So long, Prop. 8 - I will not miss you.

This past Wednesday I spent the afternoon at the Information Commons cafe on campus to watch the news come out about the Northern California Federal Court ruling on the constitutionality of the ban on same-sex marriage. I couldn't be more pleased by the ruling, but of course the struggle for equality is not over. Though the opportunity to bring the case to the United States Supreme Court is a step in the right direction, a ruling that does not favor same-sex couples will negatively affect the entire nation.
I am not entirely confident that the Court will rule in favor of same-sex marriage, but I certainly looking forward to all of the news reports, interviews, and pundits that are sure to entertain. On Wednesday I watched Rick on CNN compliment his reporter's interview taken at a gay bar in L.A. "Good job. You just asked two people in a gay bar how they feel about gay marriage...Keep up the good work."

Happy cows come from...wait, do they actually exist?

While I was home this summer, my dad and I watched "Food, Inc.," a documentary about the food industry and how it has gone from being a primarily farm based culture to a factory industry. First, you should know that I love meat. A burrito is not a burrito without carne asada and Thanksgiving is not a feast without the turkey, but "Food, Inc." opened my eyes to the ugly truth of where our food really comes from.

Most chickens are raised in dark coops with very little room to walk around. They, along with cows and pigs, are fed diets consisting mostly of corn so as to fatten them quickly. I understand the economics of most of these practices, but placing animals in close corridors increases the likelihood of diseases and the diets which are not what the animals have evolved on leave them deficient in nutrients which we benefit from when we eat them. Did you know that grass fed beef has significantly more omega 3 fatty acids than corn fed beef. Omega 3 fatty acids have been found to lower the risk of certain chronic diseases, and they are crucial to brain function. Deficiencies in omega 3 fatty acids can cause depression. With the oil spill in the Gulf Coast limiting our seafood options, we need to find ways of getting omega 3 fatty acids in other ways - choosing grass fed beef over the regular stuff I know you're eating is a great start.

I also read Barbara Kingsolver's book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." It is an account of her family's attempt to grow all of their own food for an entire year. What they could not grow themselves (ex. wheat), they purchased locally. I was particularly influenced by this book because Kingsolver's oldest daughter was close to my age and she knew so much more about where her food came from than I do. Most of our food travels farther than the average person does. This uses barrels of oil that pollutes our environment. I love mangoes, but why would I eat a fruit from Mexico when we have amazing peaches and apples growing right here in the Midwest? It's going to be hard for me to give up my guilty pleasures, but if it means saving the world, I'll do it in a second.

Since I decided to only eat "happy" meat (3 weeks ago) I have stuck mostly to vegetarian options. I did eat some beef and a little bit of chicken because they were things that my friends had made for me, and I may be opinionated, but I am certainly not rude. I am also making a point to buy most of my produce at the farmer's markets in Chicago - there are multiple markets Tuesday through Sunday.

I do miss beef. I really want a steak burrito, but where am I going to find an environmentally/health conscious taqueria? Chipotle of course. Apparently, Chipotle purchases 100% of its chicken and pork and 85% of its beef from "family farms." I'm still not exactly sure what that means because their website is not very clear, but it certainly sounds good. unfortunately, 85% family farm beef is not quite good enough for me, so I suppose I'm back to chicken...ugh.

Reverse Culture Shock!!!

I definitely didn't realize how long I had been outside the United States until I returned. I thought that I would end up with pockets full of coins while I was in Europe, but i found out after a few trips to the drug store in Chicago that Americans have way more change than Europeans. You see, Europeans charge one euro or two euro for things, but Americans like when things aren't quite a dollar. Now answer honestly - Would you buy the candy bar that was 79 cents or one dollar? EXACTLY! I hate American money. I have found myself converting Dollars to Euros here - bad. I do appreciate that Americans know how to form a line - a skill that Italians seem to lack. Skyscrapers sort of scared me the first few times I walked through the Loop, and the ivy covered brick buildings of Chicago were actually a little disappointing compared to the Roman ruins I was so used to seeing on a regular basis. Possibly their weirdest part was being able to listen in on peoples' conversations and understand them! I was excited to realize all the gossip I would learn from just sitting on the train, something I was sorry to have missed from my adventures in Italy.

