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Published: August 5th 2008
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Well, Lauren’s last weekend here in Roma has come and gone. We’re sad. I can’t believe it’s been more than 4 months since we came here. It seems like just yesterday Lauren and I were anxiously awaiting for our plan to take off and leave Philly for our dream of living in bella Roma if even just for a few months. But looking back on our experience, it feels like it was ages ago that we were sitting in class with our sweaters and jackets learning the ins and outs of teaching English. Now, we’re sweating to death in 95 degree heat and humidity wondering if there is a record for the amount of mosquito bites one could actually have. We’ve been through a lot these past four months…all of us have been. And we all grew to be really great friends. It will be really weird not having Lauren around after all the memories we have in just a few short months.
Saturday night, the four of us girls (Heather, Debbie, Lauren and myself) all went out to Coyote with Davide, Stefano, and Lauren’s friend, Jo-Jo who was visiting for the week. We all had a good time, all of us together for one last time. I guess it was somewhat fitting that we went to Coyote for the last weekend that we were all together. And today, Heather and I met Lauren in Campo dei Fiori for lunch at Magnolia…again, this was fitting since Campo was our original nightly hang out since the beginning of our time here in Rome. Before I get too sad, I’ll just say that it’s becoming real now. I’m making VERY good friends here, and saying goodbye to any of these people is hard. I thought it was difficult saying goodbye to friends after I graduated college, but this is worse. Maybe it’s the distance from friends, family and home that makes it so difficult. My family isn’t here with me, and while they can NEVER be replaced, this little group of friends here is the closest thing I have to a family right now. We go through all our ups and downs and crazy experiences together. In college, I knew I was only a 3.5 hour drive from my family. Here I’m a $1000 8 hour plan ride away. It’s a lot more difficult. I love these girls (and guys) and saying goodbye to any one of them isn’t fun.
On a lighter note, Heather and I went to Ikea on Sunday. I am soooooo mad I forgot my camera at home. Let me tell you about this experience. We first had to take a bus to the metro stop. Then we took the metro to the end of the line and then had to take a bus. Well, the bus left us off like 3000 meters away from the store. But that’s not the bad part really. The bus stop was seriously on the side of the highway next to a huge empty field/farm. It was the craziest thing. I didn’t feel like I was in Rome, but I suddenly felt as if someone randomly left us on the side of a highway in the middle of Iowa where there was no real signs of life. We were the only people, with the exception of a few cars passing us looking at us as if we were crazy (they’re probably right about that). After we got to Ikea we realized there was a bus stop going in the opposite direction, directly outside of Ikea. So, at least the return trip wasn’t all that bad. Definitely interesting.
Today I realized that I’m starting to turn into a huge stronza like many of the Romans. I was on the metro and completely ignored the fact that there was a middle-aged woman standing in front of me while I was sitting. I didn’t really think to get up and give her my seat. In my defense, there were two guys, close to my age, that also did not offer her a seat. Then a guy with a deformed leg came onto the metro begging for money. He looked directly at me and I just turned my head. I’m sorry you have a deformed leg, but don’t make me feel guilty for not giving you money because of it. The good-looking guy next to me gave him some money though. Then a woman with a baby in a stroller came on the metro. Again, I just wasn’t thinking to give up my seat. I’m becoming so de-sensitized suddenly. If the good-looking guy (who was standing) didn’t already think I was a huge stronza for the first two acts, well I’m sure he thought so after the stroller incident. I need to pay better attention to being kind to people. Maybe some of the polite manners will rub off on some of these people. I doubt it. I’m pretty sure that only the Italians from the south have any manners. I know we were all raised knowing that we should respect our elders, and young men should give up their seats to women on the bus and metro. I don’t expect anyone to give up their seat to me, but if there is an elderly woman, or even a middle-aged woman, yeah stand up.
Would you like to know some popular songs here in Rome for the summer? Here are some of my favorites:
- Shining Star (Gianluca Motta Remix) - Get Far
- World Hold On - Bob Sinclair
- Disco Lies - Moby
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Rob
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just admit it, you forgot your manners because you were day dreaming about the good-looking guy. youre not fooling anyone!