In the beginning...

Rome, Rome...where to begin with the stories??? Well, maybe from the beginning itself. It's not incredibly exciting to anyone else I don't think, but to me it was the first step in an adventure beyond my imagination!

I arrived at the Fiumincino Airport at around 8:45 A.M. There were dozens of people wandering around, but I managed to find the customs area and get my first stamp on my newly acquired passport. I was so excited, but I didn't even know what to do from this point. I walked forward and to the right, finally noticing a money exchange. It wasn't until later that I realized how awful and exchange I received that morning.

I found a cart and picked up my bags. I remember that I wondered if I had packed too much or too little...I was staying for a month, and I had many books to carry, but it just seemed as though I had too many bags.

I lugged my way to the pick-up area to look for my ride. About two hours later, after trying the telephone unsuccessfully (I knew nothing of country codes at this point) and wandering about for a while, I approached a man who looked like he knew what he was doing.

I said, "Mi scusi. Parla L'inglese?"

He replied," Are you an American?"

It was at this moment that I realized he was one of the two people whom I had auditioned for so many months earlier. Mr. Welty showed me to the transportation van and we rode off into Rome.

There were many different characters on the ride to Domus Pacis Hotel. Mrs. Dodd, a woman whom I would later discover was an amazing professor of music, smiled and chatted with me about where I was from and how much fun I would have. Other girls, many younger than I am, chatted about home and how they couldn't wait to see our hotel. Our driver, a clarinet player from Australia named Roland, took a string from his rear-view mirror and held it in the air. A strange furry thing hung from its end. He told us that whoever guessed what it was would get a free meal on him.

Needless to say, none of us had a clue. It wound up being a kangaroo scrotum. I laughed whole-heartedly while several of the other girls writhed in their seats, disgusted at his joke. Mrs. Dodd shook her head and he said, "It's for good luck!"

I got my key, room 120, and lugged my baggage upstairs into a cool, plain room. My roommate had yet to arrive, so I decided I would take the bed closest to the bathroom and began unpacking. I tried to remain aware of the space available - was my roommate a light packer, or a heavy-duty one? How much room would she need? I took up half the armour and cupboard, and laid down to sleep for the first time in 28 hours.

Melissa knocked on the door about three hours later, a girl slightly taller than I am with long, curly red hair and smiling eyes. She had a strong southern accent and a huge smile to match. She thanked me for saving her so much space and began unpacking.

We talked for a while about who we were, where we were from, about her husband Shawn and how she adored him. I told her I envied her relationship, but that it must be wonderful to have such a happy life.

We went to the Operafest Orientation at around 4P.M. Louisa Panou was the main coordinator of events, a small Greek woman with a larger-than-life personality. Her husband, Mr. Welty, encouraged everyone to be friendly and courteous, to have fun and enjoy the program. We all had to introduce ourselves, and then we were left to our own devices to find dinner.

Melissa and I caught our first bus into town, the 98, and got off about two miles away from the Domus Pacis hotel where we were staying. We stood where we were for a moment, taking in the warm air, the smells of paninis nearby and admiring the architecture around us.

Then we had an American Tourist Moment.

We went into a small deli and ordered some paninis and water. We sat outside under a canopy and both of us were in awe of this beautiful structure in front of us. It was massive, barely peeking over a large wall but magnificent no less. We both agreed it was one of the most lovely things we had ever seen. I took out my map and realized suddenly that we were gazing upon St. Peters. We both blushed at our ignorance, finished eating and had our first gelato, which neither of us could finish, it was so rich!

We walked around for a little while, just getting the feel of where we were, and then headed back to the hotel to sleep.

waste-eeng time

Until music theory...bleh. I am soo tired.


"When Doves Cry" (by Prince)
How could you just leave me standing,
Alone in a world so cold?
Maybe you're just too demanding.
Maybe I'm just like my father--too bold.
Maybe you're just like my mother.
She's never satisfied.
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like,
When doves cry.


Which 80's Song Fits You?
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Honestly, I think Devo's "Working in a Coalmine" is much more appropriate for how I am feeling.

Mars was incredibly anticlimactic. Got home late from work, rode with wraptboy and bindrune to somewhere-near-Valley-View_Cinema, got out, decided it was cold and went home to pass out.

Got to school 45 minutes late. Only in my second week too! nice.

A giant black beetle-thing attacked a kid whom I sat with outside the cafeteria today. He fell backwards and half the people on the patio (???) clapped. I felt like I was standing in a John Cusak(sp) flick from the 80's.

Everything is retro.
Celine Dion has her own perfume.
The lady at the Walgreens cosmetic counter had, "never tried her."
best damn laugh in a millenium.OMG.

ah well. avoidance sucessful. Now to go and explain why I look like I "Crawled out of a grave."

fucknuggets amok.
three weeks until I go PT at work.
TFG.

wuddah-wuddah-hoo!