Usually when I come back to the United States from a trip to Europe I feel slightly ashamed by the lack of infrastructure in our nation and by the common wasteful practices most of us don't give a second thought to, but this time was different. I did feel mildly let-down by my country, but I was also very proud of my country. I had learned about the Italian government and how corrupt it is. I was amazed when I finally understood just how many liberties we have that we take for granted. Though I do not like what many of our biggest news stations have to say, I find comfort in the fact that they are not all owned by our government or president. I think it is terrible that most Americans can only speak English while most Europeans can speak more than one language, sometimes having to speak 3 or 4 just to get by in their own countries. Also, why do we have to pay boat loads of money to go to college when Germans can go for free? But we have things that no one else does. We have the Grand Canyon and National Forests in nearly every state. We have a huge variety of cultures, each bringing something new and different to the table. I don't know if I would have seen our country this way if I hadn't spent five months away from it. I'm glad to be back, but I want nothing more than to explore the world even more!

There is no way that really happened...

I have spent one hundred and thirty days of this year outside of the United States. I have lived in Europe for four months. I have been to Asia, and I have been to Africa. I have enjoyed beers paid for by my school and I have yelled at an Indian man in Italian. I have watched my parents fall into the traps of countless salesmen while managing to leave a country and continent completely empty-handed. My semester abroad was an experience I will never have again, but you can be sure that I will try my hardest to relive every moment, good and bad, because it was an experience that I never want to forget. Of course, all the days I spent wandering Europe would not have been half as interesting, or fun if I didn't have the friends I met and my support system at home to talk to and tell all my stories. Thank you for listening (and reading), especially since I was terrible at keeping in touch. These entries are my attempts to make up for that.

I told you about out Turkish tours, but somehow I didn't get to Istanbul! Firstly, Istanbul is the only city that is broken into two continents. 60% of the city residents live on the Asian side, while the European side is primarily commercial. The European side is then broken up into two parts - one is more modern than the other. This means that Istanbul has an old side, a new side, and a homey side. Tourists tend to stay on the old side, which is great, but we are not tourists anymore - we are world travelers. We do not sight see - we explore, and explore we did! Sure, the old buildings are cool, but did you know that there are about 200 Christian churches in Istanbul? That doesn't sound like much for a large city, especially compared to Rome's 400 Catholic churches, but did you also know that 99% of Turks are Muslim? We found a charming church at the top of the massive hill that makes up the new side, as well as the largest and most crowded shopping street I have ever seen. We also explored the Asian side, only after asking five taxi drivers to help with our iPhone directions to a well-known restaurant they probably would have recognized if we had known any Turkish at all. Is it possible that I actually miss having men try and sell me everything and anything they can ALL the time? Our favorite line - "Are you from America? I'm married to an American and I'm a professor...(5 minutes later)...I actually sell rugs too. Let me show you." Those Turks are sly.



After two weeks of traveling, it was time to go home - so we flew back to Rome. I suppose that's not home for everyone. I made my parents see everything I thought was essential on their last day in the Eternal City (contradiction?). I dragged my mom through the rain to see the Key Hole, which is literally a key hole in a door with an amazing view of the Vatican. UNFORTUNATELY, someone was doing construction and blocking the view! I thought my mom might kill me because I'm nearly certain she was losing feeling in her toes. Oops. That night we had a delicious meal next to a very emotional pregnant woman and went to bed, happy that our trip went smoothly minus one hickup that was easily fixed...JINX! I was planning on spending one more day in Rome while my parents were leaving the next morning for Chicago and then San Francisco. Well, it turns out that when American Airlines has a small hickup, they just cancel your flight at four in the morning. My parents managed to get on my flight the next day, which meant that they had one more day to see everything they needed to!

I had been planning for weeks what I was going to do on my last day in Rome. I wanted it to be a special day with gelati, panini, and Roma T-shirts. I had my gelato and I bought my shirt. I was mistaken for an Italian, I ran into my parents (like a local would run into friends), and then I got lost. It was perfect. We ended the night with dinner and drinks at Bir and Fud and a few more drinks at Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa (But what did you come here for?).

Leaving Rome felt like I was leaving a home behind because the John Felice Rome Center became our home, After a weekend away, getting lost on the trains, standing in lines for hours, yelling at Ryan Air, and paying too much for a taxi, it always felt good to see those big green gates and walking down that long road to campus. We always had such a sense of relief, as if we had been gone for weeks. Never mind the bad Mensa food that awaited us, we were home and there is no comfort like that of laying in your own bed (with borrowed sheets) and knowing that when you wake up in the morning you will be greeted by your family - friends, professors, Nella, Rinaldo, and all. Ordinary college life will feel like just that from now on - ordinary.

