I'll be Home for Christmas...

Buona sera!

Well, Christopher wrapped up his semester with a review of his last project on Wednesday and a review of some of his collected drawings yesterday morning. In the afternoon we were taken on a short tour of Palazzo Farnese (designed by Michaelangelo and now home to the French Embassy) as a last-hurrah before bidding farewell to professors and fellow students.

We won't head out until Monday morning (6am our time!), but Christopher has to turn in his studio keys today. No keys means no internet and that means no blog posts. Boo. But if I'm honest, I'll be happy to devote our last hours in Roma to walking around the Eternal City with my husband, gelato in hand.

Please join us in thanking God for meeting all of our needs and praying that He will grant us a safe journey back to the United States. We are looking forward to seeing many of you again soon, Lord-willing!

Ciao!

Greetings from Rome Baptist Church!

From Roma

We've been blessed by our church family here in Rome and are thankful that the Lord provided us with a congregation we could fellowship with. Despite our hectic travel schedule earlier in the semester, we were able to start attending a married couples' group for Bible Study and fellowship over the past month, where we've gotten to know some wonderful people from all over the globe, including the Philippines and Australia!

A couple of weeks ago, we also went out to lunch with Pastor Dave and his wife, Cathy, to share what the Lord has been doing in our lives and reflect on our time here in Rome. Their responsiveness to God's leading in their lives is a great example for us as we look ahead to a yet-unknown future.

As we prepare to attend our last Sunday at RBC and say goodbye to several new (but dear) friends, I'm reminded of the way God has surrounded us with His people so faithfully. Although we're sad to leave Rome and the RBC congregation, it encourages us to know that we will be welcomed home by our beloved family at Christ's Church in Michiana. I suppose if it weren't for the sadness of goodbyes, we couldn't have the sweetness of reunions.

Thank you, Lord, for the time You've given us in Rome and for ministering to us through the believers of Rome Baptist Church. We praise You for the awesome things You are doing in and through RBC! Please encourage Pastor Dave and Cathy, bless their ministry and continue to influence and draw people to Yourself, for Your glory, through the impact of Rome Baptist Church.
We pray these things in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Roman Holidays

Just a few highlights of the wonderful time we had with our visitors!

From Mom and Dad T. in Roma!

We introduced Mom and Dad Teague to Antica Osteria Ponte Sisto, a sweet little restaurant just around the corner from our apartment. I think we were there for at least two hours and ate some of the best food any of us have ever had!

From Mom and Dad T. in Roma!

The four of us checked out the Galleria Borghese and saw Bernini's David, among other famous (and beautiful) works of art!

From Mom and Dad T. in Roma!

We also spent a day wandering around the Forum with Christopher, our volunteer tour guide, pointing out important sites and architectural details.

From Alanna Visits!

Alanna came to visit about a month later! While Christopher worked on his project, she and I walked around Campo de Fiori together.

From Alanna Visits!

Yum!

From Alanna Visits!

We decided to leave Roma for a short weekend trip to Sorrento and Pompeii, which made Alanna really excited.

From Alanna Visits!

Sorrento is known for its expansive lemon groves and lemon products (lemonade, limoncello liqueur, gelato, etc). The family that owns the grove we visited had actually grafted branches of orange trees onto lemon trees so that both fruits grow on one tree!

From Alanna Visits!

On our way to Pompeii, we had to ride the Circumvesuviana train, known for its pickpockets. The train was nearly empty, but we had to play up the situation anyway.

We had such a fabulous time entertaining our guests and are SO glad they could come! Mom, Dad and Alanna all have way more pictures than the few I took, so check out facebook for a more complete album of their Roman travels.

Scones, Courtesy of Pauline's Oven

Pauline (a classmate of Christopher's) and I spent a delightful afternoon together baking scones and I am near beside myself with excitement for breakfast tomorrow. Scones and tea... just like home!!!

From Roma

Abridged Update

Hey all!
Since Christopher already posted an update about our October/November travels, I thought I'd just post a quick look and link to my albums for your perusal. Christopher's albums are better, so if you haven't seen his, you should check them out!

