Hey guys! I’m back in the states, after a wonderful semester abroad, so this xanga is done.
-Zac

Alright. This might have to be short because I only have 4 minutes left…

I’m in Corfu, staying at the Pink Palace. Check it out online. I met a guy who is writing his own language but doesn’t know what an irregular verb is. The woman running the place can’t remember if you showed her your dinner card even if you showed it to her 20 seconds earlier (I exaggerate not). One of the staffers walks around doing the robot all the time, and tries to do backflips off things. It feels like camp because they have planned activities for us almost every day. They gave us 4×4s to drive around just for fun. I could go on but I have no time.

This is the craziest vacation ever.

Im out.

Well. So, I just finished taking my first two midterms, and I must say, it sure doesn’t seem to be as bad as I thought. I wrote one of my 3 papers already (10 pages, baybee!), and it just so happened that the topic I chose to write about was one of the three choices for essay topics on my exam… so I just totally rocked the Art History one. I got a 75% on my Italian final, but since the high was a 75%, I’m not too worried.

Anyhow. Due to the recent terrorist attacks in Spain, the program is highly recommending that we NOT go to Spain on any breaks. Not that I was planning on it, but anyway. So, this weekend I’m staying home and officially finishing my other two papers, thus leaving me with plenty of time to travel to Belgium the last weekend in March, Greece over spring break (on a BOAT! My friends and I are chartering a BOAT that is gonna take us Island hopping in GREECE!!! How cool is THAT?), possibly France the weekend after that to visit Jenny, and then potentially Scotland the weekend after that to visit Lisa.

Cool, eh? I like this whole traveling thing. When I get back to the states I want to go see New York. And I definately want to make a visit up to Colorado sometime to go skiing. The urge to travel has been awoken (sp?).

So, as you all can see, life has settled down mostly over here. We’re still in Europe, and I still think almost every day how amazingly cool it is that I can walk by the neighborhood pizza shop, wave “hi” to Niccola and Antonio (and Mama, who also works there. They’re brothers… and boy do they make good pizza… they’re Napolitan), then see the bartender on the corner walk by, say hi, exchange a few words about last night’s Lazio game (I’m a big Roma fan myself… but I’m still civil to Lazio fans. They aren’t bad people, just fascists). I don’t really know… its just fantastic over here. I miss you all, but I wouldn’t give this up for the world. Small things you don’t even consider… I mean, I have a membership card to my local grocery store! (leave it to me, right?) Everyone is welcome to check out my written journal/scrapbook when I get home- aside from the past couple weeks, I’ve been extremely diligent about it.

So. I’m definately getting over that homesick phase I was in 2 weeks ago, and I positively love being here. The culture, the people (I look at tourists in disgust now), the food (which, by the way, is usually about as good as the “pretty good” places back home… its not so much that it is ALWAYS better here, its just that it is very easy to find good food here. And cheese is better here. Beer is awful here… like a cross between Budweiser and horse piss. But food, with the exception that it becomes somewhat monotone somewhat quickly, is most definately better here for the most part).

Alright everyone, I’m off to solidify some travel plans. Ciao from Roma!
-Zac

Well for the last several days I’ve been really bad both about this journal and my written one, but here goes.

We’ve really started to get integrated with the neighborhood. Two days ago, when my roommate and I were walking around to go see the sights and such, we saw our neighborhood bartender and owner, so we said hi, talked to him for a little about the game of calcio (soccer) that we were going to that night, (he got jealous- he’s a Lazio fan and we were going to the Milan-Lazio game. Lazio lost 1-0. Though part of me says “yay” because I’m a Roma fan, its also bad because currently Milan is beating Roma, the #1 and #2 teams respectively in Italy right now… so a Lazio win would have been good). Anyhow, then we went in and chatted it up with our neighborhood Pizza guy, Niccola, and waved to his brother Antonio in the back room making the pizzas, and said hi to Mama, who also works there.

