I would like to enter this email by just saying how lucky I feel to be
in Rome. After the experiences last semester, I truly appreciate the
things that I have here. I love Rome. It is a fabulous city that is
constantly surprising me.
I found a kosher butcher who was extremely nice and the customers were
even friendly with Becca and I. Becca said that its the best
experience she's had in a shop so far, though the funny thing is she
is a vegetarian. The great thing is that its within walking distance.
I'm hoping that the laundry place is just as nice.
So far I absolutely love my classes. Last week we toured the Campus
Martius in my art history class, found the place were Caesar was
killed (now a cat sanctuary), the Pompey theatre outline, the Temple
of Venus (and the funny woman who now lives there), did an
introduction of Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the original gaming and field
exercise site for ancient Romans, and hmmmm...several old temples, and
the best coffee place in Rome.
Drawing class was spent at Santa Maria in Trastevere piazza in a cafe
across from the church. I sat there for over two hours sipping the
best cinnamon cappuccino of my life, sketching, and not believing that
I was actually in class. The best thing is that we had sat there so
long that the waiter didn't believe it and thought we hadn't paid for
our drinks. I then got a chance to try out some original roman
arguing techniques. I did pretty well, and they finally believed me.
I've switched up to a higher level of conversation class, which is the
only Italian class period that I was able to fit into my schedule. My
professor says that my Italian is doing very well and that I shouldn't
have a lot of problems without taking a regular grammar class and if I
do, she'll help me with it. This is good news. For a while I thought
I wasn't going to be able to take anything do to my regular class
schedule.
I've found that saying the words graduate student actually have some
weight. I'd asked our head of library services to help finding some
obscure technical manuals and the minute I said the magic words
"graduate student" suddenly he was going to try to get me into the
American Academy's library. So far, I think he's going to do it, it
doesn't hurt that his wife is also the librarian there either. Yeah!
I've found the Porta Portese Markets on Sunday mornings are so far the
best way to get things that I need for the studio or home. I've
gotten some killer deals on linen for painting and fabric for dividing
the studios and am now in search of a great pair of boots. The Porta
Portese is the largest flea/open air market I've ever seen. It first
took me over two hours to walk it when the vendors were first setting
up. The best thing is they are always willing to bargain.
I've hit a Manet show, Piazza del Popolo is on the schedule today with
some fabulous Caravaggio's (one of my favorite painters), and maybe a
quick trip to the English bookshop for some reference materials in the
studio.
So I will leave you here, so I can go get ready for today's adventures.
Jenny
--
I want to live my life not by the regret of "what if", but by its
possibilities. -ME
What lies behind us and what lies before us are nothing compared to
what lies within us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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