Athens

From Athens

We spent a three day weekend walking around the city and learning about Greek history from one of Christopher's professors. As Christopher said, he had an "in" with the head architect in the Parthenon restoration project, so we got an insider tour! I knew it was awesome, but the looks on Christopher's face told me we were doing something even more incredible than I had realized. Our last day in Athens, we went back to the Agora for Christopher to do some sketching and me to do some wandering. For photos from the rest of our trip, go to my album.

The Amalfi Coast

From Amalfi Coast

At the recommendation of Annette and Tony, Christopher and I planned a long weekend on the Amalfi Coast. We caught a train to Naples, hopped over to the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento and snagged a bus from Sorrento to Amalfi Town. The bus ride was by far the BEST part of our journey -- we looked almost straight down into the Mediterranean and clenched white knuckles as our driver navigated along the narrow road. Who needs Cedar Point?! Our weekend was full of exploring the tiny town of Amalfi and hiking like crazy up to the little towns nearby. Annette, we love Amalfi, too! I've got a few more photos in my album.

Siena

From Siena

While Christopher spent a week traveling around Tuscany and Umbria with his classmates, I decided to strike out on my own for my first solo-trip EVER... to Siena! Christopher and his classmates were staying there for two nights, so I figured I'd at least get to catch up with him for a meal or two. I had a great time sipping cappuccino at a bar on Il Campo, wandering around the city and checking out the Sanctuary of St. Catherine, the Duomo and the Duomo Museum. I couldn't take pictures in some places, but there are a few in my album. After two nights in Siena, I caught a train to Florence to spend an afternoon checking out the Bargello Museum, the Duomo, its museum and (drum roll, please)... DANTE'S HOUSE!!! They have reconstructed the building to add a museum that looks at everything from Florentine history during Dante's career to works of various artists inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy. They even have an entire wall devoted to listing all of the Divine Comedy's political, religious, historical, personal references, etc. I was in Paradise!

I let Christopher take all the pictures on our trips to Florence and our Thanksgiving holiday in the Cinque Terre -- he's got the better camera, anyway. I'm sure they'll be up as soon as he has a chance. For now, he's slaving away on his last project of the semester. I can hardly believe our time here is almost done! Until next time... arrivederci!

Confessions of a Repentant Materialist

From Italian Fashion

Lately, I might have been dealing with a little bit of jealousy.

Let's try that again.

Hi, my name is Katie and I have been dealing with jealousy. We're living in a very fashion-conscious culture here in Italy, and I've been starting to wish I could dress as well as the locals decked out in all the designers' latest trends. I don't even like all of the trends, but there's something about walking around with five layers shoved under my pilled Old Navy fleece for the fourth day in a row that makes me feel vastly inferior to all the stiletto-wearing fashionistas that crawl the streets of Rome. Even if their shoes are impractical.

Up until now, I had been fairly successful at convincing myself that I don't *want* to have to look where I'm going to keep my heels from getting caught in the cobblestones. And I maintain my distaste for spandex leggings (what are they thinking?). I even remain unimpressed by the newest styles of over-sized purses that threaten to bruise small children on the street and topple the very women carrying them. But I must admit that I've been waffling a bit in my convictions and coveting some of those beautiful clothes in shop windows.

Thankfully, the Lord gave me a gentle and much-needed reminder Sunday evening at our church couples' group. During our Bible study, we came across 1 Peter 3:3-4, which says:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

Reading that left me feeling convicted and a little sheepish at having forgotten how unimportant my "personal style" is in the scheme of things. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that there's anything wrong with dressing nicely -- but I want my life to bring glory to Jesus, and I definitely don't need Prada to do that.

Things We Won't Miss About Roma

Ok, I figured I should take some time to expound on all the things I *won't* be missing about Rome, lest anyone think that living in Italy has been all sunshine and roses. To clarify, there are some things Christopher and I will be happy to leave behind, such as:

*Miniscule breakfasts that leave our stomachs growling all morning

*Not having an oven

*Paying for water(!) at restaurants

*Obnoxious mobs of students and tour groups that clog the sidewalks and stop without warning in the middle of the street to gawk

*Our seats-one kitchen table

*Government-regulated heating that doesn't kick on until mid-November

*Bath towels the size of a hand towel

*Not having four burners on our stovetop

*Grumbling cashiers that complain about getting large bills when IT'S ALL WE HAVE

