the return

I know it's been forever - and that might actually be an understatement - but i'vfe lacked internet at home and have been working like mad. It's really funny, actually: I thought that upon my return home internet would be easy, but as it turns out, if anything it's harder!!

Anyway, I though I would back-track (a LOT) all the way back to Rome...

When we returned from Circeo I dug further into my massive backpack with the intention of trying on a pair of shoes I had bought in Spain on my last day in Madrid. Upon finding the bag I had shoved them in, I pulled them out to find that they WEREN'T THE SAME!!! Almost, but not. One had a massively thick heel, while the other had a much more delicate heel... Great. Too bad this was the one time I was NOT returning to Spain... I showed Camilla and Patrizia and they both gasped and exclaimed, "Non mai avrebbe successo in Italia!! MAI!" ("This would never have happened in Italy!!") Too true. Camilla then went on to say not to worry, that her father would fix everything. (A few nights earlier he had invited us out to dinner. He picked us up in a really nice Mercedes, Avril Lavigne blaring on the radio, and actually fullfilled one of my Roman dreams: to drive down Via Condotti in a really nice car...)

Sure enough, he and Valerio did fix everything. Valerio took me down to the post office after Salvatore had taken me to a tabacchi for an envelope. Valerio explained to me that he must go with me because they would be very rude to me otherwise. In the end, I'm glad he did, even though I felt terrible that he had to wait in line with me for an hour... It all turned out ok, even though I had my doubts. I sent the shoe I didn't want back to Madrid and they told me they would mail the correct shoe to me in the United States. Well, I just got the shoe about a week ago. I thought it would never come!!

A few days later Hans finally came to Rome. I found an apartment on Via del Corso, right by Piazza Venezia, and above a store called Class. It was a great location, but very very small. We spent the days sight seeing. THe weather was unbearably hot and we walked and walked and walked. We went to museums, to the Coloseum, to the Foro Romano... It was wonderful. So different from travelling around all on my own. I have more to say, but I'm afraid I have drunk too much coffee and (ironically) there's this Italian guy sitting on the window who keeps leaving me notes and things... But I'll be back soon! Bye!