I LOVE ITALY!

Ciao!

Sorry I haven't updated in a bit, I usually update from my phone but Im in the process of getting an Italian sim card to call my friends here so my phone hasn't been working the past day.  I literally cannot tell you how much I love this place. Lets see since last time...I went into Rome the other night because Bryce wanted to go out in Rome before he leaves on Saturday. So we went in to Campo di Fiori, which is a very interesting place in Rome.  During the day it is a big market and then at night it turns into a huge night scene with hundreds of people and many bars and pubs.  'Bars' here are for Coffe (espress) but you can also drink beer or liquor, but you stand. Its a very odd situation Im still trying to make sense of.  Anyways...so we went and it was really nice...Rome at night is all lit up and I have never seen anything so magnificent. 

So if the world could get any smaller it would literally collapse in on itself in my world.  So Davide, my friend who I met through Kelcie....flew back to Rome this past Monday and had a Layover in Seattle.  On his flight from Seattle to London, he met a girl who goes to Temple University in Philly.  She was coming over to Rome on a Study Abroad and will be living in Rome this semester.  Well so be it...we are at a bar ( mind you ONE bar out of the 25 odd bars we could have chosen that night) and at the table next to us are 4 people who are obviously American.. and roughly my age. So I start talking to them. Turns out.... the girl in this group is the same girl who sat on the plane next to Davide on Monday. HOW INCREDIBLY WEIRD!

Anyways, so it is nice to know so many people after only a week ) not even, of being here. Also, yesterday I went into Rome early in the morning with Davide to find the EUROMA tutoring agency with which my Geovisions program works with.  We ended up getting off the bus too soon and got a bit lost, but it was the most beautiful morning and I didn't so much mind strolling around with Davide! He's hilarious and keeps me entertained.  He bought me an Italian newspaper because they don't watch the news at my house and I wanted to know about all the happenings in Haiti (tradgic by the way... my thoughts and prayers are there now) and also he thinks it will be really good for my Italian.  He makes me read all the street signs and stuff in Italian to help me also.

AFter a cross-Rome adventure for a Kebab ( turkish Doner ) for lunch Davide and I headed back to Ostia so I could tutor and he could go study.  I took the train later to meet him across town because he helped me get an Italian sim card, because it gets expensive to call/text him and Monica and Paolo and the Americans I know in Rome with the blackberry. Its a pay as you go so it should be useful and practical.  After that we met up with his 2 friends Roberto and Elena (not sure of spellings ) for some wine and appetizers before I went home for dinner.  His friends are nice and although i can't speak much I am picking up a lot of the conversations they ahve in Italian and they are so nice about translating and helping me understand.

After dinner with the family, I headed down to the cafe right outside my apartment to meet with Davide and his  3 friends for a beer (birra).  We ended up headed to a different pub which brews there own beer, however the waitress spilled all 5 beers on me and Emanuale ( a friend ) and so we left.  I thought it was a bit funny but the others were a little upset.  So we went to hte part of town where they are all from, which actually has houses. Where I am at its all apartment buildings.  It was a good night! The friends are funny and speak some English so are conversations are a hodge-podge of both languages. 

I am so happy to have had the luck I have had here with friends and social activities.  It would be difficult here I think without the connections I have made.  I callled and talked to mom for a few minutes yesterday and I hope she could tell how truely happy I am here.  This has been an AMAZING week in my life and a great way to enter 23 years of age. 

Tonight we are going to a 'Disco' which I am a little nervous about with the techno music and Kelcie's warning of 'Jersey Shore' style fist pumping haha! Tomorrow we are also having a get together wtih some people for my birthday and I have told Davide that I must drink some Stregga ( Italian liquor from the movie 'Rome Adventure' a personal favorite in our household ) for my mom haha! He thinks I am crazy but he just laughs and agrees. 

Ok well we are off to get some lunch and then I must tutor. OH I got offered the opportunity to work with some other families in Rome and be paid for English lessons (20€ an hour...heck ya!)

Hope you all are doing great at home. I miss you all very much and am happy that I am able to share these adventures and stories with you.  I know it may be a bit boring to read but it means so much to me to stay connected to you all while I am here.  Please write me emails or comments ( which I believe I fixed the problem some of you were having with the comment section) because I miss knowing whats gonig on for you and am interested.  Even if you send me a message that says ' Today I ate a PB&J for lunch...love you ' I would smile and be happy!

Love Love Love....Allison