executing it! There is a lot to look forward to in the coming year---new colleagues, new students, a new visa which means lots of new travel destinations (watch out Paris cause I'm coming for you in October!!!), a visit from the folks for my 3rd Italian Thanksgiving, and whatever else the Lord has in store for me in Rome.

You'd think by now, the beginning of my third year living in Rome, I would be used to the transition, the change. Ha! It's still tricky and hard to say goodbye. And yet, I am excited knowing that this year will be challenging as it will be different from the previous two. I look forward to what God has for me and I am hoping to use this year to work on my writing and finally feel as if I've mastered Italian. (Hoping and praying for that one!)

As we say in Rome, "In bocca al lupo!" To which I reply: "Crepi!"

The final journey...

2011-01-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

The spring semester has started and it is somewhat bittersweet. It is sweet because I am back in Rome and journeying with students throughout Italia and it is bitter because it is my last semester with Lynda as she will be returning to Geneva's main campus after this semester.

I am trusting that God has many more adventures ahead for the two of us this semester and I am excited to see where we go and what we do. Here we go again!

Well, that went fast

2010-12-10T04:35:00.000-08:00

I'm currently sitting in London's Heathrow airport having just enjoyed a bagel and Starbucks pondering where the Fall 2010 semester went.

As always, it was over in the blink of an eye.....which is sad because it was a good semester. I really enjoyed the students that spent their semester in Rome and we had some great adventures. Now, I'm on my way home for a much-needed break before our first full semester of 23 students. Ahhh!! Mama mia! This is twice as many students as previous semesters...heaven help us!

I hope this finds those out in cyberspace preparing for the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray that as Christmas approaches we would all reflect on what Christmas is all about....a baby born in a manger whose sole purpose was to reconcile a dying and decaying world to the Lord thru His death on a cross--born to die. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Forza Roma!!

2010-12-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

I am responsible for planning and implementing at least one event a month that fosters community building here on campus. Usually this involves night tours of Rome, weekend getaways, girls' nights out, and soccer games. Without a doubt, students' favorite event has been the soccer game. So far I've been to two Roma games and while they have been a fun cultural experience, nothing prepared me for the game we went to two weeks ago. Oh.My.Stars.

It was challenging finding a date that worked in our schedule and Roma's schedule. Really the only date that worked was last week. I wish we could have gone to a game earlier in the semester, but then again...maybe not.

Roma played Bayern-Munich and from what I've been told Roma lost to them in their last 2 meetings. So, this was a big game for Roma. We arrived at the tram stop near Piazza del Popolo and were stunned to see it so crowded. I had no idea how we would all manage to get on the tram. Well, we didn't make the first one, but the second one seemed like it for us. Have you ever seen news footage of mobs of people pushing against one another, straining to get into a store or out of a stadium? This is what it was like trying to get on to the tram. We were being shoved from behind and I was a bit nervous because there were two small children in front of me. I was worried they would get trampled! I did what I could, but the end result was me being shoved forcefully from behind onto the tram only to fall to one knee. Scary stuff!!

Finally, the tram moved and we made our way towards Stadio Olimpico. Upon our arrival we followed the crowd that was moving towards the stadium. As we made our way around the stadium towards our section, I noticed a group of police officers escorting a rowdy group of people dressed in red and white, singing loudly for all to hear. Hmmm...that's interesting. We kept on and suddenly found ourselves in the midst of the crowd. Germans. We were surrounded by the Bayern-Munich fans! Oh my. I tried to lead our group out of the mob, but was stopped by a police officer. I told him that I had tickets in the curva nord. He looked at me and my students behind me with suspicion. "Tedesco?" he asked in Italian. He was asking me if I was German! "No! Forza Roma!" I replied in Italian--No! C'mon Roma! He laughed and gestured for us to move to his left. We finally broke free from the crowd and made our way to the entrance. As we waited in line to get through the gates, a police officer motioned for one of my students to approach the fence where he asked her if she was German. Seriously? Are we wearing the German flag somewhere on our bodies?

Finally, we made it through the line and each went through the turnstiles. I waited on the other side for my students and Lynda only to be informed that one of my students was having difficulty getting in. I wasn't sure what to do and as I was deciding I was approached by a female officer. "German?" she asked me. NO! For the 100th time, I am not German. I am an American! I am a Roma fan! This, however, was not my response. I kindly replied that I was an American. "Ok," she said and then proceeded to help my student get through security. Whew!

Finally! We climbed the stairs into the stadium and to our section. Holy moly! We were down where the action was...with all of the craziness!! The game had just started and, as always, the Roma fans were going nuts with their chanting and song singing. To the right of us down a ways was the German fan section. Every now and then a Roma fan would yell something to the Germans.

The first half passed rather quickly with Bayern-Munich scoring two goals. Rome was not happy. The atmosphere in the stadium at the start of the second half was electric. People were excited and chanting. Goal Roma! The crowd goes wild. Goal Roma! The crowd goes nuts! Goal Roma! The crowd goes INSANE!!! Grown men were practically crying as they threw their arms around one another, singing, chanting, and doing whatever else one does as an Italian male....that being obscene and rude gestures directed at the opposing team's fans.

Soon enough the clock wound down and....Roma won!!!! It was an amazing comeback and grown men did start to cry! My students were grabbed by others around them and hugged. Suddenly, the entire stadium broke out into singing: Grazie Roma!! My students, myself, and Lynda got into it--though she thought they were singing Lazio Roma, which would never happen cause Roma and Lazio are bitter rivals--we were waving our scarves, raising our hands, and singing at the top of our lungs.

Honestly, it was an incredible night and I will never forget it. The mood of the stadium was unlike anything else I've ever experienced....it was alive, vibrant, and contagious. One of the best experiences in Rome...no doubt. Forza Roma!!!

All dressed up and no where to go....

2010-12-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

I don't know that I can stress enough how important flexibility is when living in Italy. You have to be able to roll with what you're given...or not given as the case may be. If you get caught up in the mentality that "this just wouldn't happen at home" or "I can't believe this country functions like this..", well, you'll find yourself having heart palpitations on a regular basis. Instead, take life in Italy as it comes because you never know what's going to happen. Take our recent opera outing for example...

Lynda decided last summer that she wanted to dedicate a class to opera and to close out the lecture by taking students to an actual opera. I was excited because I've never been to an opera and I love the theater and the arts. Plus, we decided we would make an event of it and have everyone dress up. So, there we were....all dressed up and looking fine as we waited outside the Teatro della Opera in Rome. It was a nice evening and nobody minded waiting until the doors opened as they appeared to be closed. The thing was though,the show was scheduled to begin in 15 minutes. I would have thought there would be more people milling around, doors would be open...there would be more life around the theater. But, then again this is...Italy. Still, I became suspicious so I went to ask a security guard and he directed me to the box office. I walked up to one of the windows and asked the guy behind the glass what time the doors opened and he told me to talk to his colleague. She took one look at my tickets, counted them, and pulled out a stack of bills and began to count. When she was finished, she handed me the cash. Huh? Apparently, the show was cancelled due to a lack of financing. O-K. Lynda checked the internet the night before and there was no mention made of the show being cancelled. Oh, Italy!

I remembered that at St. Paul Inside the Walls church they often have a performance of a selection of arias from La Traviatta. So, we decided to check it out. We walked to the church and were kindly greeted by members of a Korean choir. Turns out that they were performing arias from various operas that evening instead of the regular performers. Hmmm....not quite what we had in mind. We took a minute to think about it and decided that we would stay as it was free and afterwards we would go somewhere for dessert. As we approached the door, they closed it because it was time to start the show. O-K. Shot down...again. Now what? A movie! We can go to a movie seeing as we weren't far from Piazza Repubblica.

So, one of my students ran up the street to check on movie times, etc for us only to return disappointed because nothing was playing in english. Shot down again!! Now what!? We were all dressed up...looking forward to a night out. What should we do? Go for tiramisu of course!

Several of my students from the spring semester had discovered a tiramisu place that made 4 different kinds of the decadent dessert. Yuuuummm. So, we all hopped on the metro, spent a good 45 minutes looking for the restaurant, and finally indulged in some deliciousness.

It certainly wasn't the night we'd expected, but that's ok. We ended up having a lot of fun and it was a great cultural lesson for my students. You gotta roll with it here because the alternative isn't pretty!

Leave the gun, take the cannoli: Sicilia

2010-12-02T05:11:00.000-08:00

Each semester I plan an optional trip somewhere in Italy for any student that wants to participate. Last year we went to Cinque Terre and Sorrento. So the question was: where to this year???

I have long been fascinated with the island at the bottom of Italy's boot. I admit that much of what I knew about Sicily was from The Godfather trilogy and other mafia-related stories. Since moving to Italy I had heard that it was a beautiful island with much to offer, but I didn't think it would be a realistic weekend getaway because the train to Palermo took 11 hours!! That's longer than my flight back to the US! No thanks. Still, I wanted to see if we could get there some other way....ferry, plane, swimming...well, the ferry was out because it took as long as the train, swimming was out because.....well, I don't think that needs a reason as to why...so flying it was. I was quite surprised to find fares on a budget airline as low as €17 each way. Wow! What a steal.

So, the second weekend in November found myself, Lynda, and 7 students bound for Palermo. We arrived on the island late morning and I was immediately in awe at it's beauty. The ocean was a vivid cerulean blue against the rugged stone and scarce vegetation of land. Inland, rough mountains rose from the ground towards the sky. It was so beautiful!!!

We took the shuttle into the city from the airport and from there we walked to our hotel. I was impressed by the city as you could easily spot the different cultural influences in its architecture--Italian, Arabic, and Norman.

We stayed near the opera house that's featured at the end of The Godfather 3. Our hotel was nice and run by really lovely people. After checking in, we ventured back out in search of food. And this is where I was caught off guard. Having lived in Rome for the last year and a half, I am used to finding a restaurant/trattoria/osteria/tabacchi on nearly every corner. Not so much in Palermo. We had a hard time finding decent places to eat nearly all weekend. We did not, however, have a hard time finding delicious cannoli......YUUUUMMMMM. So good!

Anways, I digress...after finding something for lunch we proceeded to exploring the city. Lynda and I stuck together for the weekend and were occasionally joined by 4 students. We spent the weekend checking out the cathedral, old castles, other churches, and sitting by the ocean.

Overall, it was a great weekend and it offered a taste of Sicilia. I would love to have more time

Lago di Como

2010-12-02T04:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I had every intention of writing this post about a month ago, but alas...life has gotten in the way of updating this blog. Hey, better late than never....

When Lynda and I were trying to decide where we wanted to spend our fall break we decided that we wanted to go somewhere that we'd never been before. I immediately threw out Lake Como as a destination. I've always wanted to travel to Italy's Lake District and I wasn't disappointed.

We stayed in the lakeside town of Varenna. Set along the banks of Lake Como, Varenna is a quaint town that I imagine is overrun with tourists in the summer, but because fall had arrived along with cooler temperatures and gray skies we practically had the town to ourselves.

After checking into our hotel, I went out exploring on my own since it wasn't raining yet and I wanted to sit by the lake. I practically grew up on a lake in southeastern Wisconsin and love being next to the water. So, after I meandered through the quiet town I sat next to Lake Como for almost an hour just listening to the water lap at the shore. I was immediately transported back to Brown's Lake, WI and my childhood. I felt such peace sitting there, looking at the mighty Alps across the water from me.

The next day Lynda and I ventured across the lake to the town of Bellagio, another quaint town beside the lake. The weather was out of control! It was blustery, cold, and sometimes rainy. Still, we had a great day wandering the cobblestone streets, perusing stores, and eating a yummy lunch of funghi pasta.

Later as we made our way back to our hotel via the path that runs along the banks of the lake we almost found ourselves in the lake the wind was so strong! There was an incident involving Lynda's glove that I won't bore you with...but let me tell you that I haven't laughed so hard in a long time!

On our last day we awoke to....sunny skies! Of course. We're leaving so why wouldn't the weather clear!? The view stole my breath. The water was a sharp and clear cobalt blue, while from it's banks the imposing Alps rose proudly and snowcapped towards the azure sky. Nestled throughout the Alps' foothills, tiny Italian towns and villages looked inviting and like something out of a postcard. Really, it was picture perfect. We took our time making our way to the train station, stopping to sit by the lake and take in the view.

It was the perfect end to a great fall break. I returned to Rome relaxed and ready to start the second half of the semester.

Fashion and a fresco...basically: Milan.

2010-10-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

Fall break descended quickly on the Rome campus last Thursday as students scattered across Europe for their 10 day break. With their departure came my own time away from Rome as Lynda and I headed north for a mini-vacay in Milano and Lago di Como. (I'll tackle Lake Como in another post)

I love fashion. I do. I don't consider myself to be a very fashion forward person, mind you, but I do love to look at clothes, shoes, and handbags. I do love to shop and buy clothes, shoes, and handbags, and there's no where in the world better than Milan to do just that. Milan is home to such fashion icons as Prada, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, and so many more! I felt underdressed just walking around in the city. Still, it's a pretty unique city compared to Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Milan is a newer, more modern city and lacks that "old world" Italian charm. Yet, it has its own character and its own feel. For one, it's a fairly clean city in my opinion. Yes, there is graffiti from time to time because what city doesn't have graffiti, but it's not like Rome where every surface is covered. It's a polite city. When exiting the metro I was shocked that people stood to the sides to let you exit. That would never happen in Rome!! People crowd in the entrance of a train and it's sometimes challenging to get off before the doors close. I was shocked to see people lined up along the right side of the escalator so that people could pass on the left if they so chose to climb the escalator stairs rather than allow it to carry them up.

We were in Milan for two nights and two and a half days. We didn't have a lot on our itinerary other than try to see DaVinci's The Last Supper fresco, visit the Duomo, see the La Scala opera house, and perhaps purchase some high fashion items at discount prices.

We started our time in Milan by visiting Piazza di Duomo. I was unprepared for what I saw as I ascended the stairs out of the metro. The view before me was breathtaking!! WOW. So much bigger and ornate than I'd expected. Milan's Cathedral is the world's third largest church after St. Peter's in Rome and Seville, Spain's Cathedral. Milan's church is a monstrous Gothic cathedral that seemed to go on forever. We spent some time admiring the architecture and then wandered the city knowing we would be back the next day for a closer look.

We spent the evening walking the calm streets of Milan before settling on a Rick Steve's suggested restaurant for dinner. We were not disappointed by the food and had a lovely first meal in Milano.

We awoke much too early on Saturday as we wanted to try to get seats on a bus tour that included a stop to see DaVinci's famous fresco. In order to see the fresco one must make reservations months in advance, but because we hadn't officially decided to go to Milan until September we were too late. So, we arrived at the ticket office only to be told that the morning's tours were sold out, but that there was space on the afternoon tour. Whew! We paid for our tickets and set out to find some discount designer clothing stores that I'd read about.

We were unable to find the first store we looked for, but we did stumble upon Via Monte Napoleone--Milan's fashion street. As we meandered down the street we came face to face with Stella McCartney's store, Prada, Valentino, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Armani, and more fashion icons. It was overwhelming to be on such a street. There is no way on earth that I would ever be able to afford anything from any of these stores nor do I think I would ever want to buy anything considering that I could put my money to better use. Besides, we were on the hunt for discount designer goods!

We made our way to two other shops in different areas of Milan (can I just say how proud I am of Lynda and myself for navigating our way to these stores? They were in the suburbs of Milan and weren't easy to find!), but failed to purchase anything. There wasn't anything that I felt like I HAD to have.

After shopping we rested with a quick lunch and made our way back to the Duomo to meet up with our tour. The first stop on the tour was DaVinci's Last Supper. I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw the fresco, but it certainly wasn't what I saw. The work is beginning to deteriorate after years of abuse and lack of preservation so the religious community that houses the work restricts visitors to groups of 25 people who are allowed to view the work for only 15 minutes at a time. Before you can enter the area the fresco is housed in you must go through 2 detox chambers to remove anything that could harm the painting from your clothes, etc. You'd swear you were entering the secret chambers of the CIA or something given all of the hoops you have to jump through! But, let me tell you this....soooooo worth it!! I was overwhelmed by the sight of the freso. DaVinci's work is genius and moving. The fresco was so much larger than I'd anticipated and richer than I'd imagined. I am so glad we got to see it! I could have stared at it for hours rather than a mere 15 minutes....

No photos are allowed of the fresco...so this is the best I could do: a shot of the outside of where the fresco is located.

After our visit to the fresco, we re-boarded the bus and headed back to the Duomo where we learned more about it and surrounding structures like the Galleria and La Scala opera house. We went to a museum and passed by Sforza castle. It was a good tour and I appreciated the bus as my feet were beginning to hurt! :)

After the tour concluded, Lynda and I wanted to explore the inside and outside of the cathedral. The interior of the Duomo is massive. The ceilings are ridiculously high and, because it's a gothic cathedral, the entire sanctuary felt dark and foreboding. We left the interior and headed around the cathedral to take an elevator to the top of the church. For €8 you can take the lift to the very top of the Duomo and see the entire city of Milan and miles beyond. It was incredible to experience the city and the church from that height. To be able to 'explore' the church's architecture up close and personal was a unique and incredible experience.

