shinnygarce

5/14/13 (Tue) 16:12 @ Ostia Antica Park Hotel

Whew. Got into Rome a-okay.

I feel old. These kiddies are starting their college careers and I’m about to end mine.

(something)…lol. I mean not lol. That was not a laughing matter.

20:54 in Room 115

Just got back from group dinner. It seems Italians eat course meals.

5/17/13 (Fri) 15:32 @ Miseno Beach

Sleeping before midnight (maybe even 11 PM) and waking up at 7 is so good. Sleeping normally is so healthy and feels so good! And all the homemade food on top of that…I feel so healthy.

Found a store called “Happy Casa” which was run by a Chinese couple and had a lot of little things. They were so happy to see Yuhan and me, haha.

Not homeSICK anymore. I’m so glad. So, so glad. I think I can enjoy Europe now. It’s also nice to know that I’ll be seeing my family after this.

We’ve been doing “Imperial Roll-Call” to check that we have everyone, haha. Prof. Concannon & Katie [Grad student TA] hope that it’ll help us memorize the names, order, and dates of at least the first 18 emperors. I’m Marcus Aurelius! I don’t know if it’s actually all that helpful b/c I just wait to speak up after Jacob’s emperor, but I guess it’s better than nothing. So far I have Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius down.

Seriously no one wears shorts here so that’s another reason why we stand out. Today Yuhan & I finally saw a guy w/ shorts on, kind of above the knee, and they were lavender. He was probably going to the gym or something though.

Another blessing! I updated 카톡 in Paris and they wanted me to do a phone verification which I obviously couldn’t b/c I was abroad. BUT yesterday, I started seeing previews of msgs sent to me and one of them had a verification code in it. So I tried it and it worked! Now I can call my fam and send them pics & texts more easily. Yay! Praise God.

It’s chilly.

5/19/13 (Sun) 18:52 @ Villa Vergiliana, room 18

Okay. First of all, saw Doryphorus yesterday at Museo Archoelogico di Nazionale in Naples. Ahhh. Prof. Concannon, after leading us through some galleries, gave us time to wander. He gave us a few recommendations. I didn’t even know Doryphorus was at this particular museum, but when Prof said, “There’s this statue that was at one time the epitome of Greek proportions…” a smile crept onto my face and I was NOT disappointed b/c he continued and said, “It’s called the Doryphorus.”

We sat in one big circle [after dinner, on the first piano of the Villa] w/ Prof. Concannon and Katie. We all sat around and listened to Prof’s cool stories and I felt it was very homey and nice.

At one pt [after the conversation somehow ended up on the topic of Shooters], Katie, who was sitting next to me asked me, “Have you gone to Shooters before?” (The Prof & Katie were saying Shooters is gross while the group in the middle was arguing against them.) I said no and felt like even the TA was judging me (I mean, in the nicest way possible). I just don’t care anymore, lol. Or have I ever? No. But I don’t want others to think I judge THEM for going out and liking to go out. I WISH I was more comfortable with going out or dancing. I’m just awkward in those situations, but I’m fine with it, but I don’t judge you!!! I like you!!!

5/20/13 (Mon) ~14:00, at beach near Paestum

Am actually getting red/sun-burned a little bit from being outside everyday.

5/21/13 (Tue) 16:11 in bus back to Villa

Went to Herculaneum today. The whole city was essentially in a pit b/c the archaeologists had to dig out 30+ feet [meters?] of mud/slush/rock from the eruption of Vesuvius. It was very well preserved and I really liked being able to see the actual fresco paintings in homes!

Listening to 2PM’s new song, “하. 니. 뿐.” Didn’t like it at first, still don’t approve of lyrics, but I keep listening to it b/c 2PM has their characteristic 짐승 element w/ a 짐승-y 부드러움, as well. [LOL does that make sense]

It’s really interesting b/c a lot of the time, archaeological sites or ancient ruins are right behind residential buildings. Can you imagine just having ruins in what would be your backyard?

5/22/13 (Wed) 19:11 @ Villa dei Misteri [hotel] near Pompei

Literally a 1.5-minute walk from Pompei!

Got down the order and rough dates of the emperors, woot!

