Buongiorno!

Well, we made it! Packed up our entire life and somehow managed to fit it into a storage unit. With only 5 suitcases between us (3 were mine...) and 20 plus hours of travel each, we have found ourselves residents of the American Academy in Rome! We will be here for the next 11 months during Brad's fellowship here as he does research and works on his dissertation.

I wanted to start posting this blog and pictures for everyone sooner, but we have just been so busy settling in! We have been here for about a month now and though there are new challenges every day, we are finally starting to feel at "home". Brad has been getting a lot of job applications and work done and I have been busy with Italian class.

The American Academy is a gorgeous property in the Monte Verde neighborhood of Rome. We are on top of the Janiculum Hill just above Trastevere. This means that we have a gorgeous view of Rome. It also means that we have to climb A LOT of stairs! I will post some pictures soon, but here is a link to the website, so you can actually see where we are http://www.aarome.org/about/place/academy. The apartment we have is nice and cozy with a gorgeous view of the Academy's courtyard. Brad also has an office. The yard in