Well, after our whirlwind day of sightseeing we decided it would be best if we just grabbed some dinner and headed back to the hotel. We attempted to find a restaurant near the Duomo, but the only places we found were overpriced restaurants that catered to unknowing tourists. Did we eat at one of these establishments? Nope. We did what any self-respecting American would do in this situation...we ate at McDonald's. Ha!

I really only eat McDonald's when I'm in Europe. There's other and better things I can eat at home, but when I'm here and need an American fix---the golden arches do it every time. Exhausted to the point of delirium, Lynda and I ordered our food and sat down. She got her order ahead of me and found a place to sit at a ledge-type table with high chairs in the overly crowded dining area. When I plopped myself down in hunger, thirst, and tiredness, I found myself looking into the faces of two young men who seemed to be mesmerized by something either on my face or sweater. Then, and this is one of the oddest things that has ever happened to me, one of the guys leans over and offers me one of his french fries. Huh? Who does that? Who offers a complete stranger some food from their plate? Weird! I politely said: "No, thank you." He shrugged, gathered up his stuff, and he and his friend left...leaving Lynda and I in hysterics. Too, too funny!! After dinner, we hobbled back to the metro station, made our way back to our hotel, and crawled in to bed.

The next morning we slept in, ate breakfast, and went to the train station to wait for our train bound for Lake Como. Milan was a quick trip, but honestly I don't think we needed anymore time there. We saw everything that we'd wanted to see, had a lot of laughs, and had some amazing adventures. Now on to Lake Como.....

Getting philosophical

2010-10-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

Each time we visit a monument, church, or other site here in Rome I am struck by the same thought. I find myself amazed at the thought that no matter how different the world's cultures are, how vastly unique they are, we are all drawn to the things that are great, the things of beauty, and those things that have endured.

One of my favorite things to do at one of these locations is to sit down and watch those around me take it all in. I love hearing the different languages around me as those people experience the site for the first time. Watching people react to something like the Colosseum for the first time is so fundamental. I would bet money that nearly everyone has the same reaction: awe, wonder, amazement, and a sense of humility at what man created thousands of years ago. No matter the differences that separate us, we are at the core of who we are people created by the same God, people whose hearts are stirred by beauty, grandeur, and the ability to create magnificent structures.

Sit back someday and watch the people around you and I can guarantee you that you will discover that while there are many things that make us all different, unique...we are still at the heart of things very much the same.

Cooked to perfection....

2010-10-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Today was perhaps one of the best days that I've had since moving to Rome over a year ago. It was a crazy adventure and I am so glad that this is my life for now...

I have a long list of things I 'have' to do before I leave Rome/Italy to move back home. This list includes things like visit Cinque Terre, go on wine tour, visit the Lakes district, see Sicily, stay at an agrotourismo, visit an olive farm, and take a cooking lesson. I can now cross 'take a cooking lesson' off of my list! (Of course after today, I may just add it to the list again because it was just that good!)

I found the name of a cooking class here in Rome after someone sent me a link to a video a bunch of American students in Rome made while participating in the same class. The class looked like great fun, it was in my favorite area of town: Trastevere, and the chef seemed to be not only engaging, but knew what he was doing. So, I sent out an email a couple of weeks ago inviting anyone who wanted to come as well. Lynda and 4 students responded and so I made our reservation. I was beyond excited!!!

The students, Lynda, and I planned on leaving campus at 9 am this morning in an attempt to miss traffic. HA! How is it that I've managed to live here for over a year and forget that this is Rome, that this is Italy, and nothing ever works like it should?! We were about 10 minutes late getting on a bus and I was freaking out because I was convinced that we were going to be late. (Punctuality is an American trait that I don't see going away anytime soon!) So, we booked it onto the next bus once we made it to Termini only to sit there for another 10 minutes. Finally, the bus began to make its way around Piazza Repubblica and down Via Nazionale. Traffic was slow moving and I was stressed...well, I shouldn't have been stressed by traffic because as soon as we began to move the bus flipped a u-turn and began heading back up the way we just came! What!? Well, it turned out that there was a demonstration of high schoolers in front of the Ministry of Education and that was causing all buses and trams to come to a standstill. Where was this demonstration? Practically right where we needed to be. There was no way we were getting there via public transportation....so we walked.

The bus was diverted to the Center and we weren't that far away really, but it felt that way as we raced through the streets of Rome. When all was said and done, we were about an hour late. Gotta love Rome...and you have to take it in stride because otherwise you'll go crazy! Below is a picture of the demonstration that kept us from using the buses:

Anyways, we arrived at the restaurant and found the chef, Andrea, and the other woman, Nan, joining us chatting. Nan's husband Bernie was late joining us because of the demonstration so we didn't miss anything. Hooray!!

Chef Andrea was AMAZING! He was funny, approachable, knowledgeable, and obviously has a passion for teaching others to cook. This made the lesson fun and educational. He put us right to work as we were running late and had 3 courses to cook. On the menu: gnocchi spinaci, eggplant parmigiana, and tiramisu. Well, the eggplant and tiramisu are by far two of my favorite dishes and while I like gnocchi just fine...I could take it or leave it....that is until I tasted what we made.

Gnocchi. AMAZING! They melt in your mouth.

Chef Andrea only uses ingredients from the Lazio region, the region Rome is located in, and the ingredients are all fresh. What a difference this makes in the taste of the food! Everything was so vibrant and so delicious!! We chopped, diced, peeled, beat, fried, sauteed, mixed, mashed, and everything in between. The result: one of the best meals I've ever tasted...it was almost as if heaven opened up at that moment and the choir of angels sang "ahhhhhhhhhhh". Seriously. It was that good!

By far the most incredible eggplant parmigiana I have ever had in my entire life!!

And finally, tiramisu. Perfection!

All in all, it was an amazing day. The students had a blast, we cooked with some great new friends, I learned a lot, and I got to cross something off my list that I've been wanting to do for a long time. I am so blessed!!!

When in Assisi...

2010-10-07T02:54:00.000-07:00

I spent part of last weekend wandering the hilly and curvy streets of the Umbrian town of Assisi. The town, which sits atop a hill over looking the Umbrian countryside, is a breathtaking mix of gorgeous architecture and breathtaking vistas. It's a peaceful and peace-filled town that I recommend to anyone planning a trip to Italy.

Assisi is located in the region of Umbria and is about 1.5 hours from Rome by fast train. I sped up there on the fast train on Saturday after a meeting for work. Lynda and several students travelled up to Assisi earlier that day and Lynda and I planned to spend the night away from Rome while the students were going to head back in the evening.

I met up with Lynda at our fabulous hotel, Hotel Ideale. Sadly, it was dark by the time I arrived so I wasn't able to fully appreciate the view from our room. Lynda assured me that it was spectacular. Shortly after my arrival, we went to dinner. We found one of the restaurants recommended by Rick Steves and enjoyed a fabulous dinner of bruschetta, pasta, vegetables, dessert, and Umbrian wine. Yuuuummmm. It was the best dinner I've had in a while. We meandered back to our hotel where we promptly crashed and fell asleep.

I awoke on Sunday morning to a view that had my eyes popping out of my head like something only seen in a cartoon. WOW. That's all I can say. The day started a bit overcast and foggy, but still I could see for miles from my window. The valley below was a colorful vision of green velvet-like hills rolling into one another and running into mountains that raised from the earth like sentries. Spectacular.

After a yummy breakfast of delicious cappuccini and cornetti, where I was told by the proprietor that I had occhi belle (beautiful eyes), we walked down to Piazza San Rufino and watched the locals scurry to Mass. We sat there for a good half and hour until Lynda had to leave to catch the bus that would drop her at the train station. I ended up staying behind and spent the day in Assisi alone.

One of the things I like about Assisi is just how peaceful it is. It's quiet. I miss quiet. As I sit and type this, an ambulance is roaring past the convent and it's shrill siren is piercing my ear drums. Quiet is often times taken for granted. Not in Assisi. I cherished it.

I made my way down into the main Piazza and wandered from shop to shop as I strolled down towards Basilica San Francesco. Assisi was the home of Saint Francis. His image and his love for birds are seen all over Assisi and his basilica is incredible! It may be one of my very favorite basilicas in all of Italy. It is a sight to behold. (See the picture above)

I spent time just gazing upon the exterior of the basilica while watching the tourists traipse in and out. I love people watching. It's certainly one of my favorite activities. From there, I wandered up the hill to a cafe that Lynda had told me about. I ordered a cappuccino and sat outside on the terrace for an hour or so, entranced by the view before me. The terrace overlooked the valley behind Assisi. Small farms and agroturismi dotted the hills and vineyards and olive groves rolled up the sides of the hills. In the distance I could hear dogs barking and shots ringing out as, I assume, men were hunting for dinners. Again, peaceful. I finished up my coffee and headed across the street to Francesco's shop. Here I discovered a balsamic vinegar so delicious that I could quite literally pour myself a glass and drink up. SO GOOD! I purchased some for myself and my dad as well as some smooth and rich olive oil. If you've never had quality balsamic or olive oil, sad day. There is such a difference between the good stuff and that which we're used to getting in the stores.

For the rest of the day I spent my time meandering through the town streets, sitting in piazzas and watching people stroll by, eating gelato, and enjoying some quality time alone.

All in all, it was a great day and a much needed respite.

Il Colosseo

2010-10-07T02:26:00.000-07:00

We visited my favorite spot in Rome last week, il Colosseo. Seriously, I love this structure. It's beautiful, magnificent, imposing, and overwhelming...no matter how many times I've seen it.

As always, it was packed! We were smart and bought our tickets online in advance because nobody wants to wait in a line that seems to be 200 miles long. As you make your way into the Colosseum you are often accosted by people selling cheap tourist garbage, men dressed as gladiators, and annoying tour operators who want to sell you a tour that may or may not be historically accurate. It drives me nuts.

The day we visited was no exception. Lynda was walking in front of me when an American guy, roughly about 22-25 years old, asked her if she wanted a tour of the Colosseum. She said no and he then said to her: "Don't you want to know what you're looking at?" (I might add here that his tone was fairly condescending.) Riiiggghhhhttt.....as if this 'kid' knows more about the Colosseum than Lynda. It's laughable, which I did do by the way. Annoying!

So, later on she and I were talking about what had happened and laughed about the possible retorts we could have used had we been quicker on our feet. There was one in particular that I wished I would have thought of earlier...little did I know...

Anyways, we met back up with our students in front of the Colosseum a while later and guess who was there as well? (Still accosting tourists I might add.) That's right, our "friend" from before. He looked over at us and gave me a 'look'. I am not one to let those types of things go by. I know I should be that person. I should be more mature, more graceful, more merciful....but I'm not. Instead, I turned to Lynda and in a voice loud enough for him to hear I said: "I'm confused. I thought this was where Jesus was crucified?" He started to laugh. I don't know if he was laughing because he knew what I was doing or if he thought I was being serious--which I was not. (May I just interject here that I know that Jesus wasn't crucified here, but this is actually a question that a lot of people pose in Rome because for some odd reason they really think that Christ actually visited Rome while He was alive. I am not one of those people. I was merely being a brat....) Victory! My small-minded comment made me feel less annoyed and somewhat smug. I know, I know. This is not good....but still....sometimes being a bit snotty can feel oh so good. :)

Week one: check!

2010-09-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

The first week with students has come and gone. Whew! What a week....and what a difference a year makes.

Again, it's amazing to me what a difference having one year under my belt makes. I know what to expect, what to do, how to use my Italian, and more. Not having to set up systems, withdraw money from my own account, etc. has freed me to do what I love to do: get to know students and journey with them in Rome and Italy.

I've really enjoyed getting to know the students that are here this semester. It's a pretty diverse group in terms of personalities and that makes things around here fun. I've laughed a lot this week and am thankful for everyone here. I trust that the Lord has great things in store for us this semester. And if this week is any indication to how this semester's going to go...well, it's going to whiz on by.....I'd better enjoy the ride.

I'm baaccckkkkk

2010-09-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that I am about to say this, but....I'm back in Rome and getting ready for year 2. WOW! Where has the time gone? (I feel like that's a common question I ask myself and the blog abyss)

Anywho, I arrived back in bella Roma on Wednesday after a great flight on British Airways. I flew directly from Phoenix to London and then after a 2 hour layover made my way from London to Rome. I have to say that of all the international flights I have ever flown that was by far the easiest and most enjoyable flight....well, as enjoyable as a 9 hour and 45 minute flight can be! I was blessed with a seat behind the bulk head which afforded me lots of extra leg room. You can never have too much leg room on international flights!! There was a moment of concern when I realized that I would need to go through security in London. After my last experience with UK officials, let's just say that I wasn't too thrilled at the prospect. But! God is good and there were no delays or banning from the UK for me! I even had time to get an iced latte from Starbucks.

When I arrived back at 'home' Lynda was waiting for me...with dinner! God Bless that woman! She so graciously made us dinner and went to the store for necessities earlier in the day. I am truly blessed to work with such an amazing woman and even more blessed in that I get to call her friend.

I slept great the first night and awoke at the 'early' hour of 12:45 p.m. After a quick shower and a quick lunch, Lynda and I were off to Termini to accomplish two things: 1) pick up the postal kit for her permesso, and 2) buy the monthly bus passes for us and our students. Oh Italy. How I forgot your love of ridiculously long lines and red tape! After waiting for 1.5 hours (yes, one and a half hours!!!!) in the post office, we found out that we could no longer obtain the kit at that particular branch. Instead, we could pick it up at the branch just down the street from us....of course. So, we made our way to the ATAC office and purchased our bus passes. What a difference after last year's debacle!

We decided to reward our efforts with a dinner out at our local pizzeria where we were greeted with an enthusiastic "Ciao!" and "Come stai??" followed by a warm handshake by the owner. It's good to be loved! We scarfed down delicious salsiccia (sausage) pizza, drank some vino rosso, and then delighted in the decadence that is tiramisu. Mama mia! It's good to be back!

All in all, the first two days that I've been back have been far different from last year. The weather is gorgeous and I actually feel somewhat competent! Granted, the language is coming back slowly, but what can I expect? I haven't spoken any Italian in 2.5 months! Show yourself some grace already.

Students arrive in a week and there's much to be done. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here and for what God has in store for us this semester. Please pray for me and my students as we get ready to embark on what can only be an amazing adventure. Grazie mille!

Time flies...

2010-08-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me you are now asking yourself: Where did summer go!??! Anyone have an answer because I sure don't.

I'm heading into my last week here in the States before I head back to Rome for new semester. I really don't know where the time has gone! I had an interesting summer...and that's putting it mildly. There were quite a few challenges at home that I wasn't prepared for that made the summer so very trying at times and because of those challenges I find myself at an interesting emotional crossroads: I am both excited to go back to Rome and sad to leave home. Who knew? Despite everything going on here, God has blessed me this summer with quality time with my parents, my sisters, and my friends. I didn't get to see everyone that I would have liked to, but those I did see I was able to really spend time with them and to me that means more than seeing 100s of friends for 10-15 minutes each. I am and have been reminded of God's love through the outpouring of love my friends and family have shown me this summer.

There's still much I have to do (and much I have to buy!) before I head back and this week's going to be crazy! I am going to try to meet a friend for dinner 1/2 way between Tucson and Phoenix, I have to get some cavities (UGHHH!!!!) filled, I have to shop, I have to take my mom to some doctor's appointments, and then next weekend my sisters and I are throwing a "60th Birthday Extravaganza" for my dad here in T-town. So much to do...so little time.

I've been in contact with a couple of the students that will be joining us in Rome this fall and I am excited to meet them and adventure with them. I know that this is going to be an excellent year since hey! I already know what I'm doing....or at least to some degree I do!

So, as I move towards heading back to Rome I am trusting God with what He has for me this year and am trusting who it is that He is molding me into.

Nove giorni....mama mia.

Home sweet home

2010-06-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

I made it back to the good ol' U S of A on Thursday after a marathon day of travel. I started the day at Rome's airport amidst American tourists who were anxious to get home and unexperienced with life in Italy. What makes me say this? Well...we were all awaiting the boarding of our flight and above our gate the airline and flight number listed was an El Al flight to Tel Aviv, but it was really our United flight that was boarding from that gate. Yes, it was confusing, but it was so typically Italian. They didn't change the info, they just went ahead and boarded the flight. Those standing around me complained about how disorganized the airport and airline was...how this would never happen at home. I couldn't help chuckle. Yep. This is the way things are over here...this is how they do things. You just have to be ok with it and go with the flow. If not, prepare to be frustrated all of the time. ;0

The flight leaving Rome was an hour late thanks to France's air traffic controller strike so I had to run for all I am worth from customs to my gate to for my flight to Phoenix. (Of course it was at the very last gate!) I just made my flight and then had the pleasure of waiting on the runway for an hour as they rerouted flights because of a storm.

Finally, I made it to Phoenix and was greeted by one of the greatest sights: the Egglets (Lees, Matty Moo, Addie Mae, and Noah), the Suarez family, and Gabe. Awww! What a great welcome home! My sister and brother in law picked me up and we met my cousin for dinner. I finally crashed after dinner.

I'm still exhausted, but it's not as bad as when I head out there. So glad to be home!!! Thank you Lord!

Cinque giorni, ventitre ori, e cinquanta minuti

2010-06-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! In cinque giorni vado a casa mia negli Stati Uniti! (Translation: Woo hoo! In 5 days I go to my house in the United States!)