The story of the stork

We had a great time in Greece. The weather was perfect and we didn't have any trouble with all the demonstrations in Athens. We explored the mountain-top fortress of Nafplio and we enjoyed some leisure time by the Aegean Sea in Samos. We ate tons of gyros, but we never got a good explanation for why we were having so much trouble finding lamb on any of the menus.



Now we are in Turkey, and what a place it is. The Greek island of Samos is only 2 km from Turkey, and though the cultures are very similar, the Greeks and Turks are really very different. In our few days here in Selcuk we have encountered amazingly kind and generous people. Everyone is so helpful here, and they really love to host tourists in their shops and homes. In Greece the people were more indifferent to our presence. We never had a bad experience in Greece, but so far the people in Turkey have really surpassed the Greeks in hospitality.

We arrived in Kusadasi on the 9th by ferry. Our 200 seat ferry, carrying no more than twenty passengers, pulled into the port next to an American navy ship and a Celebrity cruise ship - those things are HUGE! A tour guide with a van picked us up once we had gotten our visas and then drove us to the Nilya hotel in Selcuk just 30 minutes North of the busy resort town.

The Nilya hotel is quaint and simply adorable. The courtyard looks as if it has always been here. There are lanterns hanging from the trees, cats prowling around corners, and birds nesting in the hall. I love all the fun nick-knacks around the building and the view that is perfect at sunset.



On our first full day in Selcuk we were picked up again by our tour guide and taken in a van to Effesus, the ancient city where it is believed Mary fled after the Crucifixion of Jesus. Mary's house is a reconstruction that is not very impressive. There is a spring that runs beneath the house and empties into three fountains - health, wealth, and happiness. Past the special water is a wishing wall of lovely napkins and tissues - I thought it was a cute idea until my dad mentioned how attractive the wall must look after a good rain.



July 1, 2010 - Now we're back in the states and I'm finally getting around to catching up on my blogging. I'm sorry it took so long!

After our quick trip to Mary's house, our tour guide, a young and particularly charming man from Kusadasi, took us to see all the other sights in the area. We got to see Pagan temples and the beautiful city of Effesus. If you love ruins and libraries, then Effesus is the place for you. Walking down the crumbling main road of the city, you can see a jaw-dropping two-story facade at the end of the road. With columns and statues on both levels, the building was once the library for the city. Walking through it you can just picture all the scrolls that were once housed there. Of course we had to take another picture with the Noe Valley Voice in front of the library that rivals our local athenaeum.



No Turkish tour is complete without a visit to a manufacturer or two, or three! The Turks are known for their beautiful hand woven rugs of wool, cotton, and silk, each unique to its region and maker. On this day we did not purchase a Turkish rug. However, my mom was particularly interested in the rugs but only decided against buying one when my dad reminded her we were broke! Certainly if you can't afford a rug Turkey will provide you with hundreds of other choices. Next stop, a leather store! No one on our tour knew what were getting ourselves into when we agreed to stop at a leather manufacturer's outlet. The room that we were led into had about forty chairs all surrounding a long and intimidating runway. Being the shy and nervous kid that I am, I never took out my camera during this entire experience, and I regret that so much! The loud techno music came on and soon after the beautiful Turkish models came down the runway in leather coats, each more beautiful than the next. At the end of the show three of the models came off the runway to pull three of us up! I said that I am shy, but ten years ago that would have been a serious understatement. A particularly handsome model grabbed my hand and took me backstage where he put me in a nice beige jacket and then led me back onto the runway. I actually posed on my way out! There is no way I was thinking clearly. I'm going to blame it on the Turkish dust. After admiring the leather goods inside and the peacocks outside, we were on our way to the pottery maker. My mom and I once took a pottery class at the Randall Museum so I know how difficult it is to spin clay, but what really impressed me was all the free-handed painting they did on the finished pottery. The store we went to had thousands of pieces on display, each one unique, and each hand-painted. I have decided that if I ever had more money to my name, I will return to Turkey and buy everything I think is beautiful. Of course, that will leave the Turks with nothing for themselves.



The place where we found the most beautiful things was on a street corner in Selcuk at the 24hr souvenir shop of Ali. We went in just to look at his hand-painted tiles, but we left with a friend. Though we're nearly certain he lied to us about being Christian, we found Ali to be a smart business man and a helpful local. He directed us to nearby restaurant with tandoor lamb (slow-cooked lamb that must be ordered one day in advance). We ate there two nights in a row. On our second night we stopped at Ali's shop to thank him for his help. I got drawn in by the beautiful boots and belts he had on display. He discounted the belt for me, but not before taking a humiliating picture that summarizes Ali and the Turkish people perfectly.



