First day in Roma

I MADE IT!! It is such an accomplished feeling making it here at last. My flight was quite the ordeal; I've never been on one so long and it was quite exhausting. At least I got to sit next to someone my age who had a lot of helpful advice. I met an Italian-American named Salvatore who was from Wisconsin and was just leaving to attend his college, the American University in Rome. I'm hoping to contact him later on so he can show me around to some local spots.

We just checked into Hotel Tiziano where we will be spending the next two nights here. It is a really nice, 4-star hotel and is in a great central location. Just looking out our window I can see this:

Obviously a big change from back home; the city is extremely dense, particularly in this area. Today we have a few orientation things to do so I will write more later.

Later that day...
I can't believe I have completed my first day here in Rome, Italy. Already it has been quite the adventure. After our orientation I went out with a few of the girls down to a bar on the Tiber river. There's nothing better than drinking legally while sitting in a beautiful location and listening to good American music (Coldplay and Gorillaz). It has been such a long day but I feel like I have already become good friends with the people from API that I have met so far. After getting slightly tipsy, Taylor, Becca and I decided to go for a walk to the Trevi fountain. I quickly became aware of the appeal in wandering these ancient streets and being amazed at what pops up as we turn corners that we have no idea what is on the other end. In just this one walk alone we discovered the Pantheon, Trajan's Column, and the Spanish Steps. I cannot begin to go into detail about these magnificent works of art; I'm sure more photos and further observations will do more justice to these spectacular monuments marking mankind's finest innovations and attentions to detail. The fact that this happened in one day alone makes me so excited for tomorrow and the next few months. I will make it my goal to spend every moment like I did tonight with my child-like desire for adventure and the unexpected.