Being "Rick Steves"

2010-06-18T02:56:00.000-07:00

Living in a city like Rome affords me with lots of amazing things to enjoy: the Colosseum, the Pantheon, gelato, pizza...and lots of visitors!

When I told people that I was moving to Rome a common response was "I'm so going to visit!" Ok. Sure. I would love for you to visit me...but I knew that travel to and from Rome is expensive so I didn't really put much stock into people's exclamations. Well, I was wrong. (Happily wrong!) In the last month or so I've had a constant flow of visitors. Friends from home have traveled across the ocean to see me...ok. I'm not completely naive. I know that for the most part they're coming to stay with me for free in an incredible city...but still...they're also coming to see me.

It's been such fun showing my friends Rome and introducing them to my life here. We've been to the Colosseum, Pantheon, Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona, San Marino Pizza, Gel'Istria, the corner bar, Cinque Terre, and more. I've been playing out my own version of Rick Steves! I love introducing people to the sites and places that I've come to love and appreciate. Again, it overwhelms me to see these places with them because it's as if seeing them for the first time all over again. Amazing!!!

Blast from the past

2010-06-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

I lived in Italy during the summer when I was 16... in 1993. Wow, that seems like it was a hundred years ago! I had the most incredible time and was changed because of it.

I went to Italy with the Lion's Club as part of their youth exchange program. The goal of the program was to allow youth from around the world to live in and experience another culture as well as meet other people their own age in order to start communication and international relationships. I was blessed in that my parents could afford the airfare to send me, all the program cost was the airfare. I chose Italy because I was fascinated by it and because my older cousin had just returned from a year as an exchange student outside of Venice. I was excited and terrified all at the same time. I remember crying for hours the night before because I was so scared to travel internationally by myself and to a country where I didn't speak a word of their language. My mom told me I could stay home if I needed or wanted to, but I knew I had to go...it was something that I had to do. (Hmm....could it be that God was working in my life before I knew Him? :) )

The plan was that I was to meet up with another girl from Tucson at the airport in Germany (or at least I think that's where we were supposed to meet) and we would continue on to Venice together to meet our host family. Imagine my scared 16-year-old-self when she didn't show and to top it off when I got to Venice my host family didn't know that I was coming as well! Talk about freaked out! I managed to hold in the tears until I was alone. Oh, and did I mention that the airline lost my luggage? Benvenuto a Italia! (Not much changes...)

Anyways, Catherine, the other girl from Tucson, eventually arrived as did my luggage and what ensued was arguably one of the best summers of my life. I spent time outside of Venice in Mestre with an incredibly loving and welcoming family. Their daughters showed us Venice and took us out with their friends.

From there, we went on to camp with other exchange students from all over the world outside of Trieste. It was a great time meeting other people our age from all over the world...I remember Abbie from England, Tim from Germany, Yael from Israel, Uri from then-Yugoslavia, and Tomas from Hungary. (He holds a 'special' place in my heart!)

Finally we landed outside of Udine at another family's home. They had two boys, Antonio and Paolo. Ahhh...they were an incredible family. They took us exploring in the mountains and in the tiny towns that surrounded their home, cooked us delicious pizza in their backyard brick oven, pushed me in the pool, took us on their beach holiday, and so much more.

I left Italy that summer completely and utterly in love with Italy and its people. That summer was a catalyst for the life I am now living.

I have been to Venice twice now since moving to Rome and each time I am there I wonder if I might bump into a member of one of my host families. Would I recognize them? Would they recognize me? So, I decided that I wanted to look them up and get in touch with them. Perhaps I could meet up with them the next time I am in the area....except I can't remember their last names! I know I have the information at home somewhere, but I couldn't find it the last time I was home and besides, I want to know now!! (Delayed gratification and I aren't friends.)

What's a girl to do? Facebook! That's always the answer! I was able to track down Catherine on FB and ask her if she remembered the names of our host families, but she didn't....I mean it has been 17, gulp, years. I am now more determined than ever to reconnect with them and to thank them for how they helped to shape my life. I can't wait to write to them, in Italian, and tell them that I am now living here.

Come divertimento!

Orvieto

2010-05-10T04:43:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday Lynda and I ventured to the Umbrian countryside and spent two nights in the hill town of Orvieto. What a treat!

The medieval city is perched atop a hill that overlooks the rolling hills of Umbria and its neighbor, Tuscany. So beautiful!

We spent the two days that we were there exploring the town and eating some fabulous meals. We had some of the best pizza I've ever had. Pesto, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese made for a culinary sensation! The weather wasn't all that great due to rain. There were moments of sunshine (as evidenced in the picture above), but there were also moments of torrential down pouring!

On Thursday we decided to walk the trail that leads around the perimeter of the town so that we could enjoy the view. As we stared out into the green velvet hills a man, Luciano, approached us and told us that we needed to visit a nearby church because it was home to some beautiful frescos. He proceeded to ask us where we were from and was very excited to learn that we were from the US because he'd lived in the States when he was younger and he wanted to practice his English. Thus, Lynda and I found ourselves with an unofficial tour guide. He walked with us and explained Orvieto's colorful history from the time of the Etruscans to its role in World War II to its current place in Italian culture. He was actually very knowledgeable and fascinating. He even told us about the time he met Rick Steves! (If you've ever traveled to Europe you probably know that many refer to Rick's travel guides as their tourist 'bibles'.)

All in all, Orvieto was fabulous. It was peaceful, relaxing, beautiful, and interesting. And bonus! It's only an hour and 10 minute train ride from Rome. What a great day trip it could be for students and guests. Love it!!

Eventually

2010-05-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

I promise that one of these days I'm going to get my act together and blog in real time and not weeks after the fact....ok maybe not in real time, but somewhat more timely than I am now. Sheesh! However, in my defense I've barely had time to think much less write! The last month or so since I last posted has been insane. I feel like I say that all the time, but it's so true! I blink and weeks have passed amidst constant activity. So...for now....here's a rundown of the last three weeks:

April 9-11: Bulgaria. Yep. I said Bulgaria. Lynda and I jetted off to Sofia, Bulgaria for the weekend. Why Bulgaria you ask? Well...let's just say it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. We flew in on Friday morning, checked in to our hotel, and went out to explore. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I wasn't disappointed. Sofia is a city that's trying to attract tourists, but it lacks many of the mainstays needed to attract tourists from the West...like restaurants, public transportation, and an alphabet that is recognizable to Westerners! :) (The cyrillic alphabet makes navigation fairly difficult) Nonetheless, we had a good time. We visited the Alexander Nesvick Memorial Cathedral (beautiful!), ate dinner at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant with traditional Bulgarian dancing/singing (yummy and fun), and saw many other sites. Plus! There was a Starbucks! I am still kicking myself for not buying the Sofia city mug...what was I thinking?!

April 14-17: Venice: We returned to the city of canals for 3 nights/4 days with students. Yep. Venice remains my favorite city in the world. And it was even better this time because 1) I didn't sprain my ankle, and 2) I celebrated my birthday on the 16th!! Woo hoo!!! The big 3-ahem in Venice. Hey, if I can't be with friends and family....why not be in Venice? We had a really great trip with gorgeous weather. Lynda and I explored areas of Venice that we'd never been to before and I took lots of great pics with my new camera. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) For my birthday I was serenaded by my students outside of the Peggy Guggenheim museum (which despite a little mishap involving the men's room, a lamp, and a student's jacket is still standing) and then they surprised me at the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. What more could a girl ask for?! Although...the time in Venice was overshadowed a bit (no pun intended really) by a large cloud of ash that was preventing flights to and from Europe from operating after a volcano in Iceland erupted. There was some concern that the students' flight 10 days later would be affected by the ash cloud.

April 21-28: Last week: The last week of the semester arrived in such a fashion that I had to pause for a moment and really ask myself where the semester went. Seriously, this semester FLEW by. I do not remember a semester before this ever going so fast in my whole life. It was as if we blinked and it was over.
There were lots of "lasts" that students wanted to squeeze in before they departed Rome for the US. We managed to get a lot in there...including finishing up our Office marathon of the first 5 seasons. Whew! My RA managed to hold his last event: Icelandic Volcano Explosion Sensation. Ha! Take that cloud of ash. It was a great event. Then, on our last night together we all went to dinner in Porta Pia and afterwards I went with several students to what's supposed to be the best gelateria in Rome: Oldbridge. Well, let me tell you...I was not disappointed. Delish! So yummy that I plan on spending some time there after I drop friends off at the Vatican museum. (You didn't think I'd go there again without students did you? Heck no!) Then, the next morning Lynda and I escorted the students to the airport and stayed with them until they got thru security. Again, where did this semester go!?

All in all it was a great semester. I so enjoyed spending time with the students and getting to know them. God blessed me so much with the relationships that I developed with them and the experiences that we shared. He truly answered my prayers and poured out His grace upon me and our students this past semester. I give all praise and glory to Jesus!

There's so much going on the next month and 22 days before I head home. (Yep...started my countdown!) On May 11 a group from another college arrives for about 14 days. Then, my good friends Anthony and Jill are coming to Rome to see me and check out Rome and Italy. They leave and 2 days later my former student, Josiah, comes to see me. Not sure what we're going to do yet, but so excited! Then, while he's here my friends Gabe and Amber are popping down to Rome from Prague for a weekend. Finally, Brady and Heidi arrive in mid-June for 2 weeks. I cannot wait to introduce my friends to my life here and to Rome. It's going to be amazing and I am so blessed to have people who want to spend their hard earned money to come and see me....granted they get to visit an amazing city, but I know a lot of why they're coming is also to see me...and for that I am so thankful. I have incredible friends.

God is good. He has proven Himself faithful time and time again this semester and this year. There were times where I stood back and asked Him what He was thinking when He led me here, but I know that this is where I am meant to be. I know this is where He wants me...and I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than where God wants me. I have high hopes for the coming semesters and trust that He goes before me and that I will be used for His glory. Grazie mille!!!!

Buona Pasqua!!

2010-04-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter da Roma!

It's been a good day here in Rome, albeit wet and a bit cold! Still, it was a good day.

We started the day at the Vatican for Easter mass. One of our students had requested tickets for mass and we were all really excited. I mean, who wouldn't be?! This would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. So, we left campus at 7:45 (shudder) and made our way to St. Peter's. We arrived there around 8:30 and found ourselves waiting in the security "line." I say "line" because it's a seemingly fluid and almost foreign concept here in Italy....lines don't exist and if they do, they exist to be cut into. It really is quite amazing. So, we waited while the rain started and strangers pressed up against you on all sides...and we all know how I feel about that.

After about 2+ hours we made it into the piazza and tried to find the entrance for the seated area. Well. We found it only to be told that it was full. Hmmm. What's the point of tickets if it's going to be full? Only seems logical. Instead of sitting, we stood and watched mass on the large TV screens they'd placed in the piazza. Despite the rain, the crowds, language barriers, cold, and everything else....it was a pretty amazing experience. How many people can say they've been to Easter mass at the Vatican where the Pope presided? Not many.

(Do you see the Pope in this picture? He's kind of hard to make out, but he's just above the red umbrella)

Afterwards we headed back to campus for much needed rest before dinner and funtivities. Lynda, myself, and some of the students did quite a bit of prep work on Saturday so we didn't have a lot to do, but enough. We planned a big meal and wanted it to be special for students since they were away from home. You can't get ham here in Italy like we're used to in the States so we opted for pork roast. You can't get cheddar cheese in Italy like we can in the States so we opted for mashed potatoes rather than a potato casserole. We also had a fabulous fruit salad and steamed veggies. For dessert we had sugar cookies, Nutella cheesecake, and Pavlova. Man I miss having my cake stands on days like this! :)

Before dinner we had an Easter egg hunt. It was such fun watching the students scramble about the convent for candy-filled eggs. Lots of laughs! After we surprised them with a new Wii system...as I sit and write this they're playing golf!

All in all, it was a fabulous day. Yes, I missed my family, ham, and cornflake potatoes, but we had a great day nonetheless. I mean really what it boils down to is Jesus. He gave His life so that I could be spared eternity separated from God. Instead, He gave Himself over to humiliation on the Cross, died, and rose again so that thru His sacrifice I can find grace, mercy, and eternity in heaven with Him. Thank you, Jesus. I love you!

Bernini and Truth

2010-03-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

We are headed to the Borghese gallery today. It is far and away my favorite gallery/museum in Rome because it is home to an incredible collection of Bernini statues. If you're not aware of Bernini's work you're, well, you're missing out. His ability to take unformed marble and transform it into living, fluid, moving, and jaw dropping sculptures is...well...there are no words.

My favorite, odd as it may seem, is the statue of Pluto and Persephone (above). The god of Hades, Pluto, is taking Persephone against her will to the underworld with him and she struggles with all her might. The story that Bernini's work is telling is one of an unwilling young woman battling for her freedom. The way in which Bernini is able to manipulate the marble to show the indentations of Pluto's fingers n Persephone's skin or her tears as they roll down her face is nothing short of genius. What one feels as they look upon this art work is her hopelessness, her anguish, and his brute strength. And I got to thinking. This statue represents so much in our everyday lives. For me, I feel like this can portray sin and our struggle against those things that hold us down or attempt to take us into bondage. It's a struggle for freedom and often times it feels as if we're flailing about trying to escape from that which holds us prisoner. Persephone is us wrestling with sin, reaching out towards Hope, Grace, and Mercy. I don't know. It just struck me this morning as I was thinking about going to the Borghese that this is a good representation of how I sometimes think sin is. Thankfully, though, unlike Persephone in this moment we have a Savior, one who does battle for us, who faced death for us so that we would not be dragged down by sin, dragged down into the underworld. Jesus Christ faced down sin and death on the Cross and overcame it and when we enter into relationship with Him we are set free. Though we may still struggle, we are ultimately free because of His death and resurrection. SIGH...this is good news indeed.

This is a little heavier post than normal on my blog, but as we approach Easter and as I get ready to head out to the Borghese this what God is teaching me. I love that He always finds things in our everyday lives to teach us Eternal Truths. Anyways, happy Easter from Rome and remember...He Is Risen!

Weekend in the sun

2010-03-29T03:56:00.000-07:00

We took this past weekend to get out of Rome and head to the coast to one of my favorite towns in Italy, Sorrento.

I first visited Sorrento with my family three years ago. I immediately fell in love with this picturesque coastal town. Sorrento is located on the Amalfi Coast and is perched above the ridiculously green-blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. It's a quiet city with lazy streets and parks that overlook the sea. Known for being the lemon capital of Italy, Sorrento offers one of my favorite lemon treats---grainte. (Essentially frozen lemonade)

We spent the weekend lazing about and meandering thru the streets of Sorrento, sitting on a bench overlooking the water, getting a pedicure, and eating delicious food. Lynda and I ate at my family's favorite restaurant, Il Leone Rosso, on Friday and I ordered their divine risotto.

All in all, it was a great weekend!! Relaxing...enjoyable...and beautiful. Can we move the program to the Amalifi Coast instead??

Too fast

2010-03-29T03:50:00.000-07:00

My mom's visit went way too fast!! The time, while great, flew by in a blur.

We had a whirlwind week that started with us having dinner with Lynda and her friend at one of my favorite restaurants. It was a lovely evening. Then, on Saturday my mom and I took the bus to Siena for 2 nights. It was such a relaxing time. Truthfully we didn't really do a whole lot of anything other than sitting in Il Campo either enjoying a gelato, a panini, pizza, coffee, or wine. We were merely imitating the locals!

We then returned to Rome where we took our time and enjoyed different aspects of the city. This was my mom's 3rd visit to Rome so we didn't have to do all of the normal touristy things like the Coliseum, Vatican Museum, etc. Instead, I got to show her some of my favorites here like the Borghese Gallery and Trastevere. It was such fun! We even managed to get a movie night with chips and dip in. It was a great visit!! Again, way too fast!

Almost there...

2010-03-10T02:17:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we hit up Firenze. Florence for those of you outside of Italy. I love Florence. It's such a beautiful city. We had a great weekend albeit a cold one. There was rain on Friday and sun on Saturday, but a wind that tore right through you the whole weekend. We saw the David, went to the Uffizi, gazed at the baptistry, and soaked in the Florentine culture. This time Lynda and I were a bit more adventurous in our food choices as we tried some new places out. They were great and the best part is they're all near the hotel that we stayed in.

Florence was great, but what's really fantastic is...it's almost time for break. Hoorah! I need it. I do love being with students and this group's been fantastic, but let's face it...when they're here in Rome...I don't exactly get a break. I'm like a mother hen who's always concerned about where her little chicks are. ;)

Plus, my mom's coming! She'll be here on Friday and on Saturday we'll head out to Siena for 2 nights. I can't wait! We're going to have such a fabulous time...just her and me. I wish the rest of my family could come as well, but having 1-on-1 time with mom is always needed and special. And, let's be honest, it's always good to have her here cause she pays for everything. :)

Time's flying!

2010-03-02T06:24:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast this semester is whizzing by! We are headed to Florence at the end of this week for the weekend and then next weekend is the start of Spring Break!! That means we're halfway thru the semester. WOW! How did that happen!?

I'm not complaining...I mean with Spring Break comes my mom's visit, May brings friends Anthony/Jill and Josiah, and then June brings Brady/Heidi and then HOME. That's a lot to look forward too. Still, I am enjoying my students. It's been a good semester thus far.

GOOAAALLLL!!!

