I'm in Rome!!!!!! Everyone say yay!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay....I'm done being weird. I'm just SO excited to finally be here in our apartment and settled for the next 12 weeks. It seems like a short time when I think of it like that....just 12 weeks from landing back in the States. The times going to fly by, I know. On Thursday morning, we loaded up the buses to head to our new lives as Romans (dont you love that? We're Romans. haha) With a sprained ankle, I tried to get down the stairs with one of my bags and Aaron had my giant 1,000lb pound pink bag. As hes pulling it down 3 flights of stairs at the Anglo American Hotel, the handle snaps off. haha Just my luck. So now, I am down a suitcase but no worries. Matts bringing me a large one to ship half my stuff back in. He can struggle through the airports with it. Anyway, we took a 4 hour bus ride into Rome and were dropped off at the bus parking lot with a line of Italian Taxi Drivers waiting for us. Alaina and i got put into a cab with the tiniest trunk I have EVER seen but the driver managed to get 4 large bags and 2 smaller bags plus 2 passengers with bookbags into the small car. The guy must have had the muscles of a Roman God or something. Our bags weighed well over 100lbs. each. For the first time since we left the states, we rode in an actual car. As were swerving, weaving and bobbing through mobs of other cars and mopeds, I managed not to scream and we were nearly involved in about 4 accidents. Daddy, you would LOVE driving over here. No one pays any attention to the traffic Laws. Wanna drive down the center lain of the road? No problem! Go right ahead! Wanna run red lights and bypass the 5 cars in from of you at an intersection? Sure! Go ahead! Its amazing that they're not running into everyone but I've yet to see an actual car accident. They even get to park on the sidewalks. yep. They just pull right up onto the sidewalks like its their parking spot. They also squeeze their tiny little cars sideways into the small gap between two parallel parking spaces. Its really unbelievable. The next thing I know, I turn to look out my window and were driving straight across the square that sits in from of the Vatican. I think my heart stopped. I honestly couldn't believe where we were. It was amazing! After circling around the block, we pulled up to the front of this 4 story classic looking building. I was confused...Surely this wasn't our apartment. It was too NICE to be a college students apartment. haha But sure enough, the driver got out and began to pull our suitcases out of the trunk and towards the sidewalk. After getting past the initial shock of actually having some good luck, we buzzed the landlord who directed us to the 3rd floor and our new home. We piled off the elevator (one of those cool old ones with the wrought iron doors that you have to open and close) and were standing in front of a large apartment with long hallways and high ceiling. I then asked the landlady where our apartment was....and she pointed to the ENORMOUS apartment behind here. Once again, my heart stopped. How did I end up here?? I dont have luck like this...surely there was a mistake and the cab would be waiting outside to take me to a tiny shack on the edge of town....but no. This was where I am lucky enough to live for the next 3 months of my life. I finally feel like this semester is going to be a success. After dark, we took the skeleton keys that were left for us and went to the top of the building to explore our rooftop terrace. We have the most beautiful view of Rome...its truely unbelievable. The Vatican was lit up just 2 short blocks from our apartment and we are directly across the street from Castello Sant' Angelo (google it. haha) The whole city lights up at night. The view is incredible. I wish you all could see it! I'm going to do my best to go up on a nice sunny day and get a video of it and then go back up at night to get a night view as well. I've taken some pictues but not enough to put them in an album yet. We've only seen a little ofthe surrounding area so I'll get some great pictures this week as we explore more. Our area is extremely safe and quiet, one of the better parts of the city. We live in a building of older people and professional couples with the exception of the small and annoying child that lives above us and runs constantly. We have a police station directly around the corner and a court house directly across the street from the station. On our block, we have a supermark and a few small stores plus a lot of restaurants and pizzarias so we seem to be in a really great location. Chelsea's all moved in with me now so I think its going to be a good semester :) We had our orientation yesterday and we walked past some old Roman Ruins complete with crumbling columns and archs. Its awesome. It still hasn't set in to me about where I am. It still doesn't seem real! Instead of another list of thing that I miss, I'm going to make a list of things that I'm happy about.

-We have clean clothes now! Woohoo!

-Unlimited internet thanks to our new wireless router!

-My new Unlimited World Skype calling Plan! I can call everyone I want for 8 euros a month!!!

-The refrigerator and stove in our kitchen (I lit a gas stove for the first time....I thought I was going to blow up the whole building....but I didn't!!!)

-The grocery store right downstairs

-Aarons Apartment only being a 15 minute walk away

-Our amazing view of the Eternal City

-Having Chelsea as my new roommie ( The southerners have to stick together!)

-The sweet tea I just made!!

-Being able to call daddy in 2 weeks for his birthday!

-The fact that my big brother is coming in just 4 short weeks

-Booking our trips to Paris and Barcelona for the month of February!

-Going to Germany, Switzerland and Austria for Spring Break.

-Seeing Greece and Prague in April!

-Our wonderfully perfect and safe apartment

-Our understanding landlady and her english translator name Carla

-My close proximity to the Vatican and other historical places in Rome (The Pope is my neighbor!! How many people can say that??)

-Having the amazing opportunity to experience the Eternal City and all the wonderful places that the world has to offer

I love you guys! Talk to you soon!!!

Love,

Michelle