As per your request, please find enclosed... Rome.
And so, it begins.
Spring is apon us, ladies and gents, and brings with it warmer days, flowers, a young man's fancy turning to love, and... oh yeah... ROME!!! Yes, we've finally arrived, and learned much. Oh, not from classes, rest assured - they start tomorrow. No, I've learned a lot about walking until your feet fall off. I've learned a lot about what it means when a hotel says "Free wi-fi internet in rooms!". It means "There's some kinda signal floating around here, but hell if WE know what it is or how to work it!"
Hence why I've just walked a couple of blocks from my warm bed to an internet cafe to pay 2 euro an hour to post for you people. Of course, none of this would be a problem, but for one thing... I can't post pictures!!! I had a whole story planned out with my pictures, and now I can't share them!! It's very... VERY frustrating. I think, to ease my pain, I'll walk to some random bar and drink my sorrows away. And why?
Because I CAN.
That is, actually, the plan tonight. They only feed us monday - thursday, but give us 50 euro a week to pay for food the other days. All I can say to that is, thank GOODNESS for bank cards!!!
So, I will hold off telling y'all about how I've been spending my time, and instead give some insight as to the atmosphere.
1. Meals.
I will admit they are an improvement over Christendom food. Before you yell at me, Rand, they're feeding us at a different place than they were last semester. They start with a bitter salad, and at the risk of this turning into an editorial, WHERE is the ranch dressing in Italy?! Honestly, people, there's nothing wrong with a little FLAVOR in your healthy food!!!
Anyway, once you get past that, you get the main course, which of course changes from day to day. We're eating at a restaurant, so I guess it's the chef's special. So far, we've seen pasta and pizza... Oh, don't worry. Not Christendom pizza. GOOD pizza. CRUNCHY pizza. WHOLE pizzas! It makes my stomache smile... somehow...
THEN they serve desert. And I think they actually have it every night!! First, we had tiramisu, or however it's spelled. It's that coffee-rum-chococake thing. Anyway, it's swell. The next day we had chocolate moose, which was a little gamey.
*Pause for laughter*
Right, well, anyway, they also give us wine. It's pretty good... I'm not complaining, it's free. Only sometimes do I miss my suicides..
Did I just lose any of you? A suicide is a mix of all the sodas at a particular fountain.
2. Accomodations.
I believe I've already explained about my internet troubles... Power is a bit of a nuisance too, since the power converter I brought is supposedly just powerful enough to turn on a hair drier. I plugged my surge protector into it, and all the lights in my room turned off. And I smelled electricity.
...
Not to be outdone by a piss-ant plug, I tried again. With similar results.
After watching electricity shoot through the surge protector, I moped. A lot. Then, realizing that having a laptop without being able to use it is worse than having no laptop at all. So I closed my eyes, crossed my fingers, and went to plug in my computer directly.
I missed, so then I opened my eyes and tried again.
SUCCESS!!!!!
And so, I have my computer, which means I can store all my pictures and keep my camera charged. So yes, I HAVE pictures, just no way to SHOW you yet. They say they're working on getting the internet back up, but... well... we'll see.
As for the rooms themselves, they're pretty nice. Like a smaller Guardian Angel. All the beds are in one room, with closets, dressers, and desks. Then we have a bathroom with a shower just big enough for me to fit in without moving my arms at ALL. It makes things difficult somewhat, but I'll live. We also get a dining room and full kitchenette. And a mini-fridge! You could fit a whole six pack of be... soda in there! Which brings me to my next chapter...
3. Alchohol.
Ah... what can be said? I already told you about wine at meals... but believe it or not, that makes the provided meals LESS desirable. Why? Because I could go to the pizzeria down the street and get myself a beer! I already found the greatest beer in the world (Not just because it's 12% alchohol by volume, but because it's called "Du Demon"), and have many more to choose from! Like the former chapter, pictures can tell you much more on this subject, and will, once this option is available.
But this, like many good things, must be waited for. So, sit tight, my American friends! I'll be in touch!!
Ciao,
Hich
P.S. Crap... do I "Salva come bozza", or "Pubblica post"? I would think I should pubblica post, but I seem to recall the BLUE button on the left being the one to press... OK, I'm trying it. If my post is deleted, I may scream. Here's hoping.
Spring is apon us, ladies and gents, and brings with it warmer days, flowers, a young man's fancy turning to love, and... oh yeah... ROME!!! Yes, we've finally arrived, and learned much. Oh, not from classes, rest assured - they start tomorrow. No, I've learned a lot about walking until your feet fall off. I've learned a lot about what it means when a hotel says "Free wi-fi internet in rooms!". It means "There's some kinda signal floating around here, but hell if WE know what it is or how to work it!"
