It will probably please a few of the women and upset many of the men who read this when I say that, with the persuasion of roommates and building-mates, I’ve started watching Sex and The City…and it’s pretty good. I’m one episode shy of finishing Season 1 and apparently Maria (lives above me) has every season on DVD. So, I’ll probably see all the episodes before I leave Rome, come home a professional SATC know-it-all…and lose all credibility as a guy. But, as they say, when in Rome…
Other than that, the most exciting thing that has actually happened since the trip to Capri would be going to, and actually eating at, Hard Rock Café. It’s been almost a month since I got here (which is, in itself, just ridiculous, feels like it’s been about a week or two) and since then, I haven’t had any “American” food, though I’ve attempted by getting the Italian equivalent to a burger which is nothing really of the sort. However, Hard Rock does the American food world justice by serving up a little slice of heaven in the form of chicken wings, french fries, hamburgers, and various other delectable all found and your favorite place just down the street in America. This was a lovely treat since I’ve had pizza every day at least once (yes, I’ve kept track) since I’ve been here…which I’m not complaining about, but having a real burger was a good break.
The other nice thing about Hard Rock, other than the rockin’ jams, was the fact that it was the first time since being here that I didn’t feel like a foreigner. Everyone spoke English, and not broken English either, real ‘I-grew-up-speaking-English’ English. It kind of felt like a home away from home type place, which was pretty nice.
In other news, I’m fairly sure that this weekend a few of us (not sure who exactly yet) will be going to Cinque Terre. This is an area comprised of five very small cities that are connected via roads and hiking trails which is ,from the pictures I’ve seen, very picturesque. Following this, it appears as though I’ll be going to Paris for my birthday weekend (not a bad way to spend it, eh?). I have no idea what to really expect from either of these excursions, but I think they’ll be a good time. I don’t think we’ll run into as many stupid, drunken American tourists traveling around islands topless on boats, which is a good thing. The less stupid drunken Americans I can find, the better.
Which brings me to another thing I’ve found to be true, and that is that, in general, stereotypes, though a shunned thing in modern society, are usually pretty accurate. Case in Point…Stupid American Tourists, specifically of the college/younger age. Before I came to Europe, I’d heard things to the likes of people outside North America basically don’t like Americans because they’re loud, obnoxious, cocky, arrogant, rude, and just plain not nice. Well, since coming here, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is entirely true. A large proportion of the Americans I encounter here are just that. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t that way back home, they probably are, but here, the culture make these type of loud and obnoxious people stand out like a soar thumb for which you have no band-aid and can’t stop the bleeding…and then it gets infected and you have to go to the hospital only to find out that you’ve, in fact, gotten Gang Green and now that thumb must be amputated. Fortunatly for me, I don’t hang out w/those kind of Americans. We try to be as unobtrusively loud as possible (even when having parties) and attempt to blend is as much as possible, my new goal from now on is to not be noticeable that I’m an American just from my appearance and ‘attitude’ when I go out in public, just to see if it’s possible. It happened once already when I was walking around and a lady asked me in Italian for directions to some store. When I gave her the patented “Deer In Headlights” look signifying I had no idea what the heck she had just said and then added the “uuhhhh” with it, she then realized I wasn’t an Italian speaking person. However, this was on accident, though if I can do I on accident, hopefully I can do it on purpose too. So, basically, if you come to Europe, just don’t get completely shit-faced, become loud, yell at people, stumble around drunk, and have the “I’m better than all of you” mentality, please, ‘cause you’re making the rest of us look like complete jack-asses.
This transitions me nicely into another thing, visiting me and Rome. www.studentunivers.com is a pretty super duper place to go for cheap plane tickets…which is something I wish I had known before I bought my ticket to come here on British Airways. Since you can stay in my place for free, that’s your only expense other than food and whatever you buy here, so if anyone wants to come visit, just holla back youngin. There are also some nice hostels and hotels in the area if you want to do that too.
Finally, tonight, while a few of us were walking around looking for some good pizza, I stumbled across a band I had seen two days ago playing on Ponte Sisto, the bridge right by my place. Tonight, they were right in front of the bridge, jamming out. They’re actually really good and I bought their CD. Their called Funkallisto and you can check them out at www.funkallisto.net and I’ll put their music online so you can download it for free. It’s pretty fun, just basically instrumental jam music. Good stuff, you should check them out.
Ok, I’m pretty darn tired, so I’m going to go to bed and post this thing tomorrow. I’ll catch you guys lata,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Monday, September 19, 2005
Copulation in Capri?...not if the Romans can help it...
Well, I’ve survived my first “road trip” in Europe. Pretty cool that it was to the Isle of Capri (cApri, not caprI…the A is stressed instead of the I the way most people pronounce it). To change it up a little bit, I have decided to describe the major portions of the trip in a Does/Don’ts type outline in chronological order.
DO have a party the night before you go to Capri. Have people over, have a good time, go out to the bar afterwards and just make a night of it. DO NOT let sketchy Italians sneak into your party who lie and say they’re from New Jersey (when they’re clearly not). Also, DO NOT stay out until 5am at some underground club in Campo De Fiori, drinking your friends drinks which sketchy Italian men buy her for free and be completely hung over for the entire train and boat ride. I didn’t go to this club, but was still hung-over….wouldn’t recommend being hung-over on ferry boats.
