After almost a week of not writing I feel like it would be a great time to fill everyone in. Rome has been absolutely amazing. As another day passes I could not be more blessed for the opportunity of studying abroad. I've made some great friends and had some awesome experiences. The biggest things that have happened since writing last were probably my birthday and first weekend trip of the semester!
First off, having your birthday abroad is such a crazy occurrence. I was a bit hesitant having my birthday away from home because I felt like no one would really want to celebrate. But I was wrong! My roommates surprised me with a cake and an unforgettable night out! It started off with my roommates, neighbors, and I going to an Appertivo and ended with a night out on the town with some other friends. Turning 21 is a big deal in itself, but being able to turn 21 in Rome is something I will never forget!
After a long week of classes, two of my roommates and I headed to Zurich, Switzerland for a concert! Our weekend trip started off with an early morning wake up call of 5:30am. After taking the train to the airport we waited excitedly until our flight arrived. After an hour and half flight we finally know we are near our destination because of the breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps.
Upon arriving in Switzerland, we had the hardest time understanding ANYTHING because of the language barrier. The positive thing is that everyone speaks English, but navigating our way through the city was a whole new obstacle! After checking into our hotel we headed downtown to grab dinner before our show. Now, we didn't know this before, but Switzerland is SO EXPENSIVE. An example: a drink at Starbucks was about 9 Franks, and a typical sized meal ranged between 50-70 Franks. And if you don't know one Frank is equivalent to about $1.12 American. After dinner we headed to the concert, and had one of the best nights so far!!! We got to listen to music and hang out with some of our favorite artists. It was definitely a great birthday gift!
Day two we decided to just wander around, and see where the day takes us. Definitely should not have done that because it took us to the popular Swiss Chocolatier called Sprungli. Let's just say that we will be living on delectable sweets for the next few weeks!
Tomorrow is our last day, and so far all we have planned is trying a traditional fondue lunch. After lunch, we are going to climb a mountain for a well-known and beautiful view of the city. Our flight leaves around 8pm which gives us one last day! I couldn't have asked for a better first trip. Now time to get back to Rome until next weekend, Carnivale in Venice!!!
