30 December 2008

Looking back... 2008's tribute

I did this last year, so I thought I'd make it an annual tradition. Speaking of - look how long I've had this blog! Anyway...
This past year has had it's ups and downs, of course, but the end of the year always makes me wax sentimental about leaving behind another calendar. All in all, I think I'll miss writing 2008 at the top of my school work. This year, as last year did, has brought me many blessings, first, milestones, generally memorable stuff. Some...
-I joined a household.
-I finished my first year of college.
-I learned a lot about travel.
-I visited foreign embassies.
-I learned a lot about taking care of kids. (specifically at camp)
-I visited Canada for the first time.
-I became fluent in Spanish (well, as close as I reasonably can)
-I lived in Europe.
-I turned 20.
-I wrote a novel.
-I spent a night alone in a hotel room.
-I went to my first night club.
-I drank alcohol. (not a lot, but it was legal)
-I grew up a lot.
Wow. Looking back, I can kind of appreciate that I might be a little more of an adult than I thought. I guess I can be proud of what I've accomplished.
Try it. Make a list of what you've done in 2008. Tell me what you find out about yourself.
As promised... some of my photos from Rome. (btw, I think Picasa is about to gain a new testimonial story)
Beth and I stradled the Italian/Vatican border outside S. John Lateran.
On the bridge over the Tiber by Castel Santangelo. He's got the sponge.
Il foro (Oh yeah - I speak Italian now) (not)
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - cool lighting over the altar.

Many more photos can be seen at my Picasa web album. And I'll post more soon too.

26 December 2008

La navidad, más de Roma, Asís, &c.

Primero, lo que había olvidado el otro día fue mi regalo de navidad. Mis padres me lo dieron temprano para que yo pudiera usarlo. ¡Es una camera! Mi antigua tenía 3 años, y el zoom no funccionaba. Entonces, tengo unas fotos bastante buenas de Roma que poner aquí. PERO, voy a esperar un nuevo post. Vale.

También... Si no lo habiais notado ya, este post es en español y inglés. PORQUE PUEDO. Por favor, si estudias la lengua, por lo menos intenta leerlo en español. Espero que no sea muy difícil, pero si es, la falta puede estar corregida por un semestre en España... :)

Pues, la navidad fue ayer, aunque me sentía como cualquier día casi normal. Esto es lo que hemos sacrificado para pasar tiempo juntos en ROMA, entonces, está bien.

Hablando de Roma, 

(Cosa chistosa... hay una estación de metro aquí que se llama "Re di Roma" - me hace reír.)

Italiano es una lengua un poco rara, que sólo me hace echar de menos español más. Pero estoy aprendiendo unas pocas palabras. "Aceto" significa "vinagre", que me confunde bastante.

Ahora las noticias.
Hoy fuimos a Asís. Hacía tanto 
F R I O. Pero todavía lo pasamos bien. Vimos las basílicas de S. Francisco y Sta. Clara, la "Porziuncola", ¡y (por fin) San Damiano! Hay una historia sobre eso del viaje de 2005.

Y... creo que es todo. Espero que os ha gustado este formato. Es increíblemente probable que no voy a hacerlo muy habitualmente. Pero he dado la dirección del blog a Concha. Y, pues, Ya echo a menos la lengua, que sentimiento sólo puede aumentar tanto en itensidad y como en importancia en los siguientes meses. Entonces... sí.

¡O! Y todos sabéis de cualquier forma que voy a viajar por Europa pronto. Ayer, reservé mis hoteles en Italia. A partir del primer de enero, voy a Siena, Padua, Turín, y Milano. No os preocupéis. ¡Voy a escribirlo todo en el blog!


Hasta entonces, (o más pronto)
First, what I had forgotten the other day was my Christmas present. My parents gave it to me early so I could use it. It's a camera! My old one was 3 years old, and the zoom didn't work. So, I have some pretty good photos of Rome to put here. BUT, I'm going to wait for a new post. OK.

Also... If you hadn't noticed yet, this post is in Spanish and English. BECAUSE I CAN. Please, if you study the language, at least try to read it in Spanish. I hope that it's not too difficult, but if it is, the lack can be rectified by a semester in Spain... :)

So, Christmas was yesterday, even though it felt almost like any normal day to me. This is what we've given up to spend time together in ROME, so, it's all right.

Speaking of Rome,

[You'd only get this if you spoke Spanish, so if you don't, tough beans.]


Italian is a pretty weird language, which only makes me miss Spanish more. But I'm picking up a few words.

[Again, sorry!]


Now the news.
Today we went to Assisi. It was so C O L D. But we still enjoyed ourselves. We saw the basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare, the "Porziuncola", and (finally) San Damiano! There's a story behind that from 2005's trip.

And... I think that's it. I hope that you've liked this format. Though it's incredibly likely that I won't do it that often. But I gave Concha the blog address. And, well, I already miss the language, which feeling can only increase both in intensity and in importance in the next months. So... yeah.



Oh! And you all know in one way or another that I'll be traveling throughout Europe soon. Yesterday, I booked my hotels in Italy. Starting the first of January, I'll be going to Sienna, Padua, Turin, and Milan. Don't worry. I'll write about it all on the blog!

Until then, (or sooner)
-Rebekah

23 December 2008

A quick post about things vaguely relating to Rome

...which city I am currently in. (losing my mind slowly due to not being in bed. Have you ever noticed that when your brain works more slowly, music sounds faster?)
Left the homestay at 3:30 am on Saturday, and was with my family in the immortal city (that's this one, right?) around noon.
We've been spending the past few days seeing interesting stuff and forgetting that Christmas is Thursday.
So, I'm working on planning my big Euro Tour in earnest, which is a lot of work which should probably be requiring some of the time we're spending at tourist sites, but that's OK.
Belated birthday shout-outs to Anna and Mary Joy Cunningham!
And there was something else I wanted to say but can't remember.
Ciao!

18 December 2008

Finals, Packing, [insert blog here]

Yep, I'm done with my finals!
I had my last test this morning at 8:30, my last presentation at 11:40, and my last class period (got to sit and listen to presentations) at 1:10.
Then I came home, ate lunch, and went to bed. I was quite sleep-deprived.
In about half an hour, we'll be going to Concha's house for a cooking lesson. On the menu/curriculum: paella, tarta de manzanas, tortilla de patatas. Rome should be gooood!
Speaking of Rome (which I really was, by the way)
Shout out to my family! who will be in said city by the time they read this. They should currently be somewhere over the vast American countryside.
Vale, I think I might just go and clean up this room. I've got to pack tonight and tomorrow, cause my flight leaves Barajas Saturday morning at 7:05 AM.
Bendiciones a todos,
-Ganchi

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