When you get to Napoli (or Naples, as it shows on English maps), if you’re feeling adventurous, DO walk from the train station to the port where you can catch the ferry to Capri. It’s only about a mile long walk total and it isn’t too hard to find…just go to the water. However, DO NOT pick up the bloody syringes you find on the way to the port. Most likely they’re no longer sanitary and, well, you could very well die if you decide to shoot up someone else’s cocaine/blood cocktail. After seeing a few of these, I decided that Napoli isn’t the safest city ever and I have no desire to go down there ever again…unless it’s to purchase some hot phones or electronic equipment from the maphia for super cheap. I would have already done so but I figured the phone guy would be there on the way back…too bad he wasn’t, the new Motorola Razor camera phone for 50 Euros sounded like a deal to me.
Once you get to the Island, DO take a taxi to your hostel in Anacapri, DO NOT wait the hour plus it takes for the bus to arrive at the port to pick you up…unless you have time to spare, in which case it’s way cheaper (1.30/person compared to about 6/person).
Now, you’ve gotten to the hostel, checked out the quaint town of Anacapri a bit and am beat from the trip, so you sleep. When you wake, DO go to the best “beach” on the island at Marina Picola. I quote beach because, personally, I didn’t find it to be very beach-ey other than the fact that water washed ashore. A beach to me has sand…this was all small rocks/stones/pebbles. However, it was still amazingly beautiful, so go, and just ignore the rocky bottom. When you go, I suggest jumping off the rocks they have in the harbor, there are ropes attached to them so you can climb them and what not. But when you swim back to the shore or the launch dock, DO NOT get stung by the jelly fish in the small bay. Lars’ chest was red for a few hours after that one.
Once you eat afterwards and you skin starts to look more like a hide than a tomato, DO take the private boat trip around the island. You guide will speak enough English to tell you all about what is going on with all the history and who owns all the super large mansions. He’ll be able to get you real close and drop you off at all four of the major Grottos (white, coral, green, and finally blue). The Blue Grotto is absolutely amazing. Apparently it used to be a huge place on the island at which giant orgies would take place, but the Roman government wasn’t too fond of this (though they don’t care of you wear clothes and encourage public co-ed bathing…go figured) so they banned it and claimed the grotto to be cursed. Now, however, we don’t care that it’s cursed and we go anyways, and hey, why not ‘cause if that’s what cursed looks and feels like, then find me the nearest which doctor and let him do his worst.
When you do take this boat ride, if you happen to stumble upon another boat (of which your driver knows the other driver) comprised of 6 drunk American gurls from The American University who just happen to not be wearing their tops (apparently if you drink 4 bottles of wine between 6 gurls on a boat off the coast of Capri, this is what happens), befriend them. My only word of advice is when they request that you get naked like they are, that you don’t listen. DO NOT go skinny dipping in attempts to please naked women…because they’re bluffing and will simply stop yelling and hooting, get a drunk and stupid look on their face, and command that their boat operator take them to the Blue Grotto. This will probably leave you somewhat confused, possibly a little upset and maybe slightly bitter. You may soon forget about it, but when you get back home and find out that the two gurls on your boat who didn’t partake in the suit-less swimming (one did, she’s way cooler than the other two…unless mom is reading this, in which case this never happened…I swear…) took pictures of the whole fiasco, you’ll remember that those gurls in the boat sucked and thought that they definitely had had enough booze to get into the water with you. Oh well, at least the driver of the American University student’s boat had a good time.
After you finish your boat ride and Grotto swimming, you’ll get hungry, go eat, stumble across an art gallery and buy an un-finished painting that you pick up the next day. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal, especially considering it’s a cool painting. When you make it back to the hostel, DO become addicted to a crazy Japanese form of crossword puzzle called Su Doku (http://www.sudoku.com). It uses numbers instead of words (hurray!) and is very fun and a good mental workout. But don’t bust out your jogging clothes just yet, because you DO NOT want to give your newly purchased Su Doku book to one of the gurls on the trip who doesn not yet know what it is. It may be difficult to get it back for the train ride, and when you have to sit by yourself, you’ll really want that Su Doku book. You’ll get it back, but with pages missing where said gurl took a few puzzles to work on herself.
Also, that night while you’re eating, DO continue to take pictures and keep track of the memories (‘cause we all know it’s all about the memories). However, I would not recommend that you DO NOT fiddle with your camera trying to remember where the option for Black & White pictures is, have a complete brain fart/mental breakdown, and accidentally format your camera which has every picture you’ve taken since you left for Rome on the memory card. You’ll almost start crying and will hardly believe you did such a thing. The next day, though, you’ll look on the bright side and say that at least your camera isn’t full any more and you are now free to again snap away at all the beautiful scenery.
That night, it may or may not storm incredibly hard with crazy lighting and flood like rains. If it does do this, DO go exploring in the rain and have a jolly good time. Let me make a recommendation here, though; DO NOT take a metal umbrella with you. It generally isn’t a very good idea to go out in crazy lightning with metal rods jettisoning into the sky…you may get electrocuted…or so I’m told. Once Lars and I realized the whole metal rod thing, we promptly went back to our room and simply watched the rain.
Finally, DO your homework before you go on your trip to the Isle of Capri (or any trip, for that matter). DO NOT wait until Monday morning to get up early before class and do it. You’ll get it done and get a 100 on your homework, but then you’re tired while you so dutifully write your blog.
It was a fantastic first trip which will hopefully lead to many many more. I finally got my camera cord, so I’m currently uploading pictures from mine and the other 6’s cameras. Those should be up by Wednesday. I’ll inform all of you when they do make their way onto the double-u double-u double-u so you can get the website and check them out.