*Showering in a moldy shower

*Not having a washer/dryer in the apartment and the fact that laundry has become a six-load, all-day affair/workout

*The language barrier

*Inhaling second-hand smoke everywhere, from every angle

*Random businesses closing just because it's Monday, raining, reposo (Italian siesta) or just because they feel like it

*Bus, tram and train strikes and student demonstrations

*Not having a dish washer

*Being practically accosted by street vendors selling purses, pashminas, umbrellas or an assortment of other wares

*Not having a full size refrigerator

*Street beggars (especially the fakes with manicured nails)

*Not being able to watch The Office

*Costly, abbreviated phone dates with family and limited contact with friends (thank you, six hour time difference)

*Not having a separate bedroom, dining room and kitchen

*Aggressive drunks on Ponte Sisto

*Walking fifteen minutes to check our email and post on the blog

*Sleeping in two twin beds pushed together

*Missing out on traditional American holidays like Thanksgiving -- although Italian Catholics do have a knack for Feast Day celebrations

*Not being able to cook meals requiring more than two pots or pans!

*Hanging laundry to dry on lamp shades, chairs and any other open space

*The annoying sound of motorini early in the morning

*Dealing with the Italian perceptions of Americans and the war in Iraq

I'm sure Christopher will have some things to add, but that's all for now...

Things I'll Miss About Roma

I'm sure I'll add to this list, but I already know I'll miss...

*Picking up still-warm focaccia and fresh bread at the neighborhood paneficio

*Crossing the Tiber River to run errands

*Cheap (good!) wine with dinner

*Not tipping at restaurants

*Walking everywhere and not worrying about gas prices

*Gelato!

*Four course meals that last three hours

*The nuns singing in the convent next door

*The blissful ignorance that comes with not always being able to understand what people are saying

*Picnics in front of historic buildings and churches

*Going grocery shopping and calling it a workout

*To-die-for cappuccino

*Wearing flip flops into November

*Not having a computer at home

*Going to church next to a Louis Vuitton boutique

*Piazzas and accordian players

*Church bells!

Tardy update

Late, but in earnest!

We've been traveling quite a bit which means pictures!

Some time ago we took a trip to the small hill-town of Orvieto (Katie wrote her own report earlier). The town has been occupied since Etruscan days (C. 600 BC) but all that remains is medieval, including walls a massive gate complex, and picturesque vernacular houses, crafted out of the warm grey volcanic tuffa rock that makes up the surrounding countryside. The volcanic soil also makes for great wine country. Orvieto Classico wine, thought not often seen in the US, is highly regarded in Italy. Photos

Right after our trip to Venice, we spent a weekend in Athens for my classes. Our guide was a Notre Dame professor, a native Greek, who has written books on the Parthenon and Acropolis and as a result has become acquainted with the architect in charge of the restoration of the Parthenon. Using his connections, he got all of us past the guards and fences for an up-close, VIP tour of the Parthenon. We scrambled all over ancient marble, touched columns, and even climbed the stair to the top of the cornice. It was a trip of a lifetime, and something I can't expect to repeat! Photos

Some time after that we spent some couple time in the southern coast town, Amalfi. While Amalfi is mobbed during the summer, we went during the off season and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of a working fishing village without the interference of group tours and wondering mobs. On one of our days we climbed the mountain behind the town to another small village (Pantone) 1020 feet above, accessed only by steps. We earned our dinner that night! Photos

I took a week long field trip through Tuscany: Montepulciano, Piensa, Sienna, and, finally, Florence. Among the host architectural details I photographed, the following photos are probably fit for public consumption: Photos

Lastly, mom and dad visited for a week. With them, we visited the Capitoline Hill, the Vatican Museums (no pictures allowed), the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain (at night!), and the ancient Roman highway, Via Appia Antica (and more). Photos

Funny Business in Piazza Trilussa

We're pretty sure this was related to the celebration of a soccer victory the night before...

From Roma

Orvieto Adventure!

From Orvieto

Now that Mom and Dad Teague have begun their journey back across the pond and Christopher's on a day trip to Villa Adriana, I'm back in rare blogging form. I still can't believe how hard it is to try to keep this poor neglected blog up to date. It really does make a huge difference when you have to walk 15 minutes to use the internet!

