I MET THE POPE TODAY!!!

OH MY GOSH! The Vatican was SO incredible. I MET THE POPE!

I woke up really early this morning to get ready for High Mass. I met Alex, Royce, Adam, and Daniel outside out apartments to walk to the bus stop (where we met up with Vicki and Stephen). We all got on the bus which took us straight to the Vatican. I was really tired until the bus passed right in front of St. Peter's Square. And then I started getting REALLY excited! It was so beautiful - I can't even find the words to describe how awesome it was to see St. Peter's in person!

Anyway, we got off the bus and walked to get cappuccinos since we were really early for High Mass. I'm getting addicted to the amazing Italian coffee, by the way. After cappuccinos and croissants, we headed back to St. Peter's and walked around a bit, taking pictures! It was so exciting. I can't even write about it without smiling.

We met up with KG (Dr. Karl Galinsky) and got through security really quickly. We all walked around taking pictures and admiring St. Peter's Basilica for about an hour before we lined up to get in for High Mass. Michaelangelo's Pieta is in St. Peter's Basilica - it was so awesome to see in person because it's one of my favorite pieces of sculpture. Oh, we also met up with Harvey and Barghav in the basilica. They had a bit of a bus mis-hap, but it got sorted out.

Mass (even though I couldn't understand all the words) was absolutely incredible. I loved watching the priests, bishops, and cardinals process in through the long nave of St. Peter's. It was such an amazing experience - and I plan on going to St. Peter's every Sunday until I leave Italia now. :)

After High Mass, we all went into St. Peter's Square where we waited for Pope Benedict to come out and say, "Hey, Ashley." Which he did, of course. Yeah, I got a personal shout-out from Benny himself. OK, not really. But pretty much, he waved to me. And blessed me. So, I think that's practically the same.

After getting blessed from the POPE!, KG took us all out to lunch at a nearby ristorante. It was absolutely delicious - and free lunch is always good lunch. :) It was really sweet of KG to take us all out (Thanks again, KG!).

After lunch, Alex and I went back to St. Peter's to mail our postcards. Unfortunately, we needed stamps, and we couldn't figure out how to use the machines to buy stamps. We tried all the buttons and levers - we even prayed that it would work - but we had no luck. She and I are going back on Friday (no class, YAY), so we're going to get postcards mailed then.

Then, Alex and I walked around the area for a bit, got some gelato, and took a bus back to our apartments. We ran into Linda (a woman from the AIRC) who told us that we could come to the AIRC to study for our exams tomorrow. Which was really sweet.

Now, Alex and I are going to be productive... soon. :)

This is what happened before I met the POPE since my last post...

On Saturday evening, Alex and I went to go get some pizza by a place near the AIRC. We took it to the Trevi Fountain and ate while people-watching. It was really relaxing and hilarious to see how touristy some people were being.

Then, we headed to the grocery store to get some lunch supplies for the week. The lady in front of me in the check-out line spilled her bleach over EVERYTHING (including her fruit) and it was really sad. But the guy scanning items didn't make her pay for it, so that's good. Anyway, when we got back to the apartments, I climbed up the insanely steep three flights of stairs to get to my apartment.

There, I worked on papers with Shyam, Apu, Ishanee, and Meagan in our apartment for a bit. The apartment started getting REALLY hot (yay for Rome summers), so Shyam, Meagan, and I went to go get some gelato around 11. We got a little lost on the way to find this new place, but it was worth it because a guidebook told us that that gelateria was JP2's favorite in all of Rome. It was really, really crowded, but the gelato was really good!

When we got back, I headed to bed so I could wake up early (720 AM!) to go to the Vatican! Which was amazing!

My life is officially complete, having met Pope Benny. :)

Ciao,
Ashley

PS - I'm in love with Italia today.

Gay Pride Parade

There's a Gay Pride Parade happening right outside the AIRC right now... So the group is getting some free Lady Gaga music. :)

Hey y'all -

Thursday evening, we headed back to the apartments after a midterm review session. A bunch of us hung out in the boys' apartment, trying to read for class and listening to music. I got all caught up on the reading, which is good news because I've been able to relax this weekend!

Early Friday morning, we met Albert at the EUR Fermi metro stop to see a museum that Mussolini put together to exhibit the greatness of Roma. It was an interesting museum, but I'm not a huge fan of Fascist architecture, so I was glad when we moved on. After that, Albert took us to another museum where we saw the opus sectie, a room of reconstructed mosaic walls/floors/ceiling. It was really beautiful.