SO, I’m going to go get something to eat now ‘cause I’m supa dupa hungry. Keep it going strong back in the States or wherever you may be at the moment. I’ll talk to you guys later,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
DO have a party the night before you go to Capri. Have people over, have a good time, go out to the bar afterwards and just make a night of it. DO NOT let sketchy Italians sneak into your party who lie and say they’re from New Jersey (when they’re clearly not). Also, DO NOT stay out until 5am at some underground club in Campo De Fiori, drinking your friends drinks which sketchy Italian men buy her for free and be completely hung over for the entire train and boat ride. I didn’t go to this club, but was still hung-over….wouldn’t recommend being hung-over on ferry boats.
When you get to Napoli (or Naples, as it shows on English maps), if you’re feeling adventurous, DO walk from the train station to the port where you can catch the ferry to Capri. It’s only about a mile long walk total and it isn’t too hard to find…just go to the water. However, DO NOT pick up the bloody syringes you find on the way to the port. Most likely they’re no longer sanitary and, well, you could very well die if you decide to shoot up someone else’s cocaine/blood cocktail. After seeing a few of these, I decided that Napoli isn’t the safest city ever and I have no desire to go down there ever again…unless it’s to purchase some hot phones or electronic equipment from the maphia for super cheap. I would have already done so but I figured the phone guy would be there on the way back…too bad he wasn’t, the new Motorola Razor camera phone for 50 Euros sounded like a deal to me.
Once you get to the Island, DO take a taxi to your hostel in Anacapri, DO NOT wait the hour plus it takes for the bus to arrive at the port to pick you up…unless you have time to spare, in which case it’s way cheaper (1.30/person compared to about 6/person).
Now, you’ve gotten to the hostel, checked out the quaint town of Anacapri a bit and am beat from the trip, so you sleep. When you wake, DO go to the best “beach” on the island at Marina Picola. I quote beach because, personally, I didn’t find it to be very beach-ey other than the fact that water washed ashore. A beach to me has sand…this was all small rocks/stones/pebbles. However, it was still amazingly beautiful, so go, and just ignore the rocky bottom. When you go, I suggest jumping off the rocks they have in the harbor, there are ropes attached to them so you can climb them and what not. But when you swim back to the shore or the launch dock, DO NOT get stung by the jelly fish in the small bay. Lars’ chest was red for a few hours after that one.
Once you eat afterwards and you skin starts to look more like a hide than a tomato, DO take the private boat trip around the island. You guide will speak enough English to tell you all about what is going on with all the history and who owns all the super large mansions. He’ll be able to get you real close and drop you off at all four of the major Grottos (white, coral, green, and finally blue). The Blue Grotto is absolutely amazing. Apparently it used to be a huge place on the island at which giant orgies would take place, but the Roman government wasn’t too fond of this (though they don’t care of you wear clothes and encourage public co-ed bathing…go figured) so they banned it and claimed the grotto to be cursed. Now, however, we don’t care that it’s cursed and we go anyways, and hey, why not ‘cause if that’s what cursed looks and feels like, then find me the nearest which doctor and let him do his worst.
When you do take this boat ride, if you happen to stumble upon another boat (of which your driver knows the other driver) comprised of 6 drunk American gurls from The American University who just happen to not be wearing their tops (apparently if you drink 4 bottles of wine between 6 gurls on a boat off the coast of Capri, this is what happens), befriend them. My only word of advice is when they request that you get naked like they are, that you don’t listen. DO NOT go skinny dipping in attempts to please naked women…because they’re bluffing and will simply stop yelling and hooting, get a drunk and stupid look on their face, and command that their boat operator take them to the Blue Grotto. This will probably leave you somewhat confused, possibly a little upset and maybe slightly bitter. You may soon forget about it, but when you get back home and find out that the two gurls on your boat who didn’t partake in the suit-less swimming (one did, she’s way cooler than the other two…unless mom is reading this, in which case this never happened…I swear…) took pictures of the whole fiasco, you’ll remember that those gurls in the boat sucked and thought that they definitely had had enough booze to get into the water with you. Oh well, at least the driver of the American University student’s boat had a good time.
After you finish your boat ride and Grotto swimming, you’ll get hungry, go eat, stumble across an art gallery and buy an un-finished painting that you pick up the next day. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal, especially considering it’s a cool painting. When you make it back to the hostel, DO become addicted to a crazy Japanese form of crossword puzzle called Su Doku (http://www.sudoku.com). It uses numbers instead of words (hurray!) and is very fun and a good mental workout. But don’t bust out your jogging clothes just yet, because you DO NOT want to give your newly purchased Su Doku book to one of the gurls on the trip who doesn not yet know what it is. It may be difficult to get it back for the train ride, and when you have to sit by yourself, you’ll really want that Su Doku book. You’ll get it back, but with pages missing where said gurl took a few puzzles to work on herself.
Also, that night while you’re eating, DO continue to take pictures and keep track of the memories (‘cause we all know it’s all about the memories). However, I would not recommend that you DO NOT fiddle with your camera trying to remember where the option for Black & White pictures is, have a complete brain fart/mental breakdown, and accidentally format your camera which has every picture you’ve taken since you left for Rome on the memory card. You’ll almost start crying and will hardly believe you did such a thing. The next day, though, you’ll look on the bright side and say that at least your camera isn’t full any more and you are now free to again snap away at all the beautiful scenery.
That night, it may or may not storm incredibly hard with crazy lighting and flood like rains. If it does do this, DO go exploring in the rain and have a jolly good time. Let me make a recommendation here, though; DO NOT take a metal umbrella with you. It generally isn’t a very good idea to go out in crazy lightning with metal rods jettisoning into the sky…you may get electrocuted…or so I’m told. Once Lars and I realized the whole metal rod thing, we promptly went back to our room and simply watched the rain.
