Holiday presents from my host family included CDs, books, an awesome new bathrobe, and a pair of the tightest, most colorful, and all-around sexiest underwear I've ever owned. Once again, in the interest of not getting kicked off the internet, I'll spare you the photos.
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On December 30th, I headed south to Rome with Marta and eight of her friends to celebrate New Year's.
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Altare della Patria, the first night in Rome.
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Some of the many ruins scattered all over the city.
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This guy was phenomenal, and not at all hindered by the cigarette pressed between the fingers of his right hand.
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Sculpture in the Vatican museums.
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More sculpture. The light streaming in through the windows gave the sculptures this incredible, orange-ish glow.
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Salvador Dali. Paesaggio angelico, 1977.
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In theory, pictures in the Sistine Chapel are forbidden, but everybody still takes them. Not wanting to miss a good opportunity to buckle into peer pressure, I took this.
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Columns leading up to Saint Peter's.
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La Pietà .
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Inside San Pietro.
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The Colosseum. Unfortunately, Russell Crowe was nowhere to be found.
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I always felt like a huge fool smiling widely into my own camera, hence the semi-serious expression.
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Sunset just outside the Colosseum.
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Fireworks on the 31st.
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Paolo, Marta, and I, a few minutes into January 1, 2009.
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After Rome, I joined Marta and Paolo in Tuscany to stay with Paolo's family for a few days near the sea.
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I was trying to do the whole Aladdin to Princess Jasmine line... "Do you trust me? Do you trust me?" She never crossed.
Plunging into the Tyrrhenian Sea on January 3rd. My host sister, as well as the several fishermen nearby, thought I was nuts.
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The oversized sunglasesses I've always dreamed of. (Despite posing for the picture, I didn't actually buy them, much to the annoyance of the shop clerk.)
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After returning to Castelleone on the 4th, I packed up my bags, thanked my host family as profusely as I could manage, then moved into an apartment here in Crema. ---
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Stories to follow, but for now, off to go fry up some polenta -- my first ever made from scratch --and then melt some gorgonzola on top of it. A bit smelly, but delicious.
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Hope everybody back home is well and warm,
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BEst,
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Nate
