in lieu of a real post, a few pictures

So I finally got a chance to add my pictures to the computer and since I am really, really tired today I thought I would just post a few pictures and leave it to that... The cat above is the one picture I took at the hostel. It was a nice enough place but not really picturesque in the grand scheme of things.


This is the Ponte Sisto, a famous foot bridge that leads to Trastevere












This is the daily market at the Campo dei Fiori (the location of the UW Rome Center)

damn, my feet are tired

It's my final day at the hostel before I move into the apartment and I will be very glad to have a more homey home base. The hostel is nice and all but there is no privacy and it's hard to just kick back and relax. I've been spending a lot of time wandering about. In general I leave the hostel about 9:30-10 and take a walk without a real plan of where to go. It's really nice in the morning here because no one is on the streets and you feel like you have the entire city to yourself. By noon the streets fill with Romans and tourists and things get a little hectic. Usually I've been returning to the hostel around 2-3 pm because my feet just can't take it anymore. All I can say is that I am so glad that I have months to explore this place because my feet cannot take the tourist lifestyle.
So far I have been to many, many churches. They are nice because not only are they beautiful but you can take a load off and just sit for awhile. I've gotten lost everyday and churches have really been my saving grace (pun intended). I can sit, look at my map and figure everything out and realize just how turned around I am.
Right now I am sitting in an internet bar in Trastevere. The bar is cave-like which I am kind of digging right now. I was going to try to find some lunch but gave up and am having beer instead. Everything feels better with a bit of beer in hand. I've had some amazing food, but I am still a little intimidated by going into a busy restaurant by myself and trying to order food. Most of my meals have been with my professors but I need to get over myself and quit being afraid of looking silly in a restaurant. At least I speak english, which a lot of Romans speak as well. I was at the Forum today and sat next to some Indian tourists and I thought about how hard it must be to not know the language and have to struggle along.
There is a cute little boy flirting with me in this bar (yay! kids in bars) and it's really perking me up. I'm so glad I'm here but I have to admit that it's a little overwhelming sometimes. I'm hoping I'll feel more settled with my own space. Supposedly Via del Serpenti (where my apartment is) is a really nice neighborhood. I hope not too nice, I do crave cheap food and seedy bars. I think that's it for now... time to chill and maybe get some food.

I have arrived!!!

I'm in Rome! It is so amazing and beautiful here and I just don't know where to start.

My flights were completely uneventful, but I have to say Heathrow has a really weird set up. When the plane landed we were let off onto a bus which took us to the terminal. I don't know if Terminal 5 is still a work in progress but it was really weird. My flight to Rome was only 2-3 hours and I slept through most of it because I didn't really sleep on my long-ass flight from Seattle to Heathrow. In comparison to Heathrow the airport in Rome seemed kinda ghetto. Heathrow had a bazillion fancy shops and everything looked brand new and shiny. Fiumincino was kinda dingy and worn down by comparison.
All my fears about my debit card not working were unfounded. I was able to get money for my taxi fare and hostel pretty easily although I do seem to have a 200 EU limit on how much I can take out. The drive in was crazy.... everything they say about Italian drivers is true. That guy drove fast!!!
I was completely lost the entire drive in and was a little nervous when he pulled up to a deserted street. But I found the door to my hostel, they rung me in and all was well. I was so exhausted when I arrived that I thought about going straight to bed (it was about 7pm) but decided I needed to eat something first. The nice desk lady gave me directions to a closeby food place where I got a pizza like thing on foccaccia with prosciutto and cheese. It was basic but good and even though I tried to order in my extremely limited Italian, the girl behind the counter answered in English and saved me from embarrasing myself. I really hope I pick it up quickly because there is so much going on around me and I want to follow it all.
I came back to the hostel and crashed pretty quickly after that. I have two Spanish girls in the room with me who seem to understand English but aren't too talkative. I woke up in the middle of the night and it was so dark in my room I was afraid that if I got up I wouldn't be able to find the door. So I just laid there and eventually fell back asleep.
Breakfast was basic but with good, strong coffee. The women at the hostel (it's women only and in a 17th century convent) seem to be half Italian and half from elsewhere. I have to admit it was nice to hear some English. It made me feel a little less isolated.
I have no real plan for the day today (my birthday) except to wander around and try not to get too lost. Tonight I will go out for dinner with my professors. Hopefully I'll finally experience some quintessiential Italian food.
I've been taking pictures but I don't think I'll post them until I move into my apartment on Monday... until then!