Rome Away from Home

The time has come. Our whole education in architecture at Waterloo has lead to this. 

Rome. 

The Rome Term at Waterloo Architecture (where I am a student, in case you were unaware) is a tradition dating back 34 years. Every year, the fourth year class travels across the great wide ocean for 4 months to study in the Eternal City. And in the grand tradition of architecture, this first post is GROSSLY overdue. I promised everyone back home (Coworkers, family, friends, and eager Grandparents) that I would start a blog when I got here. Well, I got here on August 20th, 2013, and today, it is October 7th. And today, also in the grand tradition of architecture, I am avoiding other work, by writing it now. (Maybe studio will start later tonight :P) I have spent the last month doing a lot, including travelling with my family, a group case study project, my first studio project, travelling to the south of Italy (More on all of these later), and just generally getting settled. 

My apartment is wonderful. It has three bedrooms (which means no sharing!) and is a beautiful half an hour walk along the Tiber River from my school, in the heart of Trastevere. The only disappointment with the apartment is the view... We traveled thousands of kilometers, to one of the most incredible cities in the world, where you could have a million things to look at from your apartment; inspiring, incredible, breath taking things. And our view, is a McDonalds. Yup, big golden arches and everything. Now don't get me wrong, it is a very nice McDonalds, they don't make them like this back home. But it is still a McDonalds. Not terribly inspiring, but what can you do. 

Despite the view, the location is still great. Every Sunday, this giant flee market comes out of nowhere right outside our front door and just goes on and on with hundreds of stalls. I haven't bought anything yet, but I walk though it every week, looking for something really special. 

We also have an assignment while we are in Rome to fill a page in our sketchbooks everyday, so lookout for some sketches in the future!

  

I will write a few more posts this week to catch you all up on everything that has happened up until this point. But for now, I should really get to work! 

Ciao for now!