One Week Down!

Rome: September 21, 2014

Una settimana down!

It has been one week since I landed in the eternal city with my friend Ellie, another aspiring English language teacher, and it has been quite the roller-coaster ride. Mostly due to language and cultural barriers, and also the fact that we are still finalizing our long term housing while abroad. But HEY! It's an adventure. Just one I wish I had started without 100 lbs PLUS of luggage. It does make moving down one narrow cobblestone street to another a little more difficult….

The good thing is I have never had a problem talking to people (or close talking people), which may have already led to a few misinterpreted situations…BUT at the same time has also left me  with contacts, recommendations, and advice on how to secure the most cluck for our (European) buck.

Long story short, this week we have been bopping around Roma from one temporary home to the next! I made the mistake of filling in my zany Colombian (also Catholic) mother of our temporary housing predicament. Her suggestion for us? STAY IN A CONVENT! Yes. A convent in Rome. Why you ask? She happens to have a friend of a friend who is part of the order: Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. I can call the convent or just pop in for a visit and inform the nuns that my mother is a friend of Sister Sylvia’s niece! Apparently she has already told the nuns of our little ‘predicament’ and they would be happy to help until we found something permanent.

‘You will be able to practice your Italian too!’ she tells me. Welp! Not sure what Marilu is really trying to tell me in joining a nunnery over here, but  clearly she has not seen the Tinder pool Roma is working with (swoon). 

 I am also VERY excited to start working with my Italian students and tote around a ‘Mary Poppins’ bag of surprises, games and fun lesson plans to make Mal their favorite PAL (and teacher of course). Hopefully everything will run smoothly and I won’t end up teaching Sunday school.

On another note, the restaurant, Roma Sparita, in Trastevere is one of the BEST spots I’ve ever eaten in. The bowls of pasta were made out of Parmesan cheese…You can literally CLEAN youe plate (or bowl in this case). HIGHLY recommended for those visiting Rome. They typically do not take reservations, but well worth the wait!

I will do my very best to keep this blog updated often to chronicle my Italian escapades!

Instagram: willwoof4wine

Email: willwoof4wine@gmail.com

xoxo, 

Malpal

(click through the photos below to see for yourself)