Adventures Await: Holiday Weekend

Thursday May 29th and Friday May 30th

Vacation time! Like I'm not already on vacation.

I'm leaving in an hour to go to Cinque Terre for the weekend with my study abroad group! Monday June 2nd is an Italian national holiday, so that means we get an amazing three-day weekend in a beautiful place!

Cinque Terre, everyone

yes, this is real life

As for yesterday, I had a busy day! At my internship in the morning, I helped with an art class for elementary school-aged kids. It was definitely an experience! I was pretty limited with how much I could help because I don't have a vocabulary that extends to art terms—and I'm not really fast enough with Italian to keep up with little kids anyway—but it was definitely good practice. 

After my internship I hung around Siena with some friends for a while. It was such a beautiful sunny day! I am excited every day to find myself in Italy.

Later on our whole group got together and bought flowers and a card to give to Cinzia, because she is leaving Siena on Saturday. So sad! Then we took her out to dinner at a restaurant. It was so much fun to all be together and tell Cinzia how much we appreciate her. And that pizza . . . wow. Cinzia said the pizza she ordered was in the top five of the best she's ever had. And she's Italian! It seriously was that good. Overall, a wonderful night with good friends. I am so blessed!!

Well, this morning at my internship we had another class of kids, this time doing a craft project. These kids were crazy rambunctious—so loud and hyper!—which made it a hundred times more difficult to understand them and communicate back. I was really struggling with one kid who spoke really quickly in a low voice. So this 8-year-old keeps asking me questions and I have to have him repeat everything he says a few times before I get it, and eventually he just gave up and went to his teacher. Apparently he asked her what my name was because he came back to me and said"Hey, Dark Hair." (I guess she asked if he meant the girl with the dark hair and he took that as being my name? no idea) Kids. So anyway, that was certainly an experience.

After my internship I came home and finished up my packing! I'm pretty excited about this weekend. Allora, I will not be blogging this weekend because a) I don't know if I will have Internet and b) I am not bringing my laptop. Sorry to disappoint any avid followers. I am sure I will have plenty to share when I get back on Monday!

A lunedì,

Ciao!

And I Thought Italian Was Hard

Wednesday, May 28th

Well, today was the day! Cora, Rebeca, and I started our internship at the museum. And by "started," I mean they didn't really have anything for us to do today so we sat at a table listening to music and began figuring out lesson plans for teaching English to the museum staff. I'd called that a successful day!

It was actually interesting to go down to the basics of the English language and try to figure out the best way to teach it. Let me tell you, English is hard! You think there is a structure to verb conjugation, then suddenly you get hit with a verb like "to be," and the rules go out the window. I am, he is, you are? What is that? I am just so grateful that I somehow learned English when I was young and have managed to speak it ever since. But in all honesty, it was really fun to work on the lesson plans.

(Another example of why English makes no sense: take the word "fish," then take the words "enough," "women," and "nation." Based on the sounds made by the letters in these words, "fish" could also be spelled "ghoti." Yup. That's the English language, ladies and gentleman.)

We also spent a little over an hour chatting with an Italian lady and cutting out paper circles for some activity the museum is putting on later this week. It was great to get better experience speaking the language in a relaxed setting.

After a few hours we were free to go. It is so awesome to go to work and then be d-o-n-e for the day! No homework or studying hanging over heads, just free time to explore this amazing city we get to live in! Three and a half more weeks!

That's really all there is for today. We finalized plans for a weekend in Cinque Terre this coming weekend, which everyone is ecstatic about. Exciting things ahead!

A domani,
Ciao!

(More) Studying and Creepy Crypts

Monday, May 26th

So . . . I purposely skipped blogging last night because I had to study for my final exam. But now I am finished! Hurrah!

Seriously though, I just took my last final exam possibly FOR-EV-ER. And man, it feels good!

Yesterday was relatively uneventful. I mostly studied all day, and I was supposed to go to my internship but the director of the museum had a family emergency so instead we met today (Tuesday). I met with some other students in my group and we studied together (like I said, lots of studying all day) and then had a quick FHE before going back to studying. Not exactly the type of day you want to spend in Italy, but what can you do?

Tuesday, May 27th

Today was more exciting! I finished my exam and then went to the Santa Maria della Scala museum for my orientation and tour. I am so so grateful that I am with two other girls (Cora and Rebeca) from my group! Luckily one of them is basically fluent in Italian so I was able to ask her when I didn't understand something the museum director told us. We got basic instructions for what we'll be doing for the next four weeks. Basically we will be working in the section of the museum that is aimed toward kids! We will be helping to plan activities and exhibits for them. Another aspect of the internship is that we will be teaching English to the museum staff, which will definitely be an interesting experience! I'm not really sure how to do that . . . teach my native language in a foreign language . . . but among the three of us we will work it out. I'm excited to get started!

After our brief orientation Rebeca, Cora, and I took a tour of the museum, and it is humungous. It used to be a hospital in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, but then was transformed into a museum. There are many levels, including crypt-like areas featuring many dark corridors and empty rooms—in other words, creepy (but awesome). There was even an old mass grave, and you can still see all the bones piled on top of each other. Too much information?

Anyway, it was an adventure, and we are all anxious to start our work tomorrow morning! After the museum, Rebeca, Cora, and I went to grab some lunch then did some grocery shopping and just talked for a while.

Tonight we had a dinner at the Torre contrada. Here in Siena, the contrade are like a religion. You can be baptized into a contrada and it becomes your family. The contrade also have enemies amongst themselves—very very serious enemies. For example, the Torre's (Tower) enemy is the Oca (Goose) contrada, and they hate each other. This is especially apparent during the Palio (the horse race). There really isn't something to compare it to in America—you'll just have to take my word for it, I guess. Anyway Cinzia and the director of the school in Siena are both of the Torre contrada, so we took a tour of the Torre region of the city and went to the museum where they have Torre memorabilia and all the Palio awards they've won, etc. etc. Also, each contrada has a church, so we saw that as well.

Afterward we had dinner—a simple dinner cooked by volunteers. Our whole study abroad group sat together and we had a good time telling stories and riddles.

And that was about it for today! Tomorrow I start work at the museum.

A domani,
Ciao!

Here Comes the Sun and the Palio

Saturday, May 24th

Yesterday (Saturday) was a fun and relaxing day. I was able to sleep in a bit and hang around before going out for the day. Lauren and I went around Siena and did a little shopping. We went to OVS, which is basically the Italian H&M or Forever 21. It has good prices and fun clothes. I bought, if you can believe it, a pair of gypsy pants. I've been seeing them all over Italy (apparently they are a very popular style over here) and decided to try on a black pair. AMAZING. They are the most comfortable and wonderful pants I have ever worn. They are, in essence, publicly acceptable sweatpants. I am in love with them.