Finally, DO your homework before you go on your trip to the Isle of Capri (or any trip, for that matter). DO NOT wait until Monday morning to get up early before class and do it. You’ll get it done and get a 100 on your homework, but then you’re tired while you so dutifully write your blog.
It was a fantastic first trip which will hopefully lead to many many more. I finally got my camera cord, so I’m currently uploading pictures from mine and the other 6’s cameras. Those should be up by Wednesday. I’ll inform all of you when they do make their way onto the double-u double-u double-u so you can get the website and check them out.
SO, I’m going to go get something to eat now ‘cause I’m supa dupa hungry. Keep it going strong back in the States or wherever you may be at the moment. I’ll talk to you guys later,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Smart car, or Smart Go-Kart...you be the judge...
After being here in Rome for a little over two weeks, I’ve noticed something. A lack of ‘compensation’…or in Leman’s terms, everything here is small. Prime example is what most of the people drive here. It’s called a Smart Car. Created by the head of Swatch who teamed up with Mercedes to creat the smallest legal road vehicle I’ve ever seen. It’s approximately the size of a Golf Cart. No joke. And Italians tool around in them everywhere. I had the pleasure of visiting a small in-city Smart Car dealership while out and about on Villa De Corso, the hip and trendy fashion street (well, one of the many). The car is somewhat ridiculous and ingenious at the same time. It has a crazy amount of leg room, considering it’s size (it is only a two-seater), however, as my golf-crazed roommate pointed out “there’s no way you could easily fit two golf bags in here, so I’d never buy it.” Though, after careful inspection, I think it might be possible if all the woods and old man long putters are taken out and laid lengthwise w/the car instead of sideways. I’m sure it also get’s some absurd amount of liters per kilometer (similar to the mile per gallon) ‘cause the engine is tiny. It also weighs about as much as an NFL lineman. I’ve seen people pick them up and move them when they are jammed into a spot by two other cars…it’s hilarious. (www.smart.com)
Also, a great deal of people here have dogs, and a great deal of those dogs are nasty little ankle bitters. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the small dog, but they’re all freaking Chowawas and things of that yappy, ankle-bitting nature. The funniest part is that half of them (basically all the women who own these creatures) carry them around, instead of walking them. It’s as though it were a child that required no breast feeding (which we’ve seen several times out our winder) and cries all the time. It’s something that I’m apparently not Italianized enough to understand yet, maybe by the time I leave.
I will conclude my ranting with apartment doors and blankets. Granted, they’re almost normal size, it’s as though a 4 year old constructed them…probably the same 4 year old who drew the pornographic art that came with our apartment. None of them close correctly, forcing you to jam them closed. This wouldn’t really be an issue if people weren’t getting up at 8.30 to go to 9am classes while others are trying to sleep. Not to mention that they squeak so horribly I though I was in Frankenstein’s layer opening a giant steel hinged door. And the blankets that came with our “supplied bedding” would almost cover up my sister who despite valiant efforts and growth spurts, is still much shorter than I. I think I shall go into student services later today and ask for a real blanket or if I can guy buy one and be reimbursed ‘cause it’s fairly absurd how inadequate the blanket the area of coverage all these blankets provide.
Now that I have that off my chest, I swear I really enjoy it here. I just figured that I should throw some sort of a rant in every-once-and-a-while so that these things don’t get too boring. Sunday was the weekly flee market…let’s just say that the flea market and I got along just lovely this week. I ended up buying a Luis Vitton travel bag (the world print, not the LV print), a horribly fake motorcycle jacket (but people in the state’s will think it’s cool), and a Breitling watch. It was all in all a good day, though I was unable to locate the purse(s) I’ve been requested to find. Hopefully next time.
Monday, there were an unusually large amount of “entertainers” outside of our window. One of them happened to be an Italian named Ben sporting a Stratocaster, loop station, wah pedal, and mini powered amp. He was pretty good and I eventually got my guitar, yelled form the window, and went down and jammed with him for about a half hour. It was pretty cool. Didn’t really make any money (I think a few people may have dropped some coins, but I didn’t take any of them). So, I unofficially played my first “show” over-seas…boo ya.
On Monday, I also booked our trip to the Isle of Capri for the weekend. We’ll be staying at the Bussola di Hermes in Anacapri. I believe it’s on the top of a large hill on the island and is w/in walking distance to the beach. It’s supposed to be very pretty and half in some forest…or something. I’m not really sure exactly, but the pictures looked pretty nice. (http://www.capri.net/salsa/lang/en/card1_id/57/page/card.html)...that's a website of the hostile...
Oh, we also went to the outlets Sunday with our Italian friend Fabrizio. They we’re pretty much the same as the outlets in the states in their layout, however it was Dolce & Gabana and Versace instead of Gap and Rebok. I ended up getting a solid deal on some Pumas and a David Mayer shirt. Boo Ya for Italian outlets.
Tonight, I have decided to make dinner and to change things up from the usual Mussels, Pasta, or Pizza, I’ve gone out and purchased some ground beef, French bread, and various vegetables and cheeses to make some of what you may like to call imitation Tubby’s burger subs. Basically, slice the bread open like a sub, and shove lots of meat, veggies, cheese, and ketchup in it. Hopefully it turns out, but if not we can probably just go around the corner and get some pizza.