Then, we took the metro and got lunch in a park somewhere closer to the heart of Roma. (We also got our papers from the first week back. It's a relief to know the expectations of the class now. Only two more papers and tests for each class left!) After lunch, Dr. Galinsky took us to meet Darius at a museum that had been previously used as a power plant. Now, statues and other pieces from the Capitoline Museum are exhibited there. It was really cool. Alex, Ishanee, and I went around the museum taking pictures posing like the statues. Some pretty ridiculous pictures should be on Facebook soon. :)

After the museums, we headed back to the AIRC to use the internet before heading back to the apartments. We got ready to go out and then went to go get some DELICIOUS pizza! (And gelato.) After dinner, we headed back to the apartments to hang out for a bit before going out. Last night was really fun - it's always nice to bond with people outside of the class environment.

We headed to bed (really) tired when we got home. I was really ready to sleep by the time we got home.

Today, I woke up around 11. Perfect day to sleep in because it finally got really hot in Roma! I wrote one of my papers that is due on Wednesday in about an hour - it's nice to have one draft out of the way. :) Because Paolo and Adam are coming to visit on Tuesday! I'm really excited to see those boys (from LOA, for those of you who don't know them).

I got showered and started some laundry. Then, I finished Slumdog Millionaire (such a good movie) and relaxed and played games for a while.

Then, we all headed to the AIRC (where I am now) for another review session for Midterms on Monday.

I did some more research for my papers due Wednesday, and now I'm just catching up on the internet before we leave.

Alex and I are going to get some pizza and do some grocery shopping.

Tonight, a few of us might be going out to try a club near our apartments - we'll see! :)

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Ciao,
Ashley

PS - Vatican High Mass tomorrow! :) Yay!

Capitoline Museum - Constantine's big head!!

Hey beautiful people -

Yesterday, we went back to the apartments in the early afternoon, where I worked on one of my papers due Wednesday for just a little bit. The outline is almost done, so that's good. Also, I'm all caught up on my reading for class which is a relief. There's so much art/architecture/cultural history in Roma, and so much written about all of it! Which is good, mostly. Except when it's a beautiful day in Roma, and we want to go outside and play instead of read.

Anyway, after working for a little bit, I sat in my bed and watched the first half of "Slumdog Millionaire." It's really good so far - but not something I could watch right before going to bed. There are some really, really graphic scenes. Gross.

Then, I went to eat some Chinese food with Alex, Shyam, Apu, Ishanee, Adam, and Royce. The food was pretty good, but our waiter was really grumpy. We weren't really sure why he was so grumpy, but, eventually, (by speaking English, Italian, and Chinese) we got everything figured out. After dinner, Alex, Adam, Royce, and I stopped to get some gelato at a place near our apartment. By the way, I really need to stop eating gelato every day. It's delicious, but seriously. The group has justified all of our gelato eating by saying that we walk off whatever weight we would gain every day anyway. Which is probably true. But, a group just went to go get some gelato, and I was strong enough to say no. Plus, I miss the internet and I wanted to stay here at the AIRC and be productive.

After gelato last night, I played Phase 10 with Shyam, Alex, Apu, and Ishanee at the boys' apartment. It was really fun, and we played through all ten phases (which hardly ever happens... the game takes so long!). Oh, and I won. Yay!

After Phase 10, we headed back to our apartment, took showers, did some reading, and went to bed.

This morning, we had a reorientation at our apartments so we could learn what to do when our water/electricity doesn't work. (There have been some issues, but our apartment has been good for about a week.)

Then, we headed to the AIRC to drop off our computers. After that, we headed out to the Capitoline Museum. The biggest highlight from that museum is the colossal head of Constantine. (Also, there is that big right hand that is pointing to the sky.) It was pretty cool, and the group got a picture next to it, so it was cool!

After going around the museum for a few hours, we went to lunch. I had a tuna sandwich and some pineapple, and it was delicious!

After lunch, Meagan did her presentation on life expectancy in Roma, and then we went to go see a temple of Saturn/Jupiter/some other deity and the Theater of Marcellus. I love my classes, because now I can just walk around Roma and know what almost all of the building are. It's pretty sweet. :)

Then, Meagan, Alex, David, and I went to go see the Mouth of Truth. According to legend, if you put your hand in the mouth, the mouth will close and eat your hand if you are dishonest person. Luckily, the mouth didn't close and eat my hand. That would have been quite a catastrophe. But, on the other hand, I would have been all over the news and quite popular! :) Oh, except then I would be famous as a dishonest person. No good.