Once I had purchased the pants of my dreams, we took a trip to the grocery store for some lunch food then sat in a park while we ate. It was a beautiful sunny day, just perfect for an outside lunch. It was one of those days where I fully realized that I am in Italy, and I couldn't be happier about it.

not kidding

After our lunch we went on one of our required Siena Walks (where we found a Mexican restaurant...in Italy) and then sat in the Piazza del Campo in the sunshine while we did some reading and studying for our final. Despite sitting out there for over two hours, I didn't get sunburned! Incredible! Lauren suggested something about afternoon sun angles and the atmosphere and science stuff that is probably correct, but I like to think that it means I got tanner (and it just hasn't shown up yet).
Either way, it was a lovely and relaxing day.

What I've noticed recently is that Siena feels like a home, a place where I live, not just a vacation spot. It's so normal—people eating in parks, going shopping, arguing, laughing—which for some reason I didn't expect. I expected it to be more foreign, but people are people, regardless of where you are in the world. Obviously I will be happy to be home with my family and friends in my own country, but I am definitely enjoying my time as a foreigner.

Sunday, May 25th

This morning we had church again, which was great. However, I have discovered that it is much easier to feel sleepy and stop paying attention when the meetings are in a foreign language. Constantly translating in your head takes considerable brainpower that might just start to wane by the third hour of church, especially if you didn't get much sleep (i.e. don't stay up really late Saturday night).

After church Shauna and I stayed in to work on homework because everything is still due on Tuesday, and I've got a long way to go. We planned to do a Siena Walk this afternoon with other people from our group, but a little thing called "Sunday naptime" got in the way. Because how can you have a Sunday without a nap after church? You can't, that's how.

Later on, after waking up and working on homework again, we took a break to go to the choosing of the contrade for the Palio.

Let me explain.

a small section of the piazza

The Palio is a huge horse race in Siena that happens twice a year, in July and August. Siena is divided up into regions, called "contrada"s, which are represented by different animals (for example, my host family's contrada is the Snail). In the Palio, ten contrade each put in a horse to race. Seven contrade are determined ahead of time, and the remaining three are chosen at random and presented in a ceremony, like the one I went to tonight. It seemed like the entire city of Siena was in the Piazza tonight! So many people, and such excitement. Siena is one big community and we could really feel that at the event tonight.

Overall this weekend was great but I probably should have gotten more schoolwork done . . . Tomorrow I meet with the director and learn more about my internship, and possibly start on Tuesday! I'm excited to find out more about the work I'll be doing for four weeks!

A domani,
Ciao!

Firenze, Round Two

Friday, May 23rd

Today, our last day of official tours as a group, we went to Florence again! We saw the Uffizi Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Ponte Vecchio.

The Uffizi was, to be completely honest, much less exciting than other museums we've seen—especially after seeing the David at the Accademia Gallery last Friday and the Bernini statues in Rome. Still, there were many impressive pieces, and that gallery is huge. I loved seeing works by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Raphael. I also loved the ceilings, which were all beautifully decorated with either paintings or gold-plated designs.

After the Uffizi, a few of us went to an amazing pizza place in the city. I got a pizza with prosciutto and artichoke, and it was ridiculously delicious (and only 7 euro!). I've documented the restaurant's name in preparation of future trips to Florence. Which are guaranteed.

We had to power-walk from lunch to the Palazzo Vecchio to meet up with our group. The Palazzo Vecchio is where the Medici family once lived and ruled over Florence. But really I loved the Palazzo Vecchio because it's where Robert Langdon runs all around in Dan Brown's INFERNO. We saw Dante's death mask, the map room (and the location of the secret door in the wall!), the hall of the 500, and lots of different works of art. It was a cool experience.

After the Palazzo we headed over to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous Florentine bridge that has jewelry shops (very expensive) lining the whole walkway and has a magnificent view of the city. Here our group got some gelato and strolled along for a few minutes. Once we had taken in the sights a few of us headed to H&M to buy some shirts, because apparently we all packed too lightly. It was an interesting/strange experience to shop in a store that I know very well while in a foreign country. But not to worry, they played American music most of the time.  Once we made it out of the store, we rushed over to the market a bit before realizing what time it was—nearly 6pm—and sprinting to the bus station to make the 6:00 bus home to Siena. We got there at 5:58pm (yesss) only to realize that—hey! look at that—we were early. Bus didn't leave till 6:10. No worries though, I'd rather be early than late any day. It also gave us time to sit down and admire/show off all the things we bought.

We had an uneventful ride back to Siena and each of us went to our homes for dinner. Instead of being active young adults on a Friday night, we all stayed in to work on homework, because everything is due on Tuesday.

But when everything is due that means we are done with the "study" part of our study abroad and we will start our internships! I'm excited to get working!

That's about it for today. Not the most dramatic of days, I know, but there you have it.

A domani,
Ciao!

Fascism and Food, Round Two

Thursday, May 22nd

Last day of classes! Woot woot! Today we had our last classes at the Dante Alighieri school, because tomorrow we go to Florence and next week we start our internships! Speaking of, I got my internship assignment. I will be working at a museum here in Siena along with two other girls from my group! I'm really excited for this experience. I'm excited to have a regular schedule for four weeks and have free time each day to explore Italy. I can't believe my time in Italy is nearly halfway over. Crazy!

Classes today were the same as normal—language for four hours then a break before our group class in the afternoon. In our group class we talked about World War II and Cinzia told us some more unbelievable stories about her family's experiences during the war.

For example her mom's brother was drafted into the Fascist military and through some form of resistance was sent to jail. One day he and another inmate found an empty vehicle with two Nazi jackets laying on the back seat . . . and decided to make a run for it. They put on the jackets and drove the car out of the prison. No one stopped them. The two men got away and never saw each other again. Cinzia's uncle went home but had to hide for many months in a room behind a false door in their house for fear of being imprisoned, redrafted, or killed for deserting. A few times the family even hid Jews in that same room. Absolutely amazing that no one in her family got hurt. I love how real history can become through the stories of people we know!

mmm meat

the group

Anyway (sorry for the detour), after our afternoon class we got to do a cooking class again! Seriously so much fun, and so delicious. We made pasta again (my favorite part) and also focaccia bread, grilled vegetables, veal, and a strawberry and cream dessert that was buonissimo.

