SiCiLiA

Palermo here I come..well actually Isola delle Femine! I'm going to go visit my friend Enrico in Sicily. Beach, sun, fun, sicilians, and piccante!!! Can't wait to post pictures when I come back!

The summer is wrapping up quickly it seems. So many things coming up. Vance's birthday is next Monday..turning 31. My last day at working at the university is the 31st of August. Vance is travelling to Egypt, Libya, and Romania in the near future and I'm heading to the US for a month.

Buon Ferr'Agosto!!! A dopo. Ci sentiamo quando ritorno da sicilia!

Ferragosto

This weekend started the official vacation time for many Italians. Ferragosto! I've pretty much been on vacation all summer, besides the 20 hours a week that I work. I spend the rest of my days volunteering at the beach...or going to the beach...or talking about going to the beach. HAHAHA! I haven't brought my camera with me too oftern, but here are some pics that I like of my friends and I.

Vance has been working his ass off since he has to travel a bit this month for work and deadlines are approaching for him so unfortunately for him, he can't enjoy the summer sun. We try to go on the weekends. The rain has been cooling us off a bit, so we have to work around that.

My flight is booked to go to the US. I'm driving from Houston to New Orleans for a wedding and a quick family visit. I'm very interested in seeing it post Katrina. One of my best friends Brandy, whom I've known since third grade, is getting married. I'll see a bunch of childhood friends...very excited about that. Of course a visit to see Grandma Burgard, my dad, godparents and aunts/uncles is priority!

I'm hoping to spend a few days in Dallas to see some friends. And then the rest of the month will be spent working and spending time with my family and friends. I'll probably need another vacation when I get back home to Rome.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.


Violeta and I in Fregene

Audra and my shared birthday party at Hard Rock Rome

Linda and I at Fontanone Roma with our choir group, The Amazing Grace Gospel Choir

Yawa, Greg and I before choir practice

Happy August!!!

Wow! So many things, not too much...such is life. Rome is hot! Yeah, yeah, heat wave in the US. Try it without air conditioning! Holy Shit! I'm sitting on the divano, attempting to type, but I feel like all hydration is being sucked out of me. Fun times, let me tell you.

After all the excitement of the World Cup, I got to celebrate my birthday a couple of times thanks to Yawa and Audra. Another year. What a great year though. Rome has been good to me. I started part-time work at the university for summer only. They kick me to the curb September 1. Can't complain, I'm ready for bigger and better things. I've also started volunteering at the beach. I'm the first aid chic! Tons of fun. I love old people! So there goes my week now. I may not make the big bucks, but I feel that I am serving a purpose and helping people. That's what matters!

Friends. July has been a month of friendship. Many of my friends have settled back in the US. One in particular has gone to Ghana. Yawa, I miss you girl. Yawa is an amazing lady. She just radiates positive energy. I think we have taught each other many things. She's given me such love and also new friendships that I plan to cherish forever. I'll miss singing with her. Of course now we are planning how to either get her back in Rome or us to Ghana..for a visit. Vediamo.

I'll be taking a little vacation mid month as most Italians do. This time I am going to Calabria. Fun fun in the sun. Like I need more sun damage. But I love being tan. Being tan puts you on the next level of hotness. And I'm damn hot! Pics to come! I'm needing more time with photoshop! Haha just kidding. We have 3 computers at home and I can't remember where I put all my pics. Later guys.

So have a great first of August. Lots of love!

Campioni del Mondo 2006

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!!! FORZA ITALIA!!!

Fratelli Italia! Amazing! Incredible!

Great game for Italy as they defeated France in the penalty showdown yesterday! It was a tense and nailbiting game up until the end. Materazzi, Cannavaro, Buffon, Piro and many others did a spectacular job.

The streets were wild and crazy as Romans and Italians and everyone else celebrated their team's victory! I joined many in the prancing, jumping and singing in the fountain alongside Piazza Venezia's monument Victorio Emanuele. Only this night were the celebrations allowed to go wild and free as the police were just onlookers. Any other day, one would be arrested! Even a lonely bus was overtaken and climbed upon! Statues donned Italian flags, walls were randomly painted with "Campioni del Mondo", signs and flags waving in the air and fireworks were shot off. The national anthem being sung by patriotic voices! Other than the occasional song calling the French bastards and one of their mama's is a putana, the celebration was all in good fun!

An amazing night after an amazing game. I am very honored to have been apart of this special night for Italy. Grazie Italia!!! FORZA ITALIA!!!!!! SIIIIIIII!!!!!

GGGGOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!

ITALIA vs GERMANIA! 2-0

WE KICKED THEIR ASSES!!!! Everyone from the Black Eyed Peas to the World Wildlife Fund were calling on Italy to beat Germany.