After getting pictures with the Mouth of Truth, we headed back to the AIRC. Now, we are just using internet (being semi-productive) before our classes this afternoon.

We have class until 7, and then Alex and I are going to try a pizza place right next door for dinner.

I'm gonna go and try to get some reading done!

Ciao,
Ashley

PS - Mass at St. Peter's in less than three days! :)

Still not being productive...

Sorry for all the posts, but I just wanted to let y'all know something.

Now, at the bottom of my page, there are links to some of my fellow Plan II Roma 2009 students' blogs.

Ciao!

So productive...

So, instead of being productive and working on my papers and project and reading for class, I've been talking to people in my program and looking at Facebook for a few hours... Oh, well!

I'm in Roma, after all.

:)

Time to start researching Isis.

The Death March

Hey y'all -

Yesterday afternoon, I was really productive! I got a LOT of reading done, and wrote a ton of postcards that I'll be able to email out when I go to THE VATICAN FOR MASS this Sunday! :) (I'm a little excited, in case you can't tell...)

Anyway, most of the people in my program took naps in the afternoon, but I needed to catch up on reading. Not many other people seem to think that reading is that important, but we have our midterms on Monday, so I want to have most of it done by this weekend.

After doing a few hours of reading, Meagan (one of my roommates) and I cooked some bow-tie pasta with pesto, and it was delicious. We hung out with our other roommates (Apu and Ishanee) and Shyam for a bit. Then, I decided to go to the Internet Spot close to our apartments to check email and get a few addresses that I needed for postcards.

After spending about 20 minutes there, I headed back to our apartment. Then, Shyam, Meagan, Apu, Ishanee, Chris, and I decided to go get some gelato. OK, this is really exciting, so read closely! :) We decided to try a new place that has ONE HUNDRED flavors... it's near the Pantheon. (The gelato wasn't that great, but the experience was awesome.) So, in order to get to this gelato place, we have to walk past the Trevi Fountain and then past the Pantheon. When we were passing the Trevi Fountain, Chris stopped abruptly, and the rest of us were really confused. He is staring at this lady who is leaning over and blowing bubbles with her kid. She stands up and it's DEBRA MESSING. She was so beautiful, and she wasn't even trying. Anyway, she laughed and smiled at us, and Chris said that she was his hero, and it was really cute. Then, we continued walking, freaking out about how cool she is. It was awesome. :)

After getting gelato from the magical gelateria with 100 flavors, we looked for her when we were passing the Trevi Fountain on the way home. Unfortunately, she had either already left or saw us and decided to hide from the crazy American starstruck tourists.

When we got home, we played some Phase 10 (best card game ever) for a bit with Royce and Alex. Then, we headed to bed.

I woke up around 8 today, and met Alex, Meagan, and Chris for a morning cappuccino. Then, we had another class with Albert. We had been told from last year's program that this specific lesson was a true "Death March." I was full of coffee and caffeine, so I was really excited about this "Death March." Since I haven't been swimming, I really need to find another outlet for all of my extra energy... Anyway, the group hiked with Albert to the top of one of the many Roman hills and listened to him talk about geology for about an hour. Honestly, right now, I'm contemplating becoming a geologist. :) The material is so INTERESTING! Also, volcanoes are scary.

Anyway, after listening to his lecture, we started the notorious "Death March" that ended up being more of a "Death Stroll" up and down a lot of hills. It was interesting to see how the city had changed over the past centuries, and even more amazing now that we understood how those changes came about.

After class (we ended at about noon), I headed to a Catholic church right across from the AIRC to have some "Ashley and God" time. (I know I keep saying this, but being Catholic in Roma is incredible.)

Now, I'm at the AIRC with Shyam and Meagan, where we're going to eat lunch and then get some work done on our papers for next week (yay for being productive).

Tonight, we'll probably play more games and have another Taylor Swift singalong. :)

Oh, and there was talk about going to get Chinese for dinner. I'll let y'all know how good the Italians are at making Chinese...

I'm still having a blast - I hope everyone else is having a great summer!!

Ciao,
Ashley