After dinner Cinzia had a surprise for us. She and the director of the school went over the funds for the trip,  and each of us got 50 euro back because there was extra left over! Just in time for Florence. Yay!

So, that's all for today. Tomorrow we head to Florence and I plan to do some shopping!

Ciao!

*Brief list of things I didn't expect to miss about America: grass, carpet, window screens, and Target

Parliamo Italiano

Wednesday, May 21st

A quick note before I tell you about my day. Shauna and I got so lucky with our family assignment and location here in Siena. Besides the obvious fact that I am beyond blessed with the opportunity to be in Italy, I got placed with truly great and caring host parents. Anna, our Italian mom, is really thoughtful and just like a grandma to us. She asked me one morning what I eat for breakfast at home, so I said bananas and cereal mostly. The next morning, along with all the food she normally puts out for breakfast, there was a box of Special K and a bunch of bananas in a bowl (p.s. Italian Special K is way more delicious than the American stuff, which doesn't make any sense but it's true). She also does our laundry and makes a-ma-zing dinners. She does her best to help us with the language but also gets excited sometimes and talks really quickly. Shauna and I are really having a wonderful experience with her and her husband, and are especially lucky that our house is so close to the school and the center of town. And we have WiFi! It's the little things.

Anyway, today we had class the same as yesterday (more subjunctive, woo!), but the last hour was different and really great. We went to a park with another class and each got paired up with someone from the other class.  Then we talked about anything we wanted for about half an hour.

I got paired up with a woman from Israel. She was born in Argentina and moved around a bit so she spoke Spanish, Hebrew, English, and also Italian. Of course, we were speaking in Italian the whole time but every once in a while she would slip a Spanish word in, so that was fun. I was surprised by how easy it was to speak with her, without pressure to get everything right. It was really nice! We talked about where we were from, what we liked to do, and she even asked me a bit about the LDS church. She said she loved the Mormons who were at the BYU Jerusalem Center. Overall, a nice conversation and a wonderful break from the classroom.

Immediately after class, instead of having a break before going to another class, our group went to a deli for lunch. There the owner taught us about Italian cheese—how it's made, how it ages, etc. etc.—as well as some meats—trust me, you do not want to know how pig blood meat is made. Don't ask.

After the demonstration we got to eat! We had some sort of pasta salad dish, then a sampling of meats and cheeses, then some biscotti. Overall a great lunch and a yummy alternative to regular class meetings. Afterward we had the day free, and I spent most of my time working on my presentation for tomorrow. Everyone in our group has to present on a particular subject and mine, the very last one, is on World War II in Italy. So much information to condense into a ten-minute presentation without boring the class to tears (assuming they aren't all WWII enthusiasts like I am). Let's hope for the best.

Later we had dinner and then all of us met up at Cinzia's apartment to watch a movie together, since we are all separated and living in different houses. Even though we didn't finish the movie (we started Inception at 10pm, and by 11 we were ready for bed), it was a fun night.

Overall not much for today. Tomorrow we do the cooking class again, which I am way excited about, and then Friday is Florence! So hopefully by the end of the week I'll have more exciting stories to share.

A domani,
Ciao!

Grammar, Fascism, and Food

Monday, May 19th AND Tuesday, May 20th

Two days in one post! Get ready for the excitement.

Really there's not all that much to say for yesterday (Monday). We started our language class at the Dante Alighieri school at 9:30am—a great time to start class, I think, because it's not too early.

And then we didn't finish until 1:30pm. Four hour-long class? We did two hours straight of grammar (pronominal verbs . . . what the? who even knows what those are) and when our teacher told us we were done for break, we didn't realize we were only halfway done! The audible sighs in that room were deafening. But we trudged along and made it through. For the last (fourth) hour of class we had a different teacher and we worked on different stuff (not these pronominal verbs of which I still know nothing) so that was a nice change of pace that got us through the final stretch.

After the language class we had a one and a half hour break (hooray) before our next class began—the Italian civilization one with our study abroad group. Luckily, that class only lasts an hour. And it's in English so it takes less energy to concentrate.

Following the endless day of classes we had another quick break before heading to the church for a ward Family Home Evening. Grand total of people at the FHE was 27, including our 17, the branch president and his wife, and two sets of missionaries. So it was small but really fun and informal.

We played the game where every person has a piece of paper and you write a sentence at the top, then pass the paper to the person next to you and they have to draw a picture depicting the sentence you wrote. They then pass the paper to their neighbor with the sentence folded over, so that person has to write a sentence based only on the picture that was drawn. It probably makes more sense to actually play it than have me explain it in writing. Point is, it is a fun game. And it was hard because it was (obviously) in Italian, but in a way that made it more fun.

After the game we had some cake and gelato to celebrate the birthdays for this month, and then a bunch of us had to rush to our houses to make it in time for dinner. Yes, the cake was before dinner. It is at times like these that I embrace Jerry's motto that he always reiterates at family parties: eat dessert first in case you choke and die during dinner. A good rule to live by.

That was my Monday. It was kind of disappointing to realize for the first time this trip that I am actually here for school, not a vacation where I learn things on the side. An unfortunate realization, but a necessary one. Because we have four days of classes and then our final exam and final 5-page essay are due in one week. Better get crackin'.

But of course I didn't, because today did I work on my paper or my presentation that I'm giving on Thursday? Nope. I have a good excuse though! We were busy!

This morning (Tuesday) we had class again, and it actually went better than yesterday's, partly because the shock of having class for four hours had worn off (slightly) and partly because the grammar lesson for the day was on the subjunctive, which is something we have all studied in Italian classes before (no more pronominal verbs! high-five!). We also got to do some dialogue in small groups to practice using the subjunctive, which was both useful and entertaining.

Again we had a break of about an hour and a half before going to class with Cinzia and our study abroad group at 3pm. Today's was actually a really fascinating class period for me, because we reached more modern history and talked about the twentieth century, particularly the end of WWI and the rise of Mussolini and Fascism. Right up my alley! Wait, that doesn't sound right. I'm a history major focusing on the twentieth century with an emphasis on the World War II era, so my fascination with Fascism is academically justified. I promise. Plus, it's so interesting!

Cinzia really made this lesson stand out for me. She grew up in Pescara, Italy, so her parents and grandparents lived through the World Wars and had many unbelievable experiences living in Fascist Italy. For example, her grandfather once gave his coat to a young Mussolini because Mussolini didn't have one. Years later, when Cinzia's grandfather voted against the Fascist party in elections (very risky because the Fascist party was the only accepted political party by then), he got beat up in the streets and even had his house set on fire three different times. When Mussolini found out about this persecution and remembered who Cinzia's grandfather was and what he had done, Mussolini ordered the Fascists to leave her grandfather alone. He still didn't support the Fascists, but it proved a point that the way you treat people can truly make a difference in your life.