Thanks to everyone who has responded to any of my e-mails/postings, it’s good to be informed of what’s happening outside of my little roman bubble. Without the TV and limited internet time, it’s hard to keep up w/everything that’s going on in the world. I’ll write soonly, talk to ya’ll later.
Ciao,
Jon boy
Also, a great deal of people here have dogs, and a great deal of those dogs are nasty little ankle bitters. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the small dog, but they’re all freaking Chowawas and things of that yappy, ankle-bitting nature. The funniest part is that half of them (basically all the women who own these creatures) carry them around, instead of walking them. It’s as though it were a child that required no breast feeding (which we’ve seen several times out our winder) and cries all the time. It’s something that I’m apparently not Italianized enough to understand yet, maybe by the time I leave.
I will conclude my ranting with apartment doors and blankets. Granted, they’re almost normal size, it’s as though a 4 year old constructed them…probably the same 4 year old who drew the pornographic art that came with our apartment. None of them close correctly, forcing you to jam them closed. This wouldn’t really be an issue if people weren’t getting up at 8.30 to go to 9am classes while others are trying to sleep. Not to mention that they squeak so horribly I though I was in Frankenstein’s layer opening a giant steel hinged door. And the blankets that came with our “supplied bedding” would almost cover up my sister who despite valiant efforts and growth spurts, is still much shorter than I. I think I shall go into student services later today and ask for a real blanket or if I can guy buy one and be reimbursed ‘cause it’s fairly absurd how inadequate the blanket the area of coverage all these blankets provide.
Now that I have that off my chest, I swear I really enjoy it here. I just figured that I should throw some sort of a rant in every-once-and-a-while so that these things don’t get too boring. Sunday was the weekly flee market…let’s just say that the flea market and I got along just lovely this week. I ended up buying a Luis Vitton travel bag (the world print, not the LV print), a horribly fake motorcycle jacket (but people in the state’s will think it’s cool), and a Breitling watch. It was all in all a good day, though I was unable to locate the purse(s) I’ve been requested to find. Hopefully next time.
Monday, there were an unusually large amount of “entertainers” outside of our window. One of them happened to be an Italian named Ben sporting a Stratocaster, loop station, wah pedal, and mini powered amp. He was pretty good and I eventually got my guitar, yelled form the window, and went down and jammed with him for about a half hour. It was pretty cool. Didn’t really make any money (I think a few people may have dropped some coins, but I didn’t take any of them). So, I unofficially played my first “show” over-seas…boo ya.
On Monday, I also booked our trip to the Isle of Capri for the weekend. We’ll be staying at the Bussola di Hermes in Anacapri. I believe it’s on the top of a large hill on the island and is w/in walking distance to the beach. It’s supposed to be very pretty and half in some forest…or something. I’m not really sure exactly, but the pictures looked pretty nice. (http://www.capri.net/salsa/lang/en/card1_id/57/page/card.html)...that's a website of the hostile...
Oh, we also went to the outlets Sunday with our Italian friend Fabrizio. They we’re pretty much the same as the outlets in the states in their layout, however it was Dolce & Gabana and Versace instead of Gap and Rebok. I ended up getting a solid deal on some Pumas and a David Mayer shirt. Boo Ya for Italian outlets.
Tonight, I have decided to make dinner and to change things up from the usual Mussels, Pasta, or Pizza, I’ve gone out and purchased some ground beef, French bread, and various vegetables and cheeses to make some of what you may like to call imitation Tubby’s burger subs. Basically, slice the bread open like a sub, and shove lots of meat, veggies, cheese, and ketchup in it. Hopefully it turns out, but if not we can probably just go around the corner and get some pizza.
Thanks to everyone who has responded to any of my e-mails/postings, it’s good to be informed of what’s happening outside of my little roman bubble. Without the TV and limited internet time, it’s hard to keep up w/everything that’s going on in the world. I’ll write soonly, talk to ya’ll later.
Ciao,
Jon boy
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Schools in session...crap
Hey everyone. It’s official, I’ve survived the first week of classes…boo ya. They seem ok, nothing too difficult, although my brain feels like mush every time I leave my Italian class. So hopefully nothing starts getting hard. We don’t have classes on Friday except for “makeup” days…which in my opinion is a bunch of crap. We don’t have freakin make-up days back home when there’s some sort of holiday, so why the hell should we here? Oh well, that’s my only complaint now, sine I finally got all my class schedule woes settled.
On a lighter note, the food still rocks. Tony rocks, and Fabricio, the itialian guy we met here rocks too. He’s told us all the hot spots and said he’d show us where the outlets are, so we’re anxiously awaiting for that to happen. We also might be going to the Isle of Capri this up-coming weekend, however, nothing is final yet. So many options and so little time to do them all. Also, I’d really like to go to a place called Ibiza…apparently it’s the newly hailed party capitol of the world. It’s an island that’s basically south of France and west of Spain located in the Mediterranean Sea…part of the Balearic Islands. Looks like it could be a good time, eh?
So far, everything here has gone well, nothing really exciting to report right now, just that things are well, I’ve bought my books, done a little window shopping at all the ridiculous designers and countless number of shops everywhere, and generally just having a good time. Lemme know how you guys back home are doing. I don’t’ have a TV or the internet in my apt, so I’m pretty disconnected from the rest of the world, so I only know what’s going on through you guys, lol. Anyhoo, have a good one…as soon as I get my camera cords, I’ll start putting up ridiculous amounts of pictures…
Ciao, Jon boy
On a lighter note, the food still rocks. Tony rocks, and Fabricio, the itialian guy we met here rocks too. He’s told us all the hot spots and said he’d show us where the outlets are, so we’re anxiously awaiting for that to happen. We also might be going to the Isle of Capri this up-coming weekend, however, nothing is final yet. So many options and so little time to do them all. Also, I’d really like to go to a place called Ibiza…apparently it’s the newly hailed party capitol of the world. It’s an island that’s basically south of France and west of Spain located in the Mediterranean Sea…part of the Balearic Islands. Looks like it could be a good time, eh?
