So I’ve been in Rome 4 days.  But here are a few things I’ve learned.

1.  Supermarkets are expensive.  Fruits and Vegetables are much cheaper at the market at San Giovanni di Dio.

All this fruit for less than 2€!  Plus some sort of weird cabbage/kale looking thing and a lovely eggplant.

2.  Don’t try to walk home from San Giovanni di Dio without consulting a map.  I got lost, blisters ensued, I ended up just getting on the tram after an Italian woman gave me directions and scolded me for getting lost.

3.  Walk like you know where you’re going and people think you actually you know where you’re going.  I’ve been asked for directions at least 5 times in the past 3 days, to which I reply “Io non parlo italiano.”  Then they look at me disappointed and walk away.

4.  Crossing any of streets in the rotunda

in front of the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele

is scary as hell!  You kinda just have to walk whenever there’s the slightest gap between cars and hope the on-coming traffic stops.   Certainly not as pleasant as seen in Roman Holiday:

I feel like when I comfortably cross that street, I’ll know I’m comfortable in Rome.

5.  Today I went to get a medical certificate.  Because I can walk quickly, the doctor knew I was fit to start my internship.  Great!

6. How to use public transportation.  Well, sorta, I got the tram down.  Next, the bus…

7.  Coffee first thing in the morning is amazing.

I broke down and bought a coffeemaker (moka) at the market yesterday.  12.50€ I’ll take it!

Things I still need to figure out:

1.  How the heck do you make it from 1-2pm lunch to 9-10pm dinner without gnawing  your arm off?

2.  How to pronounce things in Italian.    Daniele, we may have to have a video chat date so you can teach me how to properly say guanciale.  Yes, I have carbonara and amatriciana on the brain!

3.  How to actually speak Italian.  Work in progress.