The one thing better than Ali in Selcuk was the invasion of storks nesting in the city on their way back from Africa. There were storks everywhere - on minarets, ruins, and light poles. The baby-delivering birds were graceful as they flew over us to feed their babies. The best moment was when we were wandering around before dinner and we discovered a plaza where men were haggling for fresh fish and ten or twelve storks sat watching in their nests on top of a row of ancient arches. Our Turkish adventure didn't end there - on to Istanbul!

Athens

It's hard not to be impressed by the Greeks.



Our hotel is right beneath the acropolis and right next to the plaka. A perfect location for great views, delicious food, and some good shopping. I bought a bag for only 8 euro to replace my old orange one.

Before we went up to the acropolis we went through the museum at the base of the mountain as well as the national archaeological museum a few metro stops away (yet another metro that puts MUNI to shame). We learned a lot about what were would see at the acropolis and visualizing what the city would have looked like in 300 B.C. became much easier.



The acropolis is huge, and they still haven't excavated everything. I think that the restoration work began in the early 1980s, and they still have a lot of work to do. It would be cool to come back and be able to walk inside the Parthenon.

It's all Greek to me

My parents and I have left Italy and now we're in Athens, Greece. They had a fabulous time doing all the touristy things in Rome while I suffered in the library studying for finals. Apparently, the four hour tour of the Roman Forum was very informative, but I think the highlight of the trip (at least for my dad) was our trip to Bir & Fud. It is exactly what it sounds like. Yumm.

Our first day in Greece has been pretty relaxing. We had some AMAZING food, a tasty frappe, and perfect weather. Now I'm just hoping this cold I seem to be getting holds off. Where's the airborne when you need it?!

We're off to explore at night! I'll put some pictures online as soon as the internet reception gets better and I don't have to sit in front of the bathroom door to get the one measly bar. Check ya later!

Va bene

Classes are over! Tonight we have an end of the semester banquet with dancing and superlative awards. I'm really hoping for "best alter-ego" because my friends here have this crazy idea that I am pretty hard core, so they call me "Debbie Kix." "Debbie" for "Debbie Downer" and "Kix" because I kick down doors like a bounty hunter.

My last days in Rome have been fabulous. We have had amazing weather for the most part and I don't feel like I'm drowning in homework. As much as I miss everyone back home, it still makes me sad to think about leaving. This has been such an amazing experience for me. I have come out of my shell a little more and I tried some things I never thought I could. This is not life - It is a stolen season, but no less wonderful.

I am so excited for my parents to come out here! I know my mom is going to love Rome, especially since she hasn't been here since she was 13. I already have the perfect place picked out for my dad to try some delicious microbrew beers. Maybe now he'll actually look into making that chocolate beer I've been asking for.

Ciao!

5 Terre

I don't think I have ever seen anything so beautiful!

Cinqueterre is a series of five towns on the coast of Liguria region in northern Italy (home of the famous Genova salami and pesto). We took a midnight train from Roma to La Spezia where we transferred to the regional train that took us to Monterosso. Since it was only 5am when we got there and it was still dark, Rebecca, Jessica, and I hung out at the train station waiting for the sun to come up over the mountains.

After a delicious cappuccino and some pastries from the secret bakery in Roma we got started on the 9km hike through all five towns. The first bit was hard because there was a lot of uphill and downhill, but it was well worth the muscle cramps I felt later that night.



We stopped in each town to explore and grab something small to eat. In Vernazza we ate our bagged lunches by the water until we had to move for the ferry to dock. Vernazza was our favorite town because it was so picturesque, and quaint.



I had a delicious panino in Corniglia and Rebecca finally got her gelato!



By the time we reached Manarola we were ready to sit down for a real pesto pizza. The pesto was fabulous, but nothing compares to my dad's homemade delicacy! Who knew that Italians could skimp on garlic?



We stopped in the southernmost town where we spent the night at a really nice hostel. Riomaggiore is a pretty small town with about 5 restaurants and one cafe, but it was no less beautiful than the others.



I'm so glad I got the chance to go out there, and I'm even more greatful that I didn't leave Italy this weekend because my flight would have gotten canceled.

Brussels!

This has to be a quick blog because I'm off to the beautiful coastal towns of the Cinqueterre. We're going to be starting in the northernmost town of Monterosso and then we'll hike down to Riomaggiore where we'll spend the night. Cinqueterre is known for its beautiful views and picturesque landscapes.