2010-02-27T13:35:00.000-08:00

We hit up the Roma vs. Panathinaikos soccer game on Thursday night. This was the second game I've been to since my arrival in Rome in August. Last semester we went to a game and while it was fun, it was pretty chill. There wasn't a very large crowd and we were able to navigate our way thru the stadium easily. Not this time.

Roma lost to Panathinaikos in Athens earlier in the season, so this was a very important game for Roma. The stadium was packed! The noise level was insane and the people were going nuts. We got to the stadium late thanks to traffic and a mix-up with a change in the game time. When we got there we found that they'd closed our section so we had to find our own seats elsewhere. Trying to figure this out in the another culture and one that goes insane over soccer wasn't exactly easy. Finally during halftime we were able to secure seats. So, we sat down and soaked up the culture. The Curve Sud (where season ticket holders sit) was boisterous and lively. Flags were flying, songs were sung...it was crazy. The energy in the stadium was like nothing I'd ever seen. On the opposite end of the stadium was the other team's supporters. Despite being smaller in number they still managed to make their presence known.

Sadly, Roma lost the game. The fans were not happy, but it was fun nonetheless.

Pinch me

2010-02-25T05:22:00.000-08:00

This morning I made the trek from campus to the Center to go to the bank. The Center is what most people think of when they think of Rome...Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi...all the tourist sights.

So there I was on the 60...passing by Bernini's fountain at Piazza Repubblica, passing Piazza Venezia where Moussolini used to address the masses, passing by the Capitoline museum where none other than Michelangelo designed the stairs, passing by the Colosseum and the Forum and it hit me...I live in Rome. Italy. I live in a city that has existed for thousands of years....where art, politics, and civilization flourished. I live here. Wow. Pinch me...it must be a dream.

Putting myself out there...

2010-02-24T06:02:00.000-08:00

So, I've come to realize that one of the things lacking for me here in Rome is a social life. Friends. People who are over 22 and have graduated from college. I'm used to having lots of friends to do things with, to talk to, and just to know are there. I knew it would take some time to meet people here, but I think I underestimated my own need for friendship. I guess I also thought that I would find a lot of support from people at home that would tide me over until I met people, but thus far that's been a lot more scarce than I thought it would be. So, I'm putting myself out there!

Last week I had a girl over whom I'd socialized with before to hang out. Lynda joined us for the evening and we had such a good time. It was great just to be able to laugh and share and be women. I'd almost forgotten what that feels like! I've also decided to start checking out expat groups as a way to meet people. This freaks me out a bit. Most people who know me think that I am fairly outgoing. While I am outgoing to a certain extent, I'm also very shy and situations like going to a meeting where I don't know anyone scares me. But. I have to do this. I need an outlet. I need people. This is the way I was created. I've been praying for a friend and thus far God is answering my prayers in the form of the new friend who came over last week, but I'm continuing to pray because it's always nice to have a group of people you can be with.

For those who live abroad or who have ever lived abroad, any advice?

Snow!!! (and Pompeii)

2010-02-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

We're into week 3 here in Rome and things have been hopping.

We've been settling into routines and students have been out and about exploring Rome. Thus far it's been a good semester and I've enjoyed getting to know the students. They seem to be a fun bunch and they keep me on my toes.

Last Friday we went to Pompeii. The morning was frigid and rain was falling as we made our way to the train station. As we were walking from the bus into the station one of the students commented: "This rain actually looks like snow." I laughed because typically Rome only sees snow every 10 years, but hasn't seen any in 24 years. I told her that it wasn't snow more likely just really big rain drops. Imagine my surprise...no, shock, when we were outside waiting for the train and large flakes of white stuff began to fall from the sky above. Snow. It was wild! In no way was I prepared to deal with snow or snow-producing temperatures. I was worried.

As the train sped thru the Italian countryside I marveled at the snow-covered terrain. It really was beautiful. I was quite relieved, though, that the more south we went the less snow appeared. Thankfully, Napoli and Pompeii were snow free!

We spent the day amid the ancient ruins of Pompeii and again I was struck by the horror that it must have been. These were real people...with real lives. What must they have felt as they heard and saw the great volcano erupt? There must have been suck terror, hopelessness.

All in all, it was a good day. Long, but good. Of course, I came home with more than just good pictures and memories...I came down with a cold that kept me in bed for two days!

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Small moments

2010-02-04T01:07:00.001-08:00

We had one of those 'in between' moments I talked about in an earlier post last night.

My RA is a musician and because music is so important to him he brought his guitar with him to Rome. We benefit from this as a community. So, last night he and another one of the students decided to give an impromptu concert. What ensued was many of us gathered together in the TV room while they serenaded us with parts of requests, music they'd previously written, and on-the-spot creations. It's been a long time since I laughed so hard. I took a step back and watched the group and was once again overwhelmed by what God is allowing me to do. This is why I do what I do....because I get to do life with these young people and be a part of what God is doing in them thru the gifts that He's given them.

And we're off!

2010-01-31T04:43:00.000-08:00

Students arrived bright and early Thursday morning. Lynda and I met their plane at FCO and then braved the airport shuttle back to campus. I always love riding in a car/shuttle with people who are experiencing it for the first time!

We have 12 students this semester from all over the US and even one student from another school. So far it seems to be a really great group. A lot of laughter has been ringing thru these hallowed halls.

Last semester was a learning experience for myself about what to do, what not to do, and what needs to stay as is. I am thankful for the experience and am thankful for the students I had last semester who journeyed with me. More importantly, I am thankful that the Lord is continuing to refine me and use me to impact the lives of college students...something I love to do!!

So, with the start of a new semester comes a flurry of activity. There's so much going on this semester....trips to the Vatican, the Coliseum, Forum, museums, Florence, Venice, Pompeii, and more. I will be better about recording those moments and the ones in between that seem to matter more in some ways.

I could write forever...but for now I'll just say: Buona notte!

Rainy Rome

2010-01-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

It's raining. It's been raining and it's supposed to keep raining here. I love the rain. In some ways it's so therapeutic and always makes me want to curl up with a good book or movie and sip tea or hot chocolate. Too bad I have so much to do that I'm unable to take advantage of the weather!

I did get out in it today and am blogging as a means to thaw my fingers. This Arizona girl is freezing! It's currently 46 right now. It's supposed to be 67 at home. Sigh. Va bene.

Lynda and I trekked to Ikea today to get some things for this semester and had a laugh or two as we managed to juggle our purchases, rain coats, umbrellas, and purses without slipping on the bus. Life here is never without laughter and adventure...which is a good thing...it keeps life from being mundane and predictable.

Speaking of mundane and predictable...students arrive in 2 days! I may just be wishing for some mundane and boring moments as I journey with them thru Rome and Italy...although I seriously doubt that.

Second time around

2010-01-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

I am sitting in my room in Rome as I write this. Lynda and I arrived this morning after a good flight. My flight from Phoenix to Dulles was barely even 1/4 full so I had the whole row to myself and then our flight from Dulles to Rome wasn't even 1/2 full so again I got a whole row to myself! What a difference it makes when you can stretch out. This doesn't mean that I actually slept...heaven forbid! (I've never really slept on airplanes) Rather, I was able to relax and not have my knees shoved into my chin.

It's cold here now. I mean it's cold relative to AZ. When I left AZ yesterday it was in the mid-60s because it was raining and had previously been in the low-to-mid-70s, but it's only in the low 50s here now....my room is cold! What a difference from our arrival last August when it was hotter than the center of the sun!

I was greeted warmly by the Sisters and Ana. It's nice to be received so well!

I have been fighting sleep since I got to my room because I know the best way to fend off jet lag is to wait until it's a decent hour to go to sleep here, but I fear I've lost that battle as I lost two hours earlier while I was reading...pretty sure I dozed off. Can you blame me? Lynda and I are meeting at our local pizzeria later as another way to ensure that we stay up as late as we can...and also because neither of us has any food in our homes!

So, getting back into the swing of things and getting ready for my students' arrival a week from today. I'm looking forward to what I need to do and what's going to happen.

Thanks for praying for safe travel. They were answered. I know God has amazing plans for me here in Rome and with these students. I just pray that I am open to His leading, His timing, and His method.

Returning to Rome

2010-01-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

Well, after a nearly 5 week break at home I am getting ready to head back to Rome.

I am looking forward to this semester and all that it will bring because I've been down this road before. I know what to expect, what needs to happen, and what's realistic. I am excited for where God is taking me and all that He's producing in my life.

So, get ready...life's about to get busy again! (If you remember...please pray for travel safety and for our new semester and my role in it.)

"See" you in the blog-o-sphere!

Thanksgiving, Roman style

2009-12-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

I have never been away from home on Thanksgiving. This would be the first time I was without my family, without our traditional meal. As a staunch traditionalist, I was having a hard time reconciling myself to this. I teased my family that they would have to set their laptop at the end of the table and we would have a family Thanksgiving via Skype. Thankfully, we didn't have to do that...they came to me.

My mom, dad, and sister, Lindsay, flew out to Rome the week of Thanksgiving to see me and spend the holiday with myself, Lynda, and our students. My other sister, Megan, and her husband, Josh, stayed behind in the US because it was the in-laws year for Thanksgiving. (Sorry, Meg...but kind of glad because that meant that mom, dad, and Linds got to be here...only wish you guys could have as well!)

We spent the week leading up to the big day seeing some of the sights in Rome...well at least they did, I still had work to do! I joined them in the afternoons and for dinner...it was perfect.

I was a little worried about getting a turkey because I'd been told that you couldn't buy a whole turkey in Italy. Italians just don't eat turkey like that. So, a week or so before Turkey Day I asked Sister Maria Jesus where I could buy a turkey. She said she'd look into it for me. Well, imagine my surprise when she called me downstairs on the Monday before and handed me a very large box which contained....a turkey. The biggest turkey I'd ever seen. Really. It weighed in at....33.2 pounds. Oh my gosh. Not to mention that it still had some of its feathers on it! Thank goodness my dad was here and knew how to deal with it!

We cooked the turkey on Wednesday....wasn't sure it would fit in my oven! We made pies the night before and had a lot prepped before Thursday. Then, on Thanksgiving students helped to cook food from their family tradition. It was fabulous! We decked the dining hall out with fall colors, leaves, pine cones. and turkeys made out of potatoes.

The dinner was fabulous! The turkey turned out great and all of the fixings were delicious. After dinner, we put up a fake tree, decorated it, listened to carols, and (I'm proud to add) Lynda, Lindsay, and I performed a little lip sync routine to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas."

All in all, my first Thanksgiving away was quite good. Of course, it helped that most of my family was here to help me celebrate.

Venezia

2009-11-30T06:07:00.001-08:00

I first fell in love with Italy in 1993 when I spent a summer outside of Venice with some incredible host families. Venice was a magical city that has since become the standard by which I judge every other city by. That's pretty tough to live up to...

So, returning there with our students 16 years later was, as they say so often, epic. I wasn't sure if Venice would hold the same wonder, magic for me that it did while I was there in high school. I wasn't sure if I'd simply fallen so deeply in love with it because it was the first place I'd been where I was kind of on my own, away from mom and dad. And I will admit that I was fearful that my memories of Venice would be so overinflated that I would be disappointed in the real city.

I am happy to say...Venice remains my favorite city in the world. (Outside of Burlington/Brown's Lake, WI that is....)

It is still a city of wonder, of beauty, of romance, of magic. There's just something about it that can't be put into words...it's just something you have to experience. It has that certain je ne sais quoi to it...

We spent quite a bit of time wandering the back streets of Venice and I'll admit that we got lost. Again, sorry guys!!! I still lost my breath as we turned a corner and there was Piazza San Marco. The church still takes my breath away and the view looking out into the lagoon is still my favorite in the world.

We toured San Marco and for the first time ever I went out onto the overlook on the second floor that overlooks the piazza...and that's where I almost killed myself in Venice. I was out there admiring the view when I stepped backwards as I was turning, missed a step, and went flying forward. If not for the railing, I would have gone over the edge and landed SPLAT on the very piazza I was admiring. My camera skidded to a stop just before going over the edge. Thankfully, I didn't kill myself, but I did jack up my ankle pretty bad and spent the rest of the weekend hobbling about.

While in Venice we explored Doges' Palace, Burano, and Murano. When I was in Venice before I didn't make it to any of these places and it was great to see them finally.

All in all, my return to Venice was everything I'd hoped and some things that I'd rather forget ever happened. My love affair with Venezia continues and what really excites me is that even though I will be away for my birthday this April I will be spending it in Venice...can't ask for anything better for my big day!

A little piece of heaven called Cinque Terre

2009-11-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend a group of students, myself, and Lynda made our way to the Italian Riviera region known as Cinque Terre. A national park system, Cinque Terre is five small towns connected by hiking trails along the Mediterranean Ocean. For years I've heard how amazing Cinque Terre is and how for many it's their favorite part of Italy. Quite honestly, I concur!

While we went in November and the weather wasn't the greatest, it was spectacular! Just imagine sharp cliffs falling down into rolling waves of aqua water. Hills covered in lush green vegetation and vineyards. Stunning! We stayed in the town of Vernazza and I am so glad we did! Most of the other towns shut down during the "low season" so we were blessed to be in a town that had more than one restaurant open. We arrived on Friday evening and Lynda and I set out to grab some dinner. We had a nice evening and even got a little adventurous with our fish selections! Saturday we took the train to the first town, Riomaggiore, and the walked along the Via dell' Amore to Corneligia, the next town. The walk was lovely and the view was at times breathtaking. Just when you thought it couldn't get any prettier...it did! From there, we took the train to Monterosso and explored the little beach community.

Arriving back at Vernazza, Lynda and I had an incredible pesto dinner. Cinque Terre is known for its pesto and let me tell you...that little green sauce is a little piece of heaven here on Earth. Delizioso!!! Love it! ;0

On Sunday Lynda, myself, and some of the students grabbed a quick breakfast at a Sicilian bakery and oh my stars! the pastries were to die for. So good!

All in all, it was a great weekend and just a nice time to relax before we headed for Venice and the last 3 weeks of school. Eek! Where has the time gone?!

When in....London

2009-11-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

Cheerio Rome...hello London!

Two weekends ago I headed to jolly ol' London. All. By. Myself. Woo hoo! I boarded the plane super excited with a lot of plans for the weekend. I couldn't wait to visit a city that I'd been dying to see for a long time. There was so much I wanted to see and do. Imagine my surprise (and fear) when I was almost derailed at customs.

I just happened to choose the line with the grouchiest customs agent who scrutinized my passport for a ridiculously long time. She asked me a million questions and basically what ended up happening was she questioned my reasons for entering the UK. After all was said and done--I am not allowed to enter the UK for 6 months. Ugh!

Needless to say this wasn't exactly how I imagined my London adventure starting. Still, I was determined not to let it put a damper on my trip. After all...I was in LONDON!!!! I spoke the language and didn't have to think before I spoke...people were polite...nothing could spoil my time!

I made my way to the B&B I was staying in and was so pleased to find that it was very nice and in a neighborhood that I felt safe in. I stayed at a little place near Victoria Station that was run by the nicest British couple. My room was lovely! And!! There was a queen-sized bed! Ah! I didn't have to sleep in a narrow twin bed. I plopped down upon it and it was as if I was drifting upon a cloud in heaven. So nice!

But! I hadn't traveled to London merely to enjoy a nice bed...so I made myself get up and head out to explore. First stop, Starbucks! I was forewarned that they probably wouldn't have the Pumpkin Spice Latte that I'd been craving, so I wasn't too disappointed when I discovered that they didn't have it. Instead, I ordered my favorite standby: Toffee Nut Latte. Sooooo goooodddd!!!!

I took my latte (in a red Starbucks Christmas cup nonetheless!) and walked down Buckingham Palace Road. I soaked in the sights and was pleasantly surprised as I went to cross the street to see that painted on the road was a sign telling me which way to look. Gotta love the thoroughness of the Brits! Finally, I happened upon Buckingham Palace. Sadly, the queen was not in so I couldn't pop in for a spot of tea! Still, it was a pretty impressive sight. I spent some time wandering around the palace and then headed back to my hotel so I could get ready to go and see...WICKED!!!!!

I have been dying to see Wicked for forever, but every time it came through Phoenix it either sold out quickly or I wasn't in town. Well, The Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie so it was only natural that I should be anxious to see Wicked. I had amazing seats and am very pleased to say that I was not disappointed at all. It was one of the most incredible musicals I've ever seen. I want to see it again right now!!

On Saturday, after enjoying a lovely English breakfast and a chat with the hotel owner, I boarded a double decker tour bus to see the sights of London. I figured that since I'd never been there before and I was alone the bus would be the best way to see the sights. And I was right! I saw Westminster Abbey, the parliament building, Big Ben, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, the replica of the Globe Theatre, and so many other great sights. Such fun! Halfway thru the day I hopped off the bus and popped into a pub for a pint and some fish and chips. So good!! Plus! They had Heinz ketchup on the table...yuuuuummm..

On Sunday I boarded the bus again and saw a lot more of the city. I got off the bus and explored the British Museum where I saw some of the world's best antiquities. I saw the Rosetta Stone! So cool! From there, I made my way to the British Library where I saw original manuscripts of Beowulf, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen's Persuasion. I even saw her writing desk!! Then, I walked over to King's Cross Station and found Platform 9 and 3/4 just for a student who is a big Harry Potter fan. I must admit, it was kind of cool!

