On Tuesday, I went to Ostia Antica with my Art History class. I nearly decided to skip that day because I was with another classmate and we couldn't figure out where the train was after looking for 30 minutes and nearly gave up until we saw our other classmates. So close. But glad I ended up going because I saw lots of beautiful land and ruins in the quiet suburban area past Rome.
On Wednesday for my drawing class, we were supposed to have a critique, but since it was such a nice day, my professor decided we were going to go out for gelato and draw at the State Archives. We went to Giolitti where he believes is the best gelato place in Rome, and I have to agree! I got straciatella (chocolate chips) and nutella scoops on a cone - best combination ever! The guy who scooped my gelato convinced me to put whipped cream on it... okay. I am definitely coming back here before I leave.
Later, I had my animation internship interview. I was so nervous the whole day! I really wanted this interview because it was a great company and the person who was my contact was so friendly despite needed to accommodate me. I told him beforehand that the WiFi here isn't that great and it causes the video to lag and might prove difficult for me. He said it was no problem. So the interview time arrived, and we met on Skype. After talking a bit, the video lagged and ended up not working at all. He was okay with it and continued the interview without video (by typing). I think it went fairly well, I just can't get past the video not working! Fingers crossed. I need this internship so bad. It's basically my dream internship because their animation style is closely to what my ideal style is.
On Saturday, I woke up around 10, but lazed around in bed until noon. I decided to check my personal blog (on Tumblr) and I saw a message in my inbox. Turns out it was from someone who finally responded to a message I sent way before I even came to Italy, when I asked them about this anime convention in Rome. Suddenly I remembered: an comic/anime convention - in Rome. THAT DAY! IT WAS THAT VERY WEEKEND! How could I have forgotten?! The person said that the convention wasn't out of tickets and didn't have a restriction on foreigners so I could easily go! I couldn't believe my luck. Excitedly, I shot a message to Taylor asking if he was up and that we were going to the convention! Taylor couldn't say no to that! So I let Brittany know where I was going while she was still half-asleep and I got dressed and was out like a bullet to meet up with Taylor.
Taylor and I had to figure out how to get to Fiera di Roma (the convention center) and we walked all the way to Piramide and took the FL1 train to Fiera Roma stop and suddenly we were surrounded by cosplayers and convention goers. It felt like I was in my home terrain! I was so excited and thought that this already made up for missing Anime Boston back home. As some of you may know, I attended Anime Boston without missing it for the past 6 years, so it's practically tradition to me and it really hurt me that I was missing it. But this definitely made up for it! This convention is called Romics.
We got in line but realized we were in the wrong line after asking someone in front of us where registration was, and quickly fixed it. We then got into the right line. Now, Taylor and I were both willing to pay up to 60 euros for a one-day pass, because it's usually 60-80 USD back home for Anime Boston. But imagine our surprise when we saw that it was only 9 EUROS. I was so surprised that I even asked, "davvero!?" ('really?!').
We passed the registration and entered the complex, and we found that Fiera Roma is HUGE. There are 10 buildings that make up the complex. But after consulting the convention itinerary/welcome booklet, we decided to go for the merchandise area (which are always the best part of the convention) in Building #7.
Bought Brittany some gummy bears since she was craving some!
I was turning my head in every direction!!! Italian speaking cosplayers! Italian anime fans! Italian comic books! Japanese mangas in Italian! It's so surreal seeing another culture appreciating Japanese anime like you do back home. Also, I consulted Taylor's phone translator to learn the phrase "posso prendere una foto di se?" so I could ask the cosplayers if I could take photos of them. As a personal rule at conventions, it's nice to ask first to take photos as a way to respect cosplayers.
Discount mangas at 4-5 euros were so hard to pass up!!!! So I bought two Dragonball mangas, volumes 1 and 2, and Hitman Reborn manga, volume 1, just so I could have in my collection. Taylor and I also pooled together our money to buy this GI Joe Action Pack with 3 comics in Italian worth 41 euros for one of our animation professors back home because he absolutely loves GI Joe. He actually has an entire website on it and does lectures based on it (in fact, a portion of our History of Animation was centered around GI Joe!). So when I return, I will give it to our professor and I really hope he likes it even though it's in Italian~
After hanging around for a good 3 hours and getting an experience of a lifetime, Taylor and I decided to head back before it got too dark.
As soon as I got back to my apartment, I looked for my phone to charge it. But when I looked in my pocketbook where it should be... it was just not there. So I turned my room inside out, the kitchen and the bathroom even though I wasn't even in there.... but my phone was absolutely gone. Of course. My bad luck with my phone continues. First dropping it in the toilet in Switzerland, and now it's completely gone. On top of that, I still had the rented Italy SIM card inside. I had it in my big phone case so I thought that there was no way I could lose my phone! But yet.... Thinking back, it could've been lost at the convention when exiting, or on the cramped bus ride back home - maybe with all the hustle and bustle, it could've jumped out without me knowing. Still, it was just the absolute worst feeling ever. I was so upset because I hated causing trouble for my parents. I sent an email to dad and we tried to figure out what our options were. I'm really fortunate that we got insurance and warranties to cover most of the cost. I guess the next lesson from here on is to never take my phone on my travels... or maybe it's time to consider using those giant pocketbooks I always hated once I get a new phone. I've decided to stick it out for the rest of my stay here and go phone-less to avoid anymore troubles.
So to make myself feel better I went out to eat with Taylor at an osteria near Piazza di Santa Maria.
The next day was much better. It was a beautiful sunny and warm Sunday. Brittany, Taylor and I went to the zoo! That's right, we all finally went to the zoo. We took a bus to Termini and took the metro (my first time since orientation week in January!) to Flaminio. We walked through beautiful Villa Borghese to find the zoo and ate lunch at the cafe inside before setting off to explore!
We saw giraffes (Brittany's favorite!), elephants (my favorite!), bears, lions and tigers, exotic birds, seals, camels, crocodiles and so much more.
Angry looking little dudes. I think it's because gravity doesn't like them.
World's cutest Komodo Dragon.
I have hundreds more photos, but I guess I'll save them to show you guys through a video-photo collection I might do in the future.
And that was my weekend. Now starts the stressful last 9 days of class (when did that happen???). I have a huge art history research paper due on the 15th, and a philosophy paper due... I don't even know when but it was announced today. I hope in two weeks. I'll have to check. I also have a debate for management which I'm absolutely not looking forwards to because debate isn't on the list of my fortes at all. I have four finals, the first begins on Sunday the 27th for management. I still have more drawings I want to do so I can get push up my grades (basically the more drawings, the better) but I just don't have the time for them. I hope to get a lot done during Easter weekend but that depends on my philosophy paper. My challenge these days is time management!
Luckily because of Easter, schools are not open on the day after on the 21st, so I have time to do stuff. Speaking of Easter, I am hoping to visit Vatican City during mass even though I do not align with their religion. Mom said Vatican City on Easter is like Times Square on New Years. I guess I'll find out!
I think I will have to begin to start packing when it's T-minus 15 days (actually, Easter weekend) by starting to throw out and organize all the stuff I hoarded over these past 4 months. I can't believe I'm already starting to think about preparing to pack. :(
9 days left of classes. And 25 days left before I come home.