Festeggiamo! [Let's Party!]

Buona Festa della Repubblica!

So Friday we had orientation with IES, where they basically scared the shit out of everyone. They had a member from the US consulate come in and talk to us about being safe in Rome during our trip, but all he really did was tell us horror stories of all the people our age who have had something traumatic happen to them (i.e., drown in the Tiber -- EW it's basically a sewer, get roofied at bars, get robbed/pick-pocketed, assaulted, etc.). It was definitely terrifying. However, it didn't stop us from going out and having a good time that night haha!  After all the people in our program had aperitivi (appetizers) together, we walked all up and down Via del Corso, which is one of the main drags of Rome where there is lots of great shopping! We started at Piazza del Poppolo and then moved on to le Scalle Spagnole (the Spanish Steps), which I had never been to before.  There were lots of couples there sitting and making out -- go figure -- but the view of the city from the top was pretty.  From there we continued on to the Trevi Fountain, which, if you ask me, is much more gorgeous at night. Afterwards, the girls from my apartment and the one next door headed over to the Pantheon, where we encountered a pre-Republic Day rally going on.  While we were at the Pantheon we went to the Gelateria that had been Jessica's favorite last summer. She had been talking about the rose gelato all day, so I was dying to try some.  It was really yummy; it basically tastes like roses smell. I am a fan!

At around 11:30 we decided dinner might be a good idea (everyone eats so late here, so it wasn't a problem), and we wandered around until we came across this incredible restaurant, il Corallo (the coral).  I split a spaghetti alla carbonara (which I had never had before) with my roommate Ellen, and oh. my. God! It was literally THE BEST pasta I have ever had.  Just to explain: Carbonara is made by cooking the noodles, then right after they are finished cooking, removing them from the heat and cracking an egg over them; it's also accompanied by speck, which is Italian bacon.  INCREDIBLE! I would highly recommend this dish to any and everyone. I'll have to try and make it when I get back home!  Speaking of cooking, IES has a rooftop terrace with a vegetable garden, and they offer cooking classes to all the students while we're here, so I (along with all my roommates, I'm sure) will definitely be taking advantage of that!

After dinner we actually ended up running into the other group of students from our program, who were headed out to an American bar in Piazza dei Fiori called Sloppy Sam's, so we decided to join them for a few drinks and some fun.  Drinks there were pretty expensive, so after a round of shots for the group we headed to the Scholar's Pub (another American bar outside of the piazza, and thus a little cheaper).  There, using out international student IDs, drinks were a little but more reasonable.  Plus they played lots of old American pop songs that we all sang along to; we had a great time!  Jessica and I were even able to talk to a few of the actual Italians there -- in Italian, of course -- which was great for practicing our skills.  After being here for just a week I've already noticed huge improvements in my fluency.  I can't wait to see how well I can speak at the end of the trip, especially after doing 20hrs a week at my internship!  We had so much fun at the Scholar's Pub though, that we actually stayed until closing time, which in Italy is much more impressive because bars/clubs stay open till 4ish! Afterwards, our big group all walked home together, arriving back at the apartment at about 4:30.  Jillian, one of my roommates, wears a pedometer, and she said we'd walked 13+ miles that day by the time we'd gotten back home -- insane!

Today (June 2) is la Festa della Repubblica, which was the day that Italy decided to renounce their monarchic roots and become a republic.  We decided to celebrate by going shopping!  I bought a cute pair of white sandals at Zara that don't touch my toes at all so that my blister can hopefully start to heal faster.. and then Jessica and I went to the Ferrari store -- probably one of the coolest stores ever!  They had an old F1 car right inside the doors; badass! I even talked with one of the clerks about Michael Schumacher (for those of you who aren't F1 fans, he was my favorite Ferrari race car driver when I was a littler girl; he used to win just about everything) in Italian; my dad would've been so proud!

Well, I'm headed to bed because we have to get up early tomorrow to head to the beach!!! I can't wait! Buona notte tutti!

And now for the pictures...

This is the obelisk in the center of la Pizza del Poppolo.

Le Scalle Spagnole! I wish Andy could've seen these; I know how much he had wanted to!

This is the fountain in front of the Spanish Steps. One girl in our program, after seeing it, actually thought this was the Trevi Fountain, hahaha! Oh Dio...

Me in front of the Spanish Steps before we climbed our way to the top.

This is the gorgeous view of the city from the top of the Spanish Steps! Che belvedere! [What a beautiful view!]

I thought these were absolutely hilarious! Kevin, I was just kidding when I said I got you a jacket; this is what I really got you! haha

La Fontana di Trevi durante la notte; che bella! [The Trevi Fountain at night; how beautiful!]

Me in front of the Pantheon, pre-Gelato.

Jillian and I in front of the Pantheon!

MMMM, Gelato! The one just after the split in the glass, with the rose in it, is the rose gelato that Jessica recommended. It was delicious! I had never had anything like it.

My roommates, me, and the girls in the apartment next door with our gelati in front of the Pantheon.

Blurry, but can you tell I loved my rose gelato?

The fountain in the center of the piazza where the Pantheon is located.

GO HERE AND EAT GLI SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA!

This was on the wall where we were sitting during dinner. We all got a kick out of it. All the "U"s in Rome are "V"s.

Il Castello San Angelo at night on our walk back home. This is about five minutes from my apartment. I swear everywhere you go in this city you are spitting distance from another beautiful monument/building/church.

Jessica and I at the Scholar's Pub!

On our way to the Scholar's Pub this fountain was blocked off, and la polizia was having people walk around it because there was "a suspicious box in the fountain and they didn't know what was inside." However, on our way home everything had been taken care of (which was when I took the photo).

The group on the bridge with il Castello San Angelo in the background. We love walking around as a group late at night because the streets are so much less crowded, and it's the perfect time to get the best pictures because people aren't rudely walking in front of you.

Ta dah! Ferrari store! I tried to bring this home with me, but I think it's a bit more than my 70lb weight limit for the plane.. 

This is what Kevin had asked me to bring back for him; hopefully a picture will suffice.

"Invisible" man street performer.

A little piece of Texas in Rome.

Gladiators! You're technically supposed to pay to take their picture, but...

The Supreme Court. Maybe I'll have a case here someday..

Gorgeous view of the Tiber and the Vatican from one of the bridges.

This cracked me up. "Bunga Bunga" parties were Berlusconi's infamous sex/orgie parties.

We all got a kick out of this sign. But nobody could figure out what it meant.

Vittoria Emanuele/Piazza Venezia/the Wedding Cake Monument. This is the most recently constructed monument in Rome, which honors the first king of unified Italy, Vittorio Emanuele. Oddly enough, the Italians actually hate this monument.

Probably one of the hardest pictures to take because Via del Corso is so heavily populated and people wouldn't stop walking in front of us. Can you tell I'm tired from all the walking? haha