So, we’ve been having an absolutely fantastic time. Unfortunately, our first round of papers and midterms are coming around, which is a shame because our papers have to have physical citations from the libraries…. and libraries in Italy are no fun. Like every other institution of Italian beaurocracy, every book must be requested in triplicate to a librarian, who then takes 45 minutes on average to bring it to you. We’ll see how that goes… maybe CMU is so amazing that I can get electronically stored copies of real journals online.

Life has been settling down a bit. I still go all over the place, but much of it is with my High Renaissance Art class (we went through the Musei Vaticani and the Sisteine on Tuesday). Rome is absolutely incredible- there is just so much to do, so much to see. So many crazy people, actually… I’ve never seen so many crazy people. And they speak Italian, though that doesn’t really affect how well you understand them.

I, of course, miss certain things about home. Burgers being one of them. Mmmmm do I ever miss burgers. Oh man. Pasta only gets you so far (and I never thought I’d say that).

Ciao!
Zac

Things are really starting to get normal around here… I’ve been trying to take pictures of a normal day in the life of Zac in Italy… I’ll put up the pictures for you all so that you can see them. Anyhow, I’m starting to write my papers and take my exams, which are going to be really difficult and annoying. It’s ok though, because I’m actually not being a procrastinator like usual, and I’m getting them out of the way early.

Ciao.. I hate this keyboard.
Zac

So. It’s my birthday, and I’m in Italy. Happy 21 to me!!! Everyone on the program knew about it because it was in the newsletter, so I was getting pats on the back all day- it was cool.

Spent much of the day napping, having stayed up until 2:23 yesterday to toast myself a 21-years-to-the-minute thing. Did you all know that I was born @ 2:23 on 2/23? You should. Of course, with the time difference, it wasn’t quite right… but I’ve been celebrating at 2:23 AZ time for the last 17 or so years, so it’s fine.

Turning 21 isn’t really that big of a deal here- I think I might head out to the bar later for a celebratory pint of guinness, but I’ve got class tomorrow at 9, which means I get to wake up at 7:30, because of the crazy bus system in Rome. Let me tell you- Italian drivers are all they are cracked up to be. Insane. Crosswalks only work if you’re in them- nobody slows down if they see people waiting at said crosswalk. What you have to do is make sure nobody is going so fast that they couldn’t stop (unlikely) and then just start walking, at which point the crazy Roman behind the wheel aims their car at where you won’t be when they hit the crosswalk and accelerate. Not for the weak of heart, crosswalks in Italy.

Alright, everyone. I’ll type out a longer entry later- for now I just wanted to check in and say hi. Ciao!
Zac

Alright, everyone, I know it has been quite some time since I’ve updated. So. Though it would be impossible to relate everything that has happened so far, I’ll do my best, starting with the most recent events.

Yesterday was amazing. Yesterday, I went to Perugia (which is the chocolate capitol of Italy, among other things) with several friends. I think my Italian has finally improved for the better, because I’m starting to feel, all at once, like I can get my point across. Anyhow. I used said Italian at this cool little restaurant, acting as the translator both for my friends (who don’t speak Italian) and the waiter (who didn’t speak English). Sweet.

Food was quite good, bill was very reasonable, and everyone had a good time. Then, we went to this nifty little museum by the Duomo there, and on the way, saw some random guy dancing on the steps of the Duomo. Stopped to watch, then all of a sudden, a bunch of other people on the steps jump up and start dancing with him. Turns out it was a music video for some Latin singer. Hopefully my friend’s video camera caught some of the music and we can find it when I get home, so I can say “I was there!” So. Into the museum, where we saw a huge number of 13th century-type paintings… the ones that are usually pretty bad, and look all old & flat and stuff, with the gold all over. We didn’t have an art history teacher with us, so I might not be getting this right- but these paintings were in INCREDIBLY good shape, and were REALLY cool looking. The collection went all the way up through the renaissance in the same style, and it was really cool to see the paintings progress. Raphael’s master was one of the artists there. Anyway. Definitely worth the €6.50 entrance fee.

