Benedictus XVI & I

If you read my last blog post, you'll have known that I was supposed to spend the weekend in Tuscany with my host family. I woke up yesterday morning with sore muscles and an even more sore throat than the previous day before, and so when I started asking the mom what she wanted me to do before we headed off to Capalbio, she said, "Would you feel better if you just stayed home for the weekend instead?" I was like, you know what, that's the best idea I've ever heard of. So everyone has gone away while I have three whole days to spend by myself in this huge Italian palace. I spent all day Saturday doing "me" things like giving

myself a mani/pedi, had a deep conditioning wash for my hair, and had a perfect bubble bath with soap roses and candles while drinking a generous glass of red wine. Ahhh... Was that all I needed to feel better? I guess so!
This morning, I was feeling as good as new, so I decided to go to the Vatican. It was incredible to see and hear the reactions of the people around me when the Pope stepped onto the balcony and appeared in front of thousands upon thousands of people in the crowd. I didn't understand anything he said, but that's ok. I really enjoyed being there, and now it's one more thing to cross off my "European Bucket List". Before I left for Italy, I made a list of all the things I want to accomplish while I'm here, but I'm always adding new things to the list. I'm going to post it at the bottom, and cross off the things I've already done. For example... Seeing the pope with the naked eye! That's one thing to cross off now!
After the Vatican, I walked to the centre so I could check out Rome's International Film Festival. It's the sixth annual festival and is held at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica, which is a world famous art complex. During the festival, the 1,300 sqm walkway is lead to the Cavea outside the Auditorium and transformed into one of the biggest red carpets in the entire world. Its used for international celebrities, but also for festival goers. 

It's getting late now and so I need to pick out an outfit to wear tonight, because I'm meeting up with some of my girlfriends so that we go to Scholar's for karaoke night. I don't know if I'll be singing tonight but it's always packed on Sunday's. Sometimes, it can be really hard to choose what I'm going to wear because the weather is really unpredictable for me. I don't mean that it has surprise rain showers every day, I just mean that I kind of follow what the rest of the people in the house wear and then follow suit. For example, on Saturday, I saw the mom wearing a pair of jeans and a thick jacket. So, I put on a pair of jeans as well and wore a chunky knit sweater which was a BIG mistake. I wore a T-shirt under that and thank GOD I did, because I took my sweater off. I would've died on the sidewalk in my cream coloured H&M knittie. Anyway, this amazes me, that it's November on Tuesday and I can still get away with wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I'll cross things off the list as they happen.
1. Meet someone special (or someones special)
2. Ride on a gondola in Venice
3. Make a wish at the Trevi Fountain
4. Go clubbing
5. See a live soccer game
6. Spend Christmas with Magda and travel though Germany, Austria and Czech Republic
7. Go to a museum
8. Tour the Vatican
9. Go to a semi-nude beach
10. Celebrate 'Friendsgiving'
11. Sing at a karaoke bar
12. See the Pope
13. Spend the night at a convent
14. Sit on the Spanish Steps
15. See the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam
16. Go to a live concert
17. Be visited by family
18. Ride on the back of a vespa
19. Have a photo of me published in Glamour magazine
20. Take a trip to London, England
21. Drink beer in Germany
22. Tour the Colosseum
23. See Michelangelo's 'David' in Florence
24. Go hiking through mountains
25. Go to the Pantheon during a rain storm
26. Swim in the Mediterranean Sea
27. Learn Italian
28. Learn how to play the harmonica
29. Take a trip to Greece
30. Get into the best shape of my life