Well Operafestival di Roma is officially over and tomorrow morning officially begins Orvieto Musica!! 
I am extremely grateful and thankful that I had to opportunity to experience and be a part of Operafestival di Roma. I met some fantastic new friends, learned a lot about myself as a performer and a person, had some wonderful experiences, and made some great connections and for all of those things, I will be eternally grateful!!! 

However, at the same time I am beyond excited to start a new program which is completely different from the last one, with a whole new set of wonderful people, and great experiences!! I do have to say that I loved showing the new kids around the town today and sharing in their excitement as they see the Duomo for the first time and see the rest of the city. 

In other news, I've got my gelato order memorized and the guy at my favorite gelato shop recognizes me when I walk in and I'm not sure how I feel about that but I don't know that it matters because I LOVE GELATO!!!!! 

We made it to Orvieto- my new favorite town in the world! It's a sweet little town on a hill in the Italian countryside with darling little shops, beautiful scenery and views, and wonderful food. As wonderful as Rome was, it was still a big city, but Orvieto in much more my speed!!! I've already started to recognize some of the same people and they have started to recognize me too. Anyone who has ever visited Orvieto can attest to its charm and beauty and I highly encourage anyone who ever plans to travel to Italy to include Orvieto in your travel plans!! But by far my favorite part of Orvieto is that they observe riposo which is similar to the Mexican siesta- from 1-4 pm every day most of the shops and restraints close and it is a time to relax, take a nap, etc- GENIUS! America, please catch on soon!! 

We are staying in apartments and I'm staying in a very beautiful one with 6 other people and We have a full kitchen, a beautiful porch/balcony, and our own piano! However, we don't have a washer/dryer so my roommate and I had to do all of our laundry in the bath tub and hang things on the clothes line to dry...that was quite the experience for me!

As far as the program goes, we ran Le Nozze di Figaro for the first time today (twice- once with each cast) and things actually went very well! We perform Friday June 19th and Saturday June 20th at the cutest little theatre here in town and I can't wait to get in there and see the space and perform!!! 

On a completely unrelated note, I've found that quite a few bathrooms here see, to be missing toilet seats...on purpose. I'm not sure why yet but it is very strange! Does anyone have the slightest clue as to why? 

Today I've also started my 30-day countdown until I come home. I'm having the time of my life, meeting and working with amazing people, making wonderful connections, enjoying fantastic food and wine every day, but I have to admit, there really is no place like home and I miss it a little bit. Anyways, that's it for now folks, and as always, stay tuned for updates!

Well, I've done it! I've FINALLY made it to Italy! After a 9 hour delay/layover in Charlotte, I was relived to finally land in Rome! I've spent the last week in Rome, Italy with Operafestival di Roma working on my roles (La Badessa and Cercatricci 2) in Puccini's Suor Angelica and as a Chorus member in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. So far my days have consisted of many reharsals, staging of both operas, practicing, daily Italian lessons, daily voice lessons and coachings with faculty members, AMAZING food, as well as seeing the beautiful sights of Rome!!! Almost all of my meals have included pizza and/or pasta, gelato, and wine- does it get any better?? 

Last Sunday, May 31st, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend the entire day in Rome sightseeing and enjoying pizza, pasta, gelato, cappuccino, wine, and limoncello with my new friends. We saw the Colosseum, the Pantheon, as well as many ruins, piazzas, and other historical sights. We also have planned for this Friday, June 5th, a private tour of the Vatican as well as St. Peter's Basilica which I can't wait for!

We perform Suor Angelica next Monday, June 8th so any happy thoughts and/or prayers would be greatly appreciated as we have had to completely put this opera up in a little over a week and a half!!!

This is has been the absolute experience of a lifetime!!! And to those of you who still have the chance, STUDY ABROAD! It's not easy. It's a lot of work, and a little scary, but after only a week, it's been MORE than worth it!!! 

The countdown to my six-week Italian adventure is on! Only 8 more days to go!!! As I begin to think about  all the amazing experiences I'll have, the wonderful connections I'll make, and the beautiful sights I'll see, it occurred to me that I should write a post about travel tips and advice not only to help all of you in your current and future travels, but also to remind myself of what is important.

BEFORE YOU GO:
1. Get a passport (or renew an old one- but make sure that it is valid for at least six months after you return home)
2. Get a visa (if needed)
3. Call your credit card companies and let them know where you will be and get a list of their international fees
4. Order some local currency to go with from your bank
5. Pack smart!
6. Do your homework! Know the best time of the year to visit certain places, know safety precautions, best places to visit, best restaurants, etc.
7. Get to know a little bit about the culture and country you will be visiting BEFORE you go
8. Book your flight in a timely manner (about 6-8 weeks before the trip is usually suggested)
9. Get a transformer and/or adapter depending on where you will be going
10. Get vaccines (if needed) and purchase travel health insurance

WHILE YOU ARE THERE:
1. Avoid jet lag by getting your body on the new time zone as soon as possible
2. Get up early every day- there's so much to see and experience, don't waste the day sleeping
3. Make a list of things you want to see or do
4. Talk to the locals and get recommendations on restaurants, things to do, places to see, etc.
5. Try one new thing every day- who know's, you may love it
6. Make an effort to learn the local language (if applicable)
7. Immerse yourself in the culture- go outside of your comfort zone
8. Be smart and aware of your surroundings
9. Journal your thoughts and experiences
10.Take lots and lots of pictures

These are just a few of my favorites. What is your best piece of international travel advice?