After the museum, we found our way to this little chocolate shop (in Lets Go, might I add) called Perugina. Lets just say that the chocolate I had there reminded me more than a little of the ridiculous hazelnut chocolate I had in Belgium. Speaking of Belgium, I think I might be making a trip there next weekend- I’ll keep you posted on how that works out.

Then, we went into the Duomo, saw a really nice church, realized we had 30 minutes to get to the train that was leaving at 5:25, and high tailed it to the bus… where the driver promptly got out to smoke a cigarette. Thank god he was a crazy driver- got us down the hill and to the train with 30 seconds to spare. The whistle was blowing as we got on the train.

So, then, last night once we got back, one of my friends told us that some Italian people she had met a few days ago wanted to go out to dinner with us (same group as before). Me being the Italian speaker in the group, I just started chatting with them. Great fun. I think we’re all going to try to make dinner dates every so often so that everyone can learn each other’s language. I now know how to say that I donate blood in Italian, because the Italians wanted to know why I didn’t want to get a tattoo (obviously not the only reason, but worthwhile anyway). I was totally surprised when they said “you look Italian when you speak Italian… your accent is very good and you use your hands”. Hah. I guess I got more of Mom’s genes than I thought!

Alright, stepping backwards to Roma. I think I might actually have fewer pictures of Rome in 3 weeks than I did of Florence, just because Rome is SO big, SO overwhelming, that it feels like you’d be snapping photos of everything you see. Something that made a pretty big impression on me was that one day we were walking from Stazione Termini to the Colosseum, and I turned around to look at a corner, and there was inscribed something to the effect of ‘Pope Julius made this in the year whenever’. I don’t know- there is just so much history to this place it’s insane. By the way, there is a coffee shop
built on top of the spot where Caesar was killed. Pretty cool. So, I’ve been to the Pantheon, the Colosseum, Forum, outside the Vatican (we go in with my Art teacher soon) to the Campidoglio, outside Vittoriano (gaudy), Trevi, Spanish Steps (which have bad food), and of course, Termini, which is very near to my school. Rome is just so huge… I know I keep saying that, and it’s probably stupid to say, but hey, I’m from the suburbs, and I’m just not used to this kind of thing. Though, I suppose no
Americans REALLY are, since our country is so new, we don’t really have that much large-building-history.

Calcio (soccer) is incredible here. We have a bar right down the street from us that houses some SERIOUS Lazio fans. We plan on descending and cheering for Roma… hopefully the bartender (Leonardo… nice guy) won’t kick us out. We’ll see. The streets of Rome are going to be crazy that night. I mean, they were nuts after Roma beat Juventis 4-0 *by the way, that was a totally awesome game*… but that wasn’t the inter-city rivalry. People get in fights over that sort of thing here.

So, that’s my story in a nutshell. Been here for almost 2 weeks (over a month in Italy proper, I suppose). The picture count is up to 288.

Ciao ragazzi!

-Zac

Alright, everyone- this computer apparently doesn’t want me to put a link to my website, so check the comments, where I’ll put the link that you need to see the PICTURES that I uploaded. I’ll add comments later when it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to write stuff.

Ciao!
Zac

Allora…

Currently I’m sitting in the computer lab at Richmond. I’m in Rome now… and I am almost completely overwhelmed by this place. I’m living in Trastevere, which is amazing… totally Roman, totally Italian. We watched the Super Bowl last night (had to go to a pub because we have no TV in our apartment yet). Not only was it not an incredible game, but when it is broadcast in foreign countries, there aren’t any American commercials. Oh well.

Anyway, impressions of Rome….

Its huge. I was totally getting used to Florence, which is this cool little town, all tiny and stuff, very easy to get around in, very easy to tell where you are. Safe. Then we get to Rome, and there are people pounding themselves into busses and metros that are WAY overfilled. People everywhere, walks past the Pantheon ACCIDENTALLY, which is HUGE. That reminds me- there is this cool looking column that is all gigantic and stuff. We asked our guides what it was, and they didn’t know… I guess Rome is just so full with all this crazy history that they don’t even know it all. I suppose its just overwhelming, really.

