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When I found out that there was the opportunity to go to Rome I jumped at the chance because Italy has always been a place I have wanted to go. My sister and I actually squealed at each other and then waffled back and forth about whether or not we should do it about ninety times before we sent an email off to say we were very interested in going. I still have the email from Meg telling me when the information session was going to be. It was really fun telling all my coworkers that I was going to a meeting about going to Rome for school. Moving forward to our first meeting as the “Rome Group”. We met at Zeppo’s for wine and really yummy food for more details about our trip. It was the first time we had all met as a group. I could tell from the get go we were going to be a fun group because there was a lot of laughing right off the bat. We talked about apartment details and about what we would like to see and do. Time flew by and soon it was time for all of us to meet at the airport. I was a ball of nerves. I kept thinking “I am getting on an airplane to fly to another country!” The longest flight I had ever been on was when I went to Florida and that was only six hours. Nine long hours later we arrived in Amsterdam for a four hour wait for our connecting flight to Rome. We found the most uncomfortable bench in the entire airport and I still can’t believe I fell asleep as fast as I did. Okay I am going to skip to our arrival at Rome’s airport. All I could say was “Holy Smokes I am in ROME!!.” We got off the plane as quickly as we could and made our way to baggage claim to wait for our bags so we could meet Meg and our chariots that would take us to our apartments. I have to say the ride from the airport was am experience. Oregon driving is very different than the way Italians drive and let me tell you I have never been so happy to get to where we were going,
Rome was a great city to explore. There was always something amazing to see around every corner. Beautiful churches with gold ceilings and statues of saints adorning every nook and cranny. The highlights for me were being able to stand inches from a Bernini statue. My favorite was Apollo and Daphne. I thought that it would be surrounded be glass or roped off so you would have to be feet away. Being able to get that close was like looking at the piece through Bernini’s eyes. Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea was fabulous. My experience with ocean water has always been the cold Pacific Ocean where it takes you half the day to get brave enough to get past your knees. This was like walking into a heated pool. If I was able I would still be there floating. My last highlight was being asked directions by three different strangers on how to get to Trastevere. I felt like I had become Roman because I could tell them what bus to take to get there and back.
Rome is an experience I will never forget. I am so grateful that I got to experience everything with such awesome people that I now call my friends.
beetlesneeze 