What a day...
Left Wayland and my good friends and arrived in Rome. Pumped, but wishing friends and family were here.
Thanks for watching me pack by the way :o)
Don't you just love crying babies? I slept the first half hour of the flight then was pleasantly woken by two or three crying babies in a 10 foot radius of my seat. How pleasant! I popped an additional advil PM, put my ipod in to block out the screaming children and luckily by the time a midnight dinner, that surprisingly smelt good, was handed out, I was out like a light. Had I not slept on the plane, it would have been a miserable journey ahead!
Waking up to breakfast being served and the lights turned on in the cabin, I was pleasantly surprised to see that all my feelings of anxiety and sadness of leaving friends and family behind at home were gone. I was on the way to commencing an adventure alone, and for some reason I was no longer scared. I think some of the reason why the fear went away was because I remembered my mom had packed me a fresh pack of raspberries, so when yogurt with breakfast was served it was like I was eating in first class when I shoveled all of the raspberries into the vanilla yogurt, haha. That little comfort brought me to realize that I am about to have the time of my life.
The plane arrived in Paris, at Charles de Gaulle, where I had a 4 hour lay over. I went through customs to get my passport stamped, where an unfortunate sight lay straight ahead of me in line... this man was wearing his pants rather low around his butt, and where it normally would have been okay to see that much boxer, it wasn't because he wasn't wearing any! Instead, hairy butt was everywhere. Nice. And sorrry I wasn't quick enough with the camera (scherzo!)...Anywho.... then I went through security, and found my departure gate, then went exploring to find a bathroom, a sandwich and a bancomat. Bathroom, check, sandwich, check, bancomat, check, but the bancomat denied me access, so I was down to 15 euros in my pocket after spending 5 euro on a delicious sandwich au jambon et fromage, delicieux! I sat down by the gate and waited for my flight while reading Water For Elephants (so good!). At 14:45 my flight boarded and at 15:25 I was on the final leg to Roma. I slept peacefully through the entire two hour flight, only awake to attempt to ask for water in french when I was asked if I wanted anything to drink... "l'eau" I said, she thought I said "coke"? and then it got awkward cause the boy next to me who spoke like 5 languages realized my struggle and then ordered himself a big fancy arrangement of drinks in beautiful french, even though he seemed to be Spanish. Hmph, those multilingual people really make me envious.
Anywho, arriving in Roma I got a surge of excitement. Getting off the plane I could already hear the buzz of the Italian language and see the direct change of fashion. I saw my first bright orange pant and blazer combo and an array of older women with brightly died red hair.
I went to carousel 16 to grab my luggage, struggled pulling the slightly overweight suitcase off the belt, then went to combine my carry on and my suitcase into one so that I could manage... weight was no longer an issue! Then I went to leave the baggage area, only to get stopped by the customs man because he must have seen some marking that was put on my baggage ticket that I still can't figure out. In Italian he asked me where I was from, I responded Boston and then he asked to see my passport, which of course took me 3 minutes to get because when I went to open my purse the zipper got stuck and I sat there fidgeting with it like an idiot for three minutes, making him very suspicious of me. Finally I handed him the passport, and he just said "Oo, stati uniti" then let me leave... way to go Lia!
Before getting a cab I needed to get cash monayy, so I went to find a bancomat. I went to two, both of them not working and rejecting my card, finally before I broke into a panic I saw a long line at another down the hall, so I went to wait in that line, grateful that it wasn't my card and that it had been three machines that just happened to not be working. I got 200 euro, then headed to find a cab, not hard to do outside of the airport.
Got in the cab, and started the drive of my life! If I knew death wasn't a possibility it would have been the most fun roller coaster of a cab ride ever, but the possibility of a car crash echoing in the back of my head made the ride a little less enjoyable. I think for 90% of the ride we were driving on the white line wedged between the traffic going in the lanes the line was supposed to be dividing. The cab was then weaving in and out of driving on the tram track and the normal road, and then miraculously fitting through spaces between cars that I would have never thought possible, especially at high speeds! The meter finally ticked to just below 60 euro, as the car slowed beneath 60kph and halted in front of Via Udine, 4. Home for the summer!
I rang the bell reading Chiaramaria Croce, and waited to get buzzed in. A girl answered and helped me bring my things down and settle myself in her room as her new roommate. I got settled, as we went through some awkwardness and waited for Giacomo the landlord and family friend to come and greet me. When he arrived the other roommates trickled out of their rooms and introduced themselves and Marta was so cute as she drooled over the american accent I had when saying Boston and Massachusetts. They made me feel right at home, I was so excited to not have any issues with roommates already and that they were interested in getting to know and have fun with "the american"!
They were all very welcoming especially when I had to be awkward and ask for sheets and towels. Marta immediately gave me things to use, and continued to speak with me in italian for a while. My roommate Benedetta, Giacomo, Marta and I chatted for a while, then they left me alone to finish getting settled in.
Around 11:00, the roommates came into ask me if I wanted to have some rice with them. I thought that was funny cause I was facebook chatting with Lindsay who was saying she had to go eat dinner, and 6 hours later here in Roma my roommates were just sitting down to eat. Pazzo!
I was in bed fast asleep by 12:15 and resting up for Day 1 of work.
