Day 4

Ok so. More walking. But today was a little more productive.  I got a phone.  Although I went back three years technologically. The thing is basically prehistoric, but it gets the job done.  I didn't want to waste more time trying to unblock my phone to get it working, so whatevv. That's that.

Then I went to lunch with a friend's friend....a friend's English-speaking friend. Thank you. Who knew Italy also has good Japanese food. We talked a while and then he went back to work and I went on my way to take the bus (enoughh walking, really). After being distracted by a pastry shop HELLO cannolis, this lovely old Italian man asked me where I was from and proceeded to say "bella cilena, bella regazza di Cile..bella.." and pinched my cheek. He made me blush.  It was perfectly adorable...and then he wouldn't walk away. Haha..so I just kinda stood there until he finally wandered off and my bus came.

So once I got home I got to calling people about rooms. It's moments like that where I am glad I am completely alone. So I can pretend I wasn't laughing at myself after every call I made. I was able to get the point across though so that was good.  I was starting to get nervous after about an hour of calling though, because most of the rooms were already rented out.  And the people renting my favorite rooms didn't answer or had a number that didn't work. Not good.  But after everything I ended up agreeing to go see two places. Both at opposite times of day and in the same place. Awesome. I think I'll have lunch around there or something and try and stall as much as I can. We'll see.

Now bed. Hopefully I can sleep, unlike last night. Another early morning tomorrow. (Now some people are saying classes start tomorrow instead of next week...but that's not on my to do list yet.)

Day 3- A Lot of Walking

So between yesterday and today I think I've pretty much walked more than I usually do in months.  But it's been good, I'm definitely getting to know the area little by little.  I'm actually feeling pretty confident given that a few times I've taken turns completely based on instinct and somehow found a way to get home.  I figure if little old italian ladies are asking me for directions I must be doing something right.  Too bad I haven't been able to help them. I think I probably gave them the same puzzled face I've given everyone I've talked to here so far...which really must not be that impressive. So i haven't really seen truth in what people say about italian being easy...but it is only my third day. Not too lost.

Yesterday I had my first italian meal. I realized, well if we're going to be honest, long before yesterday, that I could eat italian food everyday for the rest of my life. There is nothing more beautiful than pasta and sauce and cheese. My lunch was a perfect lasagna with artichokes at a little table outside of a restaurant that would sit next to "italian restaurant" in the dictionary.  I couldn't resist.  Little alley, sun, chalk menu, lasagna. Seriously, where could I go wrong? So I sat there with the fork in one hand and my italian dictionary learning about how (again) italian is quite easy for the spanish speaker to learn. My excuse is I wasn't born in Chile. That makes me a native english speaker, so that's why it's hard and I can't understand a word they say to me and definitely had the person at the post office hating me after explaining the same thing to me 10 times. That's what I've decided to tell myself.

Anyway so far great weather.  NOT what I would consider winter. No jacket today after carrying it around all day yesterday. It does get colder when the sun sets obviously but by then I'm on my way home cause me and all my italian friends haven't found a bar we like yet. Or..they're..imaginary. Um but today I met a girl from school in Chile, who's here also and we walked around for a while..we went to the Vatican...actually walked through a neighborhood where some of the addresses I have for rentals are and I'm in love with the area so I want to call as soon as I have a phone to go see the rooms. It would be amaazing. So that's my plan for tomorrow. More walking. More of my wonderful job of speaking italian. More wishing I could eat everything I see.

Ciao!

Day 1

I arrive in Rome at 5:20 p.m.-Italy time. It's only 1:20 in Chile. After a long flight to Paris, and few hours of uncomfortable and awkward sleep in the airport waiting for my connection flight, I look out the airplane window and realize I'm actually looking for the "Colosseo". Of course I can't see it...I don't even know what direction it would be in.  And it's funny, because what I can see of course doesn't even look Italian like I expected. It's been so long since I've been here. It's funny how sometimes countries are not so different when you're at the airport.  Just tiny houses and streets, and cars moving around like in a video game. So I get off the plane and lug both my suitcases towards the exit. No customs police-that was in France...so I walk out and look a little like Bambi for a second...all confused and alone. But then I found transportation desk and was in a taxi in under 5 minutes. I use my first horrible italian words to greet the driver and try and hold up conversation as Carlo drives me to where I'm supposed to stay. Viale Aurelio Saffi is only 25 minutes away so I don't feel lost for nearly as long as I thought I would. The host Giovanna greets me and shows me around the apartment and then leaves me to get settled in my room. It's basically just as nice as it looked in the pictures. I still can believe I'm here. No dinner tonight, it's dark and I like not feeling anxious about not knowing where I am for a little. I just stole a yogurt from the fridge though, which I think are only meant for the included breakfast. It's probably my idea, but the yogurt was amazing. MTV in italian is greatt except I really don't even understand a word. Ohhh well. I think for a dose of routine I'll watch a grey's episode. I have to go to the school tomorrow for all the official stuff and figure out my schedule. It seems far and a little complicated to get there...but I'm not sure. I hope not.

Still can't believe I'm here.