5/25/13 (Sat) 20:53 @ Villa dei Misteri

The first day [in Pompei] we had our first challenge which I did with my current roomies, Jade & Emily. The challenge was to find as many taberna & bakeries and take pics as proof [with 2/3 team members in them]. At first we smiled for our pics, but by the end, I wasn’t even looking at Emily’s camera, lol. We took like 75 pictures, but only 50 of them counted, according to the prof. That means 15 of them were staircase support arches rather than bakery ovens!

2nd day in Pompei’s challenge was a speed challenge. Going through a day as an ancient Roman. There was a checklist of things like, “ponder near an impluvium” and “pick up laundry.” Was partnered with Chelsea & James. James made us RUN. Tourists must’ve thought we were crazy, esp. with the rocky, rocky ground. Glad no one got hurt. We came in first, but after some things that came up, we didn’t win.

After dinner, Chelsea and Melina came over and we watched Doctor Who—the Pompei episode. It was really cool b/c they talked about hypocausts and household gods and sesterce!

5/27/13 (Mon) on bus to Miteno (?) @ 8:35

Leaving another home base! [Villa (Bay of Naples)->Pompei hotel->Rome dorm/center (run by brother of the family that runs the Villa Vergiliana and his family)]

16:00 @ Capitoline Museum

Been sleeping closer to (and even past) midnight these days. And I definitely feel more tired more easily. It’s b/c I listen to music in bed these days which means I don’t really fall asleep until my sleep timer stops my music (30 mins later) because of the words. I KNOW this, but I still bring the earphones to bed b/c I figure better to listen to music while “falling asleep” now than during the school year. May decide against this in just a few more days though, haha, if I end up falling asleep in a museum again (like in Nat’l Gall @ London) and actually topple over a Roman bust of some emperor. Bring it on.

22:02 @ the Centro [dorm in Rome]

Ahhhhh shook hands w/ Eowyn [Prof’s 4-month-old baby girl who joined us in Rome with prof’s wife, Ray/Rui(?)!] today! WHAT. A. CUTIE. ugh. I hope I will get to hold her sometime! I love babies <3.<3

5/30/13 (Thurs) 16:00 @ Cerveteri

It’s really crazy how many things from “standard” AH textbooks I’m seeing, including paintings, sculptures, and architecture.

6/1/13 (Sat) 8:50 in bus to catacombs [of St. Agnes]

Jacob is giving his pres [we each had to prepare a report on an assigned site beforehand and then give a presentation on site] right now standing on the [moving] bus! Feel bad about writing, but I just needed to get out this [other] info before I got too behind. (He’s using a mic [like a tour guide].)

Oh no, it’s raining. The skies are very dark and gray and cloudy. Great setting for a catacombs visit, I suppose!

“I’m happy and I love Jesus”—St. Agnes, who died early. [Prof telling us the story about the life, persecution, and death of St. Agnes.]

Hm…it seems this will not be a 소나기 today…

19:24 @ Centro

Too much death today.

The last thing we did today was go to il convent of capuchins, where they artistically displayed brothers’ bones, to remind us all that death is real and that it’s coming [the y used parts of thousands of skeletons and decorated the ceiling and walls and floors very, very ornately. Very, very.]. The first crypt had a quote, “What you are now we once were, and what we are now you will be.” CREEPY.

Villa Borghese was cool today. They mandate a 2-hour max appointment for all visitors. Bernini! I could see the flesh in the marble! one of them was a man holding a woman and the man’s fingers sunk into the woman’s leg SO REALISTICALLY.

6/2/13 (Sun) 0:50 @ Centro

Decided today that my fave pasta is spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams).

Am getting a sense of direction for walking around now. Rome is very walkable, I feel.

6/2 18:45 @ Centro

Woke up at 10! [This was our first free day, yerrssss.] It was GLORIOUS compared to the usual 6:45! Left for St. Peter’s at 11 w/ Jacob, Emily, Emma C., Rachel, Amber, and Callista to hear/see the Pope.

6/3/13 (Mon) 21:29 @ Centro

A “The Great Roman Race” surprise challenge. 