Cinzia had other stories as well, like how poor Italy was under Mussolini's rule, having only one loaf of bread a day per family, and how constantly frightened everyone was to speak out against Fascism or Mussolini. Hearing her stories made the history of this amazing country so tangible and meaningful to me.

After that great class period we had another short break before meeting back at the school for a . . . drumroll . . . cooking class! Now THAT is a class I could easily take for four hours. And we almost did.

At 5:30pm we met in the huge kitchen at the school, washed up, got paper aprons, and received instructions. Then we got to work! The seventeen of us were spread out and hopped around to different stations as we prepared a three-course meal for ourselves. That's right, we got to eat it all. So great.

We made bruschetta on bread for an appetizer, pasta for a first course, potatoes and turkey for a second course, and tiramisu for dessert (BYU-style, without coffee). Does that count as four courses? Not sure.

The greatest part was that we made everything from scratch. Really. For the first time in my life I handmade pasta—whisked the eggs, folded in the flour, kneaded out the dough, fed it through the pasta machine, cut it up, and then gave it to the chef to cook. Of course I was doing all this with other people, and we all got into a kind of rhythm and took turns at every station. Overall it worked really well, and it was so much fun! I couldn't make pasta on a regular basis because it takes so long but I would definitely try doing it once in a while. It's really rewarding and it tastes amazing.

Aside from the pasta, a group of us also handmade a thick pesto sauce that went on the turkey while others worked on the potatoes and tiramisu. Eventually, everything was done and we ate it all. It was so amazing.

<-- This is how we felt.

Anyway, we finally left the school around 9:30, making today a really long but enjoyable day. I'm ready for tomorrow, when we have fewer classes and we get free lunch! Food is always something to look forward to in Italy.

A domani,
Ciao!

Sunny Sunday

Sunday, May 18th

I have spent one whole week in Siena, but it has felt like a month. In a good way, I promise. We've just done so much!

Today I went to church for the first time in an Italian ward, and it was an experience. It was held in a small, nondescript building and there were probably around 50 people, including our group of 17 and a couple American families. Tiny by comparison to home, but really nice nonetheless. Also, the two speakers during sacrament meeting were American missionaries, which made it much easier to understand. Overall I succeeded in understanding and enjoying my first church experience in Italy! The gospel is true no matter where in the world I am. :)

After church we had another chill day. A couple of us went on top of the fortezza where there is a kind of "grassy" park (I say "grassy" because there is seriously no grass in Italy, just patches of weeds and unidentifiable green stuff). We just laid in the sun and read books and/or napped. In the midst of napping, a large group of Italian girls in their twenties decided to have a loud get together right next to us, because clearly the rest of the empty park was not sufficient for their needs. At some point one of the girls apparently desired to sunbathe and simply took off her shirt. No one seemed fazed in the least so I guess it's the Italian way?

Anyway, that was about all for the day. Like I said, a relaxing day. We went home for dinner and then did reading for class before going to bed relatively early (for us). No pictures for the day, so nothing exciting to share. Tomorrow we start our language class and I'm not sure how it'll go. We'll see!

A domani,

Ciao!

*Sorry for the boring post. To make up for it, enjoy one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite shows.

That is all. Wait, one more.

how I feel about Phil's BBQ

Now that's all. Ciao!

Fancy Cars and Scum

Saturday, May 17th

After a busy week and late night yesterday I was happy to realize it was Saturday and sleep in this morning.

Today was just a chill day. The weather forecast was for significant amounts of rain and wind, or else we would have gone to the beach. We didn't want to risk it, especially since the beach is an hour and a half train ride away (I'm definitely not in Carlsbad anymore).

So instead we slept in and took our time getting ready for the day. This morning—a sunny, cloudless morning—in Siena there was a car show, the Mille Miglia, where fancy cars both classic and brand-new drove through the city then ended up in the Piazza del Campo, driving in circles surrounded by cheering crowds.

Turns out that one of the roads the cars all took to get around the city and to the piazza was the street Shauna and I live on. So, as we were getting ready, we stopped every once in a while to look out the window and wave at the cars coming down the street. I filmed quite a few of them. First came the shiny new (cherry-red) Ferraris, then later on the older, more classic cars came around.

A little while later Shauna and I went up to the piazza to meet up with some people from our group and check out the cars. There were so many people all around the piazza, and everyone was excited and enjoying themselves. And the cars sounds amazing. They drove around the piazza showing off. So great.

Most of the cars were Mercedes, it seemed, aside from the Ferraris of course. But there was one—one—American car mixed in, and guess what it was? A 1964 Ford Mustang. Not my car but close enough! It was a moment of pride that "my" car represented America in this awesome event. It was a slice of home. And I didn't get a picture of it.

After checking out the cars for a while and enjoying the atmosphere, we decided to go grab some lunch and then gelato (which was amazing—really, I mean it this time). Then we went over to the house that a couple of guys in our group are staying in and played card games out on the back porch . . . until it started pouring rain. I guess the weatherpeople aren't completely off their rockers, just a little delayed.

When the rain had stopped and we had played enough Egyptian Ratscrew, Scum, and London Bridge to last at least another week (and had played long enough to get me from last to second place! woo!), we all went back to our houses for home-cooked meals.

Tonight I tried eggplant for the first time (without really knowing it at first, since "melanzane" wasn't part of my limited vocabulary) and was pleasantly surprised. Stuffed with mozzarella cheese and with a slice of ripe tomato on top, eggplant is quite tasty. It's not something I'll necessarily be asking for in the future, but it was pretty good.

Another thing: tomatoes. I greatly dislike tomatoes in America. But in Italy they are oh so good. Chop them up, put them on a slice of bread with oil and salt, and mmmm you have a tasty treat. They are also really good in salads and with pasta. Who knew? (Anna says she understands, because the students she has hosted previously all hated tomatoes in America but loved them here. So there you go. I'm normal.)

Moving on. A side note that I keep forgetting to mention: the Tuscan accent. Apparently in Tuscany there is a pretty thick accent that can sometimes be difficult for a university-taught student of Italian to understand. C's become H's. For example: "Ho-ha ho-la" would be the Tuscan (and therefore Sienese) way of saying Coca-Cola. No joke. I've gotten more used to it over the past week, though. I've had to train myself to understand "ha-za" to be "casa" (house) and "Ameri-ha" to be America. It's a struggle but it's fun.