Back in October, Christopher and I took a weekend trip to Orvieto, a small hill town in central Italy. We knew it was going to be a great trip for a lot of reasons, but primarily because it was the first time we had traveled outside of Rome TOGETHER! It was also a huge plus to go somewhere that didn't have a lot of major sites, which meant we had more time to relax without the pressure of having to see certain things before we left.

We left Saturday morning, got there in time for a bread and cheese lunch in front of the Duomo and enjoyed a lazy afternoon of exploring. We toured the Duomo and learned a bit about how little Orvieto won a bid for such an imposing cathedral (I explain more here). After that, we took a walk down to Pozzo della Cava for a short tour of some underground excavations of Etruscan-era wells and tunnels owned by a family that discovered the ruins in 1984!

On Sunday, Christopher and I had an adventure! Map and water bottles in hand, we set out to hike around the city of Orvieto. What we didn't realize was that although we had a map, the signs marking the trails aren't without mistakes, and as the sun began to set, we realized we might be in a bit of a predicament if we couldn't get to a staircase that would lead us back up into the city. We both quickened our pace, prayed and tried not to lose our cool (ok, I was fairly close to losing my cool while Christopher maintained his flawless composure and reasoned that at least my cell phone has a flashlight setting).

As the last bit of light seeped out of the sky (totally not exaggerating here) and it looked like we might, in fact, have to spend a night outside the walls of our cozy little hill town, we were delivered. As if on cue to answer all the prayers we'd been silently shouting, an old Italian gentleman called out to us from... somewhere. Using words we couldn't understand, he guided us and we followed his voice back along the trail, through the darkness, up a long staircase to a door and his kind face beckoning us to follow him. He led us, with the aide of a lantern, up another large, spiral staircase and at the end deposited us onto a smooth, paved road outside of the dark tunnel. We thanked him fervently in Italian and thanked God fervently in English, knowing (but maybe not yet fully appreciating?) how close we'd been to a REAL adventure. That night left us high on adrenaline, a little sheepish and so grateful for the Lord's provision... in all things. The spiritual dimensions of our adventure are definitely as real to us as the hiking lessons we learned!

Monday, with the new mercies of morning, we decided to give it a second try. Map in hand (and fully aware that that didn't mean a thing), Christopher and I set out to conquer that stubborn trail in broad daylight... mission accomplished! We celebrated with gelato (my idea) and a wine tasting (Christopher's idea), at which point we decided life couldn't get any sweeter and that it was probably time to head home. What a weekend!

Christopher will have another album to share eventually, but here's mine.

Hangin' with the Nielsens

From Magdalene and Edmund

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings I walk across Trastevere and spend some time with two of my favorite babies (although one is getting to be quite a grown up little girl) -- Magdalene and Edmund Nielsen! Under the guise of helping Melinda sneak in a few hours of uninterrupted research, I ever so willingly sing Ring around the Rosie, read Mother Goose rhymes, enjoy the squish of play doh between my fingers and play with Edmund's cheeks and toes because they are too cute to be left alone.

A couple weeks ago, two things happened: 1. I brought my camera with me, and 2. Magdalene learned how to do somersaults. This turned into a prime opportunity for a photo shoot. We discovered that not only could Magdalene have a future as a tumbler...

From Magdalene and Edmund

but she also LOVES having her picture taken!

From Magdalene and Edmund

I put together an album complete with giggles, somersaults and more silly pictures. Enjoy!

Pigeons, Gondolas and Other Venetian Things

So in my attempt bring this poor little blog up to date, I've spent WAAYYYY too much time on the computer this weekend. We're still more than a month behind, but that's ok. We'll get there eventually.

I left off with Vicenza, the second to last stop on the Veneto trip. Our last stop was Venice, the home of canals, St. Mark's and what I'm pretty positive is the largest population of pigeons in Italy. I'm sure Christopher will want to compose his own blog post telling more about his experiences -- and he's got a lot more pictures than I do with his spiffy new camera -- so I'll just tell a little bit about what the other wives and I did on our whirlwind tour.

