Ostia Beach & Bar Lillo

Yesterday (Sunday) I impulsively took a trip to the beach with a few of the girls from my program. Ostia Beach is only a 40 minute metro ride from Rome. It was cheap to get there because Rome has a metro line that goes straight to the beach. We rented chairs at a private beach club for 10 Euro because the public beach isn't as clean. I'm one of those people who feels at home by the water (ocean or lake), therefore I was thrilled to be by the ocean all day yesterday. I noticed some differences from New Jersey beaches: the sand was darker, the waves were tiny, it was very windy, and men walked up and down the beach trying to sell people hats, sunglasses, and jewelry (much like every city of Italy I have been to). I spent a long time standing by the water, trying to dare myself to go in, but the wind made everything feel too cold. Instead, I just appreciated the beauty of the area and felt amazingly relaxed by the sound of the waves. Cait and I got hungry and went to the beach club for food and for the very first time so far on my trip, the staff didn't speak a word of English to us! We struggled a little bit, but successfully ordered chicken sandwiches. My afternoon at Ostia Beach was lovely and I look forward to going back on another day. Here is a picture of Cait and I by the ocean:

I have already written about the cafe right down the street from my apartment, but today I ventured there again and had another excellent experience. I ordered a cappuccino and the server asked me, "What about a croissant?" It was nice that he remembered what I ordered the other times I was there! I sat down at a table for a few hours and worked on my readings for class, enjoying the noisy atmosphere of Italians out to lunch. In America, I would find it hard to concentrate with loud conversation nearby, but since I can't understand very much Italian, it was actually a good environment for concentration. I love watching Italians interact with each other. One customer, I am guessing he eats there regularly, walked into the kitchen when his plate was empty to give it to the dish washer. It's a friendly, neighborhood atmosphere that makes me feel at home.

I spent most of the afternoon working on assignments for class and cooking a little bit of food. We finally moved on to modern day Italy for our readings, and I am enjoying learning about what Italy is like today (expanding on my own observations).

It's strange not being home on Memorial Day, but I have been thinking of the veterans and those currently serving our country. I extend my deepest gratitude to all of them, from Italy.