Canadian Tuxedos and Real Italian Pizza™ AND the Colosseum

Hello again!

It’s finally hit me that I’m here. In Rome!!! I arrived in Italy after a delayed flight to JFK (my first solo flight!) and a seven-hour red eye. I met up with Liz at JFK and together we left America once and for all. We nearly missed our flight, too, because no one told us our gate had been changed. Thankfully, Liz is experienced in deciphering loudspeaker voices and she heard our names announced, asking us to kindly board the flight that was waiting to depart :’) Neither of us got more than three hours of sleep on the flight, so the level of exhaustion on Friday was unreal. After 36 hours of being awake and a five course meal, I slept like a rock.

Most of Friday was unpacking and saying hello to everyone. We all had overnight flights, so our options were either take a nap or walk around like a zombie. I chose the latter, and struggled through the five-course meal that night. It was the most incredible introduction to Italian cuisine, and seriously, no Italian food I’ve ever had comes even close to the food here. It’s insane! The rough part: dinner was three hours long. And that’s normal! The good part: we definitely walk all these calories off. Every one of us is going to have legs of steel by the time we come back.

Saturday was more orientation, more campus admiration, and more exhaustion. (Side note: I spent the better half of Saturday in a Canadian tuxedo, hence the title. Will include photo). We had mass at the Pontifical North American College, and the priest was a Duquesne alum (!!!). He and the other seminarians (our spiritual guides) joined us for the best view of Rome from the top of the seminary, followed by another amazing dinner. With authentic Italian pizza!! And appetizers!! And dessert (tiramisu)!! The pizza was incredible and absolutely lived up to every expectation I had. Also fun story, I had a beer with a deacon! An amazing experience, I have to say.

Okay, I didn’t, like, have a beer with a deacon. But I was sitting next to him at dinner and we both had beers so I’m keeping that as my story.

For those of you who might think (or at least have a sneaking suspicion) that this semester is basically just a three month spring break, I have a whole stack of textbooks and packets to prove you wrong! We spent the better part of Saturday morning being lectured (comically, I might add, our program director is actually hilarious) on how this semester will be very intense. We’re cramming sixteen weeks of learning into twelve, and all the staff members have made it abundantly clear that I really can’t procrastinate. Since the latter is very much sewn into the fiber of my being, any prayers are greatly appreciated!! It will be a bit more challenging to focus on school work, especially since none of my courses are related to what I am actually studying, and I’m in Rome, but I have no doubt that everything will be interesting!! I’m taking a class on refugees, Christian architecture, modern art (in Rome, naturally), the beginnings of Christianity, and a few one-credit classes. The best part, these aren’t even all of my books!!

Today, Sunday, was (you guessed it) exhausting, but in the best way, because we were finally acquainted with beautiful Rome on the most gorgeous of days. We saw the Pantheon, the Trevi fountain, the Colosseum, and basically the rest of the city. Seeing the Colosseum was actually wild, because immediately after exiting the subway terminal, it was in front of us. Like, we didn’t even turn a corner. It was just right there, the entire thing just right before us. Literally just the Colosseum. Right there. Wild! We walked and walked and walked all day today, and we barely scratched the surface of all Rome has to offer. And I’m pretty excited to discover the rest of it!

There are some things I’m still getting used to, like google.it and experiencing what I imagine it’s like to be illiterate. I’m also getting used to shopping, and usually just making educated guesses on what I’m actually buying. Sometimes that backfires, like the other day when I bought lotion that turned out to actually be soap. I certainly don’t mind getting used to the views, especially from the rooftop terrace on campus. Or the mild weather! The director said that the glamour of a 50 degree winter will eventually wear off, BUT working in Ohio winters has hardened me and I think I’ll be okay. I’m getting used to walking on Via Nazareth, which is terrifying and very close to traffic (yay) but it’s the only way to get to the buses and the nearest convenience store. The public transportation is (kinda) like Pittsburgh’s, and super easy and helpful when getting to and from the city center. It will take a bit (a lot) more time to become familiar with the streets of Rome like everyone says we will be, but good news: I have not yet been mistaken for a prostitute!

Also, I have an address, if you want to send me a letter!

Allison Demchak

Duquesne University Italian Campus

Via Nazareth, 400

00166 Roma

ITALY

I love having friends and speechies here, and I love that I get to travel the world with some of the best people I know. I’m still missing Pittsburgh, thanks to all the Facebook messages I get about burgh and events that I can’t go to (I’m pretty sure everyone agreed to not have any fun without me, whatever), but this Rome place is pretty cool. I think I’m okay staying here for a little bit.

To conclude this play-by-play of my first weekend in Rome (thank you all for reading), enjoy these pictures of me, my friends, and my (temporary) city.

Taken facing the very bright sun on the convent’s rooftop terrace! (I know I really built it up with the title, my apologizes if the Canadian tuxedo did not live up to your expectations)