The German Invasion and the Last Few Days in Roma

It's the last few days in Rome. Classes ended today, and I have two finals tomorrow before I head home on Saturday. I hate that my last few days here are spent studying and packing rather than enjoying the last bit that this city has to offer, but I am excited to head home. The city has been taken over by Alter Boys who are doing a pilgrimage to Vatican City. I think I read that there is something like 54,000 of them, and 30,000 of them are Germans. It is really annoying because they fill up the buses and walk is massive swarms on the sidewalk. I think it is funny that I am at the point of living in Rome that I can be annoyed with Tourists because I no longer consider myself to be one.

I am thinking it is going to be weird to be back home, in an English speaking country. I will be able to understand all of the conversations around me it might blow my mind a little bit. My Italian didn't improve a great deal while I was here but I do know more than I did before, my pronunciation is better, and I can order food fairly well. It is neat to pick up a few words here and there of what the people are saying around me, but I still can't fully understand. Also to be back in a productive society. I thought there were lazy people in America...Italy has us all beat by a long shot. It is crazy to me how absolutely nothing ever gets done here. I have heard stories from other students about calling the police and them never even picking up the phone! I also never see anyone working; although it appears that every other building is being renovated. There has been scaffolding on the Pantheon all summer and I have not once seen someone working on the building. Everything is basically closing here for the month of August as well. Italians like to take the month off apparently because it gets so hot here.

Unlike the Romans I am heading back to the States to do some major working and try to replenish my funds before I head back to school in Boston, but overall I think this trip was well worth every penny. If I were to study abroad again or live anywhere for an extended period of time I would probably live somewhere in Northern Europe rather than Italy though. I wish I had the money and time to travel more of Europe now that I am done with classes. It would be wonderful to go to Austria, Hungry, Germany, France, Amsterdam, Prague. But hey....now I have an excuse to save up and come back!