Roma Roma Roma

Hi there!

Sorry I haven't posted as regularly as I had planned....this first week has been so busy!

We've done all sorts of good things....visiting the sites of Ancient Rome, heading out to the beach, exploring our neighborhood and the neighborhood our school is in, taking in some nightlife, and yes....doing a bit of shopping. :)

Having the first week off before school starts is fantastic. We really have been able to explore and get to know the city before classes begin. The other day we explored Ancient Rome. We started at the Colosseum, then made our way through the Roman Forum. What amazing places. Not only are they impressive now, but what is more impressive is that people built these huge, magnificent structures thousands of years ago--without the help of heavy duty machinery or power tools! The history associated with each building is so interesting.

We also took another adventure this week...to the beach! It was a bit of a hike, but we managed to take the necessary three trains to Ostia, a town on the coast. After a brief walk, we found ourselves staring at the Mediterranean Sea....how wonderful! Though we started the day a little later than planned, the afternoon seaside was perfect--great weather, sunshine, sand, and warm water. Definitely no complaints!

Additionally, we enjoyed the best night here so far on Thursday. For the summer, many restaurants, bars, and small shops have set up smaller versions of themselves on the banks of the river, right in the middle of the city. Our study abroad coordinator here at JCU, Ricarda, told us about it and advised us to check it out. What a great time! We wandered a bit, then crossed a bridge to get to the island where we found the best places to hang out. There were only three or four bars on the island, but they had all set up comfortable chairs, blankets, and pillows for patrons to lounge on. Add those to great music, pretty lights, and a cool summer night and we had a recipe for success--on an island, in the Tiber, right in the middle of the Eternal City. It just couldn't have gotten much better. :)

Aside from these events, we have been doing a rather large amount of wandering, getting to know the areas of the city in which we live and go to school. The neighborhood that our apartments are in is nice--some cute shops and restaurants, and a short (like 15-20 minutes) walk from the Vatican City. The neighborhood our school is in, however, is fantastic. It's situated right on the river, and each time we turn a corner or look in a different direction we find a cute church, a fantastic restaurant or shop, a fountain, and many other interesting sites. The best view of the city is in the neighborhood too--just a short hike from the front doors of our school. It's quite perfect. :)

Anyway, I've come close to writing a novel today, so to avoid becoming too wordy and/or boring I think it might be in my best interest to sign off. I have taken some pictures and posted them on the web...you can check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/tiffanyreeser

I'm still learning how to use the blogger, so it might be a bit longer before I can actually put a picture or two on my blog. But...for now, please check out that site....and enjoy!

I hope all is well with everyone...I miss you and can't wait to hear from you! Talk to you soon!

Ciao!

P.S. It was necessary to blog in green today in honor of MSU's first game of the season. Go Green! And do a bit of tailgating for me! :)