So far, the food has been pretty fantastic. I had this bruschetta two days ago that was just fantastic… and all it was was bread, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and lettuce. Olive oil here is better. The gnocchi last night was pretty bad, but the pizza margherita was awesome (all pizzas are thin crust here, and are just ridiculously good).

I don’t even know how I’m going to write about Rome here, or even in my scrapbook thing. Its as if all of the amazing sights we’ve seen in all the rest of Italy are condensed here. Good lord.

So. Venice was over a week ago, and in that week, I have accomplished much.

Visited Siena and Monteriggioni. Siena is awesome… something like Florence in terms of size, but without the tourists. And actually, the tourists in Florence aren’t so bad. Anyway, Siena was totally sweet. We found this awesome Trattoria Papei place, and I got rabbit sauce pasta. Sweet. (oh by the way, I’ve taken something like 300 pictures so far, so I’ll have plenty of stuff to show everyone when I get back.. plus when I get to Rome we have a computer lab so hopefully I’ll be able to upload some pictures then. I have some fantastic ones). Then, we went and got the second best Gelatto I’ve had here so far. The first best is at this little place by the Arnot, right next to the Ponte Vecchio. I get pistachio and chocolate almost every time I go there.. I’m not usually a creature of habit, but then again, the pistachio there is a gift from God himself, so I figure its ok not to branch out constantly. Their hazelnut is ridiculously good too. Anyway. After this gelatto, we went on a tour of Siena, which was pretty cool, because it showed off the Duomo, which is gorgeous. (There are, by the way, Duomos all over the place. They are all made with green and pink marble, and they all have this striped look… they are all ridiculously big, too).

On the subject of gelatto, our program did a Gelatto tasting trip, where they took anybody from the program that wanted to around to three places in the city, getting us double scoops of whatever we wanted at each place. Naturally, when we came back from the trip anybody who hadn’t gone on the trip got made fun of mercilessly for days. Best gita (field trip) we’ve done yet.

I’m definitely starting to miss home a bit. Being in a foreign country is great, but there are minor drawbacks that are unfortunate sometimes. Food portions are smaller, which is great… but then again, I MISS large quantities of food. Cover charges are wierd.. every time you sit down at a restaurant you are usually smacked with a 1.50 cover per person. Water costs in the vicinity of 1.80 for a large bottle, and you can usually get glasses of wine for around 1.50 if everyone at the table goes in on a bottle. Its cool, but if you think about it, thats 4.50 worth of charges on top of most meals. Anyhoo. Oh, and I’m starting to get sick of Chianti. You really have to drink it with steak, and we’re not doign so much steak-eating here. You can, of course (bistecca alla fiorentina is the regional dish) but it costs too much to do routinely. It’ll be nice to move down to Roma and get some sweeter stuff.

Pisa was pretty neat. When you go there, avoid the tower, and go instead into the dome-looking thing to the west of it. Our guide informed us that it has perfect acoustics. Cool, yeah, whatever, so all us kids were shouting and stuff, making general nuisances of ourselves. So, a policewoman comes in and yelled at us, shutting us up. Then she walks to the middle of the floor, stands on the pedestal there, and starts singing, forming harmonics with herself. Because of the echoes and such, all these amazing tones started coming out that she hadn’t even sung. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had here so far. Beautiful. Turns out she was a voice major in college… go figure.

Walked to the hills today, got some incredible views over Florence. We’re doing so much walking here, and not so much eating as at home… definately good for me.

It snowed yesterday… just a slight amount, but everyone has been talkign about it, since it NEVER snows in Italy. NEVER. It hasn’t been that cold, though.

Alright, all, I’m out for now. We bus to Rome on Saturday, and I’m living in Trastevere, which is the most authentic, Roman part of Rome. I’m so excited… the food there is supposedly better, the nightlife and the neighborhoods more Italian… This program is really fantastic. I wish you could all be here with me. Tell other people that I’m actually keeping up on this journal thing… I didn’t expect to be doing it myself.

Ciao!