October Already!?

So as you can probably tell I have been a definite slacker on the blog updates. I guess when you are going and going it's kind of hard to sit down and take the time to write about all the great things you have been experiencing (Is this the 3rd person?)...but alas I have been here for a little over a month already.

Literally I feel like the three of us walked through the apartment door for the first time. I remember how relieved I felt that our apartment wasn't a little one room box with a 2hr commute to campus. The apartment has actually worked out extremely well so far. It's Mika, Julie, and I from Northeastern, and Steph, Gabby, and Melanie from Maryland. I share my room with Melanie and everything has been going great. Dishes are the only thing that creep up since we have six girls sharing a kitchen that was probably made for just one little Italian grandmother whipping up culinary delights.

So about school...I don't go to a real college. It feels really harsh saying this especially since this will be submitted to my study abroad adviser at the end of the semester (sorry Danielle!). AUR in my own personal opinion is a building that someone one day decided "Oh let's throw some stand alone desks, a couple projectors, a few computers...and PRESTO! A SCHOOL". It's not that I dislike it so much because at this point I think I'm one of the few people at Northeastern that still enjoy going to class a lot of the time. It's a 400 person school, which in itself is the major difference from NU, they just don't have the resource that we have back in Boston which is I think is the main reason a lot of us are having trouble adjusting. The professors are more than qualified...they just aren't the same as back home, but hey I guess that's what this whole "expanding your horizons" thing is all about :). I have my first research paper due on Thursday and let's just say the next two days are going to be interesting.

Also I have been missing Boston/ Saratoga like crazy this week. I think maybe some people can just cut the cord to back home. It's not that i'm homesick (anyone who knows me will probably think this is a lie, but I'm really not), it's just I miss all the conveniences of having that strong close-knit group of people to rely on. I love everyone here and have seriously been having one of the most amazing times of my life, but it's just not my crew. I think also having not been at school for Delta Zeta recruitment this week for so hard!! I'm such a recruitment nerd and not being able to meet the new girls is kind of rough. I'm sure we got the most amazing new members and I can't wait to be reunited with my amazing sisters this Spring.

This past weekend Emma (ILOVERMONT/roomie/smith biddy patrol) came to visit me in Rome! It was seriously so much fun and I think a much needed taste of home for the both of us. We had a crazy Thursday night as I went to the wrong airport to pick her up. Rome has two airports and most fly out of Fimucino...so being the airhead that I am I just automatically went to that one. WRONG. Our cell phones also won't work to call each other (such a fail). So after 2 hours, some skyping, and some amazing help from my roommates I found her, and I don't think I've been more excited to see someone than in that moment.

Friday we went to St. Peter's Sq., Basilica, and The Vatican Museum...which houses the Sistine Chapel. Everything there was unreal to see in person. I'm not very religious at all, I believe in something but I'm just not sure what yet. To see all the time and detail that went into everything, all the ornateness was just overwhelming. I took hundreds of pictures and was the ultimate tourist but I think it just doesn't matter to me anymore, when else will I ever be in Vatican city again? Later that night we drank a bottle of wine (or two) in Trastevere well catching up and watching the street performers. It was so nice to talk to Em, and it was a gorgeous night.

Saturday we did Rome 101. The Forum, Collesuem, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. Walking everywhere we ended the day with a beer at Scholars (the irish pub, yes I brought my roommate studying in Dublin to an Irish pub. fail.), to see our friends Evan and Jess from NU. It was so nice to catch up but kind of made me miss Boston even more. Around 1am we headed to the season opening of a new club Babel...which was actually inside of a Roman mall (so random). Stayed there until about 3am when I could no longer keep my eyes open.

Sunday we headed to the Ostia beach and layed out for a few hours by the Mediterranean Ocean. I don't think any day could have been a better relaxing ending to a crazy busy weekend. When we got back Sunday night I think we were both kind of feeling like zombies...so we just sat around the apartment, planning Emma's trip to meet me in Barcelona during my fall break :).

All in all I'm literally having the time of my life. I'm in Italy, traveling around Europe, spending my time amongst amazing people and doing things I never would have thought to try in Boston. I can't believe I have about 8 weeks left until my parents get here Dec. 10th. Once they arrive I will be traveling around with them for my last days of school. 8 weeks is nothing, and I want to make sure I do everything I can before then.

Ciao Ciao for now.