Vance, Stu, Marcy, Yawa and myself went to the Abbey Theater to watch the game. Only in the touristy area of Rome can you find a pub that has more english speaking waiters that don't speak italian! Ha! Too funny!

Our sweet Italians played wonderfully! Only in overtime did they show Germany who's boss, dominating the field and securing the win with 2 goals.

The roman streets were full of routy shouts and song! Flags hung out of most car windows and held by motorcycle passengers. It was an original site. Piazza del Popolo was filled with a swarm of people. I look forward to watching the final game on the 9th! It'll be a gong show! I'm so glad that I am in Rome to experience it all!

Thanks Reuters for the pics.

GOAL!!!!

ITALY vs AUSTRALIA... ITALY HA VINTO!!!!!

What a kick ass game that was! Did ya see it? Probably not, huh! Totti, the Rome Captain, got the winning goal with a penalty kick in the last minute of the overtime! Holy Shit! Vance, Marcy, Stu, Chris and I met up with Allessandro at a pub full of Italian fans! So much enthusiam and spirit! So of course we won! The pub is also a lucky one according for Alessandro! Rome was a very patriotic place after the game! Our whole neighborhood is covered with italian flags. Here's a few pics of all the fun (Thanks AP).

Tanto Tempo Libero

What to do with all the free time! Have a slumber party and movie spree!

'Thank you' to my sweet girls Yawa & Britni for helping me finish up the spicy corn and shrimp boil! Next time I will stock up on more gelato or you can bring your own! You guys have the craving just as bad as my mom did when she was here...Holy!!!! Thanks also to Paul Walker and Colin Farell who kept our eyes peeled until the wee hours of the morning! There is nothing like hot abs, 'davids' and those eyes!!! Of course all this silliness is possible because Vance is out of town! Vance, do know that you are missed! The house is so quiet in so many ways!

So there are books to read, beaches to visit when the cool front passes, movies to watch, aperitivi to have and friends to visit. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Arrivederci Mama!!!

2 weeks have flow by! Mom flew back to Houston on Thursday past. She and I had a blast. There is something about having your mama near you! We had loads of fun. I loved/hated seeing her go! You know how that is! We wrapped up her visit with a night at the opera, A Turk In Italy. Although she fell asleep in the second act, I can't blame her too much as it was almost midnight! She was wide awake as we scrambled to catch buses home in the rain!

Although she has gone, I have so much of her love and leftovers! Maybe she thinks I can't cook! I had to invite my friends ove rto finish up the shrimp boil that she prepared. Thanks Mica and Mom for all the Zataran and Tony's spices!

Everyone loved Mama Shay! Tim, the director of my choir, says that she has such an aura around her! Rome will miss her! It's always nice to have a opportunity to show her off! I'm so proud of her! Look at her! She's a hottie!!!

Anyone have any uncles, male friends of family, age 45-60, in the Houston area that would be interested in taking her out on the town, please let me know! I'm just trying to help a mama out!

Arrivederci Mom! Hopefully Vance and I can get you back here again! Love ya!

La Primavera Romana Della Signora Stone

Have you ever read/seen "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone"? It is a Tennessee Williams novel turned film...Vivian Leigh and Warren Beatty did one version of the film. Anyway! Mom and I went to a Roman ballet interpretation of this novel. Interesting. The story itself is risque! Widower searches for companionship...male escort...falls for him but he really wants her money but he also cares for her! Crazy! Mom loved it! Very modern! Costumes were 50s style and a few scenes the dancers only wore teddies or tighty whities! All the old broads in the theatre were getting a show for sure! Hell, even the prima ballerina has to be in her late 50s. And the male lead was rubbing all up on her.
Overall I liked it! If you are in Italy/Rome and it's in production...go see something different! Have a great day!

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Mom and I had a great time at Cirque Du Soleil's performance of Allegria. The bendy girls were the best of all. But the bodies were so nice to look at...of course I'm talking about the guys!!! The music was excellent too. All live! The clowns were cute and entertaining. We've never seen these guys live before, so it was quite the treat for us. Almost like being a little kid again! If there is a Cirque Du Soleil show near you...go see it! Google em'!!!

SCHOOL'S OUT!!!!!

Farewell Reception at Castel Sant'Angelo

Exam week is over. Busy week! Well Auguri to me! I am completely done with university and will obtain my degree in Italian Studies May 26th. No overwhelming feelings as of yet, but I am sure it'll hit me later. To end the semester just right, AUR held a farewell event at Castel Sant'Angelo in the Vatican. This is the fortress, for those who have been to Rome or read Angels and Demon, where the pope would go to escape and hide using the secret passageway. In A & D , I think, this is where the brotherhood's main place was. It's been a while since I read it! So Vance and I went and I said my 'goodbyes' to many friends and a few 'see you arounds'. It's a great group of people. I think the waiters serving the prosecco and wine were in disagreement though. There was quite the crowd hoarding the table for alcohol! Crazy kids!

