It's been a month here in Rome and I finally feel like I've made good footing. I've started saying hello to the florist I pass every morning, and the other night I saw him wandering outside of his flower shop, we recognized each other and said buonasera. I continued walking on with a huge smile on my face. It felt nice to be recognized, and I was beginning to become a regular, but unfortunately only for a month and a half more.
My cappuccino every morning is also something tiny, worth 1 euro, that brings a big smile to my face. I don't know what makes the 100% better than anything you can get at starbucks, or any cappuccino I try to hand make at home with my little Moka espresso machine, but nothing compares to Cafe Arte. The milk is foamed, schiuma, thick and delcious. I drop a quarter of a packet of brown sugar in, and its already sweet enough. Today, was a special day at Cafe Arte, they added a little cocoa on top of my cappuccino this morning, these little things tell me I'm going somewhere, and make me appreciate the opportunity I've been given here.
Last night I stopped at Cafe Arte for a gelato and to write some post cards. The woman I see every morning was there and finally decided to strike up a real conversation. We talked about our backgrounds as she and what appeared to be her brother, or just really good friend who worked there too, hung outside the cafe door fighting over who should ask the next person who walks by for a lighter. Apparently they had been searching for 2 hours... crazy! Josie, the girls name, criticized the guy (i forget his name) because he wasn't asking the ladies politely enough, and she yelled at him and told him to be more courteous. A few minutes later a neighbor of the cafe walked by and Josie shouted to her something along the lines of "thank god you smoke! we've been looking for a lighter for hours!" The neighbor was in a hurry and looked tired from a long day, and she stopped quickly said hello flicked the lighter at the two and told them to keep it and that she would get it tomorrow, all in such a playful manner. The language really makes everything 100x more pleasant to watch. Its amazing.
Last night around 11:00 Rehem and I briefly heard fireworks. I can't miss fireworks. So I told her I was going up to the terrace (which I recently discovered when I helped her hang laundry) to check it out. She said she would come, needed a break from studying, so we SPRINTED up the five flights of stairs. Sweating when we reached the top there were no fireworks to be seen, but anyways Rehem took out a cigarette and I just enjoyed the view and the cool roman night breeze. I thought my mom would bring a table and chair up there and enjoy an apperitvo every night had she lived there. If I were a more permanent resident, I think I would have to do just the same :)
This morning on the metro I spied a girl who I see on my same bus every morning. Faces are getting familiar. This life is becoming normal to me. And now I only have a month and a half left. Why can't the states be so relaxed and full of life like Rome?
One other thing I've noticed is that Italians rarely drink to the point of drunk. It's rare I see a wasted Italian in Rome and that too is refreshing. There is too much to do, too much to see, too much to appreciate here, and a simple passagiata will keep one entertained, but there are also endless places to dance, free concerts, parks, bars*, etc. You can never get bored in this town. Me I don't have many friends here, and I still find that I am having the best summer possible. If I had no friends in wayland or in schenectady, I don't know what I would do. I can't explain why its so different here, but seriously, its amazing the world of difference between our countries and between our cultures. I'm going to happy to be home in september and see my family and friends, but I know I'm going to have to return here the next chance I get!
This week was relaxed, work every day. Monday I met up with a canadian woman I found on friendsinrome.com and we went to get a slice of pizza and gelato, and spoke half italian half english. I was in bed by 12:00, quite happy to sleep. Tuesday I worked then went to Chit Chat, learned some Italian Proverbs and met a few more new people. Wednesday I figured out how to use my superflash card so I can now retrieve my stipend from the bank :) I walked around a little near my apartment, some streets I hadn't gone down before, and stopped on the way home at Cafe Arte to get a gelato. Tonight I'm trying to meet up with Martina, and then I'll go to the Aperitivo event again at Isola Tiberina. Helena and I want to try and go dancing afterwards if were up to it. It was too fun friday. We gotta go back! I'll see the Ponsettos tomorrow and then Mom comes saturday morning!
My cappuccino every morning is also something tiny, worth 1 euro, that brings a big smile to my face. I don't know what makes the 100% better than anything you can get at starbucks, or any cappuccino I try to hand make at home with my little Moka espresso machine, but nothing compares to Cafe Arte. The milk is foamed, schiuma, thick and delcious. I drop a quarter of a packet of brown sugar in, and its already sweet enough. Today, was a special day at Cafe Arte, they added a little cocoa on top of my cappuccino this morning, these little things tell me I'm going somewhere, and make me appreciate the opportunity I've been given here.
Last night I stopped at Cafe Arte for a gelato and to write some post cards. The woman I see every morning was there and finally decided to strike up a real conversation. We talked about our backgrounds as she and what appeared to be her brother, or just really good friend who worked there too, hung outside the cafe door fighting over who should ask the next person who walks by for a lighter. Apparently they had been searching for 2 hours... crazy! Josie, the girls name, criticized the guy (i forget his name) because he wasn't asking the ladies politely enough, and she yelled at him and told him to be more courteous. A few minutes later a neighbor of the cafe walked by and Josie shouted to her something along the lines of "thank god you smoke! we've been looking for a lighter for hours!" The neighbor was in a hurry and looked tired from a long day, and she stopped quickly said hello flicked the lighter at the two and told them to keep it and that she would get it tomorrow, all in such a playful manner. The language really makes everything 100x more pleasant to watch. Its amazing.
Last night around 11:00 Rehem and I briefly heard fireworks. I can't miss fireworks. So I told her I was going up to the terrace (which I recently discovered when I helped her hang laundry) to check it out. She said she would come, needed a break from studying, so we SPRINTED up the five flights of stairs. Sweating when we reached the top there were no fireworks to be seen, but anyways Rehem took out a cigarette and I just enjoyed the view and the cool roman night breeze. I thought my mom would bring a table and chair up there and enjoy an apperitvo every night had she lived there. If I were a more permanent resident, I think I would have to do just the same :)
This morning on the metro I spied a girl who I see on my same bus every morning. Faces are getting familiar. This life is becoming normal to me. And now I only have a month and a half left. Why can't the states be so relaxed and full of life like Rome?
One other thing I've noticed is that Italians rarely drink to the point of drunk. It's rare I see a wasted Italian in Rome and that too is refreshing. There is too much to do, too much to see, too much to appreciate here, and a simple passagiata will keep one entertained, but there are also endless places to dance, free concerts, parks, bars*, etc. You can never get bored in this town. Me I don't have many friends here, and I still find that I am having the best summer possible. If I had no friends in wayland or in schenectady, I don't know what I would do. I can't explain why its so different here, but seriously, its amazing the world of difference between our countries and between our cultures. I'm going to happy to be home in september and see my family and friends, but I know I'm going to have to return here the next chance I get!
This week was relaxed, work every day. Monday I met up with a canadian woman I found on friendsinrome.com and we went to get a slice of pizza and gelato, and spoke half italian half english. I was in bed by 12:00, quite happy to sleep. Tuesday I worked then went to Chit Chat, learned some Italian Proverbs and met a few more new people. Wednesday I figured out how to use my superflash card so I can now retrieve my stipend from the bank :) I walked around a little near my apartment, some streets I hadn't gone down before, and stopped on the way home at Cafe Arte to get a gelato. Tonight I'm trying to meet up with Martina, and then I'll go to the Aperitivo event again at Isola Tiberina. Helena and I want to try and go dancing afterwards if were up to it. It was too fun friday. We gotta go back! I'll see the Ponsettos tomorrow and then Mom comes saturday morning!