My Roman Holiday, Part 1

So, with our grand return home coming up within the next ten days (woo hoo!), I know that I will be continually asked the same few questions by everyone: Do you love Rome? Do you want to go back? Do you think you'll end up in Italy? Don't you miss your family? How is your mother dealing with this?

But above all, I always have to explain to people that my life here is probably very different than they assume it is. No, I don't come straight out of the film Roman Holiday. My own version isn't sitting at a cafè across from the Pantheon or eating gelato on the Spanish Steps (it also isn't passing out in front of the Colosseum and having strange men find me and take me home, even if they are Gregory Peck). No, my friends. My life is a little less Hollywood, believe it or not. Allow me to show you through my series of posts that reveal what life in Rome really is... not what some rich study-abroad will tell you.

So Part 1 begins with the excitement coursing through my veins as we speak... EURO 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay... honestly, I've always wanted to move to Italy, right? But the extra and final push I needed was winning the World Cup 2006. It truly was one of the greatest moments of my life because it finalized my decision to get the heck out of Fordham and start a new life in my big beautiful Italian bubble. I also promised myself that I would never miss something this big again, because although it was amazing to watch that moment with my family, literally a half-hour later I was on the road to Pennsylvania to yet another location that couldn't care less about the World Cup or calcio for that matter.

So here I am, in Italy for Euro 2008. Today is the first match for Italy against Holland. I'll be working all night but we always keep the game on. Let's pray for a victorious Italy, because even though I go home for 3 weeks, I'll be in Rome for the final... Italy MUST be in this final. I look forward to doing this:


EDIT: Just realized that I actually wont be in Italy for the final. Which means that I moved here for nothing. At least I'll be with Uncle Steve.

New Life!

Let's start with Graduation. I went to the AUR graduation this year because a lot of my good friends were graduating... specifically my friend Cortney (see above, Cortney, Freya). The graduation ceremony was held not to far from the school itself at Villa Aurelia.

I don't think you understand. This is a large manicured garden with fountains and a huge beautiful villa overlooking the entire city of Rome:



This is the view from the top... first off, look at my amazing colorful city! You don't see this kind of color in New York, that's for sure. I was swooning the whole time. The ceremony itself was incredible and short. At most, 40 kids graduate a year, making the whole experience that much more intimate. It wasn't like that huge anonymous ceremony we had to sit through for Stef's graduation at Fordham. It was quiet. We sang both the Italian and American National Anthem's. I cried during both of them.

Then comes the reception. Okay, maybe I'm not used to the high life, but it definitely felt nice to have a glass of prosecco in a lovely garden while we are all nicely dressed and mingling with teachers and family and friends.

(Freya, me, Alison, Rita)

So now, I cannot wait to graduate. Not only for the party, but because graduating from AUR isn't going to be like my stupid high school graduation, which for me wasn't much of an accomplishment at all. Also, if you plan on coming to visit, plan for May 2009 so that you can enjoy the free prosecco with me!

Okay. More on life. I got sent home from work two days ago because I was feeling nauseous and sick. I realized that most of it was just do to tension headaches I've been getting as a result of working too darn much (I thought the stress would be over after school) but also because I haven't been doing anything productive. Right now I'm sending out my CV and contacting anyone who will listen because I want to start giving tours. This little art-loving fiend wasn't cut out for the restaurant business... I'm really tired of rude Italians and having dirty fingernails all the time. Also, I'm quite sick of the harassment and I think it's best to get out of the situation before I start breaking necks. I love the people I work with, but they seem so miserable. They all work every single day and this has become their career. That may be fine for some people, but I need to be telling the world about the Sistine Chapel and making people appreciate modern art for the first time at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna.

So hopefully by the time I come back to Rome from the states I'll have a new job. One where I get to wear dresses and talk about art. There is nothing that would make me happier.

Okay, that's my life so far! I'm going to go see the Mirò exhibit and then give my friend a haircut before work. Yay!

This little girl has a few things on her mind.

Let's start with the good: I cannot stop listening to Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: Allegretto. I think it is the greatest piece of music I've ever heard in my life and it makes me want to lie on the floor and stare at the ceiling every time I hear it (that's a positive thing, I swear).

