Exploring Rome

My life in Rome is starting to settle into a routine, but I still need to pinch myself to believe that I’m actually here! One of the highlights of my week was climbing to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica. There are 327 stairs, which for some reason didn’t seem daunting when I began…but I definitely started slowing down somewhere around the 150^th step. When I finally reached the top, the other tourists and I exchanged relieved and delighted smiles; the view was amazing and completely worth the climb.

This Tuesday the John Cabot RA’s organized a get together for all the students who live in apartments in our neighborhood, and we all had a lot of fun. The students and RAs all went out to a Chinese restaurant (I think some people needed a break from pasta) and later some of us went to Campo di Fiori, a piazza known for its vibrant nightlife with lots of restaurants, bars, shops and gelaterias. Today I had my first meeting for Italy Reads, a program that connects John Cabot students with local high schools; we discuss a novel with them, giving them an opportunity to practice their English with native English speakers. Since I’m considering teaching high school literature, this will be a fun and educational experience for me. Tonight we handed in our schedules, and I’ll be visiting my first school in a couple weeks. Ciao, till next week!