That's it for today. Overall it was a relaxing day with friends in Italy. What's not to love.

Tomorrow will be my first experience going to church in Italy! Should be interesting!

Ciao!

Firenze

Friday, May 16th

Florence! Where you shop till your feet stop working and you stare at a 17-foot tall man for half an hour.

Today we went to, you guessed it, Florence. The city itself is not as glamorous as it sounds . . . really it's a dirty (smelly) city like any other—except not, because there's a giant Gothic church and baptistry in the center of it (and gelato everywhere). There is also an awesome market where you can buy anything leather, scarves, leather, jewelry, leather . . . The market was one of the two intended sites for our trip today.

The market is set up like any other swap meet/fair-ish place where people sell their products cheaper than in stores. All the booths are lined up and you have to move carefully through the aisles. (Note to shoppers: don't look at anything too long unless you intend to buy it, because those vendors will pounce if they catch you eyeing something in their booth. The key is to use your peripherals.* Bonus challenge: avoid being robbed.)

So I went to the market with the intention of buying gifts for people. I actually succeeded in getting a couple of things, and I even bartered! Go me! Actually on one item I bartered without knowing it, since I told the lady I might come back later (with the actual intention of coming back later, once I caught up with my group) and thinking she was losing a sale, she dropped the price by half. I'll take it!

Probably an important note is that I was bartering in English. Because apparently the Eagle Eye vendors can spot an American tourist from across the piazza. Do I really stand out that much? Come on, people, I've been here for two weeks—I'm practically a native.

Anyway the market was a success, and we're going back to Florence next Friday so I'll have the chance to go another round. After shopping we all met in our big group to go to the Galleria di Accademia, a museum of art that is home to one of the most world-famous sculptures in history.

Michelangelo's David.

This statue can only be truly appreciated by seeing it in person. Pictures cannot prepare you for the sheer size of him or the mastery that produced such a human figure from marble. He has tendons, muscles, veins all over his body that make him appear so real—and the fact that he is so huge and yet still perfectly proportioned (despite massive hands) is a testament to Michelangelo's incomparable talent. I was completely awed when we nonchalantly turned a corner in the gallery and at the end of the hall, there he was. Absolutely magnificent.

Did I mention that Michelangelo created the David when he was 26 years old? Yep. What have I been doing with my life.

(Here is where I would post a picture, if we were allowed to take them inside the museum. Grr.)

Well we finally tore ourselves away from the David and took a quick peek around the rest of the museum (wait, there are other exhibits?) before leaving to catch a bus back to Siena. It was 4:47pm and the next bus left at 5:00. Better walk fast.

So Rebeca, Lauren, and I took off in the general direction of the bus station, stopped for directions once, made it to the station, and narrowly missed being hit by the express bus to Siena as it was pulling in to pick up passengers. We literally were in the process of sitting down on the bus as it pulled away at 5:00pm. Tender mercies in abundance!

For the hour and a half ride home I read a book, napped a bit, and got excited for dinner. After dinner I could relax for the rest of the night. Woot!

I'm excited for a free day tomorrow to walk around Siena or anywhere else. Because I'm in Italy! I gotta live it up.

That's all, folks. A domani.

Ciao!

* "Use your peripherals!" "I'm not really seeing anything, I'm just widening my eyes." —name that movie

Pisa: A Tower, A Church, and . . . Not Much Else

Thursday, May 15th

Skipped a day again. Oops. Yesterday was busy and last night, when I might have had time to blog, I was busy reading and studying for the midterm.

But now it is done! I am free!

Yesterday (Wednesday) we went to Pisa. We got there around 11:30am and walked around a bit before going to the Leaning Tower and climbing up it. (Note for future tourists: a ticket to climb the tower is 18 euro, be prepared. (side note: it's probably only worth doing once)).


The tower is leaning about 5 degrees, 15 feet off the vertical. It's actually smaller than I was expecting based on pictures I've seen all my life. It's only about 200-something steps to the top, but most of them are crooked so it's still a somewhat difficult climb. My calves are sore, in case you were wondering.

The view from the top is great. You can see the tops of buildings and stuff. So there's that.

the baptistry (ECHO!)

After climbing the tower, we all took the classic tourist picture and then just walked around Pisa, looking in shops and sitting down wherever we could (seriously, Italy requires a lot of walking; you learn to see every seat-like object as an opportunity).

it's required.

We also went into the baptistry that is in the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the Leaning Tower and a cathedral are also situated. What's great about this baptistry is the acoustics of the domed building: apparently the echo of a voice lasts 8 seconds, so if you sing long enough notes you can harmonize with yourself. Every half hour they have demonstrations where a guy does just that, so that was pretty cool to witness.

So here's the gist of it: the Leaning Tower is pretty neat (it is fun to climb to the top once) and the Piazza dei Miracoli has a lot of grass for sitting in both sun and shade—something for everyone. And that is what Pisa has to offer, besides shop-lined streets and fanny-packed Americans.

So I made it home from Pisa, had some dinner (no snails!), and then studied studied studied. That's what happens when you don't do the readings when you are supposed to because you're too busy actually looking at the famous thing that the readings are talking about—i.e. the readings are boring.

That was the rest of my Wednesday. Today (Thursday) Shauna and I got up early (7am should not exist) and studied some more then took our midterms. Then at 11am we headed to the Dante Alighieri School where we will be attending classes next week to take a language placement exam (so we are placed in the right language course . . . don't want to be with all the returned missionaries, you know?). I was stressing before we went in, but turns out the placement exam is just multiple choice grammar questions, and since it doesn't get "graded," there was nothing to worry about. Except this question: cancel out the word that does not belong—telephone, cellphone, fax, radio, computer.

I mean, really. I know what those words mean, so that's not the problem. The problem is (like Amy said) why can't the list be telephone, cellphone, fax, radio, and cheese? That would be helpful. So what doesn't belong: radio or computer? I STILL DON'T KNOW.

At the end of our test the instructors quickly graded it then told us when to report for class on Monday morning. So I guess I passed? I might be with the elementary school kids, but I'm in! Hoorah!

After the placement test we learned a bit about Florence (tomorrow!) and then had the rest of the day free. After dinner most of us met in the Piazza del Campo (the usual) and did a Siena Walk. Before the end of the "study" part of our study abroad we have to complete five Siena Walks, in which we follow a guidebook and tour a certain section of the city. They're actually quite interesting and fun, a relaxing way to do a post-dinner stroll. So our group completed one tonight and then took a quick detour to a carnival that is here for the week on top of the Fortezza (fortress). We just looked around (it is exactly like a carnival in the States) and then headed home for the night.

