They Took Our Fans Away

So apparently it's fall in Italy. I know because the maids who tidy our room once a week decided we no longer had use of our amazing fan. I was very confused when I came back to our fanless room. It's sad because we use the fan as a noise machine as well, to block out the city sounds and chattering of other Centro students. I hope I can sleep deeply enough without it.

Just a quick post for now, I took a few pictures on our trip yesterday. I have two quizzes later today and must spend the day studying.

So last Tuesday when we went to Cosa it was a great hike up the hill. This week when we visited Palestrina (historically Praeneste), east of Rome to see a temple of Fortuna. It too was on a hill. This time our method of torture was stairs. So many flights of stairs. The icing on the cake is a brief exchange our head professor had with a local when we had almost reached the top (this was in Italian):
-Professor! I can show you where your bus can come.
-No need, it's a nice walk.

I do agree that it was a nice walk, and I certainly appreciated the view more since I had earned my way to the top. The temple is situated with a perfect view between two hills. You can't tell in the pictures I took, but it was engineered in a very specific location for it's view.

Friday morning (at 7:00am!) we leave for Sicily by bus. I think it will be an opportunity to do a little light reading. Thus far the only reading I've had time for has been for class and it's driving me nuts.


Look! It's me in Rome. This journal is not a ruse, I swear! The view is far more impressive in person. Even if I wasn't learning so much, and enjoying living here, this whole semester would be worth it for the wonderful scenery and beautiful things I've gotten to see. Even the bus rides to our sites are scenic and amazing.

This view is from a little lower down. The haze is still obscuring the picture, but you can see more of the town below.

This is my friend Breanne. She is enamored with Alexander the Great. She has a necklace with his picture and was very happy to find this sculpture of him.