After mastering our train riding technique on our trips to Tivoli and Vicenza, we figured we were ready to take on Venice. Well, we didn't know what we were getting into. Loaded down with luggage, strollers, backpacks, pack n plays and babies, we gradually made our way off the train and out the doors to the front of the station... where we realized that the three flights of stairs leading down to the canal did not have a corresponding ramp. Italy is definitely NOT the US, and they aren't nearly as concerned about the handicapped/stroller-pushers among us. Once we made it to the water's edge, we hopped on a vaporetto (water taxis that ferry people around the city) that dropped us off not too far from our rental apartment. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and mapping out our sight-seeing plans while the babies napped. That night, Christopher and I got to go out to a cute little osteria that offered a plate of fresh seafood as an antipasti, which we devoured with no problem.

The next day, the other wives and I decided to put our muscles to the test by setting out with the strollers in pursuit of the Frari Church, a neat old building with some spectacular artwork, including a St. John the Baptist sculpture by Donatello. After lunch, we toured St. Mark's Byzantine-influenced Basilica and spent time marveling at the incredible mosaics. My favorite was just inside the church to the right and showed the story of the Flood and Noah's Ark.

From Vicenza and Venice

Later that afternoon, Bernadette and I checked out the Doge's Palace -- a beautiful old palazzo which was essentially a prison for the doge in power at any given time. According to one of the informational guides inside the museum, the doge was only allowed to leave the palazzo grounds on affairs of state. The Doge's Palace also has its own dungeon located across the canal -- so creepy! Convicts would cross the "Bridge of Sighs" on their way to imprisonment, hence the name of the bridge. I wanted to get a good picture of the bridge, but the whole thing was covered in scaffolding for restoration. Boo.

The rest of my time in Venice was spent with Christopher, walking along the canals, taking pictures, picnicking in piazzas and gawking at the tourist-driven shops full of masks, clothes, beads and other glass products. The rest of my pictures can be viewed in this album. Christopher has a more extended collection which I'm sure he'll put up eventually... but Mom and Dad Teague are arriving tomorrow morning for a visit, so we'll be busy entertaining for a while!

We love you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Oatmeal!

I am freaking out right now because for the first time since August, I had oatmeal for breakfast!

Italians aren't too big on breakfast foods (espresso, juice and a croissant is about it), and Christopher and I have been lamenting the absence of substantial breakfast foods since we got here. I know, I know, "when in Rome blah blah blah," but by 10am I'm hungry for more than a measly roll with powdered sugar on it. Seriously.

So although the odds seemed slim, I started keeping my eyes open for oatmeal in September and FINALLY found it on my last excursion to the local grocery store. It's expensive, but I've decided that we're desperate and it's worth it.

I promise I'll never take Quaker Oats for granted again!

Autumn in the Land of Palladio

Back in October, the graduate program took the students to the Veneto for a ten day architecture marathon. They stopped in a couple of hill towns along the way (more on that from Christopher, later), but their main stops were in the cities of Vicenza and Venice.

Vicenza, one of Europe's most affluent cities, is best known for its architecture; it's home to several buildings designed by Palladio, one of the more famous classical architects. Christopher can give more details if you're curious, but for your sake and mine, I'll just show you a picture of the most famous of Palladio's designs -- Villa Rotunda.

From Vicenza and Venice

Apparently Palladio is such a big deal to them that they decided to host a huge party to celebrate what would be Palladio's 500th birthday. The soiree was held in a nearby town and all the who's who of architecture were there, including the ND School of Architecture grad students. Their trip was timed to coincide with the anniversary bash, and Christopher enjoyed a couple hours of schmoozing and good scotch in honor of Palladio, the pride and joy of Italian architecture.

In the meantime, I enjoyed window shopping on the streets of one of Italy's big retail cities with the other wives, licking gelato and *almost* succumbing to a coat in Zara. We took turns labeling suits, coats, boots and other goodies as "maybe someday" and "not in a million years" and pretending we weren't actually tempted by all the high priced threads.

After two nights in Vicenza, we were on our way to Venice...

Villa Adriana

Hi friends and family!

Christopher's still on his Florence/Tuscany trip, but I got home yesterday and thought I'd take this chance to spend a little time updating our blog. It's been a while, and we've got lots of stories to tell and pictures to share with you. :)

Going back several weeks to an early weekend in October, the other wives and I decided not to let our husbands' absence stop us from having an adventure of our own, so we hopped on a bus and went to nearby Tivoli for a day at Villa Adriana, a favorite getaway spot for Emperor Hadrian.

