venezia and roseto

Well, I made it to Venice this past weekend with Carly, Colleen and Matt...and it was maginficent!! Suprisingly enough the meet up with a bunch of my friends from orientation worked out as well....we got to see cara, daniela, nick, alyxa, gina, amber, kristen and natalie!! It was so great to see everyone again to hang out by the water, sightsee, eat and drink. I didn't get to do too much there but I did make it to Piazza San Marco and went into the Basilica. I also bought some venetian glass souveniors and other gifts for friends and family.

Late Saturday night, Carly and I headed to Roseto....it was a very interesting experience to say the least. I basically got harrassed by these two russian guys who wouldn't stop talking to me and carly but once i started yelling and telling them to go away, i speak english and will punch you in the face, they finally left. The rest of the train ride was pretty uneventful with the exception of this rude italian and this horrible smelling woman in our train car, lol.

Roseto degli Abbruzzi is breathtaking and this set up we have is ridiculously amazing! We are in a bungalow (basically apartment) with two guys and the other 5 girls are in a bungalow nearby. The beach and the adriatic sea are literally seconds from our door, there is a pool with two water slides, and we eat at the restaraunt for free meals twice a day (and lots of vino). Definitely way better than any set-up i thought i was going to get from acle!! The other tutors are all awesome as well!!! Everyone is pretty chill and funny and we've been spending our nights having long dinners, drinking lots of vino and hanging out on the beach. It's been spectacular.

Camp has been going relatively ok (60% done!!!) but some of my kids are pains in the ass and should definitely not be in the purple book. A couple of them basically refuse to speak english and it drives me bananas but oh well! Our play should be good and they wrote a nice script that i collated about the simpsons vacationing in italy so i'm hoping it goes off without a hitch!! And we are going to the beach with the kids tomorrow so that will be fun!!

Unfortunately it's not looking like i am going to get to pettorano this week which pretty much is devestating. It's just too hard with camp ending at 5 everyday and without having a car!! I haven't been able to find a train that will leave at the right times for me to be able to get back. I am still thinking about calling my relative who is the area but I feel bad having her drive here to get me, take me to pettorano and then back home. It's such a shame that I am so close (only an hour and a half by car) and i'm not going. I'm very disappointed in general and in myself for not trying harder but ya know what can ya do? I can't be too hard on myself and next time i come back, be it with friends or family i am going there!

So there is only 2 more days of camp, the show, and then off to Roma early saturday morning!! I'm staying with Colleen which is super cool and then we are both heading to the airport on sunday. Then it will be back to the states i go! Crazy that this month is coming to a close in 4 days. I feel like i've been here for 3 months. I've had some amazing times and met such wonderful, intelligent and intriguing people. I've been having such mixed emotions about coming home. I am SO SO SO excited to see everyone especially my family because I've missed them so much but I'm going to miss all my new friends and it will be sad to leave italia. I love it here! It's so gorgeous and extrodinary. I feel like i've learned so much about the world and myself on this trip and I just want to do more. I've most definitely caught the traveling bug now so I'm hoping to come back sometime next year if my student loans don't kill me!! and hopefully it will be with some new and\or old friends!!!! :)

Alright i should get on my way back to lido d'abbruzzo! We are having pesto linguini tonight (yum) and will probably hang out on the beach!

Love you all and SEE YOU in 4 DAYS!!

Lauren