Adjustments

This is the first week that I have started to feel the culture shock that Ana prepared all of the study abroad students for. I find myself missing the ease of having a dinning hall available almost all hours, or being at home with a fully stocked kitchen, with all the utensils/equipment that I need to cook. Just a bit of frustration with "living on my own," but not unmanageable.

Classes also started this week. I am registered for five classes: ITL 102 - Intermediate Italian Two, ECPO 204 - Introduction to the European Union, IARE 302 - Islam and Politics, IA 200 - International Relations: Theories and Cases, and IA 360 - Special Topic: Model UN. Originally the last two classes I wasn't registered for, but I switched into them after attending my Ethics and Global Policies class, which seemed like the intro to ethics class that I've already taken, and the All Roads Lead to Rome religion class, which I found out was a course taught by SEVEN different University of Miami teachers, who flew out to teach this course in Rome. I didn't think having a different teacher every other week was going to help with the adjustment, so I transferred out of it.

I'm excited about all of my classes now, but I am most excited for the Model UN class. The class is required to attend a MUN conference, and the teacher (who's last job was working with the UN World Food Program, as the Country Director and Representative in Ethiopia and Mozambique) has chosen the conference in The Hague, Netherlands, in April. I have wanted to attend a MUN since I was in middle school and one of my classes attended the International Day of Peace in 2007 at the UN Headquarters in NYC. In the MUN, I will be a member of the General Assembly, a member of the Human Rights Committee, or a member of the Environmental Committee. I'm not sure which one I'll pick just yet, as I don't know what country I will be representing.

My Islam and Politics class is making me wish that I hadn't rented the book we used in World History II last year, Destiny Disrupted. I remember all the general information when my professor is lecturing, but not exact details. Maybe there's a kindle version. And my Intro to the EU class is really fast paced but so far very good. I've been told by AUR students that most resident students wait until their senior year to take macro economics, because it's only taught by him. But they also said that he's a good teacher, as long as you come prepared and are willing to work. So it should be a fun, challenging course.

The view from the rooftop terrace of the American University of Rome 

The zoom on my camera is amazing. The tallest tower is the Santa Francesca Romana Church, about 4 kilometers away.

The Wedding Cake, or Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland)

Oh, one last thing. Just when I thought I had my main bus route to and from school down, I'm proven wrong. I take bus 44 both ways, and it's nine stops to school and ten on the way back. I was riding back to the apartment, and had gotten off to go to Todis, a supermarcato on the bus route. When I got back on, I was standing near two school children who were talking, and I was listening, to see if I could recognize any of the words that these children were saying. I was so focused on how much larger their vocabulary was from mine, that I didn't notice that we went right by the stop I'm supposed to get off the bus. I didn't even notice until the bus was turning off the street, which doesn't happen before my stop. So I got off and looked at the sign, and the bus had gone seven or eight stops before I realized it. Luckily, I was able to find my way back, but it was a bit nerve wracking as I was by myself, and in an area I haven't been in before, without internet or a phone. Always a blast. But at least my life is interesting.

Until next time!