Ciao from Roma!

Buona Sera

Ciao Friends! Welcome to Roma, Italy! I cant even begin to describe the experience ive already had and ive been here one week! I chose to come to Italy to study architecture, well to be technical interior design with the architecture program (so I don’t make anyone mad) but to also have a life experience that would change my life forever.  My life has already changed so much from living with people I didn’t know in a tiny studio apartment to making all new friends and to learning how to be on my own in a city I cant speak the language (not well enough yet anyways)   I have not been out adventuring myself yet because Im not brave enough, I will be soon.  I have walked by myself a few times now only to the guys apartment and back the latest Ive walked is around 11pm. I wasn’t scared I was very aware of my surrounding and my roommate let me take her pepper spray with me.  I hear pepper spray is illegal here and I would most likely be the one getting arrested for using it! I’m learning something new everyday I cant describe all of them but most importantly I have learned not to take anything for granted I realized how lucky I am at home to have so much stuff available to me! For example, a dishwasher  and roommates who do most of my dishes,  a clothes dryer,  more than one towel,  more than one outlet in my bedroom, a big room with storage, and much much more! My room here is shared with one other girl and it is about a 10x12.  Definitely smaller than my dorm room I had freshman year! Im still living out of my bag because I have no where to put my clothes. 

Food here has been different than I thought.  My friend Khol told me before I left I wouldn’t find Italian food like I like to eat for example (Noodles in Fayetteville) I thought he was crazy and didn’t know what he was talking about but it’s true.  Now don’t get me wrong I’ve only been here a week and I’m trying to save money by not eating out 1. Because it is expense and 2. I don’t want to eat alone.  Most of the people I’m here with are all trying to spend as little as possible so it really helps my excessive stupid spending habits also because I cant find anything I need!  My first purchase was an Italian cell phone and my second was a European hair dryer! I still cannot find a curling iron so I’ve been braiding my hair for some kind of something in my hair! Haha  Everyone from Arkansas gets along really well we stick together.  We have all been taking turns cooking at night, the guys have a big apartment so we always eat there (they have fine china, great wine glasses).  I would have to say those are the best meals I have had! My roommates cooked the other night I didn’t know they were cooking because I mostly stick with the guys but they invited us over for homemade spinach ravioli and more.  There is a lady near by who makes her own pasta it was sooo good! Ill be buying some before I leave here to bring home!  We stuck some candles in wine bottles dimmed the lights and listened to music Its been great! Very Italian of us!

I have been grocery shopping a few times there is about 3 grocery stores and a fresh market in the mornings all within about 3 minutes of my apartment! Grocery shopping is an adventure especially buying sandwich meat…I have no idea what I bought it tasted ok.  I bought tomatoes and fresh mozzarella balls Ive been eating that a lot with olive oil mmmm good thing I like tomatoes! I made my first dinner by myself a few nights ago, just pasta with marinara that is what I make at home! It was delicious! I have had only pizza when I eat somewhere it is the cheapest and it is good!  It is easy to order in itailian too! Haha Ive walked so much Im not worried about what I eat anymore atleast not now!  I realized I was getting home sick the other day at the grocery store when anything American I recognized I grabbed it my roommate even said “Oh, way to get all the junk food!”  haha it was great! Its crazy how much I have realized how much junk I eat at home and how easy it is to get it! The first two days I was here I had one meal a day I had no idea where to go and didn’t speak a lick of Italian.  My Italian is getting better  ha! Better than it was Im learning off the guys I hang out with and just by walking down the street and that’s all I hear in the distance It’s really is amazing!

I have met a bunch of people a few girls from jersey, they are fun like to do the things I do they are fashion majors in my school from Philadelphia.  Im slowly getting the idea that I don’t have my friends with me anymore so its time to make some good friends here.  I would do anything for my friends to be here even just one of them It would make this trip completely different.  One thing that has been hard for me is that everyone coming here at least knew one person.  A lot know more because they have been in school together for so many years now. Me, I knew 3 guys and I had never even really hung out with them before.  I have stuck with them the whole time they are being very nice to let me tag along with them, there is never a dull moment when Im around them they are so much fun to hang out with! I know I will leave here having friends that I will keep in touch with forever!

School started today!! my first class was at 12:30 (Italian 1) I already learned a lot but she teaches at a very fast pace! Should be interesting!  Then I had my studio class from 3-6:30 we just learned about what we were going to be doing, they told me and Danielle (my roommate and the only other interior designer here) that we would have a different project but they haven’t told us yet!  Nervous! Theeennn for Italian class we had to stay at school for Italian movie night, don’t worry English subtitles. Haha

One great thing is not having my cell phone I love it I haven’t even thought about texting its amazing!

I don’t have class until 3pm tomorrow and it seems everyone else has it really early so Im going to get around and venture out alone and make a trip to the grocery store and other places! I hope I don’t get lost!  Its impossible to tell everything through a blog post so if you have any questions about anything just email me!!

Spanish Steps at Night!

Trevi Fountain...Beautiful! My favorite picture so far!

Thank you Kirsten for my new blog header!!! Mi Piache!

Buona notte.

Jess