So far, everything here has gone well, nothing really exciting to report right now, just that things are well, I’ve bought my books, done a little window shopping at all the ridiculous designers and countless number of shops everywhere, and generally just having a good time. Lemme know how you guys back home are doing. I don’t’ have a TV or the internet in my apt, so I’m pretty disconnected from the rest of the world, so I only know what’s going on through you guys, lol. Anyhoo, have a good one…as soon as I get my camera cords, I’ll start putting up ridiculous amounts of pictures…
Ciao, Jon boy
Monday, September 05, 2005
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting...
Ciao,
Well, things are sailing somewhat smoothly now. Kind of figuring out how things work, where I live, how to get around. We’ve (my roommates & I) befriended Tony, the owner of a local restaurant called Hostaria Del Moro, who rocks and treats now treats us well. He gave us a free bottle of wine yesterday after eating dinner at his place, boo ya.
Saturday, Elton John put on a free concert in front of the Coliseum. It was quite the concert, over 100,000 people showed up from what I could make of things. Very crowded but very fun, even though he didn’t play Tiny Dancer or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Oh well, it was free.
Sunday, we all went to this huge flee market in town. It is the biggest flee market I’ve ever seen or hear of…it took us about two hours to walk from one end to the other…and then we got lost trying to find the entrance from which we came. Only two purchases were made…a euro-plug extender for the wall socket for two Euro…and a totally rad 80’s skateboard for five Euro. Almost got a fake watch, but I couldn’t haggle the guy down to the price I wanted, need to work on my haggling skills….probably doesn’t help that I don’t speak Italian, eh?
Classes started today along with the most un-organized, overly complicated, and pathetic Drop-Add session in the history of mankind. They have a ticket dispenser that you would find in your local deli or grocer when waiting in line for your favorite choice meat from which you care to take a number and get in line. You wait for your number by looking at the digital number display at the end of the very narrow and tiney hallway in which the registrar’s office is located. It’s hot, not air-conditioned, and packed w/people. I took my number this morning at 10am (they opened at 9am) and found that I had B22…they were on A28. At noon they were at about A48, when they (and by they, I mean the single, bitchy lady who is running this whole fiasco) promptly left for their two hour siesta. I’m currently writing this back in the apt. with little to no hope of being helped today w/my scheduling needs. Why John Cabot doesn’t use electronic registration like the rest of the civilized world I haven’t the foggiest, but it would make the lives of everyone here incredibly easier…except for maybe the tech guys, but hey, that’s their job.
I’m beginning to find that this University, like most places I’ve ever worked for, been at, or attended has the organizational skills of a two day old chimp. They metaphorically fling fecal matter around in an effort to say “Hey, look at us, we’re awesome” when really, it’s just a big mess, smelly, and a bitch to clean up. Granted, it’s been like that at every school I’ve ever attended, so I’m not terribly surprised. We’ll see how things go once classes really get underway in a few weeks. For now, we’ll just hold our breath and hope all the teachers speak English well.
To try and get over this sorrow of shameful disorganization, I’ve decided to treat myself to a new pair of ridiculous European sunglasses. You know, the kind that you get beat up for wearing in the states. They’ll be my first purchase in my fight to de-tourist myself among the Italians; and though I will still blatantly be an American with my horrible accent and inability to say more than about 10 phrases, it’s a start to camouflaging myself. I also hope to find another fake watch dealer soon because my $8 Wall-mart watch isn’t exactly helping to make me look familiar with the Italian lifestyle. Next update, I’ll try to insert a picture of the shades I end up with.
Also, I’ve learned a little more about the roomies. Hakan isn’t actually a prince, his name just means Sultan when translated into English. He should have just lied about it, I wouldn’t have known any better and it would have been a cool story. Also, Lars is actually 26 years old. The reason he’s so old and still in school is because before he started college he was a professional skier for Norway for two or three years. He then was basically “drafted” by the University of Denver to ski there, really liked it there, and skied for his first two years until becoming ineligible in the eyes of NCAA due to age. He also is infatuated with golf, so we’re already making plans to hit up some Italian links and the Alps sometime.
Speaking of traveling, my current list of places I want to go/visit/do include the following (how many of these actually get accomplished is a whole other issue): This weekends rival soccer game with Rome and…well…their rival and this Sundays F1 race in northern Italy. Eventually go to Monaco, the Isle of Capri (sp?), the local beach, the southern beaches, Florence, Pizza, the Alps, Oktober fest (which apparently is in September…weird), Holland, Prague, possibly Milan, Paris & the Louve(sp?), and I’m sure there are a few others I can’t think of at the moment. So, estimating how much money and time I have to do such things, I’d say many of them won’t happen; maybe next trip to the EU.
Anyhoo, I’m going to walk to campus now, see how far I have until I can fix my schedule, and post this, since I don’t have the internet at my apartment.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Well, things are sailing somewhat smoothly now. Kind of figuring out how things work, where I live, how to get around. We’ve (my roommates & I) befriended Tony, the owner of a local restaurant called Hostaria Del Moro, who rocks and treats now treats us well. He gave us a free bottle of wine yesterday after eating dinner at his place, boo ya.