Last weekend some girlfriends and I went to Brussels for a weekend of beer, frites, waffles, and chocolate. It was fabulous. I have never eaten so many carbs in such a short period of time, but I had a great time. And the Gothic architecture - WOW! I don't even care that I had my wallet stolen.







I'm really sad to be leaving Rome. I love it here so much, and I'm meeting so many fantastic people, but I'm really glad that I'm going to get to see all my friends soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY!

Star Wars

The highlight of the trip to Tunisia may have been our excursions to the Star Wars sets. In Matmata we had complimentary beers at the famous Star Wars bar of Episode 4. It was not at all what I expected, but the awesomeness of the spectacle was not lost, especially with Dr. Evers walking around in a jedi costume.



After our night in the desert we took the 4-wheel drive vehicles out into the dunes where we did some pretty crazy driving and made a pit stop at the set for the Tatooine city from Episode 4, complete with vaporators.

More desert, please!

About half way through the Tunisian adventure we drove into the Sahara Desert. The only way I can remember how to spell "dessert" is by saying "dessert has two S's because you always want more," but now I want more of the desert!

We had so much fun in the sand. First we rode camels in Douz - complete with Arabian Knights. My camel's name was Nishu and Erin's was Alibaba - of course. Alibaba sounded like he was bubling toxic waste. It turns out that camels have quite the personalities. Some of them were pretty mean but mine was a sweetheart. Nishu was a baby with a lot of spunk - trotting on a camel is NOT comfortable, but it is fun.

That night we took 4-wheel drive vehicles farther into the desert to spend the night under the stars! We watched the sunset on the sand dunes, danced to traditional Habibi campfire music, ate a simple meal of couscous and soup, and slept in canvas tents. A few days before this, I bought myself a sheep skin to sleep on in the desert so I wouldn't freeze. I was one of the few people who actually slept most of the night.



The next day we went out to our hotel in Tamerza, just two kilometers from the Algerian border. That was the most beautiful place we went, by far.

All of the olives

Did you know that Tunisia's economy is largely based on its export of olive oil which is then used as the base for Italian olive oil? So when you buy really expensive Italian olive oil, you'd probably do better spending your money on really fabulous Tunisian olive oil.



On way down to southern Tunisia we saw endless olive groves and we learned that olive trees can live to be 1,000 years old while a fig tree can only live to be about 15 years old. The tradition of harvesting olives dates back to the Roman Empire which had a major presence in Tunisia. We got to see one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters which was surrounded first by vendors, and then of course by olive groves!

Oh ciao, Africa!

Tunisia was everything that I expected, everything I didn't, and so much more.

On March 5th about 70 of the JFRC students went to Tunisia from Rome via plane (not boat, contrary to what my parents may have told you). As soon as we got into Tunis, Tunisia we drove over to the American embassy to listen to the U.S. ambassador lecture about the politics in Tunisia and the United States' relations with the nation. Being the political science nerd that I am, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Did you know that the U.S. ambassador and other scholars we spoke to (from Tunisia) say that Tunisia is part of the Middle East? Last time I checked Tunisia was in North Africa. It turns out that there is no clear definition for what the Middle East is. Since Tunisia is a Muslim country and its population consists of people with generally lighter skin than most Africans, they are considered to be culturally Middle Eastern. Of course, when we asked the Tunisian students we lunched with the next day, they said that Tunisia was not the Middle East, it's North Africa...duh.

Our first night in Tunisia, they took us out to a 300-year-old shisha (hookah) cafe in the Tunis suburb of Hammamet. We smoked on the traditional mats with the most gorgeous view of the Mediterranean Sea. The evening could not be complete without our tour bus bumping into a few cars on the way to our fabulous hotel. The next day we ate with the Tunisian English students and then forced them to babysit us in the Medina (downtown/market). I have never been so intimidated in my life! There were so many shops, each selling the exact same things, but each shop keeper came up with his own original compliments. It was in Hammamet that my friend Katherine was called "Snow White" and Matt was called "George Bush" (they seemed to think that was a compliment...we were confused to say the least). Even though I was terrified I was going to get robbed and I just couldn't bring myself to haggle, I had a great time. I fell in love with all the colors right away, and I'm a sucker for the smell of leather - camel leather, very good. It really helped that the Tunisian student I was following made sure not to let anything happen to us.




On the 7th, we made our way south, stopping at the famous Bardo museum to see a fraction of the world's largest Roman floor mosaics. The mosaics were impressive, but I really loved the hand-carved ceilings and the hand-painted tiles. I know how I'll be decorating my house! We had lunch on the water at Carthage and then visited the Sanctuary of the Tophet (the sacrificial site of the Carthaginian Empire), Byrsa Hill (the spiritual center of the Carthaginian Empire), and the only American military cemetery in Africa. Unfortunately, it rained a lot this day so we were all pretty cold, but it didn't dampen our spirits too much. Who knew that it rains in Africa?



