Also last weekend was my trip to Germany! I'm going to make a post about it later, I haven't had a chance to upload my photos yet onto my computer. The German people are very friendly. I think they're the most friendly in all the countries I've been in so far. And on Friday I'm traveling again! Whew, I'm exhausted.
But I still wanted to make a post updating on my life. I'm mostly just sad that my leaving date is 13 days away (I need more time!). I have a few regrets that there were some places I couldn't go- I would have loved to see Spain and Greece- but the thing is I wouldn't give up any other of my trips, and when I talk to people who did travel a lot, they really regret not spending more time in Rome. So I guess either way, you can't have it all. I'm glad I chose to spend a few weekends in Italy, and that I chose to travel Italy. This is my host country, I want to know it. I'm pretty happy with what I chose to do. I guess the only thing I regret in the end is not having more time.
I got nominated by a professor here to be a study abroad ambassador back home! It's sort of an honor here, so I'm very excited. Plus it's essentially ground-level marketing- my first marketing job! I can finally put something that feels more relevant on my resumè. (Not that my current jobs aren't good, but I still haven't had any customer service experience). I get to go to study abroad fairs and talk about studying in Rome, and I also get to work with my study abroad office and talk to students who are thinking about/about to go to Rome. They gave us a little drawstring bag and an AUR window cling and everything.
So, aside from my life, I wanted to talk about pizza, since judging by my page views, the things that get people the most interested on this blog is food. And I don't blame them. Hey, if you come to Italy, you gotta love food.
There's this place down near the university called "Pizzeria da Simone" (pronounced See-moan-ay, not Sim-ohn). It's my favorite place to go when I have a long day and I want some lunch. Basically, places like this are the Italian equivalent of fast food. And up here, in a non-touristy area, it's good. (I've been to similar places in touristy areas…not great. Not great.)
Basically you've got everything from five to fifteen types of pizza laid out, like this.
Depending on the demand and what they want to make that day, the types vary. There's some that are around most of the time, but it always changes. Like, usually there's margherita pizza (the most simple, mozzarella, tomato, and basil), but sometimes it's gone and they just haven't made more yet.
See how some pizzas don't have sauce? I mentioned it before, pizza in Italy does not automatically come with tomato sauce. And you know what? It doesn't suffer for it. It's still delicious.
My favorite kind is pizza 'nduja. It comes from Calabria (in Italy). (I found this out today when I asked a resident student here who got the same thing. I don't know what most of these are called, and the people there don't really speak English, plus the place is always busy.)
'Nduja is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage. The pizza is pretty simple, but so good. So good.
This is what it looks like flat. So, you go into this place, wait for the person to notice you, and order your pizza. Usually I just point, since I don't know what they're called anyway. The person will slice off a strip of pizza (they usually hold the knife over a width and look up to see if that's how much you want. Since I don't speak Italian, I hold my hands closer or farther apart to indicate more or less. This is, unless you're getting the last bit of pizza, then you're getting what you're getting and don't argue.) Then they weigh it, charge you by the weight, heat the piece up in the back, then cut it in half, put it together like a sandwich, and send you out. Italian fast food.
This is what it looks like ready to eat.
Usually a good piece costs between 2 to 5 euros, depending on how much you want. And it's a very good meal! You really can't compare this to American quick lunches. Pizza 'nduja, I am gonna miss you most of all.
