Wrapping up Rome

Ok I need to first make a revision: only my parents, aunt Lorie and Chelsea read my blog now :)

I am going to try and make this quick since it's nearly 2am here and I'm going to the Vatican museum at 10am tomorrow. But there's just so much to say I have to get it all down before I forget!

Hmmm ok to start with, last night Roxanna came home from church and told us about a concert she had walked past. Being bored I told her to show me, so (thinking it was across the street) we walked all the way across the river to the Jewish ghetto of Rome and found the concert/street fair she had told us about. Apparently it was to celebrate the 61st anniversary of the formation of the Israeli state. They played Hava Neglia and the whole deal, and we all danced and clapped (minus Mary) even though we clearly were not Jewish, making fools of ourselves but having a good time. Then we explored some of the booths a little, and saw this food that looked like funnel cake. But not really, it was like a fried flat pastry type thing that you then poured a raw egg into the middle and ate. Very interesting. But quite a night, not bad for a spontaneous evening out.

It is apparently the rainy season-ish in Rome. I guess Ruggero mentioned that every year the last week of April is a bitch for weather. And he's right, it was a literal monsoon the other day. I had finally gotten the oven to light so Roxanna and I could properly make our frozen french fries, and then the sprinkle outside turned into a torrent. I very seriously thought that the oven had malfunctioned and the kitchen was on fire, and I was hearing the crackling flames. I ran into the kitchen in a panic, heart palpitations and all, and when I see no flames I think that some other apartment must be on fire and run to the window. That's when I realize that it's the sound of the downpour. Us Seattleites thought we knew rain--we are so wrong. I guess this happens every year, something about warm air coming up from Africa and making it warm and sticky and cloudy, then the rain. Good thing we're getting outta here.

I cannot believe I am already packing to leave Rome. I don't want to go. I truly am excited for Rogliano and living with families, but I looked at the weather report for this week down there and it's even colder than Rome. We're talking low 60's (which in celsius is apparently about 15 degrees...) So much for the heat they all warned us about.

Alright, next story. The last few days I've been developing a sore throat, and waking up with a sore/stiff neck. I think the neck is because of our horrible beds, but I can tell I'm getting a bug. So today I run out of tylenol and advil and decide I need to run to a farmacia before we leave Rome to get a stash. I brought Roxanna with me to help me translate, and good thing too. She walks right up to the pharmacist and asks for ibuprofen. Thank goodness the Italian word for that is almost identical. We then realize that in Italian pharmacies, almost everything is behind-the-counter, even makeup. So we wait in a ridiculous line and when it's finally our turn the pharmacist asks if 200mg tablets are ok. I said sure, and paid 4.50 euro, which I thought was a good deal considering it would be about 5someting in the US. As we're leaving I realize I just paid 4.50 for 12 tablets!! I feel so ripped off. Now I'm rationing them until my Rogliano fam can help me get a good amount.

Alright to wrap this up I'm going to tell you all about dinner tonight. We planned to go as an apartment for Chinese food. Another few girls ended up coming with us, and we all ordered water and spring rolls/pot stickers and dishes. We literally waited almost 45 minutes for them to bring out our first appetizers. Then they would bring the entrees out one at a time at about 20 minute intervals. Trying to be polite we would wait and not eat until everyone had food. But after I sat there for about 20 minutes, the first one with food, and watched my mediocre chow mein get cold, we all just went for it whenever ours showed up. Then at the end of the dinner, when we got the bill, we decided we would talk to the waiter about not paying the service charge. In Italy one doesn't tip, there is instead always a service or gratuity charge added for you to the bill. Kelsey told them in Italian that the service "non era buona" and that we weren't going to pay the 7+ euros. Thinking we didn't understand they tried to explain how that's a flat fee, no negotiating. We finally all got so frustrated we decided to suck it up and pay so we could leave. Not an entirely pleasant experience, but eventful nonetheless.