So now I am trying to figure out what to do with all my free time! I am still in the gospel choir and will continue that! I have a few volunteer activities lined up and will start that after all the guests visit. Mom is due to arrive next week and we will cover some ground. I'm run/walking the Race for the Cure in honor of my aunt Debbie who is fighting her current battle with cancer. Then there is a trip to Paris and a Cirque Du Soleil show to see. Tons of fun in a short time. I hope the weather participates.

I'm excited to see my friend from high school Lacey who is coming to Rome with her husband. and then Marcy, Stu, and Chris are coming to visit too. My Shock Trauma ladies, Deb & Angela are also bringing their spouses to Rome and doing a bit of touring. So exciting times ahead!

Happy Belated Birthday to my nephew Corey and Brenda, Kristy's mom. TANTI AUGURI A VOI!!!! Happy Anniversary Craig & Brenda!!!

I hope you have a great weekend! Bacione!!

Relax...It's Labor Day

Doesn't this kitty just give you a warm cuddly feeling!!! (Grazie Dani!!!)

If you are sitting at home and not doing anything...get off your ass and go outside! Take a walk!! Most of you probably have the day off!! So go enjoy the fresh air!

My Labor day is almost over. I started the day with a test of my patience, but when does public transportation ever run on time (specialmente a Roma)!!! I enjoyed a lovely choir practice this morning too. Then a few of us took a walk in the amazing park of Villa Doria Pamphili. It's so amazing how big that park is! It goes on and on. I'll have to bring my camera next time...but of course the picture wouldn't do it justice. After a couple of hours of walking, we stopped for an aperitivo and enjoyed the afternoon. It is such a beautiful day in Rome today! Then I had to walk to the train station as the buses had ceased to run after noon! I'm glad I live near a train station!!!

I hope that you all have a sort of similar positive experience with your day off. Enjoy it! Most of us have become too overstressed in our daily lives and don't take the time to just enjoy being in nature or with friends/family taking it easy! So take a deep breath of fresh air and enjoy the day!

Russia!

Moscow & St Petersberg there I went!!!

Cherisse on top of St Petersberg Catherdal

Cherisse & Pasquale

Cherisse in Red Square, Moscow

We had a fabulous time in St Peteresberg and Russia. I went with a group of 23 students from The American University of Rome. We had a kick ass time! We saw so much in only 5 days. The trip started off a little shady when we discovered the travel agency messed up my ticket and I couldn't fly to Milan with the group. Plan B was taken... I flew to another airport in Milan then took an expensive damn taxi to the correct Milan airport to catch my flight with the group to St Petersberg! I made it! The rest of the trip ws a breeze.

The churches were beatuiful and the architecture was jaw dropping at times. All the gold! Many places we went to prohibited camera so we got pretty repetitious in the Red Square Moscow and down main street in St. P. The women were gorgeous and tall! I fit right in!! Haha. It was an amazing experience with a great group of people. It was very interesting to see the Bear and the monkeys in the Square. People do the craziest things for money! Seeing Lenin's body in the Masoleum was a site, but it wasn't like I've never seen a dead body before..hazards of the 'real' job! The Church of the Sacred Blood was amazing with its mosaic walls. Brillant! Overall the cities were gorgeous and clean! Put Roman walls to shame! Moscow kept reminding my of Candyland! I loved it! Maybe Russian will be the next language to learn...or maybe I should just focus on Italian!

Big thanks to Stefano who organized it all! Grazie mille Stefano. Sei meriviglioso. La prossima volta in Sri Lanka, ci saro'.

TuNiSiA

Ciao tutti! Hope everyone is doing well. I've been pretty busy and haven't blogged. So here I am! Well the past couple weeks have flown and so have I! Hehe! Actually last weekend I flew to Tunis, Tunisia and spent time with Vance over Easter. I brought him a typical Italian cake that comes out only round Easter....that's about as Easter as we got in the Muslim country. Even the Catholic church was closed on the Easter weekend. Weird!!!

So since I came back I have been a paper writing fiend! And I'm off again this weekend to Russia! St. Petersburg and Moscow...watch out...here we come!!! About 25 AUR students are going. It's an 'open' trip...we travel to the cities as a group, but we are free to roam all we want. I'm excited! I wish my honey could have gone with me, but he's working in Tunisia! :(

Side note....Kristy, Ansley S. says hello! She found me on myspace. It's such a neat thing. I lost track of her during the first university years, but it was nothing to "jump right back in" to our friendship. Very cool!

Have a great weekend! I'll get some pics loaded of our trip when I get back!! Bacio!