Left Wayland and my good friends and arrived in Rome. Pumped, but wishing friends and family were here.
 |
| Occupying Alex's room to fill my suitcase after a delicious brunch :) |
Don't you just love crying babies? I slept the first half hour of the flight then was pleasantly woken by two or three crying babies in a 10 foot radius of my seat. How pleasant! I popped an additional advil PM, put my ipod in to block out the screaming children and luckily by the time a midnight dinner, that surprisingly smelt good, was handed out, I was out like a light. Had I not slept on the plane, it would have been a miserable journey ahead!
 |
| Ladies eatin brunch, sipping mimosas before my departure |
Waking up to breakfast being served and the lights turned on in the cabin, I was pleasantly surprised to see that all my feelings of anxiety and sadness of leaving friends and family behind at home were gone. I was on the way to commencing an adventure alone, and for some reason I was no longer scared. I think some of the reason why the fear went away was because I remembered my mom had packed me a fresh pack of raspberries, so when yogurt with breakfast was served it was like I was eating in first class when I shoveled all of the raspberries into the vanilla yogurt, haha. That little comfort brought me to realize that I am about to have the time of my life.
The plane arrived in Paris, at Charles de Gaulle, where I had a 4 hour lay over. I went through customs to get my passport stamped, where an unfortunate sight lay straight ahead of me in line... this man was wearing his pants rather low around his butt, and where it normally would have been okay to see that much boxer, it wasn't because he wasn't wearing any! Instead, hairy butt was everywhere. Nice. And sorrry I wasn't quick enough with the camera (scherzo!)...Anywho.... then I went through security, and found my departure gate, then went exploring to find a bathroom, a sandwich and a bancomat. Bathroom, check, sandwich, check, bancomat, check, but the bancomat denied me access, so I was down to 15 euros in my pocket after spending 5 euro on a delicious sandwich au jambon et fromage, delicieux! I sat down by the gate and waited for my flight while reading Water For Elephants (so good!). At 14:45 my flight boarded and at 15:25 I was on the final leg to Roma. I slept peacefully through the entire two hour flight, only awake to attempt to ask for water in french when I was asked if I wanted anything to drink... "l'eau" I said, she thought I said "coke"? and then it got awkward cause the boy next to me who spoke like 5 languages realized my struggle and then ordered himself a big fancy arrangement of drinks in beautiful french, even though he seemed to be Spanish. Hmph, those multilingual people really make me envious.
Anywho, arriving in Roma I got a surge of excitement. Getting off the plane I could already hear the buzz of the Italian language and see the direct change of fashion. I saw my first bright orange pant and blazer combo and an array of older women with brightly died red hair.
 |
| Sandwich from Paris airport |
I went to carousel 16 to grab my luggage, struggled pulling the slightly overweight suitcase off the belt, then went to combine my carry on and my suitcase into one so that I could manage... weight was no longer an issue! Then I went to leave the baggage area, only to get stopped by the customs man because he must have seen some marking that was put on my baggage ticket that I still can't figure out. In Italian he asked me where I was from, I responded Boston and then he asked to see my passport, which of course took me 3 minutes to get because when I went to open my purse the zipper got stuck and I sat there fidgeting with it like an idiot for three minutes, making him very suspicious of me. Finally I handed him the passport, and he just said "Oo, stati uniti" then let me leave... way to go Lia!
Before getting a cab I needed to get cash monayy, so I went to find a bancomat. I went to two, both of them not working and rejecting my card, finally before I broke into a panic I saw a long line at another down the hall, so I went to wait in that line, grateful that it wasn't my card and that it had been three machines that just happened to not be working. I got 200 euro, then headed to find a cab, not hard to do outside of the airport.
Got in the cab, and started the drive of my life! If I knew death wasn't a possibility it would have been the most fun roller coaster of a cab ride ever, but the possibility of a car crash echoing in the back of my head made the ride a little less enjoyable. I think for 90% of the ride we were driving on the white line wedged between the traffic going in the lanes the line was supposed to be dividing. The cab was then weaving in and out of driving on the tram track and the normal road, and then miraculously fitting through spaces between cars that I would have never thought possible, especially at high speeds! The meter finally ticked to just below 60 euro, as the car slowed beneath 60kph and halted in front of Via Udine, 4. Home for the summer!
I rang the bell reading Chiaramaria Croce, and waited to get buzzed in. A girl answered and helped me bring my things down and settle myself in her room as her new roommate. I got settled, as we went through some awkwardness and waited for Giacomo the landlord and family friend to come and greet me. When he arrived the other roommates trickled out of their rooms and introduced themselves and Marta was so cute as she drooled over the american accent I had when saying Boston and Massachusetts. They made me feel right at home, I was so excited to not have any issues with roommates already and that they were interested in getting to know and have fun with "the american"!
They were all very welcoming especially when I had to be awkward and ask for sheets and towels. Marta immediately gave me things to use, and continued to speak with me in italian for a while. My roommate Benedetta, Giacomo, Marta and I chatted for a while, then they left me alone to finish getting settled in.
Around 11:00, the roommates came into ask me if I wanted to have some rice with them. I thought that was funny cause I was facebook chatting with Lindsay who was saying she had to go eat dinner, and 6 hours later here in Roma my roommates were just sitting down to eat. Pazzo!
I was in bed fast asleep by 12:15 and resting up for Day 1 of work.