taking the bus in Rome..

Today, I traveled to the train station via bus to purchase my train ticket to Cinque Terre for this weekend. I took the bus a couple times before this and I think I'm starting to be able to find my way around Rome...it's the metro system that I really wanna figure out! One thing that I have noticed is that Italians have no sense of personal space nor do they respect it. It's actually quite aggravating! I go with a friend to the train station and we get on a bus...which took about 20 minutes to get to our stop to pick us up. Being super cautious of gypsies I take my backpack off and put it on the ground. We have to stand because there is literally 10 seats on this entire bus. After a few stops an older guy gets on with a newspaper and decides he needs to stand RIGHT behind me. His hand is right next to mine and he's towering over me. If you've ever been on a bus in Rome, you know its not the smoothest ride and the bus drivers either are slamming on the brakes or pushing the pedal to the ground..theres no in between. Needless to say, you are jerked around the entire time. So this guy standing right behind me keeps kneeing me in the thigh or bumping in to me somehow over every turn, bump and any other kind of movement the bus does. I get so annoyed I keep turning around to look at him but it's like he doesn't even know he is hitting me. Finally a bunch of people get off..so there is more room. More space! after about 10 seconds, I feel his knee in my thigh again!! I don't understand!! He has all this room behind him. I decide to keep moving a little bit further forward, but so does he-at one point his hand even overlaps mine! And he's just minding his own business the whole time..looking out the window and even humming to the music!! grrrrr. I'm sure he didn't even realize he was doing it because Italian people don't seem to have personal space and it's completely normal for them to be close to everyone to the point they are touching (ie: kissing cheeks instead of handshakes). I guess it's something I have to get used to!
Anyway, as I mentioned before I'm going to be in Cinque Terre this weekend with 3 other girls from my school. We found a campsite that is very similar to hostels except it's only 2 people in each cabin tent and it comes with actual beds and linens. It got good reviews, so we are hoping that everything goes well! Next Wednesday morning, Maggie and I are going to the Pope's general blessing to the public where you can buy a rosary to get blessed by the Pope. Let me know if any of you want one! I can't wait to see that. School is going really well and I love my classes. I've been keeping myself busy at night with home-cooked dinners (with my roommates Gaby and Alyssa) and homework. The days are going so fast..and I am looking forward to Tay, Bridget and Patti's visit to Rome in the beginning of October.

that's all for now

a presto!