Although the day was a bit rainy, we enjoyed picnicking under olive trees and traipsing through the ruins for a few hours before heading home. A little rain never hurt anyone, right?

From Villa Adriana

For the rest of the album, click here!

Our Apartment!

Hey Everyone!

Life's been quite busy lately, and there hasn't been a lot of time for blogging... sorry about that. The Lord has been really faithful in providing opportunities for us to travel together on some weekend trips and as a result, we've got lots of pictures and ideas for some fun future posts.

For now, we hope you enjoy a mini-tour of our apartment in Trastevere!

From Roma

Here's a shot of our street, Vicolo Moroni... and our neighbors' laundry.

From Roma

This is the front door to our apartment building. Don't worry, it's not as ghetto as it looks ;)

Come see the rest of our apartment!

Pictures!

I just spent hours on the computer, so this won't be a long post. I've uploaded the interesting travel photos to the gallery, starting here. Scroll through and comment! More on the trip later.

Mission: Veneto

Buon giorno!

We won't be posting for a few days while we're away. Christopher left on Saturday on an extended trip to the Veneto region with his grad program. I talked with him last night and he's already enjoyed the hill towns of Todi and Bologna. He'll be back next Sunday night, the 12th.

Rather than wither away in our apartments, the other wives and I have planned a trip of our own and will hopefully catch up with our husbands in Vicenza and Venice. We're leaving tomorrow morning and will be back late Saturday evening.

Prayers for health, smooth travel and safe returns would be appreciated. We'll return with stories and pictures!

Some Photos - Nerdy/Arty

I've begun experimenting with High Dynamic Range photo composites. Basically two or more digital images of the same subject are composited together to make one image with a higher dynamic range (more colors and values) than is possible in a single digital image. Both film and digital images only render a fraction of the dynamic range possible with the human eye. That is why shadows which were completely discernible to the naked eye appear murky and dark when photographed. A composite of several images, exposed to show different parts of the image (ie, shadows, mid-range and light) can approximate the human eye. For a more in-depth explanation, see wikipedia.


Photography jargon aside, here are my efforts:
Sta. Maria della Consolazione
Some Mountain Church Near Viturbo

How to Cross a Street in Rome

We're discovering that Rome is a pretty pedestrian-friendly city, but it's not for the timid. You can't afford to be slow or indecisive when it comes to getting around on foot in a city of speeding and weaving motorini, motorcycles, tour buses, bicycles, trains, trams and kamikaze taxis.

If you follow the traffic lights 100% of the time, you'll probably stay safe... but you'll spend more time on a curb than seeing the sites.

So in the past few weeks, we've picked up a few tips on how to get from point A to point B in fast-paced Roma:

1. Follow street lights when possible, but don't pass up a gap in traffic unless you've had too much to drink or are wearing stilettos (or both).

2. When you come to a crazy intersection with no discernible crosswalk and you're fearing for your life, just latch onto the nearest local. Native Romans are usually well dressed (look at shoes on women/suits on men) and smoking (hold your breath). Don't follow another tourist unless they really look like they know what they're doing.

3. Walk confidently. Make eye contact with oncoming motorists and walk purposefully. They WILL stop for you.

4. Try to set aside the idea of American "personal space." Roman streets are filled with vehicles passing within inches of pedestrians. They're not being rude; no one here gets a wide berth.

5. Italians are expert, focused drivers. Generally, they do not talk, eat, apply makeup or text while at the wheel; they are concentrating on the road ahead and they are used to anticipating -- and accommodating -- distracted pedestrians. That's not an excuse to wander out into the street, but it's a comforting fact.

We've been talking about these things a lot lately as we adapt to the vehicular chaos that is Italy. Although it does not pretend to coddle its pedestrians, Rome really is walker-friendly. The thing is, you have to be bold enough to really own your pedestrian awesomeness.

So get moving, stare down that double decker bus and take your right of way!

Keeping in Touch

Hi everyone!
Sorry it's been so long since we last posted -- we're still figuring out class schedules and whatnot. In any case, we do have contact information to pass along!

