rome alone

the end is near. last thursday was the last day of our program, and i had to say goodbye to all the amazing people i've met the past four months. sadly, some of my favorites i barely met until this week. in the middle of the night in between thursday and friday we were all lying on the steps of the pantheon reflecting and reminiscing about all of the life changing experiences and blah blah blah we've been having this whole time. a group of americans about our age leaned over and said "is this your last night in rome? it's our first night in rome." there was a period of pensive silence and slight eyebrow raises on our parts when they said "what is this place?" in unison our entire group responded "the pantheon." the said "do you know anything about it?" we said no and then proceeded to list off random facts about it for ten minutes. turns out we've learned more than any of us thought. it was a very surreal feeling, and i wish that night and that last week could have lasted forever.

well everyone went home early friday morning, so i am now alone in a hotel in mounti tiburtini (i.e. bumblefuck) and lauren left early this morning. hence my name for this chapter in my trip/life—rome alone. everyone seems to be very worried that i will somehow spontaneously combust from living alone for several days. (and by everyone, i mean mom and dad.) in reality, i feel fine and confident. i've been journeying on night busses alone since the second week i got here, and my italian is good enough to not have to rely on any other nearby english speakers. i've basically just been rome-ing (ha) the city eating, shopping, listening to music, etc. for a while now, and i will continue for the last few days. a couple days ago lauren and i rented bikes in piazza del popolo, rode through villa borghese, and accidentally snuck into the zoo. i have at times been mocked for the amount of zoos i have been to, so i thought i'd go full out and add rome to my list. 

i miss everyone at home, but right now i can't shake the feeling of wishing my roman friends were still here and that i could bring them all home with me. some of the best relationships of my life have to be reduced to facebooking and i.m.ing and it's just not as real. but i'm still having a fabulous time, and i'm so glad i stayed.