Hence why I've just walked a couple of blocks from my warm bed to an internet cafe to pay 2 euro an hour to post for you people. Of course, none of this would be a problem, but for one thing... I can't post pictures!!! I had a whole story planned out with my pictures, and now I can't share them!! It's very... VERY frustrating. I think, to ease my pain, I'll walk to some random bar and drink my sorrows away. And why?
Because I CAN.
That is, actually, the plan tonight. They only feed us monday - thursday, but give us 50 euro a week to pay for food the other days. All I can say to that is, thank GOODNESS for bank cards!!!
So, I will hold off telling y'all about how I've been spending my time, and instead give some insight as to the atmosphere.
1. Meals.
I will admit they are an improvement over Christendom food. Before you yell at me, Rand, they're feeding us at a different place than they were last semester. They start with a bitter salad, and at the risk of this turning into an editorial, WHERE is the ranch dressing in Italy?! Honestly, people, there's nothing wrong with a little FLAVOR in your healthy food!!!
Anyway, once you get past that, you get the main course, which of course changes from day to day. We're eating at a restaurant, so I guess it's the chef's special. So far, we've seen pasta and pizza... Oh, don't worry. Not Christendom pizza. GOOD pizza. CRUNCHY pizza. WHOLE pizzas! It makes my stomache smile... somehow...
THEN they serve desert. And I think they actually have it every night!! First, we had tiramisu, or however it's spelled. It's that coffee-rum-chococake thing. Anyway, it's swell. The next day we had chocolate moose, which was a little gamey.
*Pause for laughter*
Right, well, anyway, they also give us wine. It's pretty good... I'm not complaining, it's free. Only sometimes do I miss my suicides..
Did I just lose any of you? A suicide is a mix of all the sodas at a particular fountain.
2. Accomodations.
I believe I've already explained about my internet troubles... Power is a bit of a nuisance too, since the power converter I brought is supposedly just powerful enough to turn on a hair drier. I plugged my surge protector into it, and all the lights in my room turned off. And I smelled electricity.
...
Not to be outdone by a piss-ant plug, I tried again. With similar results.
After watching electricity shoot through the surge protector, I moped. A lot. Then, realizing that having a laptop without being able to use it is worse than having no laptop at all. So I closed my eyes, crossed my fingers, and went to plug in my computer directly.
I missed, so then I opened my eyes and tried again.
SUCCESS!!!!!
And so, I have my computer, which means I can store all my pictures and keep my camera charged. So yes, I HAVE pictures, just no way to SHOW you yet. They say they're working on getting the internet back up, but... well... we'll see.
As for the rooms themselves, they're pretty nice. Like a smaller Guardian Angel. All the beds are in one room, with closets, dressers, and desks. Then we have a bathroom with a shower just big enough for me to fit in without moving my arms at ALL. It makes things difficult somewhat, but I'll live. We also get a dining room and full kitchenette. And a mini-fridge! You could fit a whole six pack of be... soda in there! Which brings me to my next chapter...
3. Alchohol.
Ah... what can be said? I already told you about wine at meals... but believe it or not, that makes the provided meals LESS desirable. Why? Because I could go to the pizzeria down the street and get myself a beer! I already found the greatest beer in the world (Not just because it's 12% alchohol by volume, but because it's called "Du Demon"), and have many more to choose from! Like the former chapter, pictures can tell you much more on this subject, and will, once this option is available.
But this, like many good things, must be waited for. So, sit tight, my American friends! I'll be in touch!!
Ciao,
Hich
P.S. Crap... do I "Salva come bozza", or "Pubblica post"? I would think I should pubblica post, but I seem to recall the BLUE button on the left being the one to press... OK, I'm trying it. If my post is deleted, I may scream. Here's hoping.
posted by Scarcely Human at 6:50 AM
3 Comments:
Was their tiramisu as good as mine? It's okay if it was better, after all, they ARE Italians. What sights have you seen, other than pizza joints and bars?! Have you been to a bar? Did you go to a sports bar to watch the Superbowl at, like, midnight? Do you have curfew?
Hmm, what's going to here...Mike and Laura ARE engaged, and she showed me the ring. Very pretty! They're looking to buy a house in King George, which isn't far from Stafford. In other news...eh, you'll have to look at my lj to see, 'cause that's where I'm gonna post it. Can't wait until you can post pictures? At the internet cafe, you can't plug your computer in to somewhere? What about at some other place that has free wireless, like a coffee shop or something? Oh, do they have starbucks over there? I was just wondering how far their coffee hands will reach. Okay, should be doing homework. Write more soon!!!
Oh Hich, I pine for thee! Come back Hich! Come back Hich's sister! Oh wait, Hich's sister is here! Well that's it for that Strong Bad reference. It's good to hear from you, but the visual on the shower was a little disturbing. :P
Hitch;
Try Chimay if you can find it. Good Trappist beer, holy and tasty!
Say hello to Madre for me when next you see her.
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