If you're a writer, you can send us a letter or small package (mark value under $50 on customs form) at this address:

Christopher Teague
University of Notre Dame
Via Monterone 76
00186 Roma RM

(for Katie, just put Katie Teague c/o Christopher Teague since the mailbox is in his name)

If you prefer to hear our voices and have some cash burning a hole in your pocket, you can give us a call on our cell phones by dialing these numbers, in this order:

For Christopher: 011 39 06 331 719 6986
For Katie: 011 39 06 331 337 2300

We'd also love to set up skype phone dates for anyone with skype access.

Sorry to keep this so short, but we'll write more soon.
Love you all!

See Katie Skype

Hey kids!

I signed up for Skype as krteague.
And I really, really, really like gelato.
The end.

Ciao!

The Last Few Days - With Photos!

If you'll pardon a little overlap with Katie's post, I'd like to go over the last few days. Saturday we arrived in our apartment at 8pm or so local time, did as little organization as possible, then collapsed. Sunday was for more sleeping, off and on, although I did venture out to pick up some groceries late in the evening.

Saturday, we slept in late - still heavy under jet lag, 1 pm here feels like 7 am. After a shower and some breakfast/lunch we made our way to the Notre Dame building to let our families know we had arrived safely. Afterward, we did a small walking tour of our end of the city and returned home for some dinner.

Tuesday and Wednesday was more walking, in all we made it through almost the whole city. There are plenty of things we haven't seen yet, but we've at least walked most of the city.

From Rome!

From Rome!

Here's the view out our window, down and to the right, with the river Tiber off in the distance.

From Rome!

Across the street there is a convent. The nuns wake early every morning and sing a monastic service of some kind at 6:30.

From Rome!

Down on the street, here's a shot looking away from the river. We live on Vicolo Maroni, a narrow, comfortable kind of street in the Trastevere neighborhood. Its older and a little less clean than the main part of the city across the river, but its a lot less touristy as well.

From Rome!

For Dad and other car fans. This is an Audi R8 supercar that was parked in the Piazza near our apartment.

From Rome!

The Pantheon is just east of the Notre Dame building. We pass by on the way to the grocery store. Just a few weeks ago, we visited my parents in a small town outside of Philadelphia. We marveled at a house in town that was dated 1690. Here, we cross a bridge everyday that was built in 1475. Almost all the buildings around are from the 17th century, most are earlier. And of course, there's the occasional building from the 1st century AD.

From Rome!

Here's a typical Roman side street: narrow, crowded and refreshingly cool. These will hold pedestrian traffic primarily, but the occasional car, or, more often, motorino (scooter) will weave its way patiently through the ambling walkers.

From Rome!

For Annette, Katharine and the general enjoyment of all: The Trevi Fountain. It's really crowded in this picture, I intend to return for better photos during the siesta hours when it will be a lot more empty.

From Rome!

Every morning we get up and head over to the morning market in Campo De' Fiori, where we buy most of our food for the day. Fruit, vegetables, cheese or cured meats, all fresh or handmade, great quality, and great prices too, even with the € to $ conversion (currently $1 = €.75).

From Rome!

Down by the river, the Area Sacra (Sacred Area) of ancient Rome, a complex of three temples, doubles as a sanctuary for stray cats, who nap and play among the ancient ruins, fed and cared for by a charitable organization.

From Rome!

Castel St. Angelo was first Hadrian's mausoleum, then was converted into a round castle in the middle ages to guard the Vatican.

From Rome!

Looking toward new St. Peter's Basilica.

From Rome!

Sunrise washes the dome of St. Peter's in gold.

From Rome!

Katie, standing on the floor of Circus Maximus. I told her to watch out for the chariots with spiked wheels.

From Rome!

Not everything is dry in the Circus. We don't know what kind of flower this is.

From Rome!

A quaint medieval house in Trastevere

From Rome!

Rome still uses its ancient motto Senatus Populusque Romanus - SPQR - dating from the pre-imperial republican era of the last few centuries B.C. You'll find it everywhere from manhole covers, catch basin grates to police uniforms, soccer jerseys and more.

