Day 1 + Day 2

Where to begin? It seems amazing that yesterday I was in the United States, and today I am in Italy, actually living in Italy. I'll start with our apartment building. The entrance is on this skinny street named Via Santa Maria, number 30. We're on the fourth floor, which is really the fifth level. Most of the time I take the stairs- although they do seem endless! My backyard is a famous piazza with three fountains- how cool is that? The shape of our floor is an L; Jen (my good friend and roommate) and I are living at the very end, and our main window opens to the Via Santa Maria.

The weather here is wonderful! The windows have no screens, but there is a great breeze that comes in when the windows are open. And we have a fan :) Yesterday afternoon when I got in, it was too late to check-in, so I took a taxi to the apartment, hoping it would be unlocked. And behold, it was! During the day anyway. Jen, Mira, Allie, Chris and I went grocery shopping pretty much as soon as I got in. You have to bring your own bags, otherwise they charge you, and they are only 12 feet wide at the entry, but they're nice. Nothing like Safeway or Winn-Dixie, but a local grocery, which don't really exist anymore. And it's a maze. Well, I guess more like a directed path. After you grab your basket, you make your way to the back and work your way forwards. I grabbed some pasta (essential!) and sauce, and lunch fixings. I'll probably be heading back quite frequently to get more dinner supplies.

After putting groceries away, Mira and I went out for a stroll around the piazza- my first time walking around it. It's very similar to Jackson Square in New Orleans. There are street performers, people dressed up as statues, lots of art vendors. But the most obvious thing are all the restaurants that line the inside. They all have indoor seating, but first you would have to weave your way through the myriad of outdoor tables- there are so many! We have one window at the end of the hallway (opposite from the end I'm on)that faces the piazza. And I've actually looked up there from time to time and seen people in my program looking out the window.

Dinner was at this cute pizzaria. I ordered the Funghi pizza (tomato sauce, cheese and mushrooms). It comes out in a big pie, not sliced, and it's thin crust with crispy, blackened edges. So delicious. And Jen got a free chocolate mousse for her birthday. After eating the great food and drinking wine, we decided to walk around and allow our stomachs to digest and ended up at the Pantheon! It's so beautiful. In an old, monumental way. It took three of us, all about 5'5" to encircle one of the columns. And it's amazing how all of this old architecture justs sits in the midst of the bustling city. People flock around fountains and just sit and talk. Around 11:30 pm we went out with almost everyone in our group to a bar at Campo di' Fiori and hung out until about 2 am, and then wandered back to the apartment. Campo di' Fiori turns into a farmers market during the morning and early afternoon, and then at night, all of the restaurants move tables and umbrellas outside for more seating. It's a great little piazza. Oh, and piazzas are strictly for people, no cars.

Today I walked across the Tevere (Tiber) River to check-in with the Pantheon Institute. It seemed so far on the map, but only took me about half an hour. And then I ran into 3 other girls from school there (Sophie, Ali, and Ellen), and we all walked back together. And I still don't have my luggage. Not fun wearing pants all the time. Fortunately my friends are letting me borrow clothes and toothpaste until my bags come, but in the meantime... :/

Ciao!