Day 1 in Roma is coming to a close! I cannot believe I am actually here... then again, I also cannot believe that my luggage is NOT actually here...
Yes, in more ways than one, the Eternal City didn't give me the greatest of welcomes today. Anna and I met at JFK about 40 minutes before takeoff and last call for our flight ended up during the ~3 minute period of time in which I was buying a bottle of water. Fortunately I rushed back and we made it in time... but unfortunately, the flight crew didn't do as well. One of the pilots was sick so another one and his assistant had to hurry over to join us. By the time everything was settled, we'd been in the plane for almost 2 full hours :( Those two hours plus the actual 9 spent in the air taught me that sleeping in planes just must be an acquired skill, one that I do not possess at all. I contorted my body and the Delta pillow and blanket I was given into a shocking variety of potential sleep positions, but to no avail.
Thus I arrived in Rome: tired, hungry (plane food was... not so edible. Plus I saw a flight attendant in the back eating what looked like a very nice, edible meal. So unfair :P )and nervous. Anna and I headed to baggage claim; hers came fairly quickly when we reached the right one. Half an hour later, mine still hadn't. Some Asian woman's suitcase had fallen onto the other side of the conveyor belt, so she turned off the spinner and hopped on to grab it... then the spinner wouldn't go back on. At all. And no bags were coming out. So I hoped it was just a delay; after all, there were several other people from my flight also waiting for bags.
No such luck. Turns out Delta left about 1/4 of my flight's luggage at JFK. Hopefully it will arrive tomorrow. It'll work itself out, I'm sure - as long as they KNOW where it is, I'm fine. :) (Mom and Dad, relax.)
So 3ish hours after we arrived at Rome's Fiumicino airport, Anna and I headed to the hotel. (This itself took an extensive time due to some very sketchy interactions with "cab drivers.") Speaking of driving, Italians... can't do it. Seriously, *I* am a better driver! There seem to be few or no traffic laws; cars are tiny (FIAT Cinquecento is now available in America!) and Vespas are everywhere, speeding through narrow streets and being very, shall we say, indecisive on streets with multiple lanes. Always have to be on your toes around here.
Finally, we reached Residenza Candia, home for the next week. I am in a suite with 4 other girls from the program, and the residence is very quaint - we have 2 bedrooms, a bath, kitchenette, and an adorable little terrace.
As for the view, it's amazing, but that can be said from almost anywhere you're standing in this city. Roma is gorgeous. (Pictures to follow!).
After getting settled we walked around a bit to acquaint ourselves with the surrounding streets, then ate dinner together with our TF Paola and the Academic Initiatives Abroad Coordinator, Claudia, at a Roman pizzeria (which was so yummy that I think it could convince even my dad to give up on the Elio's!). After the meal, we stopped for gelato (Harvard paying for gelato = WIN) and then back to the hotel, where we all hurriedly finished the homework due in the morning and called it a night!
Day's Recap:
Hours in plane: ~11
Suitcases lost: 1
Flavors of gelato tasted (this is for you, Aunt Barbara!): Cioccolato (had to keep it simple at first) and stracciatella (the favorite so far).
Buona Notte,
Michelina
PS- Keep your fingers crossed that my luggage finds its way to Roma!
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