What were you grateful for this week?A really great travel buddy, fresh calamari, and ocean views.

What was the most difficult or challenging part of this week?

Navigating train schedules and hiking up hills.

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week.I spent extra time playing games with my host brother and mom before dinner one night this week. We had a really good time!

Tell us about your week! This week was a doozy from start to finish. In my Italian class, we learned about a new tense. “Passato imperfecto” is used when talking about things you used to do or about your childhood, which means I’ve been telling my classmates a lot about growing up in the United States, and am trying real hard to learn how to conjugate all my least favorite verbs all over again. I’m coming for you, “avere!”A couple nights this week I went out to dinner with some Rome Abroad girls. It’s a nice break from school and work, and I love getting to speak English over a good meal (and also impress people with my ability to say, “Table for two, please!” in Italian). M, L, and B are all great company.L and I spent the weekend together in Cinque Terre, which was definitely the highlight of the week, and possibly my trip so far. We explored each of the five towns, took way too many trains, ate fresh calamari, and I even got to swim in the sea! The water was crystal clear, the Italians were friendly, and the views were absolutely unbeatable. We spent time wandering through churches and vineyards, cheered when people cliff-jumped into the ocean, and got to watch two beautiful sunsets over the water. I really feel very, very lucky to have had this opportunity.