AS Roma

So Tuesday night, about 20 of us from the API group went out to watch one of the soccer clubs from Rome play in a Champions League qualifying game against some Romanian counterpart. It was suppose to be an easy victory for the Roma squad, but either way we just wanted to watch some quality European Futbol. We all drank quite a bit before the game, then waited for a bus to take us from near our homes about 20 minutes to the outskirts of Rome where Stadio Olimpico resides. It was a mad rush to get in the stadium, and unbeknown to us, we could only enter at the gate which corresponded to our seats. After some confusion we finally found the right place, but my troubles were only beginning. After scanning my ticket I started walking towards the massive, metal turnstile that lets you in. I looked back to make sure the rest of my party had gotten past the ticket booth and as my head turned back to face the entrance, the metal bar smashed into my face with my nose taking a majority of the punishment. It skid off my nose and scratched my glasses right down the center of the lens. It took a few minutes of shaking off the daze that ensued before I even realized my glasses had been wounded. I could still see out of them but I constantly felt like a large piece of hair was dangling from my head and blocking my vision.

Side story - I set out on Thursday to get my glasses fixed. The first placed I stumbled upon told me they could only do the replacement of the lens by replacing both, at what he claimed was a fair price of 160 Euro. Now, I dont know how much that would normally cost back home, but the fact that him and his colleague spoke Italian to eachother before informing me how much it would cost led me to believe I wasnt getting the best deal out there. I told them Id consider and return, and thats when I headed off to the next place. This one was much more friendly, even made jokes about how silly I was for running into a metal bar. They kindly let me knwo they would only have to replace the broken lens, as well as give me a discount from the original price of 100 euro per lens (which might be a rip off on its own) of 30%. I was happy with 70. I just wanted to get it done. Then they said my final price would be 60 Euro. Though confused about the poor mathematics involved in this deal, I realized Italy isnt full of great finds when it comes to prices, so I immediately accepted. Ill be wearing contacts until Sunday when they will be ready for me.

back to the game. We all had seats spread out widely among one section, the corner section of the stadium. But after a couple minutes of deliberation, and realization that no one was occupying the first 15 rows, we all took advantage and made the first few rows our home. The stadium itself can seat about 80,000, but I dont think the attendance surpassed 20,000. Fortunately the great majority of the 20,000 were sitting in the sections adjacent to us. The entire game they were singing and chanting in harmony, it was brilliant and beautiful. I wish more American sports had that kind of passion. Ive seen college games with a lot of enthusiasm but professional sports dont come close to the style of fanaticism European soccer provides. We scored the first goal around the 15th minute and were expecting the game to get better from there. To our dismay, the offense disappeared and we ended up losing 2-1. the fans began loud whistles and jeers and we took the opportunity to scamper out of the stadium and make our way through the massive crowds to the buses that would take us home.

the adventures for the night werent over. After walking back towards the apartments that house the majority of the API kids to gather some of my belongings as well as my roommates, we tried to catch a bus that would take us back to our home, about a 15 minute bus ride. A police officer came up to us, we were with two girls that are roommates with Lindsay, and she told us that because of a fallen tree the bus route was not operating and we would have to hop on the bus that heads in the opposite direction and wait for it to loop back around and head in a different route home. We heeded her advice and waited for the night bus to pick us up. This bus, took us, to the end of the city, in the opposite direction. Stopped. and told us to get off and wait on the other side for a returning bus. wtf. Then, rather than walking around the bushes dividing the streets, I attempted to jump over them. Though i made it over the top of the bush, my leg landed comfortably on a wooden fence that was blocked from view on my side. ridiculous. We waited about 15 minutes for a bus to finally come and then headed home.


Long long adventurous night. Another game to come though, hopefully against Chelsea, should be crazy.

Toured around Rome today in the rain. Pictures will describe that journey.

Pope's summer vacation town tomorrow.