First Impressions of Roma

Milanos train tracks led me to Roma Termini, my new home, and my new roomate. I arrived in Rome friday evening to a smiling italian girl named, Stefania. She is a friend of a friend who offered to be my roomate this summer for a tidy sum. After we came to the appartment, I feel like its a steal! The place is super modern, chic, and I love it. There is a common area colored with red and black (ei the kitchen cuboards are all dark red), one large bedroom for us to share, a balcony, and a nice sized bathroom. Its clean, bright, and im happy to have it. My roomate is absolutely adorable too. She comes from southern italy and has worked as an architect in Rome for four years now. Her hospitality has been wonderful. She made us dinner my first night and helped me figure out the transport system to my job. She even went grocery shopping and bought my ticket for the metro for me. I am really lucky to have such a caring person around - especially since when i speak italian, its really hard to be understood. This language is all about intonation - so if you dont stress the right part of the word, no one understands you. So frustrating.
Yesterday, Stefania went to her parents place due to an Italian national holiday June 2. Therefore, I had my first weekend in Rome all on my own. The first day i didnt do a lot. I took care of my bags, spoke to my only french speaking italian friend on the phone, and walked around the neighborhood trying to memorize it. It seems if i need anything from a pedicure to a new pair of glasses - its all within a few blocks. After a lazy evening in eating Swiss chocolate, watching MTV Cribs in English, and talking online, I turned in early because Sunday i had some serious plans. Sunday morning, I went to town to find out where my office was located. So taking Stefanias advice i first took the bus, then the metro and then another metro to le Piazza Spagna (Spain Square). It turns out i will be walking by the infamous Spanish steps everyday i go to work! The WHO office is nearby in a large yellow bland building. After i found the place, I visted the Fountain of Trevi often seen in movies and ate my lunch there surrounded by tourists from all over the world. I dont know how many languages I heard! After lunch, I wandered back to the metro and decided that for the rest of the day I wanted to see the Coloseum.
As I came out of the metro, my eye caught the historical Coloseum and at that moment my breath was taken away! There is nothing like seeing it in person (you all have to visit rome). I stumbled upon a guided tour that left minutes later so i was immediately shuffled inside ahead of the long line of visitors. I visited the site with a group of enlish speakers and heard about the numerous uses of the coloseum (originally called the Flavian Ampitheater) and restorations over the years. The coloseum could hold over 50,000 spectators. Once entirely covered in marble, it was stripped during the Renaissance of its precious materials included marble and bronze. Gladiators and wild animals were the stars of the spectacles and water battles were also showcased here by flooding the lower levels and bringing in ships through the arches. Do you know that men and women were not allowed to sit together? Due to the sexual freedom of the day, women were seated in the fourth tier to avoid any public displays of ..... The coloseum was truly a sight to behold and pictures do not do it justice. After that, I went across the street to visit the Roman Forum - the origin site of the birth of rome, and Palatine Hill known to be the place where emporers built their palaces. These two sites were incredible, a bit eery even. Some of the marble walkways are still there from over 2700 years ago when Rome was born. The ruins of the senate house, emperors palaces, and chariot racing stadium made me wonder what life was like for royalty back then. Fanned by slaves, hand fed grapes, watching the best roman soldiers battle each other and exotic creatures. Rough, im sure = ) You know that saying 'all roads lead to rome'? Well i saw the road that ends all roads to rome. The original street is believed to still exist in the forum. Hows that for creepy?