Tomorrow I expect to take a lot of photos and spend lots of money, because in the morning we head to Florence! Che bellissimo.

A domani,

Ciao!

A Tall Tower and Chiocciole À La Mode

Tuesday, May 13th

I forgot to blog yesterday. I will combine yesterday and today and will be very quick because I am really tired and we have to get up at 6:30 (!!) because we have to catch a train to Pisa at 8am. Lovely.

Yesterday was quite a whirlwind, just like the day before. We didn't have to meet up with our class until 3pm, so Shauna and I had the morning to do whatever we wanted! We chose to sleep in until 8:45. It was amazing. 

We got up and had breakfast (toast, ham, cheese, bread, nutella, red orange juice, fruits, hard boiled eggs, everything you could imagine). Anna (our host mom) just spread it all over the table and told us over and over to eat whatever we wanted. Yum.

Then Shauna and I got ready for the day and did some walking around Siena, trying to get to know the streets and find our school that we will be attending next week. Around noon we met up with other study abroaders in the Piazza del Campo, the main piazza at the center of Siena. The group of us walked around some more, found a place to have a slice of pizza, and looked in different shops. Overall it was a very relaxing day.

la Piazza del Campo

view of Il Duomo

At 3pm we met up with our whole group at Il Duomo, the church topped with a dome at the center of Siena (close to the piazza). We did a tour inside the church (there's a museum in there) and then climbed a tower(ish-thing) opposite the dome. Again, a very beautiful view. 

After this we went to the Dante Alighieri school (where we have school next week) and they fed us dinner! Hooray! It was a traditional Italian meal, with an appetizer (bruschetta! mmm), a pasta (pesto), a main dish (turkey and peas), and a dessert (strawberries and cream). It was great to be with the big group again! 

Shauna and I went home after dinner. We got to the front door and I tried to use my key to open the door, but I just couldn't figure it out. Was it turn to the right or to the left? Neither way worked. Pull first then push? Nope, that didn't work either. Wrong side of the key? That could be it. Nope, door won't budge. I finally asked Shauna to help me. She tried over and over but still couldn't get the door open. After a couple of minutes (literally, it was taking this long), I knocked loudly several times, because we knew Anna and her husband were inside. Shauna and I stood there quietly for a bit waiting for someone to come to the door, but nothing happened. We could hear Anna talking, but she obviously didn't hear the knocking. 

So, instead of just ringing the bell, we decided to try the key again. Meanwhile, I started to worry (for no reason, it just happens) that Anna might think someone was trying to break in, since she was speaking loudly and I didn't understand a word. For all I know she could be purposely ignoring the knocking and calling for help on the phone. So as I quietly worried, Shauna was still trying every which way to get the door open with the key, and nothing was happening. Finally, it was time to give up and ring the doorbell. 

Immediately both Anna and her husband (Marcello? I should probably learn his name) came to the door . . . and they couldn't open it from the inside. So Anna went to the window right next to the front door and opened it, calling, "Ragazze? Ragazze?" ("Girls?") And, with sighs of enormous relief, we said, Si! And she told us to remove the key from the door so they could open it. It still took a few tries, but eventually the door opened and we got inside.

Anna just laughed at us. She thought it was hilarious. Once inside, she showed us how to unlock the door (turn to the left and push). Turns out when she told us earlier that day to turn the key "in dietro" in order to unlock it, we didn't fully understand that that meant "backwards," or to the left; instead we took it to mean something along the lines of "destra," or to the right. Mamma mia. I think we've got the hang of it now. And we learned new vocabulary!

view from the Torre di Mangia

Anyway that was last night's adventure. Today we had breakfast (same as yesterday) then went to the Piazza del Campo to meet with our group. We did a tour of a museum in the world's oldest functioning City Hall, right there in the piazza, which was really neat. We also went down to a crypt and a baptistry (all in the same area). Then we climbed the tower.

the bell at the very top!

Il Torre di Mangia (so-called because the man who operated the bells in the tower would spend all the money he made on food to eat—"mangia") is extremely tall. I don't know exactly how tall, but I think by the word extremely you can kind of get the scope of it. It's really tall. 

So we climbed all the way to the very top of the tower, by the bell. Lots of stairs, but an incredible view. I've realized that Italy has the best landscapes and places to view them from. Truly stunning.

crazy windy up there

After that climb we had a free day, and it was only 12:30! Some of us went and got sandwiches then sat in the piazza (fun fact: Piazza del Campo is the only piazza in Italy where people will sit directly on the ground, and most people do) and did some reading. Because guess what? We have a midterm. And guess who hasn't done most of the readings because we were too busy exploring the sites? The majority of us. Sooo excited to take this test.

After "studying" (really, how can you study when you're sitting in a piazza in Italy?), we walked around a bit more, got some gelato, and when to check out the grocery store and buy some snack foods (apples!!). (Not so fun fact: fruit is expensive!) Then Shauna and I went home to "study" some more. 

We sat down at dinner a little while later and had our first course of pasta, then Anna got up and put a pot on the stove and turned it on. Then she turned to Shauna and I and told us that for the main course we were having something that "you girls will not like." Then she pulls out a tupperware container full of snails. 

Full. Of. Them. 

Then she dumps the whole container in the the pot and starts stirring. Ho paura. Luckily, after further discussion we were able to understand that by "we" she meant her husband and herself, and that actually there was chicken simmering in a different pan that was meant for us. PHEW. It would have been an interesting experience, though, I'm sure.

Now I'm caught up and I need to sleep. So that's all for today. 

A domani,

Ciao!

Culture Shock and Beautiful Views

Sunday, May 11th

SIENA! By way of Assisi!

This morning we left Rome pretty early (8:15 is early, ok) and got aboard our charter bus (yessss) to make the drive to Siena, our home for the next six weeks. On our way to Siena, we made a long stop in Assisi to do some sightseeing and shopping.

Let me tell you: Assisi is gorgeous. It is picture-perfect. Basically, I arrived in Assisi and thought "this is what I expected Italy to look like." Just stunning. It was so nice to walk around the city, taking in the sites and going in the little shops. It was a true Italian experience, at least in my mind.

 

Basilica of St. Francis

Then a group of us, including Cinzia, went to a restaurant (food, always) and the pasta itself was not incredible, but the view was. We sat out on a terrace. In Italy. Eating pasta. the dream.

this is the view from our table at the restaurant, if you can believe it

I couldn't believe it

I would live in Assisi. Really.

