Week 2 in Rome

This week was amazing, it was very different than the first week. The first week was filled with getting to know everyone and getting into a schedule. This week is more about getting into seeing Rome and knowing our way around the city instead of gazing at the wonders of this magnificent city. This week was full of exploring the city on our own and knowing where to go and what train to take. We are getting really good at navigating our way through the city at this point. On Tuesday, we went to the Spanish steps for our first walking tour led by students, Cierra and Sydney led the first tour. They did a really great job and I am sure that they are glad to have that over with first off. On Wednesday, we had a free day and Danielle (my roommate) and I went to do some educational things in the pouring down rain. We needed to look for Bernini statues for a project to get class credit. We did our own little walking tour and it was a blast, but it rained and the winds were crazy the whole day. We had our umbrellas up the whole day even though the wind was going strong the whole day and we were dying of laughter every time the wind blew our umbrellas inside out. The day was full of laughter and fun with a little bit of misery when the weather was crappy the whole day. On Thursday, we went for an 8 mile bike ride along the Old Appian Way. This bike ride was completely exhausting, but it was such a blast. The sites were beautiful and it was very historic. To be on the same road riding bicycles that so many famous people before us had been on was completely extraordinary. In our Barzini books, he states that people find it hard to leave Rome and most find themselves coming back sooner and sooner throughout their lifetime and some never ever leave. This is definitely becoming the story of my life. It is so beautiful here and it is so historical that I have fallen in love with everything about the city. The fact that you can go down a street and see a monument that is 2000 years and right next to it see a modern building. On Friday, we left early in the am for Venice. We got into Venice at about 9am and then went to explore the city. We saw many things in the short 3 days that we were there. We went to the Murano glass factory on Saturday morning and it was completely amazing. The glass master made the figurines in about a minute. He has been doing this for about 50 years and it runs in the family, so his children did the job as well. On Sunday, we went into the San Marco's Square and went to mass. It was all in Italian (obviously), but it was amazing just to be there and see the mass with my own eyes in a different country. We then went to the Hard Rock Cafe, it was a good sense of home in such a far away place. I got the local legendary burger, it had pesto and parsley (i think) on it. It was was very delicious yet different. The trip was a blast and it was so different than Rome in so many ways. We had to take a ferry everywhere since the whole city is practically under water. On Sunday, we headed to the airport and everyone got off the stop but me since no one would let me off with my baggage and such. I had to push and shove my way to the front of the boat, but by the time I got up there everyone was off the boat and I just waved at them and got off at the next stop. The Italian director here came to get me and was so worried that I was freaking out but it was totally fine since I just got off at the next stop. I had my reuniting moment with the group and then we headed to the airport. While we were in Venice, by the way, we stayed on and island called, Lido. It was very peaceful and it was nice to stay away from the city. We went to the beach while we were there and got pizza at Fabio's, this little homemade pizza place on the island. Their pizza was delicious and so cheap!! People in Venice also take their dogs everywhere, hilarious! While we were there, we wore our rain boots everywhere since it was wet most of the time. On Sunday, when we left the church and the whole city was flooded. We walked out and the water was ridiculously high, we had to walk on the platforms that they had there since the water was so high. It was so nice to be back in Rome home when we got back yesterday. And we start back at it this week for week 3. I am having a blast and I am enjoying every minute of the trip and getting so excited about what we will see next!!