I did something tonight that is going to shock you all…I COOKED DINNER! Really! I promise! I did it all by myself! Aaron just sat at the table to make sure that I didn’t let the flames on the gas stove get too big because then we would all die. I made chicken parmesan and it was actually really good! I’m so proud of myself. Maybe I am Italian after all! Other than tonight’s culinary breakthrough, life has been pretty boring for the past couple of days. We started our classes on Monday at Richmond and they don’t seem to be too bad. I have the same professor for my Classical Mythology and Religions and Cults of the Roman Empire class so at least his teaching style is the same. He has the funnies t accent by he’s really nice and helpful so that’s a plus. I learned a lot about the Italian education system yesterday which has helped make up my mind that teaching abroad might not be the best idea. We had a lengthy explanation about the fact that a college education in Italy doesn’t hold the same value that it does in the states. In Italy’s case, all Universities are publically funded. That means that you pay about $4500 for a college education. Nice, right? Except for the fact that ANYONE can get a college education. It doesn’t matter how you did in school before applying. You simply go to the university that you want to take classes at and sign up. Class attendance isn’t mandatory. You just show up and take your finals and get a grade. Everyone passes because Professors don’t want to bother with the paperwork of failing someone. We were told that 90% of college professors are paid off to give good grades and even sell exams to students for as much as 30,000 Euros. After 3 years of University, you are automatically given a doctorates degree…no matter your academic standing. 3 years of classes is all you need. This counts for teachers, doctors, lawyers and all other professions. With that being said, we were then told that most doctors in this country that received an Italian degree are barely competent enough to be treating you. They just look everything up in a medical book and hope that they are right. Hospitals and schools are full of untrained professionals that most likely got their jobs because of family connections or money. Teachers are teaching in schools when they aren’t trained in the subject matter. Makes you feel safe, right? I’m PRAYING that I don’t have to see a doctor while I’m here. Our professor told us that the ELITE members of society (the dignitaries and millionaires) who want to educate their children send them to the United States to go to school. And were always told how bad our institutes of higher learning are. HA! This whole conversation was very depressing to have. Our professor got onto the subject of education because we were discussing the corruption in the government due to the Mafia connections. Educational systems here are just as corrupt. That really made me sad to hear….I no longer have any desire to teach English abroad….
Tomorrow, Alaina and I are going to check out the hostel for Matt and make sure that it’s not some hole in the wall roach motel. Then we’re heading to the Vatican to check out some of the museums that are too crowded on the weekends and hopefully head down into the catacombs. We’re going to try to go to mass on Sunday so I’m looking forward to that. All in all, I really love Rome. There is so much to see and I’m not really sure how I’m going to do it all in the 11 weeks that I have left here. We ordered tickets for a Roma soccer game for when Matt comes so I’m looking forward to that as well. Roma is playing Udine (Someone tell grandpa!) but we’re going to be sitting on the Roma side. We’ve got a lot of cooking classes and other activities lined up through Richmond so this month seems like it’s going to fly by. I’ll be home before you know it  Send me mail!!! It makes us happy!!!

Love from Roma,
Michelle