*If you don't have a facebook and you want to see all of my pictures, send me an email and I'll give you a link.

Aslama!

I went to AFRICA!!!

We got back last night and guess what I have to do this week - HOMEWORK! Big surprise... As soon as I want to procrastinate I'll put up a fantastic blog. Ciao!

Vitamin D

The sun came out today and it was marvelous. After days, maybe weeks of dark ominous clouds and rain like no other, I was able to sit outside and read! I even got a little color on my face!

Last week was crazy. I had my first midterm and I think I managed to stay above water while getting most of my reading done for all of my other classes. To celebrate the end of the week, a bunch of us girls, and Garrison, went out for drinks in Trestevere. It turns out that Trestevere is quite the place to be. There were so many people there! I don't think I have ever seen so many people under the age of 35 gather for drinks and yummy snacks.

Saturday, I went out to Villa Borghese to enjoy the mild weather and see a new part of Rome. Villa Borghese is a fabulous park right behind the Spanish steps. It was nice to get out and explore after spending the week in the Library. After dinner and a chick flick we went out to our favorite beer and pizza place where I learned how large a litre really is.

PISA, il Bio Parco, e Pompeii (3 weekends of fun)

Pisa with Carolyn was fantastic! While most of our friends went to the super expensive Firenze, Carolyn and I went to Pisa to see the famous leaning tower. We didn't expect to see much that would interest us, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Pisa actually has quite a bit to do, and we didn't have time to do it all!

We took the train from Stazione Termini on a Friday morning and we arrived in Pisa four hours later. The train ride was beautiful. We were going along the Coast the entire time, and when we couldn't see the Ocean we were going through cute little towns with donkeys and such. We brought some tasty snacks along and got a lot of reading done (of course, none of it was for school).

When we arrived in Pisa we decided to walk to our hostel so we could see the town and save a few bucks. There was a lot of great shopping on the main street, and since it was a Friday and raining a little there was hardly anyone outside. Of course, a lot of the stores were closed too because it was nap time for the Italians.

We got to our hostel without much trouble. Our room wasn't anything special (although, the hostel owner came by later and told us they had put us in the wrong room and we needed to switch - no big deal). You don't expect much for 22 euro a night.

Once we were settled into our room we went out to the Piazza dei Miracoli to go up to the top of the tower. We got up no problem! There was no line, and only about 10 other people in the tower.

Climbing up to the top of the tower was well worth the entire trip. You can actually feel yourself leaning over when you're going up the narrow staircase!

There are 294 steps to the top of the tower and each one is more is more fun than the last.

The next day we went back to the piazza to go into the cemetery and baptistery - and of course do some quality shopping. According to Carolyn, the cemetery would be the best place to be in the event of a zombie attack!

Coming back, Carolyn and I got majorly lost. We were wandering around downtown for about 2 hours, but we eventually found our way to a taxi stand and we got home relatively quickly.


After such an eventful weekend we decided to stay in Rome for our next weekend (we also had class on Friday since we had had the Papal audience that Wednesday). A bunch of us went to the zoo (bio parco) and met up with a guy one of our friends had met (he's an American studying architecture). The zoo was a lot of fun because it was cold and rainy so there was no one there. We also got there fairly late so it was feeding time!



This weekend the plan was for Alana and I to fly to Dublin on Friday morning, spend two nights at a hostel in downtown Dublin, see the sights, and then fly back to Rome Sunday night. It would have been so perfect - if only it hadn't snowed! Did you know that it hasn't snowed in Rome since 1985? If I was a doofus and I hadn't just watched Rachel Maddow interview Bill Nye the Science Guy about this very issue I would say that Global Warming didn't exists, but I'm not and I did, so I won't. But really?! It hasn't snowed here since 1985 and it decides to snow on the one day that we need to get out of here! So, because snow is a novelty in Rome, all RyanAir flights were canceled of out of Ciampino airport, and yes, that included our flight. After finding out that we wouldn't be making it to Dublin after all, we had to wait in line for 6.5 hours to get a refund for our tickets, and thankfully we did get that refund.

