A trip to the Lagoon...

Well I spent this weekend off in Venice. It was truly amazing. One of the most beautiful places I have been. It would be an amazing place to live if it wasn't for all the tourist everywhere. We did basically everything. Including walking what I say was at least 8 miles just on Saturday. We went to the Basilica di San Marco, which has beautiful mosaics both inside and out of it. Also the Doge's Palace was amazing. It is where the figure head of the Venetian Republic lived and also housed the Senate, Great Council, Courts and Prisons. So it was basically a pretty amazing place. We also saw a few museums which were pretty cool, including an archeological one with a lot of Greek and Roman statues. Then of course we spent time on the grand canal, at the Rialto Bridge, at dinner on it one night, and of course we did a Gondola right and right at sunset which was beautiful. Then on Sunday we went to the Island Murano. Which is where they make the most beautiful things out of glass. I am definatley going back one day when I have lots of money to buy tons of jewelry and pretty things to decorate my house with. But for now I had to settle with an amazing pair of earrings that i found. It was basically just an amazin weekend. I went with two girls, Angie and Lauren, who both go to the Univesity of Minnesota, and were so much fun.
This week has been a bit stressful since it has been midterms. My tests went pretty well though which was great and I only have one more next wednesday but it is for one of my favorite classes. Well my computer is about to die and I am off for Napesl for the week. But here is the link again and there are new pictures up so keep checking it out...

21 Years...

Well to start since I last wrote I turned 21. Which really isn't a big deal out here but it is fun since it is a day I have look forward to for awhile, and it was a fun day. It was full of classes during the day, including a trip to the Colesseum. Then we did dinner at the Hard Rock and it was soo gooodd!!! I miss American food. It was great, I had a burger, french fries, and a caesar salad. It was so good. Then a bunch of the girls and I went out for awhile since we didn't have class in the morning. So that was tons of fun, and it was basically just a good week. Then last weekend I spent it mostly in Rome, but did go to the Roman Castels. Which aren't actually castels but instead some cities up in the hills around Rome. It was great and beautiful. There was a huge storm when we were up there too and we got to watch it come in from over Rome. Here is the sunset from after the rain storm. It was basically just a fun chance to leave the city. Then this week has been nice other than the being sick. I have an icky cold but it just is and doesn't seem to want to go away. Luckly unlike at school I have time here to actually get sleep which is nice. So its been a pretty basic week doing nothing special. I have been reading a lot, found a new series about a high school girl who falls in love with a vampire. Sound familiar at all?? I have read over 1000 pages in the last week and that doesn't count the reading I have been doing for school, which is starting to pick up since we start midterms next week. This weekend I am off to Venice for the weekend with two girls I've met out here. It should be beautiful. I am really excited for it. Well I will write next week and tell you all how that went.

Pictures Pictures!!

Hey look I finally got some up if you want to see them!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/megkmac

Assisi to Milano...

Well for the past two weeks or so I have basically been adjusting to living in Rome. So far it is going well for the most part. Where I left off is before we went to Assisi and Perguia. Assisi was amazing. It is that beautiful little town that you picture in Italy. The buildings range from before 100 BC to the new ones from the 15th Century. It is amazing to see how they take a Temple of Minerva and transform it into the Church that it has become today. I got a chance to really wander around the Basilica of Saint Fransisco, which was beautiful. To your right you can see the view of part of the town and the castle that sits above the town. I didn't get a chance to get up to it since I instead choose to wait and go to mass at the Basilica. From that we went to Perguia, which was a nice little town. Nothing amazing. There were some ancient parts and a pretty old Fortress but it really didn't seem that special to me.

Then classes started up the week after. I am taking Ancient Rome: Myths or Facts, which seems good were are learning a lot and next week we start our field studies for that class, not that I know what they are since we don't have a syllabus for the class yet. Hopefully I will get that today. Then I have Mystics, Saints and Sinners: The Medieval Catholic Church, so far it is pretty interesting, we have been studying Augustine who is interesting but too wordy for me. Italian Contemporary Politics is probably my favorite class so far, it is soo different from here and its really fun figuring it all out. Then I have Roman Architecture and Urban Design, which is going pretty well, its mostly a different way of approaching history that I am used to which is a nice change. We had class in the Roman forum last week and have it in the Coliseum this week which should be good. Then I am of course taking Italian which is going well. I am starting to learn more and more and can kind of use it. I'm working on it all and we will see how it goes.

This weekend I went to Milan. It was really great. Had a chance to really spend some time with Nurre and just talked a lot, which is something we haven't had time to do much lately. We also got to see a lot. The Duomo was amazing. It is the third largest church in the world and surpassed the Basilica of St. Fransisco as my favorite church so far. We also saw a lot of other little churches including the Church with the "Last Supper" in it, but not the actual painting since we didn't even plan are trip by the time we would have needed to make the reservation. We also just wandered and window shopped. Which was great being that Milan is the fashion capital of Europe. There was also this little canal area Navigli which was pretty fun to people watch and we stopped in a bar and watched the Milano v. Roma football (soccer) game. Sadly Roma lost. Hopefully I will get to a game while I am out here.

