Plane Ride

2:59 Paduan time, 8:59 at HOME! – Hey all! Here is one more update from the air over Greenland. I’m about halfway through my trip, I still have about 4:30 hours to go and it’s -74 ℉ up here!
The past week has been full of paper writing for me… I had two due: The first I wrote about the architecture of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) in Venice. The second I wrote about Totalitarianism in Fascist Italy, exciting! I finally finished at 3 o’clock in the morning the day before I left and sent it out – I really don’t remember what day it was it was so darn long ago it feels like. Anyways I woke up shortly thereafter and made my way to the Venice airport with Catherine and Christina only to find our flight postponed. After a short 7 hour delay where they felt it necessary for us to re-check our baggage we made it to London where we ventured to the house of a friend of ours, Sajni, where she was waiting with homemade burritos and showers and beds. It was a really nice of her to put us up for the night – we felt like we were the Royalty, move over Harry.
Anyways we didn’t get much sleep again last night as were up and on our way to the London Heathrow airport by 5:30. We lucked out today as our flight was one of the few not cancelled due to the heavy fog covering the city – it was pretty nasty.
All in all this plane ride has been pretty uneventful, I have started several movies and gotten bored with every one of them. I just want to be home I can’t wait to see everyone. I don’t know if I will update this while I am home, but I can’t wait to see everyone this break and if I don’t get to: Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!

Uncle Bob and Dan the Man (In-Explicit Content)

1:44 PM, Padova - So for my birthday Uncle Bob and Dan the Man decided to send me a package with a handful of "useful" items and list of clues in which I need to match them.
Now as a rule of thumb, I usually do not post/discuss anything that Uncle Bob has been involved with out of respect for the innocence of others, but since they have given me the rules and told me if I matched them up correctly they would send me more... I feel obligated. And I just want to.
Ok so here are The Clues:

A. Stress reliever - This was kind of dificult, right off the bat. I had to choose between a popular "American" magazine and a little squishy toy from the cemetary Uncle Bob works at. I choose the squishy light-bulb.
B. Pumba's actual edible snack - Easy. A box of bugs. (Fruit snacks)
C. If you share a bathroom, your roommates will appreciate this - A scented banana muffin candle. Mmmm. I will, too.
D. Sticks to the roof of your mouth (double dose) - Two HUGE barrels of peanut butter. I can eat for the rest of the year now!
E. Danny loves to make/eat this - Puppy chow. Steve loves that stuff, too.
F. Limits time on the shtooper - This has got to be my lactose pills. Thanks guys!
G. What Dad wants/reads - Log Homes Illustrated. I am still debating on which on is my favorite. I need more time.
H. Never Happened - This one stumped me. But after process of elimination I came to the conclusion it was the World Series ticket. At first I thought 'real funny guys' but then I looked at it and saw it was from Game 6 - which never happened. Well now I can say I have a ticket for game 6 of the 2006 World Series!
I. Considered an airline weapon - Pocket knife. I can't tell you how much this would've came in handy this year. Thanks.
J. What America reads - Thanks to Hugh.
K. Don't let Kristy see an opened box when you come home for Christmas! - In Italiano, preservativi.
L. Good party munchie--tradition at Tiger's games - Planter's nuts. Score.
M. Jot a few things down here - A notepad in the shape of a coffin that says "Last Writes" at the top. Haha.
N. A World Series giveaway (that you weren't able to receive) - Tiger Towel! Go Tigs!
O. Just in case you forgot where you were born – They sent me two bookmarks with American flags and the Pledge of Allegiance on them. God Bless America. Though Dan, I still am not sure where I was born. – I think it was Southfield…

And that’s the end of the game. Thanks for alllll the stuff you guys sent. It was hilarious opening it all up in the Study Center with Dave & Co. I can’t wait to get home for Christmas and see everyone, - Not too much longer! But I reallllly have to get back to work. K ciao.

Roman Holiday

10:25 AM Padova – Happy Holidays everyone! Greetings from a chilly (46 degrees) Padova. I am currently in my room procrastinating, delaying going to the library to study for the rest of the day so I thought I’d update the story of my life for the past week. Last week started birthday season as 6 people here have birthdays in December. I was the one who was lucky enough to be able celebrate it in ROME :-P
We had a class in Rome on Sunday so we all took the train down Friday night to get a little extra time in the Eternal City. We arrived Friday night, checked into our hostel and went straight to the Spanish steps for a pub crawl to help bring in my 22nd year of life.
Let me say this, pub crawls = American crawl. There were about 50 people who went on the pub crawl with us and most of them were from the States. However we did manage to meet a handful of Canadians, and this one kid named Barry from South Africa. All and all it was a good time.
Saturday: Birthday in Rome. Grace and I made our way to the Vatican early in the morning to catch up with the rest of the group who stayed in a different hostel. Met up with Dave and Catherine there and the 4 of us wandered Rome with no place in particular to go. We had all been to Rome and had seen many of the main things so we decided to just do what we want and wander where we wanted. It was great, we ate near the Pantheon, walked through the Roman Forum and saw the Trevi fountain along the way.
During the entire day there was a big protest against the current Italian government – we saw thousands of people in the streets (the news said 2 million) waving flags of their respective parties and many supporting the old Prime Minister, Silvio Burlusconi . After seeing a bunch of people standing outside a building we found out he was going to be leaving from there shortly. Even though we were the obvious foreigners, Grace and I decided to stay and wait for him. We waited for 20 minutes with some guys with Uzis and another guy taken straight out of the Godfather and then he came out and gave a little wave. It was pretty cool to be that close to a former member of the G-8 who is still such a powerful man.
After that my awesome friends took me out to a great dinner in Trestevere and then we went to a couple other bars. It was a great time.
Sunday: Class. Went to a bunch of churches, saw the “cambia della guardia” (changing of the guard) at the President’s house as we were walking by, went to church (In Spanish) at the Gesú (out of which the Jesuit order was founded) and got home late Sunday night.
All in all it was a great weekend – Thanks to everyone, and Happy Birthday Kristy!