Saturday we managed to tag along on the school organized trip to Pompeii, and we had a great time. Professor Nicholson led the tour of the site. Pompeii, which is situated right below Mt. Vesuvius was destroyed in 79 A.D. when the volcano erupted and covered the town in magma and ash. There were minor tremors prior to the eruption, warning the people that something worse was coming. Many people were able to escape, but many chose not to leave or couldn't get out in time. The last time Mt. Vesuvius erupted was in 1944 - hundreds of homes were destroyed, and dozens of people were killed. The volcano is expected erupt again, and the next time it happens everything within 15 km of the volcano will be destroyed.

On our way back from Pompeii we hit a bit of traffic - no big deal. Our giant tour bus was trying to merge onto the freeway, but this being Italy, no one wanted to let us in. Finally, we've squeezed our way into a lane and we're waiting for the car in front of us to move, but now the guy behind us is inching his way forward. Wait just one minute, buster! It's our turn! So, we're about to ram this guy off the road when I look out the window and I see that he has stuffed animals in the rear window - I miss you, dad!

Bisogno un nuovo caricabaterie, per favore!

I finally got a charger!!!

About two weeks ago the charger for my computer died and I was forced to borrow my friend's charger when I could, and use the REALLY slow computers on campus. It wasn't terrible seeing as how I got a lot of homework done, but it is nice to have my old friend back.

As soon as my charger died I went to the computer guy on campus and begged for help. Unfortunately, his English is not very good, and neither are his directional skills. Il Signore sent me to Roma Computer Center but I couldn't find it! It was cold and I was tired, so I decided to go back to school empty-handed.

My next attempt to find a computer store was even less fruitful. I spent my Monday morning (since I don't have class on Mondays) walking around Il Fiume Tevere in the hippest neighborhood in Rome looking for a computer store suggested to me by my mom's coworker. Besides the fact that I was completely lost and it was an epic fail, Trestevere is a really cool place.

Completely frustrated with technology but having no other choice, I resorted to buying the charger online. Of course, having something sent to Italy from the US is not practical in the least bit, so I was looking at Italian websites...in Italian! Even having the pages translated didn't help, so I had one of the SLAs (like an RA but paid) find me a place to go - the first place I was supposed to go!

So, it's Thursday and I had some time to kill between classes and I figured I'd give this first place another try. Of course, with some new directions and a deep-seeded hatred for the school computer I made my way to Roma Computer Center, said "Bisogno un nuovo caricabaterie per il mio computer," and presto, I have a new computer charger! YAY!!!

Unfortunately, I've wasted so much time writing this oh-so-thrilling blog entry that I don't have enough time to add pictures from the past few weeks. I'm REALLY sorry, but I have to go to bed early because I'm off to DUBLIN in the morning! Thank you so much for putting up with my terribly boring blogs lately, you'll be in for a real trip come Sunday night!

I love it when you call me "il Papa"

Today I woke up at 6am to attend a papal audience. We were told that the good seats get taken really quickly, and we didn't want to end up standing outside in the cold so we left early, but it turns out that no one really goes to see the pope in the winter. So now it's about 3:30 in the afternoon and I'm exhausted! But it was so worth it.

The papal audience was crazy. We had fun admiring all of the Swiss Guards and their fantastically flamboyant outfits. We waited inside for about 2 hours but at least we were warm.
Finally, the Pope came out and he read some stuff in five languages - I had trouble paying attention because I got distracted by the tiles on the walls (there are 294 of them). Then the bishops go through a list of all the groups attending and they get up, cheer, and if they feel so inclined, they sing! No one told us this, so of course we were unprepared. Ah well, I still got to make a fool of myself in front of the Pope. (The polish bishop did not appreciate when people interrupted him to cheer and sing. Where's the love?) A lot of people go to the papal audience in costumes to represent their country or group. There were a few couples there in their wedding outfits because they wanted to get blessed before their weddings, and then there was a group of circus kids with outfits that outdid the Swiss Guards. It was quite an event.













Good news - my computer isn't dead, it's just the charger that's dead!

And the computer went "fizzle..."

As it turns out, things do break in Italy. In fact, they break when you really really don't want them to, just like in the States! My computer charger died and/or the connection is bad. Either way, I have to find time to go to an Italian computer store and ask for help...in Italian. It's not the worst thing, but it means that you won't be getting any pictures for a while. Too bad because I have some great pictures of PISA!

My friend Carolyn and I went to Pisa this past weekend. We had a great time exploring the town and climbing all 294 steps of the tower, but I'll save the details for the pictures. It was a great trip with some great cheap food.