MSA meeting

Hi! Ciao! Salve! My name is Cherisse and I am a MySpace Addict. It's been only 2 hours since my last login. I will do my best not to dream of messages or people to search for. Psst. Bull! I'm on a mission to find ole high school friends and Baylor pals! It's too much fun. I've already found my 2 best childhood guyfriends and high school friends! It's amazing what technology does for you!

Tina, Glad your trip to Dallas was a blast. Vicky, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY. 21 at last! Kristy, Miss you babe! Vance, See you Thursday! Tunisia here I come. Will I have access to internet though? I'm not sure how I'll do without MySpace.

Lots of love! Bacione!

SuDoKu

OK! I'm addicted! Grazie mille Martina! See what happens! Now I'm up til 1am doing these things. My eyes are going cross and I can't count higher than 9 anymore in English or Italian.

This game is nifty and you should try it. Provalo! It occupies much of the time spent on buses and trains while sitting next to smelly people!

For those who may be interested. You have to fill in the numbers 1-9 in the 3x3 box, across 1-9 and down 1-9. The same number cannot be the same 3x3 box or row. You can play it on MSN Games and online. Do a google search! Have fun!

Total Eclipse of the Heart...I mean Sun

For those who didn't know, there was a total eclipse today. I didn't get to see it personally, but I saw some really neat video clips with some over-eccentric science teachers. Very cool what nature does! Have a good day everyone! Ciao Ciao.

Whatcha lookin' at?

Hey all! It's been a crazy week! With all the papers that are due, napolitano musical, choir practices, classes and work, I've been pretty busy. The best part of the week was the musical C'era una volta...Scugnizzi. I loved it! It's funny when you're learning a language and think that you're catching on and then you go to a musical performed in a southern Italian dialect and it feels like you're at the drawing board again. I didn't feel too bad when some of the people around me were saying that they didn't understand everything either! The music was amazing and very catchy.

This weekend Vance, my Ghanaian friend Yawa and I went to see The Constant Gardner, the only movie out in English this week. It was a good flick overall. The time sequence jumped around a bunch , but it wasn't too hard to follow. Rachel W. is not too shabby of an actress and Ralph Fiennes, I could listen to his accent all the time. What is so fabulous about accents?? I drool over them! And deep voices....aahhhh!!!

Anyway, I hope all of my family are doing well. I miss you all so much. My great friends, I miss you too. Kristy...my thoughts and prayers are with you and the Esslinger family. Have a good weekend. For my friends in Europe...remember that we sprung ahead this morning! Buona domenica!

Scherma con Sherraine

Saturday Vance and I went to Ostia (outskirts of Rome) to see Vance's school friend, Sherraine Mackay. She is currently ranked #1 in the world (not to brag or anything) in women's epee fencing. Her competition was very exciting to watch. They did a remarkable job. 3 of the 'old girls' made it into the top 64. Here is a pic of her competing in the semifinals in which she placed third for the bronze medal. Afterwards the Canadian team ( a bunch of great gals), their coach and judge joined Vance and I in Trastevere for a good meal and delicious gelati. We had a blast and Sherraine wrote her second novel in the inside of our copy of her first book. Did I confuse you there? GO BUY HER BOOK!!! Running with Swords! It's absolutely hilarious! She was a joy to have around and hopefully Vance and I will be able to watch her compete again in Torino in October 2006 for the World Championships! In bocca al lupo Sherraine!!!!

Spring "Sleep" Break

This has pretty much been my position for the past week. Although I have arisen for some activity. For example, Vance and I went for a bike ride last weekend. Monday I finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha and did some Pilates. Tuesday I invited a friend from Ghana, Yawa, over for lunch ( I cooked some kickass pesto pasta) and we watched Rent. Wednesday I spent the morning on trains (Boy do I love them!!! Not really!) to arrive for lunch at my friend Dani's house. Her mom and dad are completely adorable. She'd let me steal them if I wanted! Oh, Congrats Dani! (She's our valedictorian.) We watched Crash which I had not seen and lounged. I do NOT agree with the Academy Awards on giving it the Oscar! Brokeback was duped! Then I enjoyed yet another train ride home. I can't complain though cuz I was laughing my butt off reading Sherraine Mackay's book Running with Swords. Today I went on a workout frenzy..Pilates..Power Yoga...Body Sculpting...and then what the hell, some more ab work. Maybe it was from the overall lack of activity for the week, but I had some serious energy. Now I'm limping around from too many squats, lunges and crunches. Oh how I love the pain. Yes, I'm a nut and a tad bit freaky! Tomorrow I will be going to makeup some hours at work, since I will be going to Russia in April! Then Vance and I are meeting Sherraine for dinner while she is in town competing in the fencing World Cup...which she is currently ranked #1. And Saturday Vance and I will go walk her compete here in Rome. I'm pretty excited! It'll be my first fencing competition viewing. I'll let you know how she does...til then...Ciao Ciao!!!