My Studio!

Courtesy of my friend Karen :)

It's a Bit Chilly in the Morning

I woke up far too early this morning to complete some work that is due. And in doing so, I realized that I would be able to enjoy the sunrise here in Rome.
The cool blues of the night meshing with the warm reds and yellows of the morning sun on the domes of the surrounding buildings are absolutely amazing. The colors are best seen on the domes of the churches surrounding the hotel. As I sit on the hotel terrace, I soak in the sights, the faint smell of smoke and the chiming of bells and seagulls. This place is truly beautiful. Though I got up quite early, I'm no longer tired. This sight and experience has completely refreshed me. I am ready for the day.
My only regret of seeing this beauty is that I'm not high enough to watch the sun start its journey over the buildings. I'm making it my goal so that one day while I'm here I get to see that.

View from the Terrace.

Most Epic Schedule Everrrrrr.

My Schedule is far too awesome to really be real. Must be all a dream.

The Arkies Have Landed!

September 11th, 2011. The ten year anniversary of one of the most horrid attacks on American soil in history. Also the day that we, the architecture students of 2014, were to fly from DC to a little place called Rome.
I was so freaking excited.
No words could truly describe my feelings of angst, nervousness, joy and pure ecstasy that was held within my small body. Whatever these feelings were, I couldn’t hold it in very well. I ran. I jumped. I skipped. I climbed on the tops of the airport chairs. I quietly screamed people’s names to make them look just to say hi. I was all over the place. I was excited. I still am. Eight and one-half hours of a most wretched sleepless flight, we landed.
It was morning in Italy. The sky was blue, the atmosphere of the most interesting mix of passion and smoke. I knew, even before we landed that this year will be my year. It will be ours (as in us architects) but it will be mine. This city is soooo wonderful. Everything about it amazes me. I can’t wait to explore it to its farthest corners.

Day 1 in short:

Got:
Papers and desk sorted
Unpacked

Ate:
-Pizza Magherita and red wine - (house wine) - kind of like barefoot (at Novana Notte, a little off from Piazza Novana)
-Gelato (Soooo many flavors!)

Buildings I know seen today:
-St. Peter’s (Dome)
-Pantheon
-Albergo Sole (my lovely hotel)
-Studio (it amazes me the ceiling details and floor)
-Palazzo Massimo
-Piazza Novana

had:
an awesome day with my wonderful friends exploring and eating pure Italian stuff.



PS I shall edit this with pictures in a bit.

Pre-Roma Post #2: Preparations

So it is now Saturday, September 3rd, 2011. Eight more days until my flight from DC goes to Rome. Some people are pretty much starting to freak out, wondering if they have everything for Rome and if this or that is enough or do they really need this and yada yada yada. But I'm not freaking out. Nope, not I.

I've travelled quite a bit and if it's one thing I've learned it's you don't need most of the things you have. You don't need all of those clothes, you don't need the extra bags, you don't need the extra shampoos and conditioners and whatnot. You just don't need it. And when I say don't need it, I mean don't need to bring it. Any normal stuff like clothes and care products you can find where ever you go. Foreign people need those things too, believe it or not.

The only things that are necessary to bring are your passport, your papers, your debit card, a second ID, and the fee money that we're supposed to pay unless you'd like to be deported. That's it. Nothing else. Real simple.

My advice for when you're packing this go around is this:
In addition to your essentials (that is, the things I listed and also any absolutely necessary things like meds and deo for this trip) is to pack an extra pair of clothes in your carry on. If your checked luggage gets lost or sent to the wrong place, it sucks. Terribly. But it sucks less if you have fresh clothes (and yes, that includes undies) that are actually yours with you. It'll seem a hassle at first as it takes up space but hey, better safe than sorry. Plus, your underwear is always more comfortable than anyone else's.

Other than that my only other advice is don't forget your camera and trace paper, and actually write down your family and friends' names, numbers and addresses in one spot so that you can contact them from anywhere, regardless of where your laptop is. Because sometimes, even bringing your laptop will be a hassle.

Be smart packers guys, see you in eight (now seven as it's passed midnight) days.

Ciao,
Erika

Just because it's called Rome

Pre-Roma Thoughts

Soooooooo.... it's exactly 30 days (EST, this is set to Rome already) until one of the most epic parts of my entire life is going to commence and to be honest... I'm not sure.

Now, no doubt that I'm elated at the thought of studying for not just a semester but an entire school year in Europe and there's absolutely no doubt that I'm truly blessed for the opportunity but...I'm not sure if architecture is really what I want to do with my life when I get out of college. I mean, creating and piecing together usable space that I, as well as my friends, family, countrymen and those after me can be proud of and enjoy for generations to come, that'd be cool. Hell, who am I kidding? It'd be freaking awesome.  But I don't know if it really is for me.  

The problem with this is that... I don't really feel a pull towards anything else.  I love being an architect student. I love my friends that I've made through the past few years because of it. I love the long nights and the hard work, the encouraging smiles and I love the love I feel doing such magical things with my hands and being with such inspirational people; friends, teachers and random people included.  I love the atmosphere and I love the work. But I feel like I need something... more.  There's something missing.  And I don't know if it's because I have some anxiety about going through this torturous (admit it, we’re just masochists) training just to be something else.  I'm always thinking that I'm going to be like my parents and study one thing in college and end up doing something else. My Dad studied Electrical Engineering and look at him! He's a Martial Arts Teacher for crying out loud!  I don't even know if he's EVER used his degree at all!

I do know however, that the skills he got from engineering classes were transferable and he uses those. So at the very least I know that if I continue in architecture and not become an architect, I'll have transferable skills. I'll know how to present my thoughts and ideas to others in a formal manner. I'll know how to draw and paint much better than most people ever will.  I'll know how to look at the big picture and at the same time pay attention to the details. I already know how to stay up for two days straight after only 3 hours sleep for the past few nights and still manage to be considerably sane.  All good skills to have. The others, more so than the last one, unless you're wanted by the FBI or something.

So again, I'm just really anxious that this might not be what I want to do after college. That's really my main fear about this year.  I don't want to waste this experience just because this major might not be right for me.

But I tell you what... I'm not going to regret this experience.  It's going to be absolutely fantastic, I know it. It's going to change my life, hopefully for the better.  It's going to open new doors for me, academically, socially, spiritually, emotionally, culturally, and all of the other kinds of 'ly's you can imagine.  I'm going to travel all through Europe during the breaks and weekends but I'm not going to forget to travel through the same country that I am so blessed to be studying in. I'm going to be open to new experiences, I'm not going to be afraid of making friends like I usually am. There's no time for that. I only get two semesters in Rome. 

When most student want these kinds of experiences they only get a single semester... I get two! I can't waste it. I'm here for a reason and I'm going for a reason. God has plans for me and though I don't know what they are, I just know they're right for me. I wouldn't have randomly chosen architecture out of everything else if there wasn't a good reason for it.  And I do love architecture... I think... maybe I just need to be more open about it and explore more. 

One of my good friends wrote a blog too today and her message was to "be used." Too often I worry about my future and lately I've been running into a lot of stuff to just "let go and let God."  Cheesy line for some maybe, but maybe it's just the truth.  Maybe I should let go of my worries and fears and just let God handle this.  If I wasn't meant to be here, then why am I here?  I have to trust in the Lord and He will guide my feet.  Maybe I should surrender myself to God...and architecture.

Okay, Peace for Now,

Erika

P.S. VISA IS IN! AND MY PAPERS! OH YA!

P.P.S. Oh my this post is long...