That's all the photos for now, many more to come. Looking at the above gigantic post, I think I'll do text links next time, with a few photo highlights, but I'm not going to retype this one.

I hope you enjoy,
Christopher

Jet Lag, Nutella and the Like

Hi everyone!

After one long flight, 7 hours in Schipol Airport (Amsterdam), one short flight and a cab ride through Rome, we arrived at our apartment building. We (ok, Christopher) lugged our bursting suitcases up three flights of stairs, fumbled with the key and... the lights went out. So Christopher, ever the manly man, navigated his way down the spiral staircase and down the hall to illuminate our way. We (ok, Christopher) struggled to get the door open before the lights went out again as I swiftly became the classic damsel in distress. Yes, there were tears. No, I am not too proud to admit to you that I am a wuss.

In any case, Christopher managed to get us into the apartment. Completely exhausted and dehydrated, we spent an hour or two unpacking the necessities, moving our nightstand to the side and pushing the two twin beds together (very I Love Lucy of them) and generally processing the stresses of the day. After all that and probably guzzling our weight in water, we collided with our pillows for the rest of the night... and morning... and afternoon. In fact, it wasn't until quite late on Sunday that either one of us got up the energy to move more than the short distance to the bathroom, kitchen sink and back to the bed(s). Thank you, jet lag.

Today has been a bit more productive, although not extraordinarily so. Christopher couldn't get to sleep until 5am which meant that he slept until 1pm, no problem; in the meantime, I mastered some key Italian phrases (Buon giorno, etc) ate a piece of bread with Nutella (oh Nutella, I love you), organized the bathroom and did a little reading to the pleasant sounds of the nuns singing next door. Since then, we've managed to explore our neighborhood a bit, look at some prices at the local grocery shops and -- obviously -- make our first internet connections since leaving the States. We're having a fabulous time walking around and getting acquainted with our neighborhood, but we miss everyone and are looking forward to staying in touch through email, skype, and phone (eventually). Next stop... a gelateria!

We're Here!

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to send you a short note saying that all is well. We're moving into our small apartment and having a great time exploring the neighborhood. I would say that it is surreal here, if not for the fact that the city is so gritty and unmistakably real. I haven't any pictures to post yet, but they will come with time. I hope you all are having a great time back in the US.

Contacting the Teagues

Hello everyone,

We use Vonage as our phone service in our apartment, and we'll be taking our number with us! Using an internet connection, we can call you for our usual rate, and all you have to do to call us is dial our home number, it won't cost you anymore than it would normally, a long distance call at worst. If you don't know our usual phone number, give us an email and we'll let you know! We won't always be connected, but if you leave a voice mail, we'll get back to you. We'll also use skype, Christopher's skyp username is mualphapiper , Katie doesn't have one yet, but we'll let you know when she does.

That's all for now,
The Teagues

Departure Approches

On Tuesday, September 2nd, Katie and I will take the train to Chicago for a few days with some Hillsdale friends before we leave. Our flight* will depart Chicago On Friday, Arriving in Amsterdam the next day in the morning. After an eight hour layover, we'll leave Belgium for Roma, finally arriving at about 7:30pm, local time. After an outrageously expensive taxi ride, we'll arrive at our small apartment which will be home (very very) away from home for the following three-and-a-half months.

We'll live a short distance from the River Tiber in the neighborhood called Trastevere - within twenty minutes walk from basically every ancient landmark in Rome: the Pantheon, Coliseum, Forum, Circus Maximus, and various triumphal arches as well as many Renaissance buildings: St. Peter's Basilica (Sistine Chapel and other Vatican fun stuff), Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, the Campidoglio and many, many others. Not less exciting will be the many museums and galleries, as well as open-air markets and vignettes of everyday Italian life. We have even found a nice Baptist (in Rome!) congregation for Protestant Spiritual feeding while we are in a rather not-Protestant city. The Schedule is not yet firm, but I know we will take several week or so trips to each of the following: Venice, Florence, Tuscany and Athens.

The focus, of course, will be my architectural studies, which will commence on the eleventh, but Katie will not miss out; the world's greatest old city will be at her disposal, after all. It's the trip of a lifetime, and we are very excited!

*Not a DC-3

First Post!

We're still in Indiana, but this blog is where we'll post updates and pictures of our travels.