First week of school update!

It has been a long time since my last post, but I finally got a computer charger that works! The first "week" of school has gone by very quickly, all three days of it! My classes don't seem like they will be too difficult, but I will have to work at them. They are all centered around our experience here in Rome, which makes each one interesting. My Art History class will be fantastic because we are going to take class time to meet at monuments, sculptures, or anything and have class there. It'll be so much cooler to see something right in front of you, instead of on slides. Travel writing will be a lot of writing, but I think it will help me document my experiences and travels through the next few months. And as everyone is probably wondering, the wine class was very interesting. Each class, we will take half of the time to learn about the different parts of Italy, and how the wines are made from each of those parts. Then the second half of class is devoted to tasting the wines from the parts we had learned about. With this class, we also have the opportunity to go to a wine bar, and see which types of food go with different types of wine, as well as the opportunity to go to a vineyard to see the wine-making process. So excited for both of those events! As to what we have been doing outside of class is pretty much a blur, because we have been doing so much. Walking as much as we can in order to burn all the carbs that we have eaten (all we seem to eat is carbs, carbs, carbs!); popping into a little cafe for a delicious espresso; trying to find the cheapest, but best, gelato stand; grocery shopping for the first time; buying our books for school by the Spanish Steps; finding Euronics which saved my computer problems; and so much more. Hopefully this week will be less hectic, and I get into more of a definite schedule. Next week I am going on the trip with school to the Umbria region of Italy, which is just north of Rome, and then a week and a half after that my dad is coming to visit! Hopefully soon ill be able to do some tourist-y things, now that I am more settled in and know how to get around the city. I'll be sure to update you again soon!

xoxo Erica

Technical Difficulties

Ciao!
I apologize for not updating as much as I would like, but I am having difficulty charging my computer, which needs to be charged or it turns off immediately. I am currently using a roommate's computer. So, I am in the process of getting a recomendation for a computer place that would help me with my problems. The last couple days we have been doing quite a bit of walking, to and from our school's orientation, which included class schedules, a HUGE amount of great information of things to do around the city, restaurants, stores, where students in my program get discounts, etc. We also had our last paperwork completed on Friday for the Permit to Stay, which allows us to stay and live here in Rome for the time that we had indicated. Phew! Glad all that paperwork is over with! Hopefully its just smooth sailing from here. Yesterday we went to the market, which is right accross the street from our building, and it was beautiful! There were so many colors, smells, fruits and veggies I had not recognized, just a wonderful place to have so close, (I will make sure to share a picture of the market as soon as I have access to my computer and pictures to add onto here). Today, my roommate Cindy and I went shopping with a few other girls from school close to where our school is located. All throughout Rome there is a huge sale going on, because it is like the turn of the seasons, all of last season's cloths, shoes, etc., are all 30-75% off the normal price, so the sales were amazing. I only purchaced a beautiful silver and grey scarf, because I kept telling myselt, "Im going to find something better; I'm going to regret getting something at the first store, etc. etc.", so I only bought a scarf. However, I only have to go to school for a couple hours tomorrow, so I am going back to a store to purchase tall boots (which is ALL women wear here, you look like a tourist if you don't have boots!), and possibly a leather jacket, which were both reasonably priced, especially with the sale. That's all for today!

xoxo Erica

Pictures

The Fontana di Trevi, less than 10 minute walk from school.

Another fontana in a round-about type street on the way to school.

Me and my roommate's room, my bed on the right.

Our kitchen the size of a closet.

Our hallway from the foyer, doors on the left for the living room and another bedroom.

Front door and our inner door, and the beautiful tile. 

Our living/dining room.

Hope you enjoyed these few pictures!

xoxo Erica

Finally in Rome

Ciao! Finally made it to this fantastic city with not missing any flights, losing luggage, or getting (too) lost. Rome is so much better than I had imagined. My apartment is located about 4 or 5 blocks from the Vatican, and right in the middle of MANY shops and stores. I share the apartment with 5 other amazing girls. My roommate is from Mexico and goes to college at Chapman in California, another lives in Utah and goes to school at Chapman as well, another from California going to Chapman as well, one from Texas, another from Ohio, and me! The apartment has 3 pretty good sized bedrooms, with tile floors, and high ceilings.  We also have a living/dining room with a big table, and the kitchen the size of a closet. It is an older building, but it is still really nice. Our windows look out onto the street and the peach-colored building across the street, and our first time looking out the window there were 3 pairs of underwear just flapping in the wind! What a nice welcome to Rome. There is also a market right across the street from our building, where everything is SO fresh, and very reasonably priced. There are bins and bins of fresh oranges, minestrone, wine, meat, bread, and a very wide variety of vegetables, the smells are varied between good food smells and the not-so-good smells of the city. I have had so much pizza prosciutto, and carbs, carbs, carbs. We went to our orientation for school this morning, and walking through the streets was like something from a travel magazine. Cafes with coffe, croissants, breads, paninis, so much motzerella, tomato, and of course gelato. Walking to class we also passed by squares with fountains, had to cross the river with beautiful sculptures, and lights in the nighttime especially. Walking by the Spanish Steps is also part of our trek to school, not 5 minutes from where we have our classes. It is very surreal. On our way back from the orientation, we walked 5 minutes south/southwest of our school to see the Fontana di Trevi, which is so much larger than I had imagined it to be, and so beautiful. More to come on classes and the weekend here!

xoxo Erica

Down To The Wire.

Hi all! So as you may know, I am scheduled to leave in 4 days for Rome, Italy, where I will be living until May 14th. (Yikes!)  While I'm there, I'll be taking 5 classes including Intro to Art History, Travel Writing, Wines of Italy (not joking with this one), Intro to Art Therapy, and an Italian Language class, with classes Monday through Wednesday. What a life.

There are so many things I have to do still, like pack, before I leave. How am I supposed to pack enough for 3 months in under 50 lbs? Not to mention packing in as much time with family and friends before I leave, I'm going to miss everyone sooo much!

If you check back with me every so often, I'll try to update you and let you know what I've been up to!

xoxo Erica