I thought I'd take this chance to describe to you the John Felice Rome Center. There are about 240 students here and a lot of them aren't from Loyola. Most of us live on the main campus but because there are so many students this semester they had to put some of them in as hotel down the street. Our classes are in the same building as our rooms, which gets a little weird when you're taking a shower. It's a very old building with marble floors and very thin walls, so sound travels really well...too well. There are not secrets at the JFRC. Also, because it's such an old building, everything needs a little jiggle, shove, push, tweek, and love. Hot water? Well, it's always a surprise! All of these flaws are actually endearing and they add a very unique charm to the experience of living abroad, so long as you don't have excessively oily hair or need light on demand.

As soon as I get my computer working I'll get you some new pictures!

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!!!! Double didgits, you are so cool! We'll get together for a birthday cake as soon as I get back. Ciao!

Il Colosseo e il foro romano

This weekend Loyola organized a tour of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum guided by Prof. Sander Evers, who in and of himself is quite an adventure. Carolyn, Alana, Joanna, and I took a cab down to the Colosseum because we weren't sure how to get there quickly by bus. The cab ride was by far NOT the worst I have had in Europe, but it scared the life out of me! At one point we went into a tunnel in which there were no lanes painted on the road, so everyone just swerves around each other because they are in such a hurry! Then, we turned a corner onto a big shopping street and there were people everywhere! Italians don't seem to understand the term "efficient." The worst part about this cab ride was that I being the most experienced Italian speaker had to sit in the front. Oh joy.






Anyway, we got to the Palatino entrance and only one other Loyola person was there! We are slowly coming to realize that Italians are late for everything. Eventually more Rome Center students and Prof. Sander Evers arrived and we were ready to take out tour (lead by Evers). We got to see some really amazing ruins and Evers did an awesome job of bringing it all to life. Of course, he talked to so much that we didn't make it to the Colosseum, but it was so worth it.

After the tour Evers needed a beer, so he took us all out for drinks! You know you're not in the States when your professor buys you a beer.


Since we didn't get to see the Colosseum and our tickets were valid for two days, my friend Bits and I decided to go back the next day. It was perfect. We got in there without having to wait in line, we got some great pictures, and right as it started to drizzle we headed back to the train station so we were back at school in time for lunch. I spent the rest of the day doing reading for all of my classes.



We now have a favorite pub near school. We've only been there once, but it was fantastic. The place is called Maes and they have Bulmers Cider which is a pretty good beer. It's not cheap, but it's a really cool place. I especially love it because they were playing the new Killers CD. Thank goodness because I'm really sick of hearing last decade's hits in the shopping mall.

Assisi Orientation

I am in love with Rome. The John Felice Rome Center is not a four star hotel, and it’s probably not even a three star hotel, but the people here are fantastic. I am meeting so many new people, but I still don’t know half of the students. My roommate, Courtney is from St. Louis University, as are a lot of my friends. I have been hanging out a lot with a bunch of LUC kids which I’m excited about because I’m looking forward to hanging out with them when we get back.

On Saturday we had some VISA stuff to fill out and we took a tour of the neighborhood. I’m still figuring out where everything is, but it’s nice to know where you’re going! I finally got to go out and explore downtown Rome. It was great fun getting lost!

On Sunday we all went to ASSISI, Italia for our orientation. ASSISI is gorgeous! It was really cold there but the way the fog blanketed the city reminded me of San Francisco. ASSISI is famous for St. Francis, patron saint of animals, and it is northeast of Rome, located in Umbria. The streets are all really small so our buses had to park outside the city walls, but of course there were a few locals who still owned SUVs.

A bunch of us took a hike on Tuesday up to a hermitage in ASSISI for some amazing views. I didn’t bring the best walking shoes so my feet were pretty sore after, but it was so worth it. My knee is also bugging me a bit because I tweaked it over the break in Tahoe. No worries, I’m in Rome!

Yesterday I had my first class of the semester – a political science class about contemporary Italian politics taught by a former Italian ambassador! It sounds really interesting, and he really knows his stuff, but he’s a little hard to understand because his accent is so thick. Today I had two history classes about Italy and one Italian film class. I didn’t actually get to do anything in the first two because I had to leave early to finish my VISA stuff, and I have yet to go to the Italian film class. Tonight I get a phone!

Please DO NOT send me packages. I don’t mean to sound like I’m flattering myself, but I could end up paying hefty customs fees or the package could get stuck in

customs for months. That being said, I love letters (they’ll take about 3 weeks to get here).

My address is:

Mackenzie Drosd

Loyola University –

John Felice Rome Center

Via Massimi 114 A

00136 Rome, Italy