Today was our first day of teaching!
It was almost impossible for me to wake up this morning, but we had bought breakfast yesterday and I was excited to get up and eat it-- croissants with nutella :)
We made our way to school and I didn't have class until 12:30. I prepared my lesson on adding and subtracting fractions and tomorrow is with mixed fractions (for the 6th grade) and linear equations (8th grade)
It went well overall.
On our way home, we stopped and got the best, cheapest gelatto! I got tiramisu and dark chocolate and it was so so good!
Tonight, we had some amazing dinner (we are taking turns cooking and cleaning, we have 3 groups of 3 and it is working out really well. Tonight they cooked rizotto and chicken with salad and tomatoes and zucchini and bread. I (and the other 2 in my group) cleaned up.
BUT! We are going out to the Ice bar here in Rome tonight and I still have those 2 lessons I have to plan. And I am teaching at 9:30am. Guess I'll do it when I get back ;)
We will see how it goes... bye for now!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Day 1 of interning, day 4 in Roma
We got up this morning and started our internship!
My teacher is super cool and her students are awesome!
I am interning in a 6-8 grade math class and I am teaching a lesson tomorrow.
The school we are at is very rich- the Borghese family children go there as well as soccer player Totti's daughter goes there!
They have a "bar" at the school which means 'cafe.'
We also went to the market and bought lots of food for dinner and breakfast's for super cheap.
I teach my first lesson tomorrow and I am really excited about it.
For my friends: inside jokes--
Craig- I have been washing my feet with soap... they get really dirty ;)
Kristen- I saw 3 silverfish the other night in the bathroom!!
My teacher is super cool and her students are awesome!
I am interning in a 6-8 grade math class and I am teaching a lesson tomorrow.
The school we are at is very rich- the Borghese family children go there as well as soccer player Totti's daughter goes there!
They have a "bar" at the school which means 'cafe.'
We also went to the market and bought lots of food for dinner and breakfast's for super cheap.
I teach my first lesson tomorrow and I am really excited about it.
For my friends: inside jokes--
Craig- I have been washing my feet with soap... they get really dirty ;)
Kristen- I saw 3 silverfish the other night in the bathroom!!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Skype
So, there is no wifi here at the dorms we are staying up, therefore, I cannot use skype to call or video anyone. I am using the desktop computers at the dorms and they do not have a webcam.
Unless I take my laptop to an internet cafe, there is no way to Skype chat/video. I will keep you posted if I am planning on going to a cafe to go on skype.
Unless I take my laptop to an internet cafe, there is no way to Skype chat/video. I will keep you posted if I am planning on going to a cafe to go on skype.
Day 3 in Rome
Day 3 starts out with 5 hours of sleep from the night before. We also woke up an hour later than planned...
We all met downstairs at 10:30 to take a bus tour. This was really cool
We took a double decker bus around the city, and got off at the Treve Fountian for pictures and lunch. We also took group pictures at the REAL Spanish Steps. SO pretty
We ate at McD0nalds-- very decorated! and kind of expensive. I got a chicken ceasar salad and a small coke and it was 7.10 euros
Other than that, we just took the tour bus around the city. It was such a beautiful day- warm (hot-ish at some points) and sunny. and more gelatto!
On our way back to the dorms, we stopped at a market and got boxes of pasta and spaghetti sause for dinner. The pasta was .90 euro. Cheap!
We all came back and 2 others and I made spaghetti dinner and garlic bread... found some random spices and cheese. It turned out pretty good! And it made a ton of food!
That is about all for today... I have to be up and ready to go at 7:30am for our first day at the schools. We are only observing, then interning starting on Tuesday
We all met downstairs at 10:30 to take a bus tour. This was really cool
We took a double decker bus around the city, and got off at the Treve Fountian for pictures and lunch. We also took group pictures at the REAL Spanish Steps. SO pretty
We ate at McD0nalds-- very decorated! and kind of expensive. I got a chicken ceasar salad and a small coke and it was 7.10 euros
Other than that, we just took the tour bus around the city. It was such a beautiful day- warm (hot-ish at some points) and sunny. and more gelatto!
On our way back to the dorms, we stopped at a market and got boxes of pasta and spaghetti sause for dinner. The pasta was .90 euro. Cheap!
We all came back and 2 others and I made spaghetti dinner and garlic bread... found some random spices and cheese. It turned out pretty good! And it made a ton of food!
That is about all for today... I have to be up and ready to go at 7:30am for our first day at the schools. We are only observing, then interning starting on Tuesday
Disclaimer
Just as a disclaimer, there is NO spell-check on these computers I am using and I am typing these up really fast before I go to sleep. So, sorry for any misspellings!
Day 2 in Rome
Yesterday was much, much better!
