Beginnings: La Mia Casa

Our Kitchen

Italian: La Mia Casa

English: My Home

The early evening has arrived on my second day in Roma! It's a huge relief since the weather has been unbearably hot. However, it is still 90 degrees F outside, or 34 degrees C, according to all of the European thermometers. The early evening also commences the end of move in day! Today, I moved into my apartment in the Trastevere. There are eight girls in total: two double roomes, one triple room, and one single. So far seven out of eight roommies have been accounted for (the last one has been delayed due to flight cancellations). I, myself, am in a double with my wonderful roommate, and fellow UCSD tour guide, Mac! She's a wonderful woman, and so up for adventure and making the most out of her experience here in Italy, you will hear and see plenty of her on my blog. Here's a link to her blog, so definitely take the time to check out her adventures, and perspective of our study abroad experience.

Driver from the Airport to Hotel Ripa

My Room at Hotel Ripa

I landed in Italy around 10 a.m. yesterday. I requested a driver from Hotel Ripa to pick me up. The price would have been almost the same as taking a taxi, and I felt more secure knowing that I would definitely have a ride (thanks to Nancy for the tip!). Featured above are photographs of the room I stayed at Hotel Ripa. I found the set up to be quite interesting. There was a huge bed (notice there are no blankets on it, because it is so hot here!), and awkward partitions that divided the room. On the other side of the partitons is a desk (without a chair), a table with a couple chairs, and that huge chair in the corner. The bathroom was really spacious, and very nice. I realized quickly how low everything is in Europe. The counters, the sinks, the bed! I'll be bending over quite a lot here. 

I proceeded to take a long three (oops...) hour nap yesterday. I then met up with Mac and her wonderful mother Deb for Apertivi (drinks) and dinner at 6:30. It was so refreshing to see a familiar face, and both of them treated me with a great first Italian dinner.

Flavio Al Velavevodetto: Fiori di Zucca, Mozzarella di bufala di Battipaglia, Rigatoni alla Carbanara, Bistecca ai Ferri, Misto in Umido, Insalata, Tiramisu al Bicchiere, Fondente al Cioccolato

Mac and her Mom Deb took a cooking class a few days ago, and the chef recommended this restaurant Falvio Al Velavevodetto. It was phenomenal. I was spoiled my first night with a fine Italian meal (thank you Mama Deb!). The restaurant itself was slightly hidden off of the main road. We were the only American table- a good sign that we are at an authentic restaurant- and we were treated with nice service. Our waiter spoke decent English, so he was able to help recommend some dishes. The highlight of the entire meal was the Carbanara. I know I said in my first post that I wasn't excited for pasta, but I was blown away by this dish. The noodles were al dente, and the sauce was unbelievable. It was rich, yet light for a creamy sauce, and a touch of meat and parmesan made each mouthful delightful. All of the other dishes were so delicious. Our appetizers were classic Italian dishes, and I have decided I will never be able to eat cheese again in the U.S. after eating fresh mozzarella. The meat was tender and juicy, coated in tomato and citrus sauces. The salad was simple with touches of authentic balsamic. Lastly, the dessert, specifically the Tiramisu blew our minds. It wasn't the classic Tiramisu, rather it was served in a tall glass and had a more pudding-esque texture, but each spoonfulwas delightful. Of course, the chocolate cake was great, I mean who can resist chocolate?

The Lovely Witmer Women: Deb and Mac

Thank you so much for the dinner and your generosity Deb!

The Apartment: 

Tiny European Kitchen, Balcony View from the Kitchen, Nicer Bathroom, Living Room, Mac and My Room, and lastly our organized closets (mine is on the right)!

Our home for the next four months is a classic European apartment. The kitchen is Mac and mine's favorite. The yellow tiling makes everything quaint and homey. All of the appliances are small, and even though I say I like the kitchen now, I have a feeling once we start cooking it's going to be quite tight quarters! Also getting used to the fact that the washer is in the kitchen (sans dryer) will be interesting. 

Mac was a great motivator for getting our room organized. One of the coordinators advised us to go to a "Chinese store," more like a dollar store in Europe, where we proceeded to wipe out their entire supply of hangers and baskets to aide in organizing our closets and desks. Personally, I think we were quite successful in our first few trips to the local shops nearby. I'm interested to see which ones will become our "go-to," places, and which ones will be complete flops. 

We have our orientation tomorrow for our program. It will be the first time I'm using the bus system here in Italy. Until next time, Ciao!