Sevillians, Meatballs and the Beach

Some exciting things have been happening in these sad and upsetting final days of being abroad in Rome...don't remind me.


Last week Rome was graced with the presence of a group of lovely girls called the Sevillians, Melissa, Jana and Hannah, a few of my best friends from school, along with a few other familiar faces and friends. We had them here all to ourselves from Tuesday to Friday morning...YES. It had been way too long since I had seen them and it was so so good to be back with them and almost a fully united group of the 10 of us...Nicole, Jayne and Alexa were with us in spirit. When we went out to dinner I made a reservation for 10 and we pretended like you guys were enjoying pasta with us...

Jori, Suzy, Cara and I planned a fun filled week with them and showed them the ropes of Roma. They really liked the city and trust me we took them on a food eating tour as well. Pizza, pasta, suppli, the works. It was a delicious break from their home-stay mom's spanish cooking. We had a grand 'ol time walking all over the place, but mostly it was just so good to be together. The weather was hot, hot and hotter, and of course the day they left it rained, meaning Rome didn't want them to leave. Having them here just made me so excited to go back to Madison next semester, but freaked me out a bit that we will be returning as seniors. Oy. Sevillians I hope you had a gelato of a time here, come back anytime! See you soon!

After we parted ways and went off to our own lives in Rome and Seville, it really settled in that I only have a few weeks left, and the weeks are turning into just days, and soon enough hours. Although finals week is around the corner, and I have two big assignments due in a few days, our Roman group has decided we need to make the most of our time left. We have key events and things to do before we set off back to the homeland, America, soo let's begin.

Saturday night we got a big group together and made what I think is one of the best home cooked meals yet. Todd welcomed us into his apartment for the amazingness that was yet to be created in his kitchen. On the menu: appetizer of bread with pesto, mozzarella and tomato, "excellent" meatballs, baked macaroni with salami and mushrooms, baked vegetables and lots of wine. It was definitely top notch. The kitchen was small, but a feast was made. And we all thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of our labor. It was probably the last meal we would all make together her in Rome, so we had to go out with a bang.

The next day we went to the beach! Beach in Rome are you asking? Well, yes indeed! Jori and I learned from our on-site teacher, Jens, during our field trip to Ostia Antica that if you take that same train/metro all the way to the end there is a beach. And he was right. Thank you Jens for your wise advice. So decked out in beach gear, 8 of us headed off to the beach. We successfully found it. It was very nice weather, and the beach was probably not the prettiest beach I have ever seen, but nonetheless it was a beach. And in Rome, convenient. Nicole here would insert, "that's a joke." Dad, you would have died and gone to heave from how windy it was. I have never seen so many windsurfers and kite surfers. I would guess there were 20 of each, all zooming and flying across the water...which was freezing. Yes, I know you would have liked me to check out the gear, but perhaps maybe next time...

We laid on the beach and soaked up the sun. All kinds were at this beach, including people in winter jackets. I am not kidding. I guess italians have thin skin or something. We found some food to eat and ice cream and we called it a day at the beach. It was very relaxing, and I think I got some color to prepare me for Israel, but I doubt it. The sand was so soft and perfect, however, I was not brave enough to wade in the water. Two friends did, and they are simply nuts, there is just no way. We rode the train back and later that night hit up Aperitivo. I got a refreshing Sprtiz drink, and an endless buffet. All in all it was a great day!

Last night, just for one last hoorah, Jori, Suzy, and Cara did another cooking class with chef Andrea! It was Suzy and Cara's first time, but Jori and I are rookies and it was our third. This time the menu included: Suppli (fried rice balls with tomato sauce and mozzarella in the center), saltimbocca, and pesto pasta. So delicious. Suppli was a daunting task, but the people in charge were very successful and they were hot and tasty. The mozzarella just oozes out, and they were piping hot. The four of us were in charge of making the pesto, so now I am a perfect pesto preparer. The saltimbocca was so savory as usual, I can't wait to make it back at home. We all ate outside on the rooftop with perfect evening weather over candle light. Third time is the charm, but all three cooking classes were fantastic, and I am so glad that I was able to take part in so many. So many new Italian recipes to try out this summer! Get ready mom and dad.

It is April 27, Nicole and my B'not Mitzvah Anniversary, but also creeping closer to May 9 when I jet off to Israel. Finals are in a few weeks...but I am still making the most of my time left here.