The New Experiences Never Stop....

Thursday was a big day at John Cabot University.  All of the study abroad students had to finish the process for the "Permesso di Soggiorno" or Permit to Stay.  I had to go through the line and allow PosteItaliane or post office employees look over my passport and application so they can keep track of me while I'm here.  I was issued a small piece of paper that I have to carry with me when I travel stating that the Italian government has given me permission to study in their country for the allotted time on my passport.  I basically had to sign my life away saying that I wouldn't become a ward of the state if I ran out of money, and Mom and Dad had to do paperwork before I left saying that they would support me and not abandon me if I did something wrong or ran out of money.  Oh the comfort of studying abroad!

This is a fresco from the church wall of St. Peter and Jesus

Thursday was classes as usual, and I was on campus from 12:00 noon until 6:30 PM.  The highlight of my week thus far was the field trip that Father Phil took my History of the Catholic Church class on during class on Thursday.  We took a small bus across the river close to the Ancient Roman Forum.  We got out and were right near an attraction newly opened to the public - Carcere Mamertino - the prison where St. Peter was held before he was crucified in Rome!  My professor has a friend who runs the newly opened prison, so we were allowed to go there during class.  The story is that St. Peter was held in the prison in this tiny cell.  There was only a hole to get into the cell at the time he was in it.  Shortly after being taken out of the prison, he was crucified upside down on a cross in Rome because he felt that he was not worthy enough to die the same way as his teacher and friend, Jesus Christ.  We got a tour of the cell and of the small church directly above the cell.  Faithful Christians in the early centuries made the area directly above the prison cell into a church and appropriately called it the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul.  Today, there is a larger church built on top of the church of St. Peter and Paul called the Church of St. Joseph the Worker.  Basically, the Church of St. Peter and Paul is in the basement and the jail cell is underneath that.  We didn't get a chance to see the Church of St. Joseph the Worker, but we did get to see the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul.  There are amazing frescos on the wall, and a beautiful altar with a golden cross.  The church fits maybe 20-30 people, but it was such an amazing experience!  Being in the prison where St. Peter was held before his death was an awesome feeling.  It was surreal to try and comprehend the fact that the rock of the Catholic Church, St. Peter, once stood where I was standing.  The pictures I took turned out great too!  


Friday was a make-up day for classes at JCU and we had a Thursday class schedule since it was the make-up day for Thursday, November 25.  My day started out by being 15 minutes late to class because something was wrong with the tram on our block and it wasn't running on schedule.  All of the Italians were yelling on the platform, and one elderly lady in high heels walked by me and I'm pretty sure I caught her mumbling something about having to walk in her good shoes to the store and then some bad Italian word I don't know.  What a way to start out the day!  The rest of the day continued as usual, and classes went until 6:30 PM for me.  I did go with some of my friends to the T-Bone American Steakhouse for lunch.  It is this restaurant where we like to go near campus with meal deals for JCU students and it is also nice to get a little taste of home.  They have typical American burgers, chicken fingers, french fries, anything you want!  It was such a good lunch!  After classes ended, Casey, Bliss, their roommate Kristin, and I went to a pizzeria over by school and got some dinner around 9:30 PM.  We got some pizzas with spicy salami on them and some bruschetta with tomatoes, and basil!  It was so yummy!  And of course, we had two pitchers of the white house wine or vino bianco.  It was so good and sweet too!  We sat around for a while and took our time, like all of the local Italians do at restaurants for dinner.  It is not uncommon for Italian families to sit for hours in restaurants.  It's so much fun being a local!  After dinner, we decided to go out for some drinks to our favorite bar - Scholar's Lounge and Irish Pub!  It was great, and we had a blast! Casey, Bliss, Tynisha, and I went their met some of our friends and my roommates for the evening!  They play 90s music, and the music selection was fantastic last night!  Bliss drank her first Peroni and I had my first Guinness beer!  Soooo good!!!


Today is Saturday, and it is pretty gloomy and rainy in Roma.  We decided today would be a lazy day and a day to catch up on homework.  Bliss, Casey, and I had some breakfast and then went to the bookstore in town so I could get the last of my textbooks and Bliss could get some cookbooks to spice up our meals over here!  We have been doing homework this afternoon and went to the market to get some food.  I called home around 5:00 PM my time from my Google Email phone and talked to Grandma Kasprzak, Mom, Dad, and Aunt Rosie Hoffman.  It was nice to hear voices of the family, and it was nice to catch up for a bit.  Tonight, Casey, Bliss, and I are going to try and make this pasta creating that Bliss found a recipe for in here new cookbook, and then just hang out tonight and take it easy.  A bunch of my roommates left this weekend.  Culyer went to the opening weekend of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany and some of the other guys planned a day hike somewhere.  Tomorrow, we are planning to hit up the Colosseum and some of the other tourist spots across the river!  I'm having a blast!  Amo Roma!  Miss you all!