Flashback: Rome Update 1

I studied abroad in Rome Fall term of my Jr. year of college.  Once a week, for about 12 weeks, I sent a "Rome Update" email to friends and family in America.  In these I recounted my adventures and wrote about how I was experiencing life in a foreign land.

I would like these Rome Updates archived in my blog, so I will be periodically publishing a Rome Update Flashback.

Rome Update 1:

September 2, 2004

Hey everyone -
I've made it here to Rome and am trying to settle in to some kind of
normalcy.  I have one roommate, and two other apartment-mates.  They all
seem very nice and none of us are from the same school.
I've met the other W&Lers who are here (there are three of us all
together) and even though I don't know them very well, there is definite
comfort in that Washington and Lee connection.  For example:  I just sat
next to a kid who goes to school in Manhattan he just told me that a
friend of his just emailed him a professor's big Italian file.  He
offered the information that his friend had probably just stolen it from
the professor's office back in New York as that kind of thing happens
all the time.  I told him that we have an honor code at my school and so
that kind of thing doesn't really fly.  He said that they have an honor
code too and they have to sign it after every test and paper, but that
people either have an 'in' (as in a way to cheat) or they don't.  I
didn't really try to elaborate on the honor code at W&L and how
INCREDIBLY seriously it is taken.  Heart-to-Heart (my teddy bear), I
don't think I'm in Lexington, VA anymore!
I start classes on Monday and I'm really excited about them.  They will
include:  Intro Italian, Italian Renaissance Art, English Lit, and
Drawing Rome (an onsite art class).
I had planned to send out some type of mass email each Monday to start
the week and let y'all know how I'm doing, but I just know so many of
you have been thinking about me and praying for me, that I didn't want
to wait until Monday to let you know that I am here and I am alright.  I
  definitely feel like I'm a long way from home, but I will be okay and
this will be like nothing I've EVER experienced before.
I'm headed to the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon in about a half an
hour with a kid who has been here for a week with family and wouldn't
mind going again... and supposedly can find the way there.  :)  This
should be exciting.
Thank you so much for all the thoughts and prayers from all of you...
for the first time in my life I feel truly lifted up and protected by
the knowledge of other people  praying for me, and it has been SO
comforting.  Please keep them coming!
Ciao!