Cobblestones, Clouds, and the Colosseum

As I sit in my Roman living room while drinking tea on this drizzly Monday, I look out my window and cannot believe I am actually living in Rome. This is my fifth day and it has just begun to sink in. Although I have been here less than a week, I have begun to feel like a local.

My school and apartment are located in the Trastevere neighborhood. Trastevere is known for their abundance of restaurants, bars, and cafes. The few grocery stores and innumerable pizzerias and gelaterias makes saving money and eating at home a painstaking task. The area is what most people imagine when they picture Rome. Cobblestone roads, outdoor cafes, serpentine streets, and hidden churches. Luckily, I am walking distance to the Colosseum, Vatican City, Pantheon, and most tourist attractions which has made exploring easy.

Yesterday my roommates and I toured the Colosseum. The rain did not stop us from taking in its beauty. Standing in the lower ring and facing where hundreds of men died thousands of years ago left me awestruck. I felt so small compared to the beast of the building and yet connected to the people who spectated and died there. I found it interesting how the Ancient Rome’s gladiator fights were such a small part of the Colosseum’s history. Since the Middle Ages, the iconic arena has been repurposed dozens of times before becoming a modern tourist attraction.

Well, my tea has run out and the rain has stopped. My first few days have been a whirlwind of meeting classmates, getting by with minimal Italian, and unpacking. I’ll keep you updated on my next adventure here in Italia!

Don't you love my drenched hair in this picture?!

Me and my roommates, Kristen (middle) and Rosalina (right), at the Colosseum.

The Colosseum living her best life!

Okay last one of the Colosseum! I know you can google all of these angles, but these are better because I took them.

The view from my school's balcony.

Sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.