In between all of this I have been exploring a little bit around Rome. I am thinking I am going to do the Vatican Museums either Wednesday or Thursday and like I said I get to go to the Coliseum this week to. Just trying to hit a little bit at a time. Not sure if I will travel much this weekend but I am at least going to be going on a day trip to see the Roman Castles so we will see how it is all going to go. Thinking about maybe a day trip down to the Amafli Coast. Who knows. So things are basically good. Lots of possible travel plans that I just need to figure out at some point. But I am sure wherever I end up it will be amazing.

Ciao!

Well it is actually Thursday night when I am writing this but since I don’t have internet at home it wont be up until Monday. Well since it has defiantly been awhile, yes lazy me lets just tie up some loose ends. Well my last few weeks in D.C. were amazing. I really love the place. Spent a lot of time working and hanging out with Rachel. Ended up dog sitting for the last week, which was nice since I had a place to myself. Minus the bratty little dog, but its all good. Work ended very well, was given some more responsibilities at the end and the possibility of working with them again next summer although maybe out in the desert. I don’t know but hopefully something exciting will fall into place.
Now Roma! Things are pretty good here. In a lot of ways it isn’t too different from say NY or Chicago. In others it is very different. I love the food and well the American people I have met. Most Italians who you actually get talking to are very nice but its more the first impression. They aren’t big fans, but its all good. Have gotten around and have seen some amazing things. Haven’t made it to the Vatican yet but possibly Wednesday depending on my schedule. My first day here was really rough, I didn’t it the jetlag well. I was awake at 2 am and didn’t fall back to sleep until 12am the next night. So I was a bit out of wack but it was all better the next day. I have seen the pantheon and a bunch of piazzas. Also I from time to time change buses at the Coliseum! How cool is that. This weekend I am going up on a field trip to Asisi and Pergiua. Should be really interesting to see where the whole Franciscan order started. Then Sunday am planning on just going to church and then doing a little walking tour which just happens starts at the steps of the closest church to me. I am sure there is more to say so just shoot me an email if you have questions. Lately I have been just soo busy living life I haven’t quite gotten to writing about it. Miss you all lots and hope to here from you soon.

Ciao!!

Banana Pancakes...

Well lets say I need some banana pancake time... sometime to sit and just do nothing. I haven't been able to do that for awhile. Which really is the normal. So this weekend I went to New York with Brittain. We left Friday morning and took the bus up. It is a bit longer but a lot cheaper than taking the trains. Then we got there and made the way to the tour bus, we did the double decker bus tour all weekend. We went to the empire state building and then made are way into the theater district and saw rent. It was amazing. It is such a good and emotional and powerful and just great play. There are such happy and sooo sad parts and it is such an amazing story and the cast was great. Then we crashed and slept in which was very nice. Then we got back on the bus and went around central park and then we went around through the down town and went into Chinatown and to the trade center and then up to Rockefeller center and then ate dinner at the largest T.G.I.F. also the most expensive. Then we went through NY and Brooklyn at night. It was really cool. Got to see alot, focused much more on the architecture and it was great. Then we went to a comedy club and it was okay. One of the five comedians was great the others were ehh. Then sunday morning we went to the statue of liberty and eilis island. Now I have decided I want to create a family tree up both sides of my family since we dont have one, at least not that I know of. I don't know when exactly I will do this but sometime when I actually have free time. Which may not be anytime soon. Well then we went to the Sea Port which was a bit interesting and oh it rained and we got wet and well it was fun in some ways. We also went to the UN and had a tour there. It was amazing. Who knows maybe I will work on a staff there at some point. After that we went headed back. It was a relatively long bus ride. Didn't get to bed until about 130 and then I had to be at work at 830 for a 9am tour. Then I didn't leave until 730. It was a long day. I've been really busy at work and it will just continue that way. Although its all good. Some good things are going on and there is a bill to support towns/universities/others that are trying to pull away from using companies that are directly/indirectly affecting the genocide going on in Dafur and the Sudan. It is going to pass right through too which is great. Its nice when there is hope that are country is actually doing something good. Well now I am exhausted and I want to sleep. Get to sleep in a bit since I have to go to the Italian Embassy which doesn't open until 10am. Other than that I am just being very busy and very tired but all is good...

So basically what I need is to "sleep in pretend like its the weekend now, we could pretend it all the time..."

The most beautiful office on the hill...

Yep that is where I work...hehehe....it is a HUGE!!!! joke around here and everyone is getting picked on about it but it is still pretty cool.

http://thehill.com/cover-stories/the-most-beautiful-office-on-capitol-hill-rep.-mary-bono-r-calif.-2007-07-25.html

...if you want to see...