Pause. STOP. Rewind. PLAY.

Allora.....

where did I last leave off? Hmmm I suppose I should rewind till about two weeks ago- with the start and completion of my first project a la Rome. At the commencement of the project I didn't know if I could scrap together enough concentration and motivation to actually "work" on homework while in Europe.

In my mind this continent comes fully assembled, in a nice little package complete with rather detailed and completely mandatory directions:

1- walk till your feet are about to fall off... you can rest when your dead, right now keep walking NO complaining

2-visit every historical site, church and cathedral between where you are standing and the Arctic Ocean... there are NO excuses

3-meet people.... people were made for talking to- and now is the time to do it! Plus if you completely embarrass yourself whats the chance you'll ever see them again?

4- enjoy a few nice glasses of wine- the Italians especially have been making it for thousands of years- its likely they have gotten pretty good at it

5- live life to the fullest... don't miss out on anything if you can help it- you only have so long to acquire the best life stories.... and letting you in on a little secret "so long" is never EVER long enough.

.... and those are only the first page :P

However moving here switched things up a bit. Chores and responsibilities that had never, in the short term, been important had suddenly, in long term , developed as necessary for coexisting harmoniously in a civilized world. Who would have thought it was so important and necessary to accept and complete such things as:

• laundry (you can avoid it... but once people start avoiding you... due mostly to stench- just fess up and pay the 2 euro),
• learning how to cook food that will keep you nourished (alas Fanta and chips won't accomplish this :( i know its unfortunate)
• Stair climbing/ coming to terms with the fact that you will be breathless walking up up up up up and up the spiraling stairs to the apartment two or four times a day, everyday...... for 120 days
• Quick... and cold showers- It has become an accepted fact of life that unless you time it perfectly and side shoulder your neighbor out of your way. You wont be enjoying a hot shower.... for the next 120 days....
• Near death experiences- AKA the fact that you will have to battle an on-slaught of cars and even worse- killer Scooters for the right to cross Corso Victor Emannuel... or any Via for that matter
• and Finally, but by no means any less difficult to deal with the fact that homework, projects and studio did some how manage to sneak into your luggage and follow you even to the other side of the world-

Picture Caption-
(Top- leaving on the Boston-Roma express way!!!)
Bottom- Santa Agnese- out the window of our apartment- sometimes the hike is worth the view :P)