Only Have a Few Days Left...Might As Well Live it Up!

What is the best way to start off finals week? A huge banquet of course! That is how J-Force gets down! We had our last day of classes on Thursday and that night they bussed us to Ristorante Brigadoon (which is totally in the middle of no where) for a dinner and dance party! It was the opportunity to get all dressed up and have one last blow out before people head back to the States.

L to R: Mallory, Laura, Chana, Sarah, Me, Christina

We all got ready quickly, did our hair and make-up and started taking pictures. And of course it starts raining as we walk to the buses from the courtyard. It became a mad dash through the gates to the buses, I was dragging Christina along because her heels were so high. I was sensible and borrowed Sarah's baby heels. As we drove to the restaurant the excitement was mounting, we were ready to have some fun! 

We got there and we all found a table, everyone was running around telling everyone how amazing this semester has 

My Roomie Kate!

been. We talked about the first time we met each other, that fateful night after the group dinner in August. It was the first night we all decided to go downtown into the city. We met on the bus stop, Chana told me that she immediately thought that I had really blonde hair. Haha. I thought Christina was an Italian heading into the city to meet up with her fashionable Italian friends. We wandered and got lost in Rome that night, bonding and it still took me two days to correctly pronounce Chana's name before I finally remembered it. We talked about how we met Ryan at the Chicago Airport, Ben knew him and we talked for the almost 2 hours that we were delayed before we finally left for Rome. Laura and Christina sat next to each other the plane but lost track of each other soon after we got to Rome, only to become close friends about two weeks later. It's funny how things like that work out. Even how amazing my roommate is and how we got along so well this semester. I'm seriously lucking out with this roommate thing. 

We gave a standing ovation to Rinaldo and Nella, the owners of the bar at J-Force, they are retiring after 35 years working here. Their children grew up at the Rome Center, and we are so sad to see them go.They deserve a good break though. Rinaldo is 75 years old and he didn't leave here last night until 1am. They work so hard, and their panini are amazing. They have kept J-Force students caffeinated and fed for so long, they are truly amazing people. We will miss you Rinaldo and Nella! I hope they still continue to call this room Rinaldo's, it will always be named that for me- I've spent far too many hours in here to call it anything else. I skype my parents, watch movies and tv, "do" homework, and keep updated via that famous social networking site, yes Facebook. Rinaldo's could also be called "the facebook room"

There were a few awards for students nominated by professors. The dinner was decent, but I've definitely had better during my stay in Italy. But the black truffle pasta was very good. And I can't complain when I get tiramisu.

Kelly and I bonded over our matching hair. Haha

After the dinner and a toast by Sander and Mike Beazley, it was time to dance! They had a bar for wine and champagne and the music was good! If you wanted to be critical you could say that it was kind of like a high school dance...but then you remember, "oh wait, I just had 3 glasses of wine, I'm with my 170 of my closest friends, and I'm in ROME!" So no, it was amazing and we had such a good time together. It was a time to live it up...because the clock is ticking. And all I wanted to do was bargain for more time.

Best Picture of the night by far!

It was a wonderful night. Perfect in so many ways. Everyone was happy to be together for one last blow out. And we were not ready for the night to be over when the music ended around midnight, we got on the bus to Piazza Navona, they drove us there and we ended up at Giovanni's. He had been in the State for a Steelers game, and he was finally back in Rome. We ended up staying there drinking Passion Iced Teas and chatting about how sad it was that we were leaving. So of course we ended up not getting home until 5:30am. I would say that is the perfect way to end such a night.

I have only a few days left at J-Force, and 17 days until I leave this country. This is too sad. I don't want to leave. I feel torn in two different directions, to Minnesota and Chicago and reality, and here in Rome, my fairy tale. Can I live the fairy tale for a little bit longer? Please?

Ciao Bella