A year ago this month...

Two blogs for the price of one today. It's because I'm procrastinating.

This time last year, I was preparing for my first over-seas adventure. I was going with a class to Italy. We spent 10 days in Rome and 7 days in Florence. It has always, always been a dream of mine to go to Italy. The thought of being in Rome was almost too much for me to handle. I jumped at the chance (I was one of the first to sign up, in fact), and I took out extra student loans.

My professor was great. He made us work hard for nearly a whole year before the trip, doing book reports, writing essays, and of course, there was lots of reading! It was important to Dr. Scambray that we have a certain appreciation of Italy before we ever stepped foot in the country. Not only did I do a lot of academic preparation, I also went on a diet and lost about 30 pounds.

I was so excited, I couldn't even sleep as the day approached.


I had to go by myself, so for the first time in six years, I had to spend more than a night away from my husband. Sleeping by myself wasn't difficult. The difficult part was that I didn't have anybody to share Rome with. I was there with a group, but being the natural loner, I didn't spend too much time with my fellow classmates. Also, I didn't like them and I couldn't really identify with them. I mean, how many times can you listen a 19 year old girl whine about how much she misses her boyfriend of three months when you're missing your husband of four years? How many times can you listen to a 20 year old girl complain about the fact her parents only sent her $500 for the week instead of $1000? It was like they were from a different planet.

Despite my loneliness, I have never, ever been so happy to be somwhere, so happy to be alive. Every single day was an adventure, every single day I tried something new, something that I would have never attempted before. Do you know how many times I got lost in Rome? Probably two dozen. Here's the thing though...I get lost everywhere! I just got lost last week in an area I've lived in for five years! When I get lost here, I panic, call my husband, beg him to help me. When I got lost in Rome, I calmly took stock of my situation, and approached the nearest cop (those cops were so fucking hot, and so nice....*sigh*). Sometimes they could speak English, sometimes they could not, but they were always helpful.



While I was in Rome, I got an email from Rachel, telling me that LSB would like to publish my book! Oh, what a day that was. The first thing I did as a published author was go to the Keats-Shelley Museum, literally on the Spanish Steps, and then went to their favorite hang-out, the Grecco Cafe. I'll never forget how happy I was that day, how special it was to me.

For months after I returned home, I was Rome-sick. All the books I read warned that this would happen. Rome changes you, somehow, on a fundamental level. It's a totally alien, and yet, totally known world. I used to ride the buses around the city, clutching the seat and muttering prayers because the drivers are INSANE! I thought that IF God exists, he lives in Rome, so he can stop those maniacs from killing each other! And yet, it only took me a few days to adjust to their rhythm of life, their expectations, their culture. It only took me a few days to learn the city.

Rome is both the most beautiful and the most ugly place I have ever visisted. It offers a glimse at the true divinity of men, and at the lowest rungs of humanity. Beggers lined the streets. I was mugged once, a friend of mine mugged TWICE (she must have had a big VICTIM sign on her forehead). The children and dogs are drugged to keep them silent. Hungry children and desperate mothers wait for mercy on the steps of ancient cathedrals and churches.



There was nothing I could do about it, even if I gave them every euro I had on me.

Which reminds me, Americans may have "invented" capitalism, but those Italians perfected it.

I plan to go back one day, of course. I need to show my husband everything I saw. Rome is my favorite place on Earth, without question. What's your favorite place? Did you every go anywhere that changed your life?