Over all, it was a fabulous trip. I really love London. It's such a great city and I look forward to getting back there someday (or at least after my 6 month ban has been lifted!) so that I can explore more and get to know the city a little better.

Playing catch up...

2009-11-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

Again, life has been so crazy busy that I haven't had a moment to update the world, and you all know you've been waiting on bated breath, as to what I've been up to. Sorry that again you have to settle for a run down....what can I say? Life in Rome moves at breakneck speed...

--Justine's visit: after we returned from Siena we spent the next couple of days doing the whirlwind tour of Rome. In 2 days we managed to see the Colosseum, Pantheon, Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, St. Peter's, the Vatican museum, Piazza Navona, and Trastevere. Of course we also managed to get several trips for gelato and cappuccino in there as well. Her trip out here was short, but sweet. It was such a blessing to have her here.

--Jeff and Nancy's visit: My boss and another colleague spent a week with us here in Rome. It was great to have them here. They brought goodies with them: post-it notes, construction paper, peanut butter, and more. They're great fun to be around and it was an encouragement to have them here.

--Halloween: The students were away for Halloween, but that didn't stop us from having a post-Halloween costume party here at the convent. Considering that they didn't have a store to go to to buy costumes, they did an amazing job coming up with creative costumes. It was such fun!

--Tiramisu lesson: Sister Marie Cruz makes the best tiramisu and she graciously taught myself and several of my students how to make it as well. It was fun watching her cook and the students interacting with her despite the language barrier.

And somewhere in between all of that I managed to get to London for a weekend. That trip, though, deserves its own post. So, I will end with this: we are now exactly one month away from the student's departure to the States. Where in the world did this semester go???

Another countdown...

2009-11-01T07:32:00.001-08:00

3 weeks from today my mom, dad, and sister come!!!!

Siena and beyond...part 1

2009-10-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Well, first, let me say this: JUSTINE IS HERE!!! Ahhhhhh!!

She got in EARLY on Tuesday morning and I found her at the airport...conveniently waiting for me at the large pillar with "Meeting Point" painted on it. Hmm, what a novel idea! I practically ran to her, ok, not practically...I did run to her...and gave her a big hug. Hugging Justine is always interesting considering that I am close to 5'10'' and she's 5 feet. So, yeah...fun. Anywho, we headed for the train and arrived 20 minutes early. Much to her chagrin I "forced" her to have a cappuccino. She was in heaven! Yes, the caffe here is that good, but she's also something of a coffee connoisseur. After our delicious and much needed coffee, we boarded the train bound for Roma. It was fun watching her expressions and hearing her excitement. It's like reliving it all again! After a not-even-crowded-but-crowded-for-Justine bus ride, we made it to campus, dropped her stuff off, went to the store, and picked up lunch at the tabacchi. Then, after some yummy panini we met Lynda at the bus stop as we began our adventure to...Siena!! and Pisa!!!

We took the bus up north and quite honestly I wanted to jump out of it after an hour. It's a 3 hour bus trip. God Bless Justine for going along with that idea after having been on an airplane for too many hours.

We arrived in Siena after dark, but...WOW. What an amazingly beautiful city. It's medieval in its architecture and layout, so imagine lots of stone and frescoed buildings. We checked into our hotel (so great by the way!! Our room looked out at the duomo and you could see the tower at the Campo). After we rested for a bit we headed towards the Campo to enjoy a glass of Chianti and the view. We were, after all, in Chianti country and when you're in Chianti country...well, you just have to have some! So, we had a glass of wine and marveled at the Campo. I can't believe that it's the same place where men compete in the highly dangerous and competitive Palio horse race. If you don't know what that is...check it out here: www.ilpalio.org.

After our wine we made our way to Osteria Nonna Gina's. According to Lynda, the food was supposed to be amazing. And can I just say this? I was not disappointed. I even went so far as to remark that if I were to be hit by a moto on the way back to the hotel then that was ok because I'd just had one of the best meals of my life. We started with an antipasti platter that was super yummmy with marinated and roasted veggies: eggplant, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, onions, and black olives. I had the penne all'arrabbiata. It was like a spicy bite of heaven. The sauce was amazing. Seriously. Justine had the gnocchi with a creamy pesto sauce and Lynda had her favorite, ribolitta. For dessert, we each had tiramisu. Oh.My.Gosh. Again...a sweet treat that could only be described as heavenly. Finally, we were blessed by an offering from the restaurant...amaretto. Sigh...remembering it all now makes my mouth water. As Justine said, every other restaurant will pale in comparison.

There's lots more to share, but it's almost time for dinner. So, just wanted to whet your appetites. Here are some great pics, too!

39 hours....

2009-10-24T15:02:00.001-07:00

until Justine gets here!!!!!! I cannot wait!

Va bene

2009-10-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I appreciate about Italians is their ability to take life as it comes...to take it easy. I like that about life here...until of course it impedes my ability to live my life and do my job. In those moments, well...in those moments I say: get moving!!

The bank. I finally got an account set up last week. It only took us 6.5 weeks. This was because the banker we initially contacted was on holiday in August. Then, he went on holiday in September. Finally, after having everything he needed for 5 weeks he told us they couldn't help us. So, we turned to a colleague and she helped me to set up the account. The college sent their first wire for the account yesterday. I still don't have access to those funds. The banker told me to wait...it would get there. Va bene. My students leave today for their fall break.

Phones. After the debacle with the phone guy in August, it was decided that we would purchase cell phones for students to rent from us. I ordered them nearly 3 weeks ago. Nothing. I was told they were on their way. Va bene. My students leave today for their fall break.

It seems that at times Italians take their laid back lifestyle too far, but what ends up happening is it creates unnecessary stress and frustration at times for those who are counting on and relying upon the "system" to be in place and for it to help. Va bene means "it's ok" or "no worries." I've heard it a lot and frankly...sometimes I want to shout and say "No! It's not ok. Stop messing around and get with it!" In those moments I refrain and remind myself that I am a guest in this culture and as a guest I must tread lightly.

All I know is that as I navigate this languid country it is only by God's grace that things work. By His mercy I was able to get money for students and by His mercy the phones came in this morning. Thank God for His grace and mercy...with it life here in Rome really is va bene.

What's what....

2009-10-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Wow. I can't believe how long it's been since my last post. Guess that means life in Rome is good!

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks with lots of activity. I kind of wish I could say that it's slowing down, but the truth is it's probably only going to get busier. Such is the life of one living the dream...hahaha.

So, here's what's been going on:

1) Bike ride on the Appian Way. Students and I went on a little adventure to the Appian Way 2 weeks ago. Sadly the website that claimed that this was a park with lots of open space and lots to see lied. Yes, it's the oldest highway. Yes, there are ruins to be seen. But! I didn't see lots of open space nor did I see lots of picnic spots nor is it a totally bike-friendly road. There are lots of cars on the road...driven by Italians! (Trust me when I tell you that I'd rather drive in downtown LA or NYC during rush hour before I'd ever drive here) Still, it was fun to get on a bike...even though it's been years!!! Ahhhh....

2) Students began to travel: 2 weeks ago our students ventured outside of our little nest here in Rome for parts beyond. Some went to Budapest, some went to Ischia, some went to find their family's castle...while a couple of other students went to Milan/Lake Como. Needless to say, it was quiet around here. It was great the first night, but by the second...well, I was missing some of the noise.

3) Firenze, part 2: Last weekend we took students to Florence. It was such fun to see the city thru their eyes and re-experience it. We of course went to the Accademia and saw Michelangelo's David, went to the Uffizi gallery, the Baptistry, and up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a great bird's eye view of the city. Lynda and I managed to track down La Spada for another amazing meal and we stayed at a great establishment. All in all, it was a good trip. I even got quite a bit of Christmas shopping down. Hooray!

4) One-on-ones: I have been meeting with students individually for the last couple of weeks one-on-one in an effort to get to know them on an individual basis. I love being able to sit down together and just hear about who God created them to be and listed to their stories. It's such an honor to participate in this journey with them and to bear witness to what God's doing in and thru them here. I look forward to continuing these after break as well.

Overall, it's been craziness. But good! I can praise God because we finally have a bank account. Of course I am also praying for His help and strength as I go to withdraw money tomorrow for the first time in a language I don't speak. Please let there be someone who speaks English! After the bank, I am meeting with a student and then I am facing down Ikea again, hopefully sans any emotional turmoil.

The next several weeks will go by in a haze as they'll be even busier. Here's what's coming up so that you can prepare for what lies ahead:

--Justine visits ONE WEEK from today for 5 days

--Jeff and Nancy arrive a week from Thursday for a week

--I go to London for the weekend the first weekend of November

--I take students to Cinque Terre the second weekend of November

--I take students to Venice (!!!!!!!!) the third weekend of November

--Family arrives the last week of November for Thanksgiving

--Students leave Dec. 10

--I leave Dec 15.

WHEW! Tired yet? Well, hold on because the next couple of weeks...or month really...look like it's going to be g0-go-go...after all, there's no rest for the weary!

Ikea

2009-10-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

I went to Ikea today with Lynda to help her pick out some stuff for her new apartment. Normally, I love Ikea and all of their fun wares. Today, though, was a different story.

Who would have thought that Ikea would conjure up feelings of homesickness? Who would have thought that while I stood in the midst of kitchenwares that I would want to cry? Everywhere I turned I saw something that had once occupied my house in AZ...my coffee table, my side table, TV stand, planter, decorative items....all reminders of home and what I've left behind. I miss my belongings because they were mine and they made up my home, but I think that what I miss most about them is that they occupied space where I spent time with friends and family. And right now I don't have that...I don't have any friends here and my family is an ocean and many states away from me. I know that eventually I will make new friends (in fact, I had coffee at some girls' home on Thursday night. It was great!) and my family will come to visit, but I think for now...it's best if I just avoid Ikea all together.

Guess what!?

2009-10-04T13:58:00.001-07:00

22 days till Justine comes for a visit! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

Favorite hideout

2009-10-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

I discovered a new hideout for myself today. On my way home from church I hopped off the bus at the stop before ours and made my way to the park at Villa Torlonia, formerly the residence of Mussolini.

I wandered the lush green landscape for a bit, taking turns sitting in shaded grassy spots, on sun baked benches, and beneath a green canopy of tree branches. I'd never been to the park or the villa before and was surprised by how big the area was. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Granted there were lots of people there, walking, running, playing with kids, picnicking, and enjoying the great Rome fall day, but somehow it still felt secluded and private...as if it were my very own sanctuary. I did my Bible study and listened to my iPod. The perfect way to spend a Sunday and some much needed time alone with God.

Firenze

2009-10-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

Lynda and I managed escape to Florence this weekend. Ok, we didn't escape per se. We had a meeting for a professional organization that we belong to. I have been to Florence once before, but it was an extremely short trip mainly due to a torrential down pour and horrendous thunder storm that forced us back to the safety (and dryness) of the villa we were staying in. So, I was really looking forward to getting back there...even if only for just a night. (Plus, and let's be honest about this, one of the other reasons I was really looking forward to going was because I needed a break from work...I needed a night away!)

We arrived just after noon so that we could have a couple of hours to relax before our meeting began. We grabbed a quick lunch and walked around the city and ended at Piazza Michelangelo, which overlooks the entire city. I forgot how much I really do like Florence. In fact, I love that city. First, it's incredibly beautiful. The buildings are charming and rustic. There are frescos all over the place and it's just a really clean city compared to Rome. Second, it's a slower-paced city. It takes its time. It knows that life is meant to savored rather than rushed. It reminds me of the difference between Tucson and Phoenix in terms of size and atmosphere. I love that mountains sit all around Florence and the green of Tuscany envelopes the city.

The meetings that we attended were very beneficial and we made some great contacts, but what really stood out was the food. Oh my stars! We went to a dinner for new directors at an amazing restaurant! It was a true Italian meal in that there were 4 courses and it lasted nearly 3 hours. We started (appetizers are called antipasti) with three kinds of bruschetta, mussels, and a seafood salad. Then, it was time for primo piatto, typically pasta. We had an amazing spaghetti dish with clams, ravioli, and fabulous funghi (mushroom) risotto. For secondo piatto we had cinghale, wild boar, with fried polenta (I've never had boar, but this was excellent!!) and bistecca alla fiorentina, steak. The meat was followed by the most incredible roasted potatoes. For dolci, we had a light custardy-type cake. It was good, but then again Italians aren't known for their sweets outside of gelato. The meal was incredible. Students have asked if we can tell them where it is because we're taking them there in 2 weeks for a weekend.

Overall, it was a great trip and I feel refreshed. It was such a blessing to be able to get away and entrust the students (and house) to my RA. He did an amazing job and I trust him immensely.

If you ever get to visit Italy you must do two things: 1) come see me! and 2) do not miss Firenze...it's an incredible city that holds many hidden treasures and will cause you to fall deeply in love with its charm and culture.

Blessing

2009-09-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

Again, God is so good! He encouraged me so mch today thru His people and new faces that I am overwhelmed.

I went with Lynda today to sign the paperwork for her apartment (insert NOOOOOO here). Her landlord's son, Ugo, met us at the apartment and drove us to the office where we needed to be. (I will write more about this later because it was an experience) He is just the nicest guy and I don't mind saying...super attractive. :) Anywho, after walking us through the lengthy procedure he treated us to coffee and drove us to where we needed to go.

Later, a student approached me and verbally encouraged me. I was so touched by the outpouring that for the second time today I almost started to cry. What's going on with me?

As if that weren't enough...a student encouraged me on this blog and then she and some of the other students bought me flowers. Man! I am blessed. No matter what's going on or how I am feeling the Lord is always present and lavishes His love upon me.

Thank you to the students who have encouraged my heart today, thank you to my colleagues who have stood alongside me, thank you to my prayer warrior friends and family, and most of all thank you God for your unfailing love.

Need encouragement? Check out these beautiful flowers and be reminded that you are loved by those who know you, but more importantly by the God of all creation.

Il Colosseo and more

2009-09-30T10:55:00.001-07:00

When I was in Rome 2 years ago I was overwhelmed by the Colosseum. To me, it was the most impressive structure in Rome. It literally took my breath away. After I returned home and printed my pictures, I was shocked to see that I had well over 150 pictures or so of the Colosseum alone...a fact my friend Nicole teased me for.

I thought that I was over the whole 'stand in awe with your jaw slack at the sight of it'...not that it wouldn't continue to impress me, but I thought it wouldn't seem as grand, as staggering. Wrong. It continues, as does the Forum and Palatine Hill, to be absolutely breathtaking. I was again speechless at its majesty and grandeur. How could you not be!? Since many of you can't be here with me to experience it....I thought I'd share some photos. (I only took 127 this time, Nicole. :) )

God's instruments

2009-09-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

Life in Rome is good. How can it not be when you get to go to places like Pompeii, the Colosseo, and Palatine Hill for work? Life is good, but it's certainly not perfect.

There has been quite a bit of stress for me here in my job and it's sometimes difficult to grapple with because it's not as if I can leave here and find sanctuary in a home or an apartment that shelters me. No, I live where I work. I am constantly surrounded by my work and, therefore, I do not get a break. I knew this when I took the job and I am not saying that I don't like that aspect of my job, but when the stress hits it becomes a bit much. These past couple of weeks have presented some challenges for me and at times have broken me. And in those moments I cry out to Jesus and His response continually comforts my heart.

Yesterday was such a day. While on the one hand it was an incredible day. On the other it was tremendously hard. But God gave me two reminders of His love and His sustaining power. The first was in the form of a card my friend Tiffany sent from the States. While the card didn't hold any earth-shattering revelation, it was a token of love that my heart desperately needed. And I found great strength and encouragement in that. The second reminder was in the form of an interaction I had with one of the Sisters this morning. Granted I didn't understand 100% of what she was telling me, but I got the general idea of it and in that I once again found great strength and comfort.

I don't know why I am constantly taken aback by God's outpouring of love for me...that's who He is. In those moments I also experience a sense of awe...that the Creator cares so deeply for His creation...that He willingly walks into those painful times with us and then in response gives us tangible expressions of His divine love. Addison Road's Hope Now is playing right now on my iTunes and again....a reminder from God of His great love for me. Such a sweet reminder...when my life is like a storm, rising waters, all I want is the shore. You say I'll be ok and make it through the rain. You are my shelter from the storm. Everything rides on hope now. Everything rides on faith somehow and when the world has broken me down...your love sets me free.

A picture is worth 1,000 words

2009-09-25T03:06:00.000-07:00

There's been so much going on these last 2 weeks and I can't possibly recount it all. Well, I could...but you'd be reading for hours and who has time for that? Instead...I'll show you the last couple of weeks!

Our first family dinner made by the students:

Our first outing to San Clemente church. It's an amazing historical site.

This past week we journeyed to Pompeii. I had never been to Pompeii before and was amazed. It was incredible and we had so much fun as we learned about history and stepped back in time for a brief moment.

Notice Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

Students from Vesuvius as it "erupts"

As we arrived on the train platform at the Pompeii train station to head back to Napoli a man named Dominic stopped us and chatted with us while we waited for the train. It was one of my favorite moments in Italy. This is why I came here. To engage with people in this culture and learn something about them. He was so wonderful. He shared his life with our students, taught them about Italian culture and just gave them a wonderful memory of their trip to Pompeii.

