Summertime 2010 Updates!

Hello!

I just got back from a long walk at porta portese market where i was searching for something to paint on because every art store in the city is closed this weekend. In the end, I found one of those wooden things that you mount antlers to... so I'll let you know how that goes...!

I also found three unmistakably necessary objects that you will see featured in one of the photos. A frog with red paint on his head, a madonna with blue paint on her head, and a little sculpture of two birds playing. So, when I say "necessary", I'm still working out what I mean by that.

In the two pictures where andrew are super happy, we are having a beach day in ostia antica where we took our bikes last weekend. We were riding out past where the train drops you off in Ostia Lido, but we found ourselves on a winding path with huge dunes, no clear end and periodical roadside memorials so we figured that heading back to the public beach might be a safer bet. We wound up on a little spot with sand hotter than lava. We jumped frantically (well, andrew was more graceful)from umbrella shadow to umbrella shadow until we got to the little snack hut where we are featured smiling in the pictures.

At last, I am happy to report that the first graders will be coming for their first day of school on wednesday, and I can't wait to meet my new students! I have also attached a picture of me in my classroom hovering over a globe. The room has beautiful light!

Okay blog friends! Don't forget to send me your Roman requests!!!

xo
Maryann

Back in the Eternal City: Take 3

After touring the states for the summer, we have arrived back home in Rome safe and sound and mildly jet lagged! We had an absolutely amazing time seeing family, friends, and playing music in Pittsburgh, New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Durham, and Chapel Hill! After a week at the beach, we were rested and ready for the long trip home. I am sure am missing my beach side days...

Happy Halloween!

Dear Friends,

Halloween 2010 was a huge success! Andrew was a devil, and I was poison ivy (from batman). We had a great time! Our friend Tina even brought American candy treats to the party, so I was able to feast on some Reeses Peanut Butter Cups... what a year!

Now I am enjoying some days off, as school reopens for business on November 9th! So, I'll be drinking lots of cappuccinos, and drawing lots of pictures! I hope that all of your Novembers are off to a great start!
xo
Maryann

No, the Cats I Was Hanging Out With Did Not Abduct Me!

Hello friends! Well, okay, the teacher disappeared for a bit, but I'm back and in full effect! Just look at this picture of Andrew and I in a crazed karate fight at Circus Maximus- or wait- is he getting an eyelash out of my eye...

Teaching has been absolutely amazing! This year has already been filled with many wonderful adventures and challenges, and it is only November! And, while busily teaching the little ones, Andrew and I have also been taking advantage of this most incredible city that we live in!

During a recent visit with our friend Chad, I finally made it to that creepy Cappucchin-monk-grave-bone-mosaic church! Yikes! I said I would never do it, and then there I was. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, this is a church filled with the graves of 4000 monks, of which only about 5 (completely unfounded estimate) are actually underground! the rest had their bones used for mosaics on the walls of the crypt! And OF COURSE they are piping creepy organ music into the space as well. Really.

A most fantastic bakery just opened across the street, so if I'm not looking too bedraggled tomorrow morning, I'll blog a picture of my Saturday morning cappuccino and pastry routine!

Happy Halloween!!!
xo
Maryann

Day 10 - Off to Work

Today was my first day reporting to school! I saw my classroom, which is totally beautiful ( I will send pictures as soon as it is in some kind of order), met the other first grade teacher (absolutely wonderful), and had my first necessary 3:00pm cappuccino since June! I love earning those mid-day ones...

Since I didn't bring my camera to school yet, I've added a couple pictures of the cats that I've been hanging out with. They belong to my friend here. While these pictures may not encapsulate the Roman experience, it is important to note that these cats are ROMAN! They were adopted from one of those filled-with-cats-monument-areas, so it's the real thing.

When I got home this evening I went for a run, including up a big set of stairs in trastevere. There were some youths hanging out on them, and as I ran past they cheered me on. I felt like Totti, just for a moment.

Forza!!
xo
Maryann

To the Market

Today I spent some time at the fresh market that is a couple of blocks away from the apartment. The guys at the seafood table were getting a real kick out of my photographic interests... The truth is, I had secret motives! While I was in NYC, I went to see "Michaelangelo's First Painting" (using quotes because everyone knows that your 'first' painting is hardly ever considered relevant enough to land in a museum, even though it should be. How fun would it be to see Michaelangelo's REAL first painting?). ANYWAY! Did I go there? The painting that does happen to be on display at the Met was a huge inspiration to me, and I decided to do a version of my own based on the same allegory. They mentioned in the exhibit that Michaelangelo did research for his painting at the fish markets, so, how could I resist?

Then, after a year with my favorite, perfect bag that my sister made me last year before my departure for Rome, I decided, I was going to have to get a new bag. So, it was off to Campo De Fiori. On my way, I spotted (what I think was) a white Egret standing on the rocks in the Tiber. I used my extra special National Geographic quality zoom lens to capture this blurry photo of it to share with you!

As soon as I saw the bag, I thought, "This would be great camouflage if I wanted to hide in an explosion of christmas ornaments," so I figured it would go with the rest of my attire. Look closely at the car photo- there I am with it!

Tomorrow is my last day before I report to duty at school! I am getting so excited!

xo
Maryann

If Life Gives You Oranges... And Unquenchable Thirst...

I went running in Villa Pamphilij again today, but tomorrow, I'm finding a new course that's in my neighborhood, so I really enjoyed every minute. Well, almost every minute- - all except for the one where there was a man in the park using one of the drinking fountains as a bidet... I mean, come on.

Worked all day in the apartment trading back and forth between trying to learn mandolin solos and trying to prepare for my first day of first grade!

Now for the finale: I made my first ever fresh squeezed orange juice! Now I feel a real kinship with the orange juicer. It's kind of like my "Wilson".

Good night all you friends n' fellows n' fellow fellows' fellows...
xo
M