Exhaustion

So I made it all the way to Rome- and what a trip it was! Flew from BWI to JFK without much to tell about it, pretty small plane- but we took off and landed without a hitch, so can't complain. Needed to switch terminals at JFK, so of course I had to go back through security there. Two lines (mine and another) merged into one just before security and I noticed that I was in the middle of a French family who spoke very little English, the father spoke the most, then the mother, and the three young girls spoke hardly a word. Both parents were in the front of the family, with one girl, then there was me, then the two youngest. So I turned to the girls and told them to go be with their parents in front of me which was received by huge smiles and words of gratitude from the whole family. Random acts of kindness is what it's all about. So I proceeded to my gate, then with enough time decided to grab lunch (I think, meals and even time really mean so very little when you're flying across multiple time zones) and wouldn't you know it? The same French family ends up right behind me in the same line. Made small talk and said our goodbyes as I left with my food. Eventually it's time to board- get to my seat and yup, you guessed it. I'm sitting next to the father of the french family. His wife besides him and the kids behind us. Then next to me across the aisle is a girl (around my age) who says she's heading to Rome after London as well. Unfortunately not to study abroad, but teaching English in Florence to grade school kids. 7-ish hours later, we land at Gatwick and head off to the international gates, going through yet another security check. After we get through, we (Marybeth (the one teaching in Florence) and I) say our goodbyes (this time for real) to the French family. We got to our gate with plenty of time to spare and prepared for the last leg of our journey. 2 hours later we land in Rome, breeze through customs and collect baggage. We had to wait a while for the belt to start moving, but bags started flowing off pretty quickly thereafter. Everyone's but poor Marybeth. Neither of her two bags arrived. So off to baggage claim we went, where I (while feeling terrible) had to leave her, in order to be able to find the guy holding the "JCU Students" sign before he left and I was stuck without a ride. Her family was just on the other side of the hall though, so I wasn't all that bad of a person... :-P

About 6 of us from JCU were there and waiting for our driver. He came soon enough and drove us (I'm using the word "drove" very loosely. All four tires may have been on the ground at one point in the drive... but I doubt it.) back to the front gate of our apartment. It was a roller coaster, really was. I'm very glad I still had some Dramamine left in my system. Cutting across 4 lanes, then back another 5 lanes to get ahead of one guy, no signals, people hollering at everybody and 6 poor Americans sitting in the midst of it all telling each other that in case we don't make it, it was great meeting everybody. And the driver, let me tell you- was the real deal when it came to Italians. Early 40's, bald guy, designer jeans, shiny brown shoes, white button down that was half way unbuttoned, and a build that he could have lifted the van if need be. And a real thin goatee that seems to be very popular with 30's and 40's here. So I settle in, take a nap, go to"Simply Market", a very small grocery store and meet 3 of the guys I'll be living with. One from California, one from North Carolina, and one from Philly. Seems like we should all get along well. We had just enough time/energy to all head out to a local pizza joint close to campus and get back for bed.

This morning we all woke up around 10 and have just been relaxing so far. Most likely do the tourist things today and tomorrow. We are starting to notice the little things that differ between here and in the States. Biggest one so far? The shower. It's about 2 1/2 feet x 2 1/2 feet (no joke) and to possibly grasp the idea of temperature and pressure? Think... Horton Center before Agape Meal as far as pressure most of the time, and for temperature think... Emerald Pool at 5am. Going to take some definite getting used to.

Ciao!