So we had 12 tasks (though each one was mult. things) and had to go around Rome. [Taking pictures for tasks such as, “Take a picture with 5 different things/locations created by either Bernini or Borromini, who are said to have been rivals,” “What does S.P.Q.R. mean and where can you find these markings? At least one has to be a monument,” “A bathtub that used to sit in the Baths of Caracalla,” “You wouldn’t know it, but this building was a mausoleum and papal apartment complex,” etcetc.] I think we [Chelsea, Melina, and I] started @ 1:30 in Piazza Navona and strategized w/ the Blue Guide and maps for ~30 mins, and finished around 5. We were up and walking the whole time, and the whole time I was thinking about what might be better strategies so we could be done with it.

Ran into Brittany, Dee, & Yuhan as we got off the 8 tram in front of the building with the flags. We climbed the Stairs of Death together and as we walked towards the Centro, Dee and I listed things we love about Italy to motivate us during our last minutes [we were all about to faint]. At one pt, instead of #21, Dee said #13. And I kept laughing (couldn’t stop) while going up the stairs.

In hindsight, I am MUCH more confident in my abilities to roam about Rome. And right now, I may even be thankful for the workout, cuz it was in the past, but if we have another challenge [as intense]…..

6/5/13 (Wed) 8:28 in bus to museum [Museo della Civilta Romana] for opening of Centro’s exhibition

-> SBSB Skype [night before]. Some tenderkamp moments [lol, how could there not have been]

Oh! It HAILED yesterday? We ran to shelter under a gazebo w/ other tourists and Italians, squished in, going up the Aventine.

Had program reflection mtg w/ Global Ed Office admin yesterday [who were visiting for 2 days]. [Some things that came up in the group discussion:]

• more free days vs. it’s only 4 weeks long, so no
• more food options [esp. for those with special diets. Our 2 vegetarians friends were served the same mozzarella cheese all day everyday for at least 2 weeks straight and they were going crazy, especially because there really is so much good food here in Italy.]
• not necessary to STAY in Pompei [hotel]
• earlier orientation mtg & materials
• emphasize no classroom, but physical requirements [so students know what they’re getting into]
• <3 Katie & Prof.

5/13/13 (Monday) 21:00 @ Paris Orly Airport

…I am leaving Paris with a souvenir that is very unique—a police report.

After Jardin des Tuileries [one of the places I went to after Alex left again for the Netherlands], I walked the Champs-Élysées b/c I remembered seeing a BNP Paribas [bank] there. On the way, I bought a sweet crêpe and also found a Barclay’s [bank], so I decided to go there instead to stock up on some cash before Rome [for my study abroad program]. It was a big street and the ATM was outside, on the side of the building. I put my crêpe next to the ATM keyboard & took out my card and started the cash withdrawal process. Entered my pin # in, when all of a sudden, a little girl (I guessed 12 years old) appeared. I only knew she appeared b/c she had an ad poster in her hand and covered my screen. I assumed she was making fun of me for being a foreigner or that she was going to ask me for some money. She continued to hold the poster in place and pushed me aside. She started doing something on the screen and I saw my card come out. This all happened really fast, so I thought she was just not letting me take out money, which was why she had made my card come back out. I wasn’t sure at that point what she was doing. When I saw my card come out, I think she was the one who handed it to me. Then she took something from the machine and ran. Now, when I started @ the ATM, there was already a receipt in place b/c someone had not taken theirs, so I just thought she had taken that. I didn’t even know that she was RUNNING away until a man suddenly appeared from across the street (ran across the street) and grabbed her. He looked out of breath and summoned and called to me, telling me that she had “pick-pocketed” me. That she had taken 300 Euros [the default max amount option on the ATM screen] from the ATM from me. I was spooked out enough by the sudden presence of the girl, and now the guy? I didn’t believe him. I had not seen any money come out of the machine, but he suddenly had a hold of this girl and was holding cash in his hands. I thought he was on her side—he said I had to follow him and file a report and that I would get the money back quickly and be able to go on my way. What? FOLLOW you somewhere? He wasn’t uniformed—another sketchy element. By then, I was inching away from him, speechless, and many passersby had gathered around the scene. He still had the girl pinned to the ATM machine and money (that I still did not realize was mine) in his hands.

Two men and one woman, primarily, kept telling me to go with him, that it was all right. (The man showed his police badge & walkie-talkie and it seemed others knew who he was.) I was still shocked—were ALL these people part of this scam/scare? I kept looking into each person’s eyes and tried to figure out if I could trust any of them. Then tears started to flow down my face and the others started telling me it was okay, patting me on the back…

Oh yeah, and before the girl grabbed and attempted to dash, she spit on the screen/money?/me? and threw my crêpe on the ground and gave me a disgusted? triumphant? look. Why the hate?

Then the policeman called his police colleagues on his walkie-talkie and told them where we were. One man and the woman stayed with us, which I really appreciated. I slowly started to realize that that money really was mine. I mean, really, what ELSE could she have done on my ATM screen? She was JOKING AROUND with me? lol, Grace…

The police car came and we drove to the police station. I kept examining the other two policemen [their uniforms, the gadgets in the car, etc.] in front to see if they were legitimately police officers. We arrived at the station, which also looked sketchy. I was told to sit. The policeman spoke little English so he didn’t make a point to keep talking to me, but would pass by once in a while while writing up the police report or whatever he was doing. He was very nice though, and I wish I had thanked him more rather than cry the whole time. Hopefully one of my many small, but wholehearted “merci’s” meant something to him.

At one point, the girl came out to the lobby to pass through to be questioned. She was tying her hair while walking and looked very normal and even proud? She looked back at me once as she was going up the stairs. Did she feel sorry at all? Or maybe she just thought I was REALLY stupid. [Can’t blame her, I guess.]

After about 1.5 hours, I was called upstairs to be interviewed. There were 3 ladies up there and they only really spoke French. As far as I could tell, they were very nice. They kept commenting on how beautiful my US passport was. They asked me a few questions and then gave me my money back. The main lady made me sign the police report and gave me a copy. Thus—a souvenir. ha. It was interesting. She wrote about me in first person. And it included the name, age, ethnicity of the girl. Really weird to know this information. The lady also apologized for the happening and I was sent on my way.

Probably looked like a MESS while walking to the Métro. Being out in public was frightening and I was definitely paranoid. I immediately went back to Le Regent Montmartre [hostel], cried some more. I messaged some friends—I felt so lonely and scared that I needed to feel their existence, if that makes sense. Then I packed my bags and left.

Now I’m at Orly airport and will spend the night here. I hope I am not the only one spending the night, and I pray God will protect me. And thank God for protecting me today, even though there was a scare. I don’t plan to sleep tonight. I’ll have to stay awake. Can’t trust or feel safe enough to fall asleep.

Some lady behind me just left all her stuff and went somewhere. Hopefully that means she’s a regular and knows Orly is safe?

It’s also scary to think about how the girl watched me. b/c she had to know I had typed in my pin so she could proceed to push the buttons for cash. Where did she watch me from? And since when?

Airport is much quieter now. I really hope I’m not the only soul here tonight though. Oops. Sleepy already. Er. Nooooo.

23:23

Hallelujah! God sent me a boy. I was sitting alone in a sofa chair, but 2 sofas are paired together as to face each other. The one opposite me was empty. And then, after a while, maybe 15 mins ago, a guy came over and sat in it. Then he asked me if I was flying out in the morning, too. And he asked if I would mind keeping an eye on his stuff while he tried to sleep. He only spoke in French so he tried to use little body gestures to help me fully understand.

Wheee. A silent companion. I look less alone and am therefore less vulnerable, esp. with a guy that’s actually from here.

I think quite a number of people are sleeping over. I also see a Korean girl? I thinks she’s Korean? She seems alone, too. I guess I’m not the only poor college student taking risks, yay. I am sleepy though. With Guy next to me, I could probs get a little bit of shut-eye. Though currently, vacuuming is going on. I guess the airport will slowly be coming to a “close.”

Guy is now not napping and is eating a snack. I miss my family.

I was going through the Rome program itinerary, and I think it will be fun.

Oh my gosh, Guy just offered me earplugs [because of vacuuming]! Oh. maybe he was opening his earplugs, not eating a snack, lol.

Thanks, God, for giving me Guy for protection and silent companionship and entertainment in this airport. You rock.

Guy just offered another overnighter a pair of earplugs. “Âllo?” *reaches hand out to offer pair of earplugs*, haha. Tonight is going to be all right. (But why does he have so many earplugs, I wonder?)

무뚝뚝이, 안 다쳤냐고 물어봐줘서 고마워.