Ciao Ragazzi

I only have 17 days left.....It makes so sad to think about, but I won't talk about that now, I'll just tell you what a wonderful time I had with my parents.
First of all.....Sam-I thought you should know that mom cried when she saw me for the first time. Take that!
I was so excited to see my parents, this is the longest and furthest away I've ever been from them. We talked and hugged and smiled and were very happy. I got them settled into the B&B right down the street from my house, then took them to the first place I went in Rome: the Aventine Hill. At the top of the Aventine, there is an orange grove and a terrace overlooking the city. We wandered among the sweet smelling oranges and I gave them a quick overview of the city. From there, we walked down to the Circus Maximus, up to the Temple of Venus, over to Teatro Marcello, and into the Jewish Ghetto. I don't think they will ever forgive me for how much walking I made them do.
The next day, we went to the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, Campo di Fiori, Largo Argentina, etc. Lots of churches, lots of monuments and lots of eating. That night we went to a very busy pizzeria and had the best pizza ever(I had pizza with zucchini flowers and sausage).
On Saturday, we did what my dad calls the "Caesar Shuffle"....The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, and The Roman Forum. I've visited all of these places before, but this time I got to play tour guide. I think I did a good job? As ever, these sites were beautiful and inspiring. On Saturday night, my parents were kind enough to take some of my friends from St.Mike's and my roommate out to dinner. Also, delicious.
Sunday, we left for Cinque Terre. I sung it's praises the first time I went and now I can only add more. 5 terre is one of the most beuatful places on this earth. The towns are quaint, the water is hypnotizing, and the cliffs are majestic....well, my mom might have just thought they were terrifying. We hiked the first day, making sure to relax, drink some wine, and enjoy the scenery. I am very proud of my mom for overcoming her fears and standing on the edge of cliffs. It was scary, but exhilirating I'm sure. The second day, we toured each town, taking in each of their unique characteristics. The last time I was in Cinque Terre was in September. At that time of year the sea was calm, but the towns were overrun with hikers. This time, it was much quieter and very relaxed.
On Wednesday, we went to Assisi. Assisi is a hill top town in Umbria where St.Francis once lived. The town is breathtaking. Most of the time, we just wandered down old streets, purposely getting lost. In several cases, we happened upon a beautiful church. Assisi must have the highest percentage of churches than any other town. The town was getting ready for Christmas, even though it was in the 60s and they don't have snow.....I just don't get that. I would highly recommend a trip there, it will really amaze you how old and picturesque this little place is.
On Friday, as we left, it rained. Actually, every time we left somewhere it was raining. Fortunately, whenever we arrived somewhere else, it was sunny :-)
For their last weekend in Rome, the Destoops joined us. I met up with Marion and her parents while my parents did the epic tour of the Vatican museums. That afternoon, we went to the Catacombs of Priscilla that I had previously been to. For dinner in the evening, we strolled through Trastevere and picked out a busy restaurant. As always, it was delicious, haha.
On Sunday, I took the group to Ostia Antica. I had been there with school and, once again, I got to play tour guide. My parents were quick to notice that simply walking into those ruins instantly elevated my mood. Being amongst something so old and important and beautiful is extremely fascinating to me. It just makes me happy.
They left on Monday....with only 19 days left.
And now I only have 17. I'm working on papers(well I should be working on papers) and studying for exams(maybe). Mostly, I'm just trying to save my time here. Everyone is starting to tell me how hard it will be to go home. While I miss it a lot and cannot wait to see my friends and family, I know that I will be very sad to leave this place. I know that I will have to come back. I've made a list of everything I have to do before I go, so hopefully I'll have some interesting things to tell you about in the next 2 weeks.
Arrivederci! See you soon :-)