Excitement bookended this first week. Travel, exhaustion, and marvel filled the middle.
Seattle condo to Rome apartment involved:
12 hours of flights (plus a layover in Frankfurt that was surprisingly way less efficient than I was expecting for Germany)
car service to the hotel (I highly recommend paying the higher price for a taxi or car service after a long flight with luggage - your tired body and mind will appreciate getting to the hotel easily)
Hotel stay - a darling small room was perfect to start catching up on sleep from being awake most of the previous 36 hours
Delicious and simple meal around the corner from the hotel
Taxi to the UW Rome Center (my classroom while in Rome) - again helpful with the luggage
Housing change due to student shifting last minute.
Taxi to the apartment
Tour the apartment and unpack to make this space feel like home for the next 2 1/2 months
In between, many walks through the cobblestone streets have occurred, taking in all the sights and sounds of the city. In Seattle I always love the peek-a-boo of Mt. Rainier as I drive and walk around. In Rome, the windy streets play peek-a-boo with ancient buildings. Around every corner are structures that span construction over the past 2 millenia - from Castel Sant'Angelo, to the Vatican, to Roman walls built to protect against the Barbers, to shops in building that look like 21st century construction.
Shops, restaurants, and cafes fille every tiny opening along the street and are a true feast for the eyes. It is difficult to not stop constantly and stare at everything. But I do pause along the route to and from school, take photos, marvel at the enormous doors, variety of architectural styles, tiny vehicles, and absorb all that I can.
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