Today's post was requested by Joe. Apparently, the guy doesn't text with me or talk with me enough per day; he also needs to read about the same things I talk with him over text and on the phone. Once again, I apologize for grammatical and spelling errors because this is an Italian computer.
Since I haven't really talked about what I have been doing here, I will start with some background information. I am currently living in the center of Rome in a popular shopping district with the classmate who requested my presence here. I have come to learn that it's not actually that she wanted me here so much as she didn't want another student, who was also in Thailand, to be here. She has bad-mouthed this person quite a bit and so I put 2 and 2 together.
Speaking of my roommate, she does quite possibly the strangest thing I have ever witnessed. She will actually sit around in the apartment, fully dressed and ready to go, reading books about Rome... But she never actually leaves. She just reads the books. Why doesn't she go to experience instead of stay to read? I mean, the coliseum is like right down the street and we can see the Vatican from the terrace. So strange.
Anyway, the apartment is spacious and located on the 7th/top floor of an old building. The terrace is amazing and offers 180 degree views. The place is quite dilapidated and needs some work, though. We have learned that we cannot run the A/c and cook at the same time because it trips the breakers. It's kind of exciting because before you flip a light switch you don't know what effect it will have of the circuit board. It's like an annoying, low-stakes game of Russian Roulette.
As for my research, I am doing a literature review on food habits in Italian adults and children as they relate to obesity. I told my research mentor about my undergraduate experience in public health, though I wish I had just told her about my current studies. She introduces me to her colleagues as a student of public health, which is radically inaccurate. My attempts to correct her fall on deaf ears. I'm not sure if that's because her English isn't the best or because she's always doing a million things at once. She is awesome, though. Very smart lady and very kind, too. I have a lot of faith in her guidance and am looking forward to being published.
My roommate went to Interlocken for the weekend, so I hope to use the time alone to get moving on this lit review, the lit review on firefighting injuries I have totally been sitting on and to go on at least one tour. It's been difficult the muster the motivation to get out and see some ruins.
Let's see... Oh, I joined a gym near the Spanish steps. It costs 95 Euros/month and fits about 4 people in the weight area at once. One of the personal trainers there noticed I was pretty serious and I think he felt bad for me. He spoke Spanish and so we had a nice conversation where he told me about a better gym that is located closer to the apartment that costs about the same. I will definitely look into that place for next month.
Also, I received a terrible slap in the face the other day when I tried to reinstate my canceled ticket to fly home from Bangkok. The woman told me it would cost $1300 in fare difference plus a $250 change fee. Ummm, yeah... That's not in the budget. So, I'm pretty much freaking out about that and completely stressed out. My Dad thinks the scholarship program is responsible for that fare, or any fare, home because, well, I don't even have a way to get home from Rome let alone Bangkok.
This has really thrown a wrench into my plans. I was in the midst of planning a mini-tour through Vietnam and Cambodia with Robin the week before Joe arrives and a backwater tour in Kerala, India the week before that. Now I don't know what's going to happen... If I will have to fly back home or what. AHHHH!! I don't even want to think about it!!!
On a lighter note, I am working with my clinical coordinator at school on a grant proposal to expand the ethnic/cultural reach of the Athletic Training profession. I've been sending her a bunch of my ideas and I hope that she selects one. I am really excited about the prospect of helping write the proposal and set up an outreach program in the community. I love working with underprivileged children... Well, underprivileged people in general. We'll see what happens with that.
Okay, I need to stop procrastinating now.
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