Saturday, Elton John put on a free concert in front of the Coliseum. It was quite the concert, over 100,000 people showed up from what I could make of things. Very crowded but very fun, even though he didn’t play Tiny Dancer or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Oh well, it was free.
Sunday, we all went to this huge flee market in town. It is the biggest flee market I’ve ever seen or hear of…it took us about two hours to walk from one end to the other…and then we got lost trying to find the entrance from which we came. Only two purchases were made…a euro-plug extender for the wall socket for two Euro…and a totally rad 80’s skateboard for five Euro. Almost got a fake watch, but I couldn’t haggle the guy down to the price I wanted, need to work on my haggling skills….probably doesn’t help that I don’t speak Italian, eh?
Classes started today along with the most un-organized, overly complicated, and pathetic Drop-Add session in the history of mankind. They have a ticket dispenser that you would find in your local deli or grocer when waiting in line for your favorite choice meat from which you care to take a number and get in line. You wait for your number by looking at the digital number display at the end of the very narrow and tiney hallway in which the registrar’s office is located. It’s hot, not air-conditioned, and packed w/people. I took my number this morning at 10am (they opened at 9am) and found that I had B22…they were on A28. At noon they were at about A48, when they (and by they, I mean the single, bitchy lady who is running this whole fiasco) promptly left for their two hour siesta. I’m currently writing this back in the apt. with little to no hope of being helped today w/my scheduling needs. Why John Cabot doesn’t use electronic registration like the rest of the civilized world I haven’t the foggiest, but it would make the lives of everyone here incredibly easier…except for maybe the tech guys, but hey, that’s their job.
I’m beginning to find that this University, like most places I’ve ever worked for, been at, or attended has the organizational skills of a two day old chimp. They metaphorically fling fecal matter around in an effort to say “Hey, look at us, we’re awesome” when really, it’s just a big mess, smelly, and a bitch to clean up. Granted, it’s been like that at every school I’ve ever attended, so I’m not terribly surprised. We’ll see how things go once classes really get underway in a few weeks. For now, we’ll just hold our breath and hope all the teachers speak English well.
To try and get over this sorrow of shameful disorganization, I’ve decided to treat myself to a new pair of ridiculous European sunglasses. You know, the kind that you get beat up for wearing in the states. They’ll be my first purchase in my fight to de-tourist myself among the Italians; and though I will still blatantly be an American with my horrible accent and inability to say more than about 10 phrases, it’s a start to camouflaging myself. I also hope to find another fake watch dealer soon because my $8 Wall-mart watch isn’t exactly helping to make me look familiar with the Italian lifestyle. Next update, I’ll try to insert a picture of the shades I end up with.
Also, I’ve learned a little more about the roomies. Hakan isn’t actually a prince, his name just means Sultan when translated into English. He should have just lied about it, I wouldn’t have known any better and it would have been a cool story. Also, Lars is actually 26 years old. The reason he’s so old and still in school is because before he started college he was a professional skier for Norway for two or three years. He then was basically “drafted” by the University of Denver to ski there, really liked it there, and skied for his first two years until becoming ineligible in the eyes of NCAA due to age. He also is infatuated with golf, so we’re already making plans to hit up some Italian links and the Alps sometime.
Speaking of traveling, my current list of places I want to go/visit/do include the following (how many of these actually get accomplished is a whole other issue): This weekends rival soccer game with Rome and…well…their rival and this Sundays F1 race in northern Italy. Eventually go to Monaco, the Isle of Capri (sp?), the local beach, the southern beaches, Florence, Pizza, the Alps, Oktober fest (which apparently is in September…weird), Holland, Prague, possibly Milan, Paris & the Louve(sp?), and I’m sure there are a few others I can’t think of at the moment. So, estimating how much money and time I have to do such things, I’d say many of them won’t happen; maybe next trip to the EU.
Anyhoo, I’m going to walk to campus now, see how far I have until I can fix my schedule, and post this, since I don’t have the internet at my apartment.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Falling in Line
Ciao everyone. It’s been a few days now and my sanity has slowly returned (well, sanity relative to my natural state, which isn’t very sane anyways). I’m finally figuring out how to get places w/o getting lost, and let me tell you, it’s pretty sweet to not have to keep walking in circles to eventually find your place of residence.
I’ve taken a fair amount of pictures so far, however, I failed to remember to bring any sort of connecting device for my camera to transfer pictures onto my computer. Yea, I rock. However, I do have a few pictures from one of the state kids I met, so I will try to find a place to put them online soonly.
Since I last wrote, I’ve done some sight seeing. I’ve figured out where ‘important’ places around my apt. are (i.e. every pizza place)…basically all you have to do if you want pizza or gelato is to walk ten feet and you’ll find somewhere that sells either or both. I’ve also visited the Coliseum twice, once at night and once during the day. I do have to say everything I’ve seen at night is way cooler than during the day…you just can’t go inside at night.
I also saw some other very impressive and cool buildings by the Coliseum, though I haven’t the foggiest as to what they are. One in particular was absolutely amazing, a very old church of the most ordained quality I’ve ever seen. The entire ceilings were covered in gold and everything was hand carved, from the marble to the wood to the statues and tombs of priests and cardinals. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the building, though I was tempted, but thought better of it seeing as it was a house of God and if I disobeyed a direct church order, I thought I might be struck dead or plagued with leprosy or something.
As soon as I figure out how to transfer pictures, I’ll put them on the web for all to see and marvel in my…I MEAN, the ancient structures glory.
