Dispatches from Elsewhere: Non Parlo Italiano

Colosseum cheesin'

Subtitle of the new semester's first post: I Have No Idea What I'm Doing and Italian Isn't as Close to Spanish as I Thought it Would Be but So Far Things are Great

The past 48 hours or so in Rome have certainly been a whirlwind of new experiences and attempted Italian phrases. I am living in a beautiful apartment close to the Tiber River with wonderful views in a part of town that is vibrant with student life and plenty of activities to keep us busy. The cobble stoned streets and little alleyways seem too precious and perfect to be real, and hole-in-the-wall pizza and pasta eateries are everywhere to be found. It feels like a dream.

Views from our apartment balcony

Delicious pasta to celebrate our first evening in Rome

I've spent the last couple of days exploring the area around my host school, the American University of Rome, as well as some of Rome's most iconic sights. It is a lot to take in, but knowing that I get to spend a whole semester in this incredible city is a wonderful feeling and I can't wait to see as much as possible during the next four months.

Courtyard at AUR - the school is small and charming!

A note on Italian - I memorized a few key phrases from my Italian book but so far when I've tried to say anything at most places they will respond to me in English. The good news is they know what I'm trying to say so I must be doing something right. I guess I also expected it to be much closer to Spanish, and many words are very similar, but I'm not catching on to things as easily as I'd hoped. I know more time combined with Italian classes will help, though, because I would really like to try and speak the language whenever I can. Side note, today I ordered a cappuccino and when they asked me if I wanted it "for here" or "to go" in English, I asked how to say "for here" in Italian which landed me with an incredibly long string of words in Italian that I didn't understand. So back to square 1. But at least the baristas have a sense of humor:

I love this coffee shop

Today I walked around the Colosseum, the Palatino, and the Foro Romano (Roman Forum). The sensation I had walking through these places was similar to the sensation I felt last semester at Machu Picchu - pictures don't even come close to showing what these places are really like - they are more expansive, beautiful, and intriguing than any previous idea I held in my mind.