After getting 10 hours of sleep we were still tired but not so much sleep deprived anymore.
Also, the showers in the other rooms are 150% better than mine- so I have been using those showers! Things are starting to look up!!
We took the bus with a group of people to Vatican City. We went into St. Peters Basillica for a while and went into the sacred room to pray for a few minutes. Then we went out to eat at a cafe and we had the best food we had had yet!- Tortillini and a cappaccino with a chocolate heart (from our server!)
Then we walked around the city and went into the little stores and looked at the vendors.
Let me tell you, we saw more genetalia of David then necessary!!
Then we found the Sistine chapel and walked around in it for quite a while. We didnt realize that it isnt just a chapel... we walked forever!!
On our way home, Rachel and I walked to the top of the "fake" Spanish steps and saw an absolutely breathtaking view of Rome.
We made our way home and got ready to go out on the town!
Once showered, dressed, make-up done and ready to go out, we headed downstairs to go to the bus and meet Allison out at a bar. Thennnn we were stopped by Cleopatra at the front desk telling us that we needed to be back in 30 minutes (after we were previously told that we had no curfew)
SO we tried to negotiate and got an extra hour, but that still wouldnt have been enough time to get to where we were going, have fun, and get back.
SO we negotiated some more. We tried convincing some of the workers to give us a key or come let us in when we came back-- which seemed to be working but ended up failing.
We ended up calling our director, getting permission to go out, and became best friends with Cleopatra and the staff at our dorms.
So much so that they all said they are going to try and throw a party for us next Saturday for my birthday!!
Cleopatra had 2 workers come out with us ("bodyguards") to make sure we were safe and whatnot.
We ended up going out around 11pm...
One spoke Italian and the other Spanish. Talk about translations! From English to Spanish, from Spanish to Itilian and then back the other way too.
We ended up NOT meeting up with my friend Allison but went to a bar that Amir (one of our bodyguards) knew someone working there. We didnt stay for long then went to get kabobs which equal wraps in Italy. But they were really good and really cheap!
After a bit, we headed home and finally arrived to our dorm around 3:30am
Then Lisa and I talked until 5:30am and went to bed as we started to hear the birds chirping outside...
A few hours later we needed to get up to meet our group downstairs... and day 3 begins!
After getting 10 hours of sleep we were still tired but not so much sleep deprived anymore.
Also, the showers in the other rooms are 150% better than mine- so I have been using those showers! Things are starting to look up!!
We took the bus with a group of people to Vatican City. We went into St. Peters Basillica for a while and went into the sacred room to pray for a few minutes. Then we went out to eat at a cafe and we had the best food we had had yet!- Tortillini and a cappaccino with a chocolate heart (from our server!)
Then we walked around the city and went into the little stores and looked at the vendors.
Let me tell you, we saw more genetalia of David then necessary!!
Then we found the Sistine chapel and walked around in it for quite a while. We didnt realize that it isnt just a chapel... we walked forever!!
On our way home, Rachel and I walked to the top of the "fake" Spanish steps and saw an absolutely breathtaking view of Rome.
We made our way home and got ready to go out on the town!
Once showered, dressed, make-up done and ready to go out, we headed downstairs to go to the bus and meet Allison out at a bar. Thennnn we were stopped by Cleopatra at the front desk telling us that we needed to be back in 30 minutes (after we were previously told that we had no curfew)
SO we tried to negotiate and got an extra hour, but that still wouldnt have been enough time to get to where we were going, have fun, and get back.
SO we negotiated some more. We tried convincing some of the workers to give us a key or come let us in when we came back-- which seemed to be working but ended up failing.
We ended up calling our director, getting permission to go out, and became best friends with Cleopatra and the staff at our dorms.
So much so that they all said they are going to try and throw a party for us next Saturday for my birthday!!
Cleopatra had 2 workers come out with us ("bodyguards") to make sure we were safe and whatnot.
We ended up going out around 11pm...
One spoke Italian and the other Spanish. Talk about translations! From English to Spanish, from Spanish to Itilian and then back the other way too.
We ended up NOT meeting up with my friend Allison but went to a bar that Amir (one of our bodyguards) knew someone working there. We didnt stay for long then went to get kabobs which equal wraps in Italy. But they were really good and really cheap!
After a bit, we headed home and finally arrived to our dorm around 3:30am
Then Lisa and I talked until 5:30am and went to bed as we started to hear the birds chirping outside...
A few hours later we needed to get up to meet our group downstairs... and day 3 begins!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Finally in Rome
So we landed in Rome this morning at 8:30am Rome time, 2:30am ET- which means I was up (and STILL AM) since 7am ET Thursday morning!