After a few hours wandering around the city, we got back on the bus and drove the last hour and a half to Siena. Our arrival at Siena was an absolute whirlwind.

This is how it went: drive up into the piazza—where apparently the charter bus is not allowed, so we have to move quickly—and hurriedly grab our luggage and get off the bus. Suddenly, we are surrounded by Italian host parents and our Italian director (I guess that's what you'd call him) who begins listing off names of students and matching them with families. Once matched up with our host families, we were whisked away to their cars and off to their homes, without saying goodbye to Cinzia or any of our fellow study abroad-mates.

So my and Shauna's (my roommate) names were called and we were matched with an older lady. She immediately drew me into a hug and kissed my cheek, saying "Ciao ciao" and something else I did not understand. Then Shauna and I are hauling our suitcases down the street to our host mom's tiny (regular-sized?) car. All the while she is chatting us up and I am only catching bits of it, because—hello—I just went from lounging in a charter bus speaking English with my fellow students to becoming a member of an Italian family and having to communicate solely in Italian.

Because my host mom doesn't speak a word of English. In the long run, I see this as extremely beneficial . . . but this immediate culture shock gave me a mini heart attack. She is so kind, though, and is willing to speak slowly and explain things we don't understand. Overall, definitely overwhelming but it is something I can certainly get used to.

Tonight Shauna and I basically just unpacked and then ate dinner with our host parents and the German woman who is also staying here (and speaks Italian at about our same level). What an experience! We were warned about the Italian woman's need to keep feeding people, and that's exactly what happened. First course (which we didn't exactly know was the first course) was bowtie pasta with marinara sauce. She heaped it onto all of our plates until every bit was gone. Second course (whoa) was cooked spinach, chicken, baked zucchini, salad, and bread. (note: Italians do not butter their bread. Like ever.) Then, after Shauna and I had both worn out the phrase "Sono satsia"("I'm satisfied," polite way of saying "I'm full"), our host mom presented a bowl of fruit and new plates. I had two kiwi for my third course, yummy yummy.

Another thing we were warned about is the Italian desire to sit at the table and chat after dinner is finished. So after our fruit was all gone, our host mom began a conversation varying from where Shauna and I are from and what we study at BYU to World War II. I don't know how we got on the topic of WWII but I was pleasantly surprised; I was able to understand most of what she said and even offer some (limited) comments. Mostly she was telling us about how Siena managed not to be bombed during the war when the Americans and Germans were fighting their way through Italy. Interesting stuff, especially to me!

Then we went back to our room to get settled and ready for bed (sono stancissima), but before we did I asked our host mom where we could do our laundry (it was expected that we would either handwash our clothes or have to take them to a laundromat somewhere nearby). In response to my question, she led us into our room and showed us a hamper, telling us to put our clothes in there and in the morning give them to her. She is going to do our laundry for us! She is so sweet . . . best news ever.

I really need to go to sleep but I had to write this all down before I forgot. Adventures await in Siena. Hopefully my language skills will improve over these next six weeks and I will be able to better communicate with my host family. Can't wait to see what the days bring! Il primo giorno is tomorrow!

Ciao!

Day of Freedom = SLEEP

Saturday, May 10th

Today was our "free day" in Rome. We didn't have tours set up and didn't have any set plans.

So. Nice.

I slept in a tiny bit and then went with a group in the morning to the Rome, Italy Temple site. It is still under construction but it is getting there! To see it, we went through a mall and out onto a balcony. It was a great view.


After the temple we made our way home and then stayed there. I took a long nap and did some blogging/facebooking/picture editing/etc. It was nice to unwind and recharge after a week full of constant excitement and energy.

Around 8pm, most of us went to a nice Italian restaurant for dinner and had such good food but it was so filling. I can't tell you how full I still am. But it was true authentic Italian pasta and was so worth it.

So today is my last day in Rome. It was a fun trip but I am ready to move on to another city. Siena awaits, and I am so nervous and excited to live with a host family. I'm really nervous about the language but I assume since the family has hosted before that they know what it's like for us American students, so it won't be too overwhelming.

Tomorrow, a brand new adventure begins!

Ciao!

Churches, Part II: Locked Out of the Vatican

Friday, May 9th

Today was a new twist: climbing and walking!

We started the day by going to the Vatican Museums, which was crazy! I had no idea all that art was in the Vatican, and I also had no idea that the Vatican was so immense. We seriously started at the beginning of the museums (a good place to start, I think you'll agree) and kept going through room after room of paintings covering the walls and ceiling, thinking that the next room would finally be the Sistine Chapel. But the rooms kept coming and we kept going and still, no Cappella Sistina. There were some incredible paintings, including several famous Raphaels that were very impressive up close. Then, hooray!, we made it to the Sistine Chapel.

For some reason, I expected the chapel itself to be larger, which is strange because it is a huge room. Blame it on movies.

Raphael's School of Athens

Anyway, this is how the chapel experience goes. You walk into the chapel and are immediately struck by how many people are in there. They are standing and staring and chatting and bustling . . . so many people. Then you look up and see the ceiling. Before you pause to enjoy it, however, there is an Italian guard ushering you to the back of the chapel, saying "No stop here, please. Keep moving. No photo, no video. Silence, please." So you keep walking until you can't move anymore because of the crowds, and you pause to look up at the ceiling. Once again, an Italian guard is waving at you to keep moving through to the back of the chapel, or at least stand off to the side to make room for more tourists. All the while he says "No pictures, no video, please. Silence, please. No foto, no video. Silenzio." And all the while people keep chatting and taking photos of the ceiling, though most are at least attempting to be discreet about it.

Except for one man—probably American (just saying)—who has his iPad out and lifts it up to take a picture right in front of the second guard. The guard starts loudly (but still politely) calling out, "No pictures, please. No pictures! No pictures, please!" and the guy just doesn't get it. Eventually, after he took several pictures (which we all, standing behind him, could clearly see), the guy's wife taps him on the shoulder and he finally puts away the iPad and moves on.

So after this little bit of entertainment, we were ready for the real show. Benches line the walls of the chapel so people can sit down as they look up, a really good idea for people's necks. (Even then, the Sistine Chapel probably pays many a chiropractor's salary.) If you are lucky enough to sit on one of the benches, you sit with your head cocked back and look at all the scenes painted above you.