Our 4th roommate moved in the other day, which is an interesting story in itself…not really, but I’m going to pretend and tell anyways. He moved in the first day we arrived…for about an hour, and then figured out how to fandangle a way he could live w/his friends from St. Maries (the school he attends) who live behind us. So we all went out that night, him and his friends (who just happened to be of the female type). Then, the next day, as we awate our roommate, he apparently slipped to John Cabot that he was living with two gurls, they didn’t like that, and put him back here with us. So, it’s pretty nice because we already knew him and he’s a great guy so far, so no worrying about who the next roommate will be and how weird is he going to be.
Anyhoo, his name is Chalan (Shaw-Lann) and he’s from the Island of Maui in Hawaii. Yes, I know, this makes me by far the most boring person in our apartment. Hakan, from turkey (who may actually be of direct royal discent…i.e. he’s a prince…still trying to figure that one out); Lars, from Norway but studying at the University of Denver; Chalan from Maui who is studying at a small school (St. Maries) in southern California; Jon Boy, the loser buble kid who lives in a outside blinded suburb of Detroit in Michigan who’s never been outside North America. How can you compete w/that? You can’t, at all. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to swoon the ladies with my….crap, I’ve got nothing, lol. No worries, I’m having a blast.
Lastly, it’s somewhat creepy how much this place feels like Disney. Reality hasn’t quite sunk in yet due to the fact that we don’t have classes until Monday. I just look outside our window down onto the narrow cobble stone street at the buildings and it’s very surreal. And then at night it’s as though Vegas has taken over and everyone comes out to play. This place bumps every night. We were out until 1am last night and didn’t even realize it ‘cause it seemed (crowd wise) like it would be equivilant to 7pm at The Village or maybe 10/11pm in Ann Arbor or downtown Nashville or something…people just stay out and hang until the wee hours, it’s really sweet.
Anyhoo, enough of my blabbing, I’m going to go attempt to find the market/grocery/food place with the roomies. Talk to you all later…keep me informed on what everyone else is doing.
P.S. my phone number (incase anyone feels really gutsy) is 011.39.335.773.9363. Yes, it’s really long, just like your bill will be when you call.
I’ve taken a fair amount of pictures so far, however, I failed to remember to bring any sort of connecting device for my camera to transfer pictures onto my computer. Yea, I rock. However, I do have a few pictures from one of the state kids I met, so I will try to find a place to put them online soonly.
Since I last wrote, I’ve done some sight seeing. I’ve figured out where ‘important’ places around my apt. are (i.e. every pizza place)…basically all you have to do if you want pizza or gelato is to walk ten feet and you’ll find somewhere that sells either or both. I’ve also visited the Coliseum twice, once at night and once during the day. I do have to say everything I’ve seen at night is way cooler than during the day…you just can’t go inside at night.
I also saw some other very impressive and cool buildings by the Coliseum, though I haven’t the foggiest as to what they are. One in particular was absolutely amazing, a very old church of the most ordained quality I’ve ever seen. The entire ceilings were covered in gold and everything was hand carved, from the marble to the wood to the statues and tombs of priests and cardinals. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the building, though I was tempted, but thought better of it seeing as it was a house of God and if I disobeyed a direct church order, I thought I might be struck dead or plagued with leprosy or something.
As soon as I figure out how to transfer pictures, I’ll put them on the web for all to see and marvel in my…I MEAN, the ancient structures glory.
Our 4th roommate moved in the other day, which is an interesting story in itself…not really, but I’m going to pretend and tell anyways. He moved in the first day we arrived…for about an hour, and then figured out how to fandangle a way he could live w/his friends from St. Maries (the school he attends) who live behind us. So we all went out that night, him and his friends (who just happened to be of the female type). Then, the next day, as we awate our roommate, he apparently slipped to John Cabot that he was living with two gurls, they didn’t like that, and put him back here with us. So, it’s pretty nice because we already knew him and he’s a great guy so far, so no worrying about who the next roommate will be and how weird is he going to be.
Anyhoo, his name is Chalan (Shaw-Lann) and he’s from the Island of Maui in Hawaii. Yes, I know, this makes me by far the most boring person in our apartment. Hakan, from turkey (who may actually be of direct royal discent…i.e. he’s a prince…still trying to figure that one out); Lars, from Norway but studying at the University of Denver; Chalan from Maui who is studying at a small school (St. Maries) in southern California; Jon Boy, the loser buble kid who lives in a outside blinded suburb of Detroit in Michigan who’s never been outside North America. How can you compete w/that? You can’t, at all. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to swoon the ladies with my….crap, I’ve got nothing, lol. No worries, I’m having a blast.
Lastly, it’s somewhat creepy how much this place feels like Disney. Reality hasn’t quite sunk in yet due to the fact that we don’t have classes until Monday. I just look outside our window down onto the narrow cobble stone street at the buildings and it’s very surreal. And then at night it’s as though Vegas has taken over and everyone comes out to play. This place bumps every night. We were out until 1am last night and didn’t even realize it ‘cause it seemed (crowd wise) like it would be equivilant to 7pm at The Village or maybe 10/11pm in Ann Arbor or downtown Nashville or something…people just stay out and hang until the wee hours, it’s really sweet.
Anyhoo, enough of my blabbing, I’m going to go attempt to find the market/grocery/food place with the roomies. Talk to you all later…keep me informed on what everyone else is doing.
P.S. my phone number (incase anyone feels really gutsy) is 011.39.335.773.9363. Yes, it’s really long, just like your bill will be when you call.
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