Hello everyone! So Im on campus right now, using an Italian keyboard, so I apologize for any punctuation errors. Classes started last week, which I completely forgot I was here for. I managed to only have class Monday through Thursday! So far that has been working out gloriously. Im taking five courses. The first is History of Ancient Rome and Italy which should be really interesting, but the teacher is kind of a bore and hard to pay attention to at 9am. This class should coincide with my onsite Art History class called Ancient Rome and its Monuments, where we meet at a different site around Rome each week. Im also taking a Survey to Renaissance Art which has a mandatory field trip to Florence in 3 weeks. Half of the weeks we will meet onsite and half will be in a classroom. In addition, Im taking advanced Photography so hopefully Ill have some awesome photos to show you. Im working both with Traditional 35mm film development and digital which should be cool. My last class is of course Italian...you cant really be in Italy without studying Italian.

Last week, I went to mass at the Vatican on Sunday. We went to St. Peters Square and heard the Pope speak, and from the angle I was at I was able to see his arm! I have a picture of it, but since I am at school I will have to post later. Mass at the Vatican was an awesome experience, but I was surprised at how small it was and how short...30 mins in and out, no more than 50 people! Just as the Martzes like it.

I spent this past weekend in Barcelona! Check back in the next few days for an update on that.

I must run to class...3 hours of Art History in a classroom. We shall see how this goes.

Baci Baci,
Caitlin

La Citta Eterna

Ciao amici! How is everyone back in the states? I'm good here in Rome, just living la dolce vita. I have had basically the entire week free to do as I please, and I have been taking full advantage of it. I've already spent time exploring the city, going to the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza del Popolo. As a result of all the walking I've done in the past week, I have the worst blisters I've ever had in my life and have to stick to flip flops for the next few days. What better way to say, "Hey, I'm American!"

Twice I've had the pleasure of literally running into the Vatican. Yesterday, we went right at sunset and caught the Vatican in its most beautiful light. Its still crazy to me that I'm here for a whole semester and I can go whenever I please. Its not a far walk from campus either, so its pretty convenient. I want to try and go to mass there sometime in the next few weeks.

The other night, we went on a pub crawl that started at the Colosseum. Again, unbelievable that such an incredible monument is just there for us to see whenever we please.

Campo di Fiori is where we head almost every night. Its kind of an American hang out, but its fun nonetheless. Its better that way too, as most Italian men are creepers.

Last night, we went to this famous club. I'm not the clubbing type, but this place was awesome. It was underground, and to get down to it you walked down stairs that looked like you were walking into a subway station. The usual 40 euro cover charge was waved for us on account of a couple girls meeting the famous club promoter Alfredo, who everyone who has studied in Rome told us to meet. Despite the fact that drinks were 10 euro each, we all had such a good time dancing the night away. And I literally mean the night away. We did not get home until around 4 am! Needless to say, I'm exhausted, and won't be going back there for awhile. My finances are really going to take a hit if we frequent that place often.

In 2 weeks, Katie Flynn and I are heading to Venice for Carnevale to meet up with our 2 best friends Jac Cerniglia and Caitlin Brison! I can't wait, it will be good to see the girls and a fun time. I'll come back with a sweet masque. Also, I booked my flight for Dublin over St. Patrick's Day which should be a good time.

Here are some pictures from my first week in Rome!! I'm leaving now to go on a fountain tour of Rome! Love to all - Caitlin

Bye Bye Birdie

Hey everyone!! Ciao from Roma. Its been a very busy weekend since we checked in and it looks like its going to be a very busy week as we get acclimated to being in Rome. I arrived on Saturday morning at around 8:30 only to find the airline left my bags in Philly. So since then, I've been living on 2 shirts (one that I flew in) and a pair of jeans. Luckily, my roommates have been really helpful allowing me to borrow the necessities. The airline was supposed to deliver my bags this afternoon from 1-5, but no such luck. It doesn't help that I don't have a cell phone yet and have had to rely on my roommates'. HOPEFULLY they will come tomorrow...pray for me. Its all part of the adventure, is it not?

I'm living in an area of Rome called Trastevere, which is where the school is. Some students are living near the Vatican and it takes a long time to get there. We're about a 25-30min walk from campus (and by campus i mean the building that JCU is) but there is also a tram we can take along our street that drops us off a couple blocks from campus, but it costs one euro a ride. I'd rather save my money for gelato, and walk to burn the calories from all the pasta and pizza I'll be eating. I have 7 roommates, all are BC girls, and are all awesome! I think its going to be a really good semester.

Unfortunately, we live across the hall from our RA who is kinda ridiculously strict. Shes an American who is studying here full time and is hell-bent on sticking to the rules. There is some ridiculous law saying we cannot have overnight visitors and if we get caught by the police we will get fined 1500 euros, but I think we are going to try and get around that. There is no way I'm making a friend who comes to visit stay in a hostel by themselves.

Last night was our first night, and we went out to dinner at this place near our apartment called Station where we ate pizza and drank wine. Life is good. After, we went to Campo di Fiori to a bar called Sloppy Sam's where we met up with other BC students. It was basically all Americans and we met some students from other schools there, so it was fun. While in Sloppy Sam's, we ran into a pub crawl being led by this crazy British guy named James who invited the entire group of us to join his pub crawl for free, so we ended up going to about 4 other bars and ended up at a crazy discotecha. Welcome to Roma!!!

Tomorrow, we have our only session of orientation. We go from 10:30-12:30, then basically have the rest of the week to do whatever! We're planning on spending the afternoon exploring the city and are making a family dinner for the 7 of us here in the apartment.

I'll write more soon and post pictures to let you all know how I'm doing enjoying la bella vita. Arrivederci!