Last night I took 8 students on a night tour of Rome. It was incredible!

We started at the Colosseum, then moved on to Vittorio Emmanuale, Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and ended at Piazza dr Spagna.

Roman nightlife

2009-09-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Again, so much to catch you up on, but a story that must be shared first.

Tonight, I took a group of students on a night tour of Rome. There is something magical about this city when the sun sets. It slows down. It quiets and invites you to stroll the cobblestone streets and lose yourself in its charm, its je ne sais quoi.

We started the night at the Colosseum, moved on to the Vittorio Emmanuale monument, then Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, Gioletti's for gelato, Trevi fountain, and finally Piazza di Spagna. The monuments are lit up so wonderfully that again, magic. I loved being with the students and hearing their enthusiasm and watching their faces as we came upon each new location. It was like seeing Rome for the first time again, but thru their eyes.

I fell in love with Rome again tonight in its allure. Of course, that may have changed once I got on the bus.

We had such a lovely night that we lost track of time. Imagine my surprise when I found out that it was already 11:15 as we arrived at Trevi. Panic began to set in. Why? Buses and trains stop running at 12. We had 45 minutes to get a train to Termini and then the 90 bus home. Never before has a group of 9 made it from Trevi to Piazza di Spagna so quickly. We were booking it. We practically ran to the train only to wait for 5 minutes. It was now 11:40. Not good. Hopped on the train and, again, booked it from the train to the bus. (This included 5 flights of stairs...I was not amused) We jumped on the bus and settled in for our ride home...and that's when I was reminded of the seedier side of Rome.

Just before the bus pulled out two men boarded the bus. The first was a rather large black man and the second was a smaller white man...clearly drunk. He was staggering around the bus and blabbering at the black man. I sat with two of my students while the other 4 girls had sat together and the other 2 guys sat apart from one another. Wouldn't you know that Drunk Man chose to sit next to one of my guys. He blabbed at my student Loudly in Italian and he just sat there not knowing what to do. It was funny and concerning all at the same time.

The whole ride back this drunk-as-can-be man spoke loudly to my student and would turn from time to time to shout at the black man. As if that weren't enough...a junkie boarded the bus and joined in on the conversation. Meanwhile, my poor student is sitting wide-eyed not sure what to do. Oh and let's not forget the woman across from me who would turn her head and gesture to my student with her head to move from his seat and take the empty seat next to her every now and again. Finally, the drunk "stood" and moved towards the black man allowing my student to move next to the woman.

Never before has our bus stop looked so good and so inviting. We all hopped off that bus as fast as humanely possible. One of my students, a linguistics major, told me that he pulled his Italian dictionary out during the whole event because he was curious. Apparently we had witnessed a racial argument. On the one hand I was shocked that my student would have the presence of mind to "translate" and on the other hand...so proud of his inquisitiveness.

Rome at night....always an experience.

Breathing room

2009-09-22T11:21:00.001-07:00

Alright. Italians aren't necessarily known for respecting ones' personal space. I don't actually think the concept exists.

I got on the Metro today and it was crowded. Yes, it was rush hour so what was I expecting? I have been on a crowded bus and train before, but never like this. Ever seen a can of sardines? Well, now you're getting the picture. We were so jammed in there that I didn't even have to hold on to anything to keep from moving because other people's bodies were holding me up. One man's arm braced my back, someone's hip was my barrier to the right, someone's back end my barrier to the left, and Lynda in front of me. Quite honestly, I don't know that I'll ever be that intimately acquainted with my future spouse. No jokes. Then! When you think that there isn't room for anyone else...6 more people managed to wedge themselves in. I wouldn't say that I am claustrophobic per se, but in that moment it felt as if the whole train was closing in on me and I could hardly breathe. Of course that could be because I was laughing so hard I was so uncomfortable...I could have died of laughter.

It was insane. Even getting off the bus and up the escalators was overwhelming. Then, Lynda and I stood in line for 20 minutes or so and this man kept bumping me from behind every time I moved forward. Seriously...my dance space....your dance space. Respect it!

Thank the Lord the bus wasn't crowded because I don't think I could have handled that. Then again...almost "died" as I crossed the street and slipped on the slick pavement just as a moto was moving forward. Again...all I could do was laugh and once again, lost my breath.

Buongiorno polizia!

2009-09-18T02:56:00.000-07:00

There is so much for me to write about...and I will get to it all, but feel that an event that took place this morning requires my immediate attention.

Today is Friday and the students don't have classes and I am not working, technically. Per my contract, I get one day off a week in addition to weekends and trust me when I tell you that I needed a day off desperately. It's been a crazy-busy week and I'm exhausted. (I promise to fill you in later.) Anyways, I planned on sleeping in and being lazy this morning because I have a meeting tomorrow morning and church on Sunday which prevent me from sleeping in. I dragged myself out of bed around 9 to use the bathroom and just as I was about to open my door I heard Ana's, the convent's receptionist, voice over the intercom telling me I had a phone call. Hmmm...who could that be? No one I know has that number. Curious...

I picked up the phone and discovered that it was the polizia. The man I spoke with spoke very little, and I mean little, English. I was able to glean from our "conversation" that he was dropping by for an inspection of the campus. GULP. I knew that at some point this would happen. I had been warned. I just never expected it to happen so quickly! I mean, come on! This is Italy...things like this never happen this fast...wrong! I informed him that I wouldn't be here tomorrow morning and he told me he would stop by this morning. There go my plans to be lazy! Drat!

I quickly got ready...and I will fully admit in an effort to be authentic and transparent, that I took a little extra care with my appearance for 2 reasons. 1) What if one of them were attractive? A girl's gotta look her best....and 2) I wanted to employ my feminine wiles in hopes that that would soften them towards me....shameless, I know....but still. In addition to this, I made sure my office was organized and I was ready to go. On the surface, I was put together...the inside was a different story all together. I felt like there were 747-sized butterflies in my stomach.

When the call came that the officer was here I truly felt my stomach drop. I had no idea what to expect or what I was going to do. Thankfully, one of the nuns was going to be present and she was going to translate from Italian into Spanish for me. (That in and of itself was concerning enough!) Lynda and I headed downstairs to meet the officers and I was immediately struck by two things: 1) these were very serious officers...no smiles, no warmth, nothing, and 2) one of them was very, very attractive. Hmmmm.....

I digress! We sat down in the parlor and it was clear that these men meant business. They said a whole lot of stuff that I didn't understand. The sister understood and told me what he was saying, but then she told me to get the nun who spoke English and ask her to come and help. She decided that it was too much to translate from Italian to Spanish and then for me to translate that into English. Truthfully, I was doing fine. I understood her, but my nerves were shot that it was probably a very good idea to get it all in English.

So, once the other sister came into the room three languages starting bouncing around like a ping pong match on speed. It was insane. The men, still so serious, were asking for things that I didn't have and it was a bit...ahhhhhhhhh. At the end, I was instructed to get some paperwork together for them within 1 week. No problem. I can do that. Oh, wait. It has to be in Italian. Ugh. Ok, I'll ask our Italian teacher to help. No problem.

We showed the men out and they left. The sisters proceeded to tell me that the way the men behaved was all part of an act. They were trying to come across more seriously and more "important" than they really were. It was like they were actors in a cop thriller movie. Great. They freaked me out and it was all about looking tough and macho. (Insert eye roll here) As the sisters were reviewing the meeting notes with me, Ana began to laugh. It seemed that the gate conveniently decided to malfunction while the officers were trying to leave. Fantastic. Let's lock them up here with us...well, maybe that wouldn't be so bad considering the one.... :)

Life

2009-09-13T11:49:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I haven't blogged since the "experience." I do not want to talk about it again. (Although, can I just say that later in the evening two of the nuns came upstairs to talk to me about something and I told them about the situation. They were so upset on my behalf that I started to cry. Their defense of me and willingness to defend me that it really touched me.)

Despite the sisters encouragement, I woke up the next morning feeling "off". I wanted to go home. I wanted to be with my friends. I wanted to be with family. I wanted my mom! It took continuing asking Jesus to be with me, to encourage me, to strengthen me to calm me down. I had a job to do and I needed to get going.

I was so blessed! I had a great morning with my students going over the policies of the program and all that fun stuff because it ended up being really fun. They are an amazing group of young adults and God has given me so much in them. They make me laugh like no other.

After we went over some household business, we did a walking tour of the neighborhood and I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard! Then, after dinner we watched Roman Holiday. Love it!

All in all, it was a great Saturday. I am so glad that they're here....and that the villa is now filled with the pitter, patter of "little" feet!

Table bread

2009-09-11T08:28:00.001-07:00

I may have just had my first "I want to go home" moment. Yep...that's certainly what it was.

We have been looking into a cell phone company here in Italy that specializes in dealing with study abroad students. From what I understood, what I'd read, and what I'd been told is that they would provide the students with a free cell phone (with a deposit to be re-credited to them at the end of the semester) that would have the capabilities of making/receiving free calls to all within the plan. Sounds great, right? Ever heard the saying: if it looks too good to be true...it probably is? Well...that is a great truth to learn.

Today, the rental company came to campus to discuss its product. When I originally contacted the company months ago I received a reply to my email that said they provided the phone. When I requested information again last week this is what I was told. On the company's website it clearly says that it gives a free phone to students and all calls between students is free. Instead of all of this, my students, myself, and Lynda were faced with something much different.

As I listened to the gentleman's presentation he clearly said that the cost was 49 euros, 40 of which was a deposit that would be credited to the students upon return of the phone. The other 9 euros were already credited airtime minutes. Several of our students signed up for the plan since we told them it was mandatory because I needed to be able to reach them in the event of an emergency. It was only after 2 young women approached me and told me that it actually cost 99 euros did I suspect that we were in the midst of a "conspiracy". I asked the woman who assisted the man to clarify for me what the cost was and she proceeded to tell me that it was 99 euros. I disputed this saying that that is not what we had been told. Everyone around me nodded in agreement.

What ensued was a man determined to get money from us by practically forcing us into purchasing the plans. I held my ground and emphatically told them that our students couldn't afford them and that's not what we were told. He refused to back down claiming that there was great expense on their part and yadda, yadda, yadda...I began to feel nauseous and angry. This was not what we'd been told nor did I ever promise him that our students would sign up for the plan. It was just ugly. Lynda jumped in and expressed herself, echoing my own sentiments, wonderfully. My RA did the same...he did a great job and I'm proud of him for speaking truth. Still, the man was ticked. He left the room and his assistant, who was very nice and from the States, tore up all of the credit card imprints of the students who had already purchased the plan and decided not to go with the additional charge. When the man returned he was very angry. Again, I explained to him the issue.

In the end, one of our students purchased the plan and Lynda and I actually did buy a phone. Still, he was not happy. He was insulting, rude, and downright deceitful, in my opinion.

I know that this was a great life lesson for our students and for me, but I'd much rather have not had to go through that particular lesson. Again, it has left me nauseous, anxious, and keyed up. I don't mind having to be confrontational when the moment calls for it, but I don't like it. I don't like what happens to me and I do not like it when my students feel as if they did something wrong.

I feel like this is a common occurrence abroad. Nationals expect that Americans in their country are wealthy and can afford anything (NOT TRUE) so they tack on all of these hidden expenses...20 euro here, 10 there...it's like when you go to a restaurant and they place a basket of bread on your table. You didn't ask for the bread, but they put it there nonetheless. Then, you get your bill and lo and behold...a charge for the bread. This was a major basket of bread...

On hold

2009-09-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

Today is the day students arrive in Rome. Today is the day I've been working towards since I was hired a little over a year ago. Today has been postponed.

I was on Facebook last night as I was finishing some things up around campus before students arrived when I noticed some posts by Rome-bound students who should have been on a plane bound for Chicago at that point. Flight delays. Then, an hour later: flight cancellation. UGH. I felt so badly for those students. They were so excited to leave yesterday and then...nothing. Of course, they did have a mini adventure in that American Airlines put them up in a nice hotel with their own rooms with food vouchers for the evening. They will be here tomorrow after catching a noon flight to JFK and then a 5:20 flight to Rome.

At first I was very disappointed because I was super excited to meet them and get going, but after some thought and prayer I decided that perhaps this was the Lord's way of protecting them from something. Lynda had an idea regarding their visa status and it makes sense. So, no matter how disappointed I may be...I am thankful that God is in control of the situation and I need not worry.

Of course, I did just get an email from a colleague who informed me of bad weather on the East coast. Please God, do not delay them again!

The irony of the situation is this: we had one student flying in from Uganda apart from the group since her parents are missionaries there and that's where she's been this summer. She arrived on time...from Africa...whereas our group from the USA hasn't. Hmmm...what's wrong with this picture!?

Bag lady

2009-09-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

One of the parts of student development that I love the most is creating a sense of community among students. That's why I am so excited about their arrival because I will have the opportunity to do life with them and build into their lives. One of the ways we're going to foster community building is through cooking. Our students will be cooking for one another in groups three nights a week. For the first week, though, I am going to do most of the cooking until they get settled. And I am very excited!

There are 19 of us in the villa, or there will be when the students arrive tomorrow. That's a lot of food. I had visions of grocery store trips daily where I was burdened with giant bags of groceries. I had no idea how I was going to supply food for that many people without constantly grocery shopping...something I really do not like to do.

Well, God bless the nuns because they provided us with the names and contact information of the vendors who regularly deliver food to them. Yesterday, I bought a ton of cheese, yogurt, salami, proscuitto, and butter off the back of a truck. Today, I bought milk and eggs. Tomorrow, the bread will be delivered. And next week we will meet the fruit man. Praise God! These vendors are such an answer to prayer!

There are, however, some items that cannot be delivered and for those items I must go to the grocery store. Considering that we are starting from ground zero, we needed to purchase many basic items. Thankfully, Lynda made the journey to the store with me. I could not have done it without her. I did remark, though, on our way back from the store that the sight of us walking back to the villa must have been something...bag ladies indeed. Here's a pic for you to laugh at...as I am sure the people who passed me did.

Me and Teddy Roosevelt

2009-09-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

Before I left the States my dad gave me his old Blackberry to use until I set up cell service in Italy. In order to use the phone I needed to purchase a new Sim card. My friend Jason suggested going to the Vodafone store and purchasing the card. He told me where the closest store was and said that the people who worked there were very nice and his experiences were always pleasant when he dealt with them. All I would need, he said, was a copy of my passport. Ok. Got that, no worries.

The first opportunity that I had to go to Vodafone was the day that we went to Ikea. There was a Vodafone store (not the one that Jason had suggested) in the mall. In my very broken Italian I asked for a Sim card. They asked for my passport. I told them that I had a copy. They said original. Hmmm. You enter the country and they barely glance at your passport, but you want to buy a Sim card and you need your original....does that seem off to anyone else? Since I didn't have my original (I do not carry it with me), I would have to visit the other store.

The next day Lynda and I trekked to the store only to find it closed for siesta. They told us they would re-open at 3. That seemed odd because most stores re-open at 4, but hey...they can do what they want. So, we made the trek again on Monday and arrived at 3:30. They didn't open until 4. Sheesh! All I wanted was a small Sim card! We went back down on Tuesday and lo and behold...they were open! Hooray!

We entered the store and a nice man (ok, I'll admit it...he was kinda cute) told us he would be with us in a minute...or at least that's what I think he said. Finally, it was our turn. I asked, again in my broken Italian, for a Sim card and Success! he asked for my passport. I handed it to him and he began to flip through it. He started at the back of the document and when he came to my picture page he looked up at me..."Very beautiful passport," he said. (He spoke some English) Needless to say, I was very flattered. I had to get a new passport in January and I was very pleased with my picture. My last passport photo was downright embarrassing and this one was a vast improvement. "I love all the pictures of Washington, Lincoln, and Roosevelt," he continued, breaking into my small-ish ego trip. Huh? Wow. Here I thought he was complimenting my passport photo, but in reality....he just liked the new US passports. My ego took a minor hit.

Ok, I'll admit it. The new US passports are very nice, really, they're something...but still. My picture is, or at least it has to be for the sake of my vanity, better than the drawing of Teddy Roosevelt!

Can I get some help here?

2009-09-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

Public transportation is the way to go here in Rome. Their system is actually pretty good and surprisingly easy to navigate. And this is a good thing because this is how I will (and have been since I arrived) make my way through Rome. I hop on the bus, get on the metro and away I go. No need to worry about trying to drive in this city...not that I would ever drive here...unless I suddenly become certifiably insane.

So, one aspect of my job is to obtain monthly transportation passes for myself, Lynda, and our students. That sounds fairly easy and I thought it would be. But as I'm learning, those things that should be easier elsewhere aren't always that way in Italy.

Part of the issue in buying these passes is that our bank account hasn't been set up yet because again, it's Italy and things move much slower here. I've been using a college credit card to purchase necessities and needed to use it to buy the passes. Well, most places only accept cash for the passes. Thankfully, a friend told me about a Metro station where I could purchase the passes using a credit card. Mind you, this is after Lynda and I spent nearly an hour wandering around Termini (Rome's train station) trying to locate the transit office or someone who would take a credit card with no luck. Frustration! Anywho, once Lynda returned from Wales we made our way to this other station to look for this supposed vendor. (May I just interject here now and tell you that we went to Termini--a 15 minute bus ride--to take the Metro to this other station only to find that it's one station away from the Metro stop that's down our street? We could have just walked down the street, hopped on a train, and been there in like minutes. AH!) I digress. We, again, wandered around the whole station asking person after person if they accepted credit cards for the bus passes and they all had the same answer: no.