Now on to the heavy... for my final project in my Van Gogh to Warhol class, we had to create a mock exhibition with a specific theme. I chose the psychological effects of artists as a result of war and violence. It is titled The Eve of Destruction after the P.F Sloan song, made famous by Barry McGuire. My gosh, the words of the song are enough to kill you. Then you have McGuire's raspy voice pleading with the listener to wake the hell up to what's going on around. Yes, it was written in the 1960s, but are we not still on the eve of destruction?

So actually, I am sitting here, writing my paper and listening to this song, looking at images of Picasso's Guernica and Kirchner's Artillerymen and crying my eyeballs out. I'm laughing as well, because what was supposed to be an easy assignment has turned into this monumental thing. Oh gosh.

I still have 4 more papers to write before this day is up. I have to work at 5. Can she do it?

Probably not, but what the hey.

The taste of freedom!

So here it is. I finished my last final this morning. I still have a few papers to write, but when that is over, so is all of the crap.

I changed my work schedule. I will be working more, but I am working nights only, five to be exact. So I'll be making more money, but I am not a waitress anymore. Get this... I'M A BARISTA! Yes my friends, I am working behind the bar, frothing perfect cappuccini and making beautiful desserts. I'm so happy to not be running around anymore cleaning up after people. And yes, five nights of my week are dedicated to work, but I have Friday and Sunday off completely, and I have all day to go to museums and galleries. I can do everything I want!

And I'll be making enough money to save a little for a couple of trips or to buy a keyboard. I'm thrilled. I have a full list of wonderful things I'll be doing this summer including: learning French, reading at least 30 books, bellydancing/yoga, painting constantly, finding a new Italian boy with a motorino (now accepting applications...)...

There is much more, but my feet hurt to much to go get my list.

Anyway, I'm going to shower and then sleep really hard. It is nearly 3, I just ate my dinner, and I still have to wake up tomorrow and do things. Oh summer, you are so close!

Me and Steffi standing in front of my paintings... this picture is too small to do it justice. You gotta see the brush strokes, kids! More pictures soon!

If I wanted to listen to crappy Italian music all day...

...I would just turn on the radio.

But here it is, May 1st, the day of our Lord. Or really just the festa dei lavoratori. Let's not even get into the implications of this (Italians working? Wait, when did this happen?).

Right across the piazza, *my* piazza, there is a huge concert that happens every year on this day, so we were able to hear them setting up and doing sound-checks all day yesterday, and today has been non-stop music all day. Okay, I cannot say that all of it is bad. They had some jazz group play and that I enjoyed, but everything else has been pretty annoying.

I worked today though, because I have a presentation and a class tomorrow. So I was at the restaurant and there was a parade going on in front and a ton of people inside. What can I do?

I've pretty much been dying lately for a few reasons... mostly school related. Also the love-life is in a bit of a crisis because I feel like I haven't had any time to bounce back from a really stupid break-up. But soon and very soon, May 8th to be exact, my life will be handed back to me on a silver platter. No more teachers, no more books... well, actually, plenty of books because I love those, but only fun ones like Life With Picasso and This is Not a Pipe. Art is my life, no?

I just had another art show for my painting class. I'll put up some pictures soon when I get a chance to take them. Also, I'm in the middle of a search for a job as a tour guide. I'd much rather be getting paid for exploring one of my passions instead of mopping up spaghetti sauce and taking orders from a Turkish slave driver.

My loves, everything is good and lovely and soon to be gooder and lovelier. Yes, I said gooder, because I can do whatever I want.

The weather is stunning every day. Soon to be enjoyed by yours truly.

Well, a lot has changed...

...I have only three weeks of school left, so all of the work I've put off until the last minute... well, let's just say it's the last minute. Umm, I'm single again and on the prowl (KIDDING MOM!)... long story. Things are okay though. It's springtime and the sun and pretty Italian boys are out.

My apartment smells like turpentine and basil... I'm painting a masterpiece and we just got a new basil plant. There ya go.

Work, good. Stef, good. School, busy. Social life, non existent for a while. Love life, stupid. Health, good. Finances, good.

Four out of seven. Majority rules. Life is still good.