Baci da Bologna: Kelly is here and she doesn't want to leave.....

So its been two weeks and I cannot believe it but it's time for my Baby to go back home. I am really sad and so is she. I really wish that I could go home with her to see all of you but I am sending her home with hugs and kisses for all of you. And now, for my first guest writer:

Bridge in Florence

Its Baby Kelly here, and I am sad to say that my two weeks abroad are over. I have had a lot of fun traveling with Ellen, meeting her friends, roommates, and experiencing what her life is like here in Bologna. On the days that we have been in Bologna I have followed Ellen around on what would be her "everyday schedule". I even went to one of her Italian lectures, and I didn't understand a word the entire two hours I was there. Once class was over we would either window shop, find wonderful delicious food, or hang out with Ellen's friends from her program. I have grown to love these girls.

Roommates and friends

When we were at the apartment we were never alone, for as you know Ellen has 9 roommates. It was fun to get to know the group that Ellen lives with, they are a fun/entertaining bunch. Little did Ellen know, but most, if not all, of her roommates can speak a little bit of English. As everyone else knows Italian, they never had to use English. But I got the secret out of them!

Ellen hard at work

We didn't stay in Bologna the whole two weeks! We traveled to Rome for a weekend, and took day trips to Florence and Ferarra the second week of my stay. Ellen had a lot of school work after our Rome trip so we spent most of my second week in Bologna, other than the day trips. But this was great too, I got to know were she lived and how her life was here. She studies hard, goes to class (unlike some of her classmates), interns at the international school of bologna, and tutors. I also joined her on the days that she tutored and got a new boyfriend out of it. His name is Rocco and he is 4 and one of the cutest kids ever.

what we felt like before we got our 5am train to Rome

On top of St. Peter's Basilica

Throwing a penny in at the Trevi Fountain

Colosseum in Rome

Of all the places I have been in Italy, Rome and Bologna are my favorite. Rome blows my mind with all of its history. I had a hard time imagining a packed Colosseum, or how no one knew about the Roman Forum before someone decided to dig. And then there is Bologna. I cant decide whether I loved it so much because I was able to meet true Italians here, make new friends, or just simply because I got to spend a wonderful two weeks with my sister, but this is truly a beautiful city. I loved the portici (covered walkways) and the Christmas lights that were all over the city and hanging over all the streets.

Christmas tree in Piazza Nettuno

All in all this was one of the best trips I have been on, if not the best!!! And no I did not stay in a 4 star hotel, and I did not have fancy dinners, and shopping sprees. I slept in Ellen's twin bed right next to her, shared one bathroom with 11 people, cooked at home, ate a local restaurants, and shopped at the open marketplace with everyone else. But best of all I got to see my sister for a whole 2 weeks! I miss her already and I haven't even left.