We were about at the end of our rope when we decided to try one more Tabacchi store outside of the station. We walked in with really no hope...I uttered a prayer before entering that the Lord would grant us mercy because we were hot, tired, and frustrated beyond words. The woman told us no, of course, and we were just about to turn away WHEN she said that we could buy them with a credit card at the Tren Italia counter. (Tren Italia is Italy's main rail line) We were in shock that someone would offer us more than just "No" so we thanked her profusely and made our way back inside to the counter....a little more hopeful than before. We approached the counter, asked our question, and held our breaths. Success! They did accept credit cards! YES!!!! Our hope was restored. Life was good. All was well with the world...ok, I'm exaggerating, but still...you have no idea how good it felt to accomplish something when you felt like all you were doing was fighting an uphill battle.

Here's the thing though...every person we'd asked must have known that you could buy the passes at the Tren Italia counter with a credit card and yet, they remained silent. Was it really too troublesome to just tell us that? Come on! Help a girl out...

It's Alive!!

2009-09-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

Things have been crazy busy around here this last week that I haven't had time to blog. And trust me, there's a lot to write about.

We'll start with the fact that on September 1 someone told the entire Roman population that it was no longer August and they could return to the city. It was amazing how much street and foot traffic increased. Stores that were closed were open and the city exploded.

It's quite lively around here now and I can attest to that fact as I sit in my room at night and hear the blaring of car and moto horns. Love it!

Extreme home makeover (ok, so maybe not extreme)

2009-09-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

Friday was Ikea day. Yay! It was a trip that I was looking forward to for so long and I wasn't disappointed!

List in hand, I stepped across Ikea's threshold as the automatic doors parted. I almost expected hear the choir of the heavenly host as I walked inside the gargantuan home store, but I didn't. Instead, I was greeted with the refreshing whoosh of AIR CONDITIONING and the smell of goods just begging to be purchased. I reveled in the a/c and put on my "game" face...it was on.

I wanted to purchase items not only for the kitchen, but also for the rest of the villa to make our floor a little more "homey." In fact, my resident assistant sternly told me that the floor better seem more homey or Else...dum dum dummmmmmm. Not sure what he meant by that, but I took his "threat" to heart. I wanted to get some rugs, throw pillows, prints, and more.

Two hours later I departed Ikea with a cart full of goods and a great foundation for creating that "homey" atmosphere. Lynda and I have set most of it out and I am pleased with the result. There's still a lot more that I want to do to make this place a little warmer and inviting, but I'll need to pace myself...and my budget!

Here are a couple pics of the new and improved TV room. I'm really pleased with the result and I wish I had some "before" pictures to share, but alas...I do not. So, you'll just have to do with these.

Before we went to Ikea this room

had uncomfortable chairs lined up

like stadium seating. We removed the chairs, brought in this couch, tossed on some pillows, added the rug, and the coffee table. Such an improvement! We're going to hang the print (right picture) and then we're set!

Mi cucina

2009-09-03T11:45:00.001-07:00

I love to cook and I love to bake. For these reasons it's been fun having such a large kitchen. We also need a big kitchen because the students will be cooking 3 nights a week for the community. That should be interesting....

Right: Our sink and prep table. I think we're going to move the table to the middle of the kitchen. Left: This is our industrial-sized stove/oven. There are a lot of burners, but the oven leaves something to be desired. Suppose our Thanksgiving turkey will need to be a little smaller this year. To the right, our "prep" area. Lots of storage space!

And since students are cooking...I thought it best to remind them that:

Mi bagno

2009-09-02T06:10:00.001-07:00

My bathroom. Thankfully I don't have to share a bathroom with the students. It's located just around the corner from by bedroom and quite a ways from student rooms so it affords a lot of privacy. It has beautiful blue tiling and is quite lovely.

What you're looking at here is my tub/shower on the left and toilet on the right. As you can see there's a little seat in the tub and then a hose like attachment. Basically, this isn't a stand-up shower. What you're supposed to do is have a seat and then bathe that way. Ever seen that episode of Everybody Loves Raymond when they visit Italy? In that episode Ray is taking a bath in something similar and is complaining about his bathing conditions when his elderly Italian aunt comes in and starts bathing him. This is exactly how I feel. Although I do admit that it acts like a mini pool when it gets really hot and is great when filled with cold water.

Notice my Costco-sized shampoo and conditioner bottles along the ledge. When I visited in Oct. I brought over a whole bag full of toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. Yes, they have those things here in Italy, but let's face it....a girl has to have her brand of shampoo/conditioner!

This is my sink/mirror. Isn't the tile pretty? There's also a bidet, but didn't think you'd want to see that. Looking at it reminds me of the scene in Crocodile Dundee where Sue has to explain to Mic what it's used for. Personally, I don't know what to make of it.

Seems to me that there are lots of aspects of my bathroom that remind me of TV shows or movies. Hmmm...that's kinda weird.

Ahh..Italian TV

2009-09-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

I finally figured out how to use the TV yesterday. Ok, that's not entirely true. The nuns showed me how to use the TV yesterday. It was complicated...really.

Anyways, I surfed the channels last night and what did I find? Miss. Congeniality 2...in Italian...oh if only I'd seen it in English. Then again, maybe it's better I didn't understand it...it didn't look like a great movie.

Tonight, I was flipping the channels and saw Roswell, a Mary J. Blige video (which thank goodness was still in English), and an ad for New Moon! That certainly caught my attention. What made me laugh out loud, though, was an Australian soap opera, Home and Away. It was bad enough watching it in English in Australia, but to watch it in Italian was priceless!

Ok...I take that back...Italian rappers on TV are actually priceless...please make them stop.

It's all in who you know..and what you bring

2009-09-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

Funny story! I can't believe I forgot to share this.

Remember last week how Lynda needed to file her permesso? And remember how our labor consultant helped us? And remember that woman at the post office who wasn't very nice? Remember? Good.

When I was at Jason and Laura's house last week for dinner they asked me how our permesso experience went. I shared all of the details including the not-so-nice postal worker at the Bologna post office. Jason asked me: "Is she darker skinned like she has a really good tan?" I was a little taken aback by the question so I replied with a hesitant "Yes." "And she has yellowy blonde hair that's cut kind of short?" Again, I replied hesitantly, "Yes." And that's when he started to laugh. "I love her! She's always so nice. I've never had a problem with her!" I was in shock as he proceeded to tell me that she was the one he always turned his staff member's permessos into because she was always so helpful. In fact, he said, Brian (one of his staff) even took her to lunch one day as a thank you for her kindness and has been known to bring her peanut butter because she loves it.

That's all it takes to win the woman at the post office over!? Peanut butter! I will have to file for my permesso when I return to Rome after spending Christmas at home and let me tell you...I am going to Costco before I head back and getting a giant jar of Skippy peanut butter for the woman at the post office. It's all in who you know and how to grease the wheels....whoever thought that grease in this case was good ol' American peanut butter!?

Mi camera da letto

2009-09-01T03:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, day 2 of pictures. Today: my bedroom! It's bigger than I remembered it being which is a good thing considering I will spend 3 years in it! I thought that I brought more pictures and knick-knack-thingys with me, but apparently I didn't. Oh well. I'll just have to bring some back when I go home for Christmas. Plus, going to IKEA on Friday so I'll try to pick up some prints and maybe a rug. We'll see..

I brought my duvet cover from home with me to add a familiar touch. I did bring a couple of pictures of the fam. Of course, I brought Elmo...how could I not?!

So, this is my "closet". I know that many of the people who know me best were concerned about how I would fit all of my clothes and, more importantly, my shoes in a small space. Well, as you can see I did just fine...of course, my winter clothes aren't here yet. My friend Justine is bringing them when she visits in Oct. Hmmm....we may have a problem then....

I'm planning on moving this desk out of my room because I just don't need it since I have my office. I want to move an arm chair in here so I have somewhere to read and watch movies on my computer. I brought 2 Willow Tree Angels with me and if you look closely you will see that one of them is on my desk...and she's missing her head. Apparently she had a rough journey from AZ. :)

Each of the rooms has their own vanity and built-in shelving unit. Here's mine! It breaks my heart to see my book shelf so empty when I have all those tubsn of books in my storage unit...stupid airline luggage weight restriction. Thank God for online books!

The view from my room. It's not very inspiring, but I don't plan on spending much time looking out my window either so it's all good. The building is a part of the University of Malta. There are quite a lot of universities around us. However, the Afghanistan embassy is directly across the street...think men in camo clutching machine guns. (I am not making this up. Really.)

And finally, you guessed it...my "AC" units. Ha! I stole the larger fan from the TV room. Suppose I will have to put it back in the next week once the students arrive. Hope that it's cool enough at night by then that I won't need both fans!

So, that's my room. Tomorrow: my bathroom...get excited!

Mi ufficio

2009-08-31T03:51:00.000-07:00

I tried to upload some videos yesterday, but they refused to cooperate! For now, you'll just have to deal with pictures. Here are some of my office:

Pretty sparse right now. I am heading to IKEA this week to remedy this...watch out!

Notice my "air conditioner" on the table to the left....God bless the inventor of the fan!! Below are some shots of the view from my office window. Once the weather changes I plan on leaving my window open a lot! I love natural light and hearing all of the activity outside. Of course, I will only be able to do this once opening the window doesn't feel like opening the oven door!

Overall, it's a great work space. I am blessed! While the space is smaller than my office at Canyon, let's look at the positives: 1) it's not at Canyon (ha!), 2) the window actually opens, 3) I'm in Rome!, and 4) it's not at Canyon. Hahahaha! Really, I don't care about the size of my office. I don't plan on spending too much time in here because I expect I will be out and about living life with students...and that's the best part of my job.

Pictures

2009-08-29T05:21:00.001-07:00

I promise I will take some pictures/video of my surroundings and post them soon!

Mama mia!

2009-08-29T05:09:00.000-07:00

I encountered another cultural lesson at the grocery store today and it was a doozie.

I decided that I needed to get off campus for a bit, but didn't want to go too far because it was too hot and I didn't feel like spending much money. I knew that I was about out of fruit and the bread was getting a little old. So, I made my way to one of our local grocery stores.

The store was packed compared to when I'd been there before. It was hard to navigate some aisles because of all of the people. But, I managed to get everything that I needed, and perhaps a couple of items that I didn't. I even weighed my fruit this time! :) I stood in line and was even able to understand a woman when she asked me if she could go in front of me because all she had was latte (milk). I should clarify. I didn't understand her words, with the exception of a couple, but more her gestures. She went in front of me and I unloaded my cart. As the man behind the counter was checking my items and I was placing them in a bag, there was a large commotion at the front entrance. I could hear a woman shouting with such fury that I thought something was terribly wrong. I glanced over, really the entire store had stopped to watch her, and she was screaming at the top of her lungs at one of the clerks. I couldn't believe how loud she was yelling. She proceeded to push her way past him and marched with all the huffiness of a temper tantrum towards the toiletry aisle. She came screaming back to the check out area of the store and slammed down her lotion/shampoo or whatever it was. All I know is it went flying everywhere because she slammed it down so hard that the top broke off. She continued to scream her head off in Italian while the store looked on. I wish I were exaggerating, but really...it was like watching a cartoon. I half expected steam to pour from her ears.

I am sure that my face had turned bright red because I have never witnessed anything like it in my life...outside of a small child throwing a hissy fit. I can't believe they just let her do that. In the States, she would have been hauled out so fast. It shook me a little.

My cashier just looked at me and smiled, muttered something in Italian, and handed me my receipt. Just another day and another high-spirited Italian.

Home alone

2009-08-27T12:27:00.001-07:00

I am on my own for the week. Lynda left yesterday morning for a week in Wales. So, it's just me and a couple million other people here in Rome!

Last night, I cooked for myself and made a homemade marinara sauce. It was delicious and since I was the only one here to enjoy it...no one can say otherwise! I did, however, manage to burn my finger pretty badly because I seemed to have forgotten that when pan handles sit above an open flame they become almost like branding irons. That was fun.

I hung out here most of the day because the Sisters made an IKEA run yesterday to get the kitchen items we were still missing and brought back lots of goodies that needed to be washed and put away. Then, we did the inventory of the kitchen so I was finally able to put all of our kitchenwares away. Woo hoo! (Admit it, you're jealous...)

Thankfully, I did not spend the evening alone. A couple that I met in October, they're friends of my boss, invited me to dinner at their place. It would be my first outing by myself. Solo. Alone. Just me and the Roman bus system. The only thing standing in my way was where to get a bus ticket. Unlike at home, you can't really buy your bus tickets on the bus. Some of the newer buses have ticket machines, but not all of them. We used to be able to buy tickets at the corner store, but either they don't sell them anymore or they won't sell them to us....not quite sure which it is yet. So, I decided that what I would do is get on a bus that I knew had a ticket machine, buy a ticket, ride it to the next stop, get off, cross the street, get back on a bus, and then get off at the stop closest to where I needed to get the 310 bus to my friend's house. Sounds easy? Right.

Well, I got on the 60 and bought a ticket....got off at the next stop (which turned out to be a bit further than I'd anticipated) and once the bus pulled away and I'd crossed the street I realized...there wasn't a bus stop going in my direction. What to do? I began to walk. I hadn't anticipated having to walk very far and I was worried that I hadn't allowed myself enough time. (I know I could have done this at any time during the day, but where would the fun be in that? Nope...I waited until an hour before I had to leave to make it to my friend's house for dinner on time.) Anyways...I walked and sweated, walked and sweated, walked and...you guessed it, sweated. I ended up walking quite a ways when I realized that I'd forgotten the directions to where I was going in my room. Thank the Lord I was nearly in front of campus. I ran into the villa, up the three flights of stairs, grabbed the directions and a glass of water, and nearly passed out from heat exhaustion and over-sweating. I managed to drag myself back outside and got onto the 310.

I am proud to announce that I was able to navigate the way to my friend's home and enjoyed a lovely evening. The couple works for Campus Crusade for Christ and one of their staff members, Amy, joined us for dinner. Afterwards, she and I rode the bus back together until I had to get off. We swapped email addresses and it looks like I will have someone to do something with. Yay!!!

All in all, my first 2 days by myself have been pretty good....ones filled with adventure and solitude. I don't mind being on my own...then again, coming back to the floor at night alone in a big, dark, quiet villa is a bit creepy. I am sure I will appreciate Lynda a lot more when she gets back!

What to do, what to do...

2009-08-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

When I was in Italy in high school oh so many years ago it was a banner day when I got to call home and talk to the family for a meager 5 minutes. The cost of phone calls was enormous and it was before the Internet. I know...it was a lifetime ago. Now, thanks to modern innovations, I am able to call home through the internet, see loved ones through webcams, and keep up with everyone via email, Facebook, MySpace and more. I also knew that I could keep up with my "shows" (The Office, Lie to Me, etc) thanks to sites such as Hulu.

Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that you cannot watch American TV over the internet if you're outside of the States. GASP! What's a girl to do? Now I know that in the grand scheme of things this isn't a big deal. I mean after all, I am living in Rome and how often am I going to have time to watch TV? Aren't there more exciting things to do??

Yes....but. What about those down times when I just want to kick back and watch Dwight and Jim go at it? Or what about when I want to see....I don't know...something culturally relevant back home? I don't think that this is too much to ask. So, I've done some research and have found a British website that allows you to access American TV online. From what I have read they do this through US based servers. Here's the catch. You have to subscribe to this service. Meaning: it costs $. Actually, it costs £. When I ran the conversion it works out to be about $8/month. There are no contracts and you can cancel at any time. The question is this: do I or don't I?

Hung out to dry

2009-08-26T07:38:00.001-07:00

I washed my first load of laundry yesterday. This was a task that I wasn't dreading per se, but let's just say that I wasn't necessarily looking forward to it.

As I lowered my towel into the washing machine I took a good, long whiff. It still smelled like the dryer sheet from when I washed it before I left. Gotta love Downy. I held it for a moment between my hands reveling in its softness because I knew that when it was dry again later...it wouldn't be that soft. Instead, I knew it would feel more like sandpaper than a fluffy ball of cotton.

We don't have dryer here at the convent. In fact, most Europeans don't own dryers. I think that this is in part because of space limitations, but also because electricity is so expensive over here. Instead, Mother Nature is their dryer. That's right. I will now be hanging my clothes and linens on a clothesline to dry.

I've never used a clothesline to dry clothes and such before. It was a learning experience. I learned, for instance, that you have to fold the clothes over the line just a little and then put the clothespin on them so that when the wind picks up it doesn't carry your clothing down the street. (Thankfully, Lynda taught me this before I was forced to look for a shirt only to discover it in our neighbor's yard) I learned that it's best to hang your clothes out earlier than later because they'll dry faster. And I learned that they still smell good after they've dried outside even though they weren't tossed to and fro with a dryer sheet.

Overall, it was a good experience. Yes, my towel looks a little different than it did when I would pull it from the dryer, but it's not as scratchy or stiff as I thought it would be and my skin is very appreciative. I guess this just goes hand in hand with the reality that life over here is a little simpler and a little more basic. And you know what? That's not necessarily a bad thing....

Kiss the cook

2009-08-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Made dinner for Lynda and myself tonight. So yummy and what's even better...so easy! The recipe is courtesy of my Aunt Barb. She was an amazing cook and wish I could call her to share my experience with her, but she went to be with Jesus in March. So I'll share this moment with you as a tribute to her. Here are some pictures to make your mouths' water.

Before: let the ingredients (tomato, garlic, basil, olive oil, and brie) marinate for at least 2 hours.

After: toss with pasta and manga!

Another day, another adventure

2009-08-24T05:14:00.001-07:00

In all honesty I wasn't looking forward to today. In fact, I was rather dreading it. Why? Well, one reason is that I had to get up early and since I've just begun sleeping well after a week of not sleeping at all, the thought of getting up by 7am wasn't exactly exciting. Secondly, Lynda and I not only had to navigate our way to the immigration office by ourselves, but we also had to figure out how to apply for her Permesso di Soggiorno. The permesso allows an individual to remain legally in Italy after the 90 days that their airline ticket allows them expires. Personally, I don't get this process. She was granted a visa that allows her to stay in Italy for a year....but still, she had to apply for the permesso? Whatever.

I am happy to report that we made it to the immigration office without incident. Well, that's not entirely true. We did get off the metro one stop too early, but we were able to get right back on and go to the correct stop. Thanfully, we met our labor consultant at the office and he figured out for us what we needed to do. Then, he drove us back to campus where he proceeded to complete the application (entirely in Italian btw) for Lynda with her help. Finally, he drove us to the post office where the application needs to be submitted.

All I can say is that last night I sent out a prayer request and those prayers were answered in the form of Dr. Roberto De Rossi. The man was sent straight from heaven. I cannot even imagine having to have completed that process without him. I dare say we couldn't have done it. The woman at the post office was, well let's just say that she was less than friendly or helpful. (And she didn't speak any English!) I giggled internally several times when I began to see Dr. De Rossi get frustrated and confused. I mean c'mon! if a native Italian AND a labor consultant doesn't understand the process how are the rest of us supposed to?? All that to say, he was such a tremendous help and a God send. He sorted everything out and Lynda's application was submitted. Supposedly she will get a letter in 10 days requesting her presence at the local police station for an interview...but from what we've learned that will never happen. The system is so back logged that there are thousands and thousands of people waiting to hear back. So, we safely assume that by the time we're ready to officially leave the country and return home in 3 years...that's when she'll get her letter.

There was one more lesson for the day. I have learned that all the attractive Italian men can be found at the post office. Truly, I'm not kidding you. I don't know what it is that draws them there, but I am fairly certain that I will be sending a lot more letters and post cards than I'd anticipated if only to appreciate the view.

Heaven and Hell

2009-08-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

My first Sunday in Rome. Woke up this morning after getting a fairly good night's sleep...finally! My room wasn't too hot, had a nice cup of espresso, and headed off to church. A good way to start the day....until I experienced my first glimpse of hell.

The bus. Normally, I don't mind riding the bus here. In fact, I rather enjoy it because you get to see so much and I love watching people. Today, though, well...I think I'd have rather walked the entire way. The bus was crowded with people since it's Sunday and there are fewer buses. After managing to squeeze between some people, we settled in for our ride to the Termini train station where we would catch the Metro to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and make our way to Rome American Baptist Church. The problem was that it became obvious after 2 seconds that we were not fortunate enough to have gotten on an air conditioned bus. So, imagine...people standing shoulder to shoulder, arms touching, and skin blazing as the temps outside were in the high 90s. Yes, there was an occasional breeze from the open windows (whoever designed bus windows to only open near the ceiling should be shot), but it wasn't enough to cool anyone down. I seriously think I looked as if I were standing under a faucet because sweat was literally dripping down my forehead, from my hair, and to parts unknown. Thankfully, it wasn't a long ride and we were able to find some respite in the metro.

Church was good since it was just nice to be with other believers and worship. A couple that we had met in October was there and it was great to see familiar faces. After the service, Lynda and I sought out a restaurant that we visited in Oct and were quite pleased when we found it. We had a delicious lunch. I had the spaghetti al pomodoro and she had the pizza....can I just say....YUUUUMMMMM???? Heaven. After lunch, we leisurely strolled back to the metro stop and looked in shop windows. Another glimpse of heaven. (Ok, that my be pushing it and it may be slightly blasphemous, but still.....whew).

The streets surrounding the Spanish Steps are lined with designer shops. I'm not talking stores with names like Banana Republic or even as upscale as Michael Kors. Nope. I mean Italian designers. The real deal. Prada. Dolce and Gabbana. Gucci. Versace. Yves Saint Laurent. La Perla. I saw 2 coats in the Burberry windows I would rock, but I actually like having money throughout the year...so I'll pass for now. Reaching the piazza that surrounds the steps we came across a fountain...another glimpse of heaven.

Here's what's so great about all of the fountains in Rome: you can drink from them. You can put your water bottle under the spout of water and fill your bottle with cool, crisp, refreshing water straight from...yep, you guessed it....heaven. Ahhhhhhh....la dolce vita.

Getting back on the metro we headed back to Termini to grab the bus. This time, the bus wasn't crowded, but unfortunately it was much later and much hotter. It was so stuffy and stifiling. I don't mean to complain...really, I don't. But it just confounds me that I could be so hot ALL of the time. We walked to get gelato last night and I was sweating. It's just unreal how much I have sweated. You'd think that there wouldn't be anything left!

We made it back to the villa and practically crawled up the stairs to the 3rd floor. I went straight to the bathroom and rinsed off and proceeded to the kitchen where I downed a liter of water and sat in front of the fan. Ahhhh.....heaven.

Right now, my three favorite things...my Starbuck's cup, a pitcher of water and a fan.

Soooo goooddd....

Lola

2009-08-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

When you hear the word 'nun' what immediately comes to mind? My guess is that images of old women in black habits stroking prayer beads or donning a ruler would be the most conjured up image. At least that's what movies and TV have engrained in us as far as imagery goes. Well, let me tell you that the nuns here, or at least those in our convent, are not at all that way....save one.

Lola. She is old school. No, she doesn't wear a habit, but I can easily imagine her cracking a ruler over some sassy boy's knuckles or assigning a girl whose skirt was too short 100 Hail Marys. She is feisty at 70 years old and never hesitates to correct you when you are wrong. When I mispronounce something in Spanish, she corrects me. When a woman on the bus doesn't have her purse zipped closed, she corrects her. When the police officer at the cuestera office gives her the wrong form, she tells him. Watching her in action is entertainment in and of itself.

Today, Lola took me and Lynda to register with the local police station. Once again, Italian laws at their finest...they don't look at your passport when you arrive, but you must register with the local police. Let me tell you that having to go through the legalities of obtaining a visa is not easy nor is it fun. The Italians have a ridiculous amount of hoops they want you to jump through and it has been my experience that each office has a different hoop! Anyway, we went to the police station where Lola asked the young police officer for the necessary forms. (May I just interject here and remark on the favorable appearance of the officer? Mama mia. :) )When he gave her the forms she disputed with him about whether or not they were the right forms. Realizing that she could argue forever, he quickly sent her off to speak with his superior.

Lynda and I quickly surmised that if Lola ran Italy...well, let's just say that things wouldn't be so convoluted and this country would run like a well oiled machine.

Woo hoo!

2009-08-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Our internet has been restored and I was able to make an actual phone call to the States! There's nothing like hearing my mother's voice!

Oh the little things in life!

Stealing internet

2009-08-21T04:18:00.001-07:00

After lunch yesterday we experienced three power surges that knocked out our internet. Apparently, this isn't anything new because the Sisters seemed unconcerned by it. We were told that as the city tries to cool down the electrical system falters and surges from time to time. Ok, I am hot enough as it is and if I lose my fan....well let's just say that you'll find me sitting in my swimsuit in my bathtub. No joke.

We were told that our internet should just come back on, but 24 hours later it's still off. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, but when you consider how much we do by internet and that I had plans to Skype with the family last night it has become something of an irritation. So, I've resorted to sitting on the terrace stealing someone else's wireless signal. And you know what, I'm ok with this. It's really just a sharing of resources!

Anyway, we went out into the neighborhood again yesterday to go to another grocery store. We needed to buy spices and try to buy a cord for the phone. We located the store which is located inside of a department store. Imagine. You can buy Italian shoes, fashion, and food all in one place. Pretty close to my version of heaven!

Feast

2009-08-20T06:06:00.001-07:00

My second full day in Rome began with some difficulty. It seems that jet lag has struck and I found it downright impossible to get out of bed this morning. I forced myself to get up around 12, but am convinced that had I allowed myself I would have slept until 3 or 4 this afternoon. I am determined, though, to get past jet lag so that I can find a schedule that works here.

Since I was unable to awake at an acceptable hour, I missed breakfast. This was ok because I wasn't really very hungry. I am sure this is in part because I found myself famished at 2:30am and wolfed down some Chex mix I had left. Instead of breakfast I made a delicious cup of espresso and began to get some work done. Finally around 2pm my stomach began to tell me that I was hungry.

Lynda and I journeyed to the kitchen to make our own lunch for the first time. What ensued was a feast of fresh-tasty-goodness. We pulled out fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, bread, salami, cantaloupe, olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, more cheese and went to town. It's amazing the difference in quality of produce here vs. AZ or PA. The melon and tomatoes were as sweet as candy and the cheese was pure heaven. As I feasted on the smorgasbord I couldn't but help grin at the fact that I was in Italy enjoying this and thought about how much my family, mom and dad in particular, would have enjoyed a meal such as this.

We will venture out again tonight after the sun settles lower in the sky to explore more of our neighborhood. There is supposed to be a fantastic gelataria somewhere nearby and I am determined to discover it. Each time we step outside of the convent's grounds we discover something new and I am eager to see what awaits us around the corner.

Supermercado: a lesson in Italian culture

2009-08-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ventured out to the supermarket today. Found lots of yummy food that I liked to buy in the States, but it was too expensive...bufala mozzerella for $2.00, pesto for $1.00 and so on. Overall, the experience was good. Of course, there were some lessons in Italian culture that I am sure were the first of many.

The first was that Italians take life s-l-o-w-l-y. This isn't a new lesson because I knew this and I love this about Italy. But what was new was the fact that I was in a hurry and wanted the cashier to stop chatting with the guy in front of us. I need to remember that at home people's time is more valuable than people and that's just not the way to live. I need to take time to enjoy people and life rather than rushing from place to place.

My second lesson in culture came as the cashier held up a bag of peaches I was purchasing and asked me a question in Italian. I, of course, had no idea what he was asking since my Italian proficiency is limited to "Buon girono," "Ciao," "Un gelati per favore," and the like. I just looked at him and scrunched my face as if to say: "Sorry, don't have a clue what you're saying." I am pleased to know that this is a universally recognized facial expression as he understood. He took my bag of peaches to a scale, weighed them, and printed out the label. Aha! I must weigh the fruit first! Gotcha! He was very gracious and most understanding. I am certain that in his head he was muttering something about stupid American, but I never got that from him and for that I was grateful.

This is certainly the first post of many as I share stories about the things that I am learning or "can you believe I did that?!" moments. I only hope in those moments I can find the humor in those situations and perhaps another universally accepted facial expression. :)

La dolce vita

2009-08-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

Let me just tell you how sweet life is here thus far. I just got back from lunch with the Sisters. It was a great meal of chicken, fresh vegetables, and fruits. And then, dessert. For dessert Sister Marie Cruz made homemade tiramisu and it was accompanied with a cup of espresso. Life doesn't get much better than that...

Buon giorno da Roma

2009-08-19T02:41:00.000-07:00

After 10 hours of traveling, Lynda, the professor that is with me, and I arrived in Roma safe and sound albeit a little worse for the wear. It was a nice flight except for the fact that our in-seat entertainment system didn't work nor were we able to turn on a light to read by and I did not sleep. At all. Needless to say, I was a bit tired upon our arrival, but of all the airlines that I have flown internationally Continental did a good job.

We navigated our way thru passport control and if I could just take a moment to say how much that process frightens me in Italy. In the US going through customs is a big deal and fairly intense. They scrutinize your travel documents and go through your luggage, etc. In Italy, the guy behind the glassed in booth doesn't even look at your passport as he stamps it. Hmm...homeland security at its finest.

Anywho, the drive into the city was uneventful and we made it to the convent. It's hot in Rome now. August is supposed to be fairly brutal. So much so that the city empties as its residents head for the beach or hill towns. Being from AZ, I figured that I would manage just fine. Ha! The difference between the dry desert and here is this: humidity is no joke here and there's no AC. Unless you are standing directly in front of a fan it is ridiculously hot inside the villa and to walk from my room to the bathroom produces sweat. It is 93 today w/ 50% humidity. Oy. I don't mean to complain, but this AZ girl was not prepared to deal with this. I knew it would be hot, but I guess I didn't put much stock in the fact that there isn't relief from the heat inside. It's hot all around.

Spent most of the day yesterday unpacking and attempting to stay awake until at least 8:30 to avoid killer jet lag. The nuns have been incredibly hospitable inviting us to join them for lunch and dinner yesterday. We accepted gratefully as I don't know how we would have made the trek to the store in our condition. Then, they gave us fruit, cheese, crackers, and coffee (God bless Italian espresso) for us to have in the morning so that we didn't need to feel pressured to get up at any certain time.

My room seems bigger than it was when I was here in Oct and for that I am thankful. It is also farther from the students' rooms than I remember so it affords me some privacy which I know will be most appreciated come Sept. Crawled into bed last night so excited for some rest and while I slept, it wasn't necessarily a restful sleep as I was vaguely aware of sweat on my face and in my hair. Still, it was better than nothing and know that my body will adjust.

All in all, it was a good first day that brought with it the realization that adjustments to my American mindset need to be made. I am not in the States and I shouldn't act as if I am and demand that this country, which has existed far longer than the US, behave as if it were America. I look forward to getting to work and getting settled here. It will take some time and some patience, but I still have no doubts that this is where I am supposed to be.

So, I will say for now that I am glad to be here and am in one piece...a sweaty piece, but safe and sound nonetheless. There is hope, though, as the sisters say the heat will last for only one more month....hurry up September and get here!

So close...

2009-08-16T17:13:00.001-07:00

In less than 24 hours I will have landed at the Newark airport and await boarding my flight to Rome. Breathe, Kristen, just breathe.

I had many hopes for today. Life being unpredictable, none of those hopes were met. Instead I had to deal with something that I had neither the patience or emotions for....and it was first thing in the morning. What a way to start the day! Nonetheless I am packed and physically I am ready to go. Emotionally is another story...

I am feeling nearly every emotion possible...happiness, sadness, fear, excitement, and everything in between. My friend Melissa likened it to the first day of school. Do you remember when you were in school and the first day came and you were so full of a range of emotions that you didn't know what to do with yourself? That's where I am at right now...so many emotions and I don't have the first clue how to handle them. So, I'm just going to let them come and deal with them as best as I know how.

I am asking that you pray for me. Please pray for safe travel. Pray that not only do we make it to Rome safely, but so does our luggage! Please pray for the transition and all of the important things that I have to do in the next 3 weeks before students arrive will be completed despite my lack of Italian. Please pray for my heart....that it can bear the separation of what is familiar and the embrace of what is new.

I will post again before I get to Italy....but until then....ciao!

604,800 seconds until Rome

2009-08-10T10:46:00.001-07:00

After a year of anticipation and two years of praying, my move to Rome is almost here. One week from today I will be getting ready to board a plane that will no doubt change my life.

I awoke yesterday morning with a large knot in my stomach as my head finally processed that I have 1 week...that's 7 days...168 hours..604,800 seconds until I leave for Italy. I have known it was coming, heck I've been counting the days for so long, but still the closeness of it somehow took me by surprise. I would say I had a mild panic attack while in bed yesterday as thoughts of what needs to still be done, what-ifs, and what was I thinking?? zigzagged through my brain. I feel completly inadequate to handle this monstorous task before me. It's too big! There's just too much!

Fortunately, the panic attack lasted mere minutes until reality settled in and calmed me down. It is too big for me. I am inadequate. It is too much. But! I do not go alone. I do not have to work through all of this by myself. Not only do I go with an amazing colleague and have an equally amazing boss here to support me, but the Holy Spirit is with me as well. If God is for me, then who can stand against me? Ummmm....no one. So, take that panic attack.

I am reminded daily that this is exactly where I am meant to be. This is just as it's supposed to be. I met with the new director of campus ministries today and he told me a story that put my mind at ease and once again reassured me that this is what God has planned for me. He told me that he sat in with my boss on the initial web chat with all of the candidates for my job and after it was all done he told my boss that I was the one. I laughed when he told me this, but I know he meant it. I knew from the beginning in my heart of hearts that this job was mine. I would be lying if I said that I didn't have moments of doubt, but there was still something within the core of who I am that knew this would be mine. And it was. It is.

I know that yesterday's panic attack is just the first of many as the enormity of what I am about to do settles in me....when I am missing things at home...when I am missing familiarity...when I am missing people...but still. I will acknowledge those fears, that panic, and will remember that for such a time as this I was called into this position. I have confidence that He who began a good work in me will see it through to completion and that's what excites me most. I'm excited to be in Italy, to journey with students, but most of all I am excited to see what God will do through me in this time...to see how He shows up and how I can be used in His hands for His glory. Thankfully, I only have to wait 7 more days.