I just finished my first week of classes, ending with an art history excursion Thursday night to the Colosseum and Palazzo Venezia. My professor is a hoot. He often makes inappropriate poitical comments and calls me "girl with the camera". We also went to the "wedding cake" or "the typewriter" - this giant white building that Mussolini had built that all the Romans hate. But it does look pretty cool.

I am also really psyched about sculpture. We are going to learn about plastics and latex soon, as well as ride bikes to the Catacombs. And we get our own studios! I'm going to paint mine white tomorrow as soon as I can find a smock/giant plaid shirt here, which might be difficult.

Today we went to the University of Rome to tour the campus, which has 250,000 students. A QUARTER MILLION. And only 30% graduate because of the difficulties of negotiating the exams and class schedules. We also went to San Lorenzo, the student neighborhood, where the graffiti was definitely better than what I've seen so far. We also met a woman named Julieta (in the red coat) who told us about when she went to Sacramento in the 1970s. The old Italians here are especially friendly. I might even say that they are my favorite that I've encountered in this world.

Allora,
Grace