When in Rome...

...walk at a glacial pace, apparently. Seriously, if I did as the Romans do, it would take me twice as long to get anywhere! Now, I'm not saying that I like to sprint from point A to point B, and I'm all for a leisurely stroll to enjoy the view, but for Romans, every time they leave the house seems to be a quiet walk down a country lane!!! It's so funny, they walk sooo slowly, and will then stop. right. in. the. middle. of. the. sidewalk. It's one of the many unique and wonderful things about Italy that I have and will come to appreciate for what it is. Another funny thing is that Italians won't leave their houses, even just to run to the store for a jug of milk, unless they are fully coiffed and blinged out. Seriously, where in New York I would run out wearing my glasses and a ratty pair of jeans, here I get strange looks, like who is the new homeless woman on the block? I love finding out these cultural strangenesses, it's part of the fun of going to different countries. One of the things I love most about Italy is the food (obviously). It is fresh, it is simple, and it is delicious. I can't wait to travel around the country and sample some of the more region-specific food, but in Rome there are a plethora of markets to choose from, and fresh food available. I am still at Erin's apartment, but am looking at another one this weekend. I checked one out today, and it was right near the Vatican, had a private balcony in the room I would have, and was pretty well-connected, but...had no kitchen. OOF. That hit hard, especially because I had already fantasized about being able to see St. Peters every time I left the house, but alas, I will press on. Still looking for another job. Right now I'm still doing the part-time thing, a few hours a week, with children. I really prefer adults, so I'm still searching for something else. Today was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, and I fell a little bit more in love with the city, so I'm really hoping I can make this work. The picture above is of me, Erin and her friend Carly at a cocktail party at the Pakistani ambassador's house last weekend. Great experience! Love to all.