It is truly unbelievable that Michelangelo painted all of it, by himself, free-hand. He did not trace the scenes out beforehand, and he didn't have help from any interns. He got up there and painted everything freely, and still the proportions and details are perfect. Interestingly, one scene (depicting Noah and the flood) features figures that are smaller compared to the ones in the rest of the scenes; this is because it was the first panel Michelangelo painted and when he got down to the chapel floor, he decided the figures were too small and chose to paint the rest much bigger. I couldn't believe I was sitting right underneath The Creation of Adam and other amazing works. For you to really take in everything, you'd have to sit there for hours, because there are so many scenes and details.

We, however, chose not to sit there for hours (considering we had a time limit), so after maybe twenty to thirty minutes of looking at Michelangelo's handiwork a small group (five) of us decided to head for the exit.

Here's the deal: the exit of the Sistine Chapel is different from the exit of the Vatican Museums. Exiting the Sistine Chapel will lead you into other exhibits (something Egyptian and whatnot) and then deposit you at an exit adjacent to the entrance. It was at that exit, on the inside, that we were supposed to meet together as a group in about half an hour.

Our little group of five took the wrong exit. We exited the Sistine Chapel through the "guided tours" exit (apparently even when we saw the signs warning us we thought it was a good idea) which leads outside the Vatican Museums and prohibits re-entry. So we found ourselves outside the building, in the piazza, and knew we had made a mistake. After discussion, we decided (not sure why) that the best thing to do was go all the way around the Vatican Museums (which is huge, remember) and try to get back in and hopefully make it all the way through the museum and back out the correct exit so we could meet our group. Well, it took us around twenty minutes just to walk to the entrance, and we knew we would never make it all the way through in time to meet the group, even if we could convince the museum security to let us back in (not likely). So we found the exit the group would have to eventually come out of (even though it was supposed to meet on the inside) and parked it there for a while. One of us was able to text someone from the group who was inside, so it all worked out in the end. But it was certainly an experience!

The Pietà

inside the Basilica

Once we re-grouped we headed to the piazza (yes, the same one we had just been deposited into half an hour earlier) and got in line to enter St. Peter's Basilica. The line was long and the sun was hot, but we eventually made it inside, and it was so cool. The Basilica is the biggest church I have ever seen . . . so massive that it could swallow a handful of the churches we saw yesterday and still have room for dessert. There was so much art and decoration that I couldn't wrap my head around it all. But the highlight of the Basilica has to be Michelangelo's Pietà. It is remarkable. However, it is pushed far back and closed off by a glass wall because a madman in the 70s took a hammer to it and broke off many pieces. So now the public can no longer get up close to it. It really is a shame, because it distances the viewer from it and diminishes its awe-factor. It is still a truly remarkable piece of art, regardless.

the curved walls
(photo was taken head on)

After wandering the Basilica it was time to climb the dome! Apparently you can do that! Word to the claustrophobic: do not attempt this climb, unless you are only slightly claustrophobic (like me) or know how to harness your irrational fears for the sake of having a great view of Rome. Either way.

Peter, Kate, Lauren, Rebeca

The climb to the top of the dome of the Basilica involves many winding and extremely narrow staircases where only one person can fit through and the ceiling above you is curved inward (because of the dome shape), so if you're tall you have to lean to the side the whole way up. Once you get to the top and outside, however, it is a gorgeous 360-degree view of Rome and a fabulous breeze to blow away the stuffiness of the inside. It was definitely worth the climb (a total of over 1100 steps, I'm pretty sure), but it isn't necessarily something I need to see again, unless I'm showing it to someone.

We made it back down after taking in the view for a few minutes and decided to get food. Once again we found a local restaurant with great food and good prices, and then of course (is this even a question anymore?) got gelato before heading back to our apartments.

Later on we went to a GANS fireside (GANS= giovani adulti non sposati, basically meaning "singles' ward") and then my new friend Amy—shoutout to Kelli Canady who has been her roommate for three years!—and I left with Cinzia and a couple of guys from our group to go home because we were so exhausted. Amy and I started to watch Gladiator (RUSSELL CROWE! IN ROME!) once we made it back, but it got late so we figured we would watch it tomorrow.

And that is all for the day! Sorry for the lengthiness.

Until tomorrow (or whenever I blog next),
Ciao!

Tour of the Dead: Churches and Crypts Around Rome

Thursday, May 8th

Churches. So many churches.

Today we saw some pretty great things, like the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and so many Catholic churches—seriously, I can't remember how many we went into.

mouth open in excitement?

The Trevi Fountain was wonderful. It is so beautiful, even the second time around. This time I threw a coin in, which is exciting. That means I will return to Rome! I haven't left yet, but I can't wait to come back! 

Our first church was actually way cool. And creepy. It was the church of the bones, the Capuchin Crypt in the Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini. Basically, people dug up all the bones of dead friars and made ornate decorations and "works of art" out of the bones. Literally . . . rooms full of bones. Some were full skeletons dressed in a monk's robes; others were cages of skulls layered on top of femurs, etc. Covering the ceilings and walls were ornate designs made from smaller bones—jaws, ribs, fingers, etc. etc. Even a few chandeliers. Like I said, very creepy. But kind of cool. . . . Actually, mostly creepy. Perfect place for Halloween!

Throughout the day we went from church to church, marveling at the statues and paintings and so much gold in each of them. To be honest, by the time we hit around the sixth church of the day, my head was starting to spin...they all looked the same. (Sorry, cathedral enthusiasts!) It was interesting to see some of the cathedrals designed by Bernini, though.

there's a hole!

Probably the best thing of the day was visiting the Pantheon. We were walking and walking (you know, the usual) until suddenly we came out of an alleyway and into an open square, and there it was! Massive and ancient. The Pantheon is seriously amazing (note: I think by now I have run out of descriptive words because I've used so many, so I'm sticking with the tried and true). It is so great to be seeing in person all these ancient buildings that you always see in pictures. Inside, the Pantheon was beautiful. The domed ceiling is really fascinating because, apparently, it is so heavy that no one can understand how it hasn't collapsed. Those Roman engineers knew what they were doing. Also, there's a giant hole in the top, so if it rains, you're gonna get wet. Just a heads up.

After the Pantheon there was a quick "lunch" of gelato (obviously) and then later bread and spreadable cheese. And then more churches. 

Overall, a day with lots of Catholicism, confessionals, and art. Italy in a nutshell, I suppose.

Couple other fun things from today:

            

Tomb of Queen Margherita
(think: Margherita pizza)

Fountain of the Four Rivers

the Carabinieri (military police)
-  they thought we were funny

I am looking forward to tomorrow . . . the Sistine Chapel awaits!

Ciao!