Saturday May 12th: This morning Steph and I went to get a cappuccino at our favorite café. We then continued to spend the day shopping on the one and only Via del Corso. Last minute purchases, some makeup from Kiko Milano, needed clothing items at Brandy Melville and H&M and then a final delicious lunch at one of my all-time favorites, Insalata Ricca. After lunch we went back home to relax and attempt to study for our upcoming finals before all three of us went to a dinner at ‘Gusto, a huge restaurant by Via del Corso. We filled our bellies with a bruschetta tray and then each had our own pizzas, mine was proscitto with mushroom. On the way back to the apartment we stopped at a random bakery on the street to grab our first and last canoli. So big and so yummy, filled with chocolate chips. We ate our canolis on the steps of a church near the Pantheon and Piazza Navona before heading back to our apartment to get a good night sleep before our last Sunday of Rome, which would be devoted to studying for finals.
Sunday May 13th: Obviously, sticking to routine, the three of us went downstairs to grab cappuccinos and cornettos (crossiants) before starting our day of studying. We decided to stay downstairs and study for a bit and then returned to the apartment for more studying. Basically, our last Sunday in Rome was only filled with studying, it was rather depressing that our university has our last days in Rome filled with finals, how am I supposed to enjoy my last few days? For a quick break Ilyse and I went to a different cappuccino place and had “cappuccino freddo milkshakes”. Basically some sort of espresso ice cream with milk stirred up. Later on we had dinner planes, but Steph had three finals the next day so she was not even able to come to dinner with Ilyse and I, see look what finals does! Ilyse and I went to one of our favorites, La Scala where we each had a mixed salad, our last cacio e pepe and then our last truffle gnocchi. Unbelievable. After our dinner date we came home to pretend to study more for our Italian final the next day.
Monday May 14th: Steph woke up and left really early for her finals but Ilyse and I didn’t have a final until 1pm. So we woke up to study and quiz each other at the cappuccino place before heading to school for our last Italian test and last time with our favorite professor Jenny. Before our exam we stopped and got sandwiches with our sandwich men brothers. Thinking it would be our last sandwich but obviously we decided to have one more on Tuesday. After our very easy exam, Ilyse and I gave our professor a little present we had bought her and the note we had written in Italian to show her that we actually learned something. While Steph was finishing up her finals, Ilyse and I had another final to study for, heinous. So we went home to start preparing for Art of Rome. Later on we went to dinner at Pizza Station, across the street. Pizza Station is the restaurant we went to our first night in Rome with Janey, Melissa and Carly across the hall. We decided to be cliché and bring our experience full circle. It was crazy that we were at dinner at Pizza Station back on January 24th when we were just unpacking and now, May 14th we were packing to go home and back at the restaurant. It is reality, we are actually going home. After dinner, Steph and I raced each other to get some dessert (exercise and dessert, perfect combo). Back to studying before our last day in Rome and last final of Junior year.
Tuesday May 15th: A 10am final with the only and only Daniella Corrente, so we obviously had to wake up early and prepare. The final was ridiculously easy and the lack of studying we did actually paid off. After our final we went to grab sandwiches at the sandwich men while Steph waited in line to sell her six books back. The hour line she was waiting in stopped when she was almost at the front, AUR ran out of money and no one else could sell their books back, I mean obviously that would happen, we’re in Italy! So she threw the books on the “buy back” table and we went home to finish up packing, grab some cappuccinos and relax before our last dinner in Roma. For dinner we went to Hostaria la Boticella, a cute little restaurant in Trastevere in a random alley, of course. Dinner was delicious and a nice couple was sitting near us. They clearly knew we were American and overheard us saying we were studying in Rome and leaving the next day. The woman asked us what program we were on, she had studied in Rome when she was a Junior in college and was back for her first time with her husband and is now a mom with three kids. Basically reassuring us that we will be back, whether or not in the near future, we will be back. Hopefully, I’ll be back before I’m married with three kids, because let’s be real, at this rate, who knows when that will happen. We gave them a bunch of our favorite restaurant recommendations and reminisced about the last four months in Rome, toasting to memories and new friendships. After dinner we took the tram back and for the first and last time ever we validated our tickets (the “free” public transportation), the ticket AUR gave us on day one came in use as we avoided paying a cent for the tram or bus all semester. It was a great way to end an amazing experience. At home that night, Ilyse and I were having trouble falling asleep so we pushed our beds together for a last night slumber party in our fabulous tiny beds. Crazy to think I won’t see her for at least a month after spending four months together. But, as I now know, staying in touch is no where near impossible, even staying in touch with a country, see you soon Italy!
Wednesday May 16th: Good Morning Rome, the last time. 5:45am, last minute packing, a sweep of the apartment and dragging 10 bags into the janky elevator to attempt to get downstairs. Our car was waiting for us at 6:40am and he took us to the airport in a speedy record time of 15 minutes. Dragging our bags into the airport was quite a struggle and we soon found out that American Airlines counter didn’t open until 8am, so we had an our to kill. Oh, Italy. We waited around and eventually were able to check our bags. Yes, my bag was 65 pounds but the nice man at the ticket counter put a “heavy” tag on it and decided not to charge me the extra 60 dollars, my lucky day. After our check in we of course had to take a bus to the gate and then sat for a while before boarding and taking off back to America. And here I am now, sitting on the plane writing this blog post (which I won’t be able to post until I get home, no WIFI on this plane!). Steph is sitting next to me and have bittersweet feelings of returning to the land of the free, home of the brave. Overall, I could not have asked for a better experience abroad. Two of my best friends from completely different parts of my life (that are now best friends too!), 123 days, 22 cities, 9 countries and too many memories to count. Thank you Roma for an amazing trip, one I will never forget, this isn’t goodbye, it’s just see you later.
Arrivederci! (For now!!)
Ilana
ilanalerman 