So for the flight, I was in row 14 while EVERYONE ELSE was back in row 30. My seatmate was nice but it would have been cool to sit with all of my friends for the 9 hour flight. I wasn't able to sleep at all either...
We land in Rome and there is no terminal for us to pull into so they pulled down the staris and we stood on the tarmack in the rain for 15 minutes while waiting for a peoplemover to pick us up. Did I mention- it was COLD!
We finally made it into the airport and exchanged some money and found our taxi guy to bring us to our dorms.
So far, so good.
We get settled into our rooms then all meet up to decide what to do: Go see the collesium, spanish steps, other historical landmarks, and the city.
So we start our adventure and it is raining. We made it to the Spanish museum and then lost our friends for 50 minutes... but met a really cool guard!
Then to the collesium. It was cool.
On our way out, Nicole went to buy an unbrella and had it shoved in her face and American money slapped out of her hand and being yelled at by the vendor, "FU*K YOU! I DONT WANT YOUR AMERICAN MONEY"
Okayyyy soo that was an experience.
So we decided to head back to the dorms because it was raining and we were all tired and wanted to shower and relax. 2 hours later, we finally stumbled back to our dorm- tired and exhaused and stressed out. We were lost in the city for 2 hours, in the rain, backtracking over and over again. Turns out, we were just one block away from our dorm and had no idea!!
Plus, the food isnt that good... well, our street pizza, that is.
So finally back to the dorm, we were excited to shower and relax. Welll, out shower head is about the size of a half-dollar and faces the wall. And there is no way to make it face you. Plus, the water pressure is so strong that it basically tears the skin off of your body.
Freezing, raw skin, and sore from our walk of the city, we were all showered and... relaxing.
That is, until our blowdryer decided to catch on fire and make our whole room smell like burnt crap.
Okay, well we just had a bad day and I am getting all of my fustration out. Tomorrow should be better- we will be rested and going to Vatican city
Hopefully it will just get better from here!
So for the flight, I was in row 14 while EVERYONE ELSE was back in row 30. My seatmate was nice but it would have been cool to sit with all of my friends for the 9 hour flight. I wasn't able to sleep at all either...
We land in Rome and there is no terminal for us to pull into so they pulled down the staris and we stood on the tarmack in the rain for 15 minutes while waiting for a peoplemover to pick us up. Did I mention- it was COLD!
We finally made it into the airport and exchanged some money and found our taxi guy to bring us to our dorms.
So far, so good.
We get settled into our rooms then all meet up to decide what to do: Go see the collesium, spanish steps, other historical landmarks, and the city.
So we start our adventure and it is raining. We made it to the Spanish museum and then lost our friends for 50 minutes... but met a really cool guard!
Then to the collesium. It was cool.
On our way out, Nicole went to buy an unbrella and had it shoved in her face and American money slapped out of her hand and being yelled at by the vendor, "FU*K YOU! I DONT WANT YOUR AMERICAN MONEY"
Okayyyy soo that was an experience.
So we decided to head back to the dorms because it was raining and we were all tired and wanted to shower and relax. 2 hours later, we finally stumbled back to our dorm- tired and exhaused and stressed out. We were lost in the city for 2 hours, in the rain, backtracking over and over again. Turns out, we were just one block away from our dorm and had no idea!!
Plus, the food isnt that good... well, our street pizza, that is.
So finally back to the dorm, we were excited to shower and relax. Welll, out shower head is about the size of a half-dollar and faces the wall. And there is no way to make it face you. Plus, the water pressure is so strong that it basically tears the skin off of your body.
Freezing, raw skin, and sore from our walk of the city, we were all showered and... relaxing.
That is, until our blowdryer decided to catch on fire and make our whole room smell like burnt crap.
Okay, well we just had a bad day and I am getting all of my fustration out. Tomorrow should be better- we will be rested and going to Vatican city
Hopefully it will just get better from here!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Getting ready to depart
So, I am sitting at the Orlando airport now, 2 hours early.
Getting SOO excited that we are leaving the country today!... Although we won't arrive in Rome until tomorrow morning at 8:30am
And my SLR camera battery already died- guess I'll have to pull out my point-and-shoot for our arrival into Rome ;)
Getting SOO excited that we are leaving the country today!... Although we won't arrive in Rome until tomorrow morning at 8:30am
And my SLR camera battery already died- guess I'll have to pull out my point-and-shoot for our arrival into Rome ;)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Test post before take-off
Okay, so I've got the blog set up and 2 weeks until take-off!
I can't believe how soon I am leaving!!
So, my plan:
Try to write an entry everyday that I am in Europe to preserve memories and share with all of you! I may not be able to POST everyday (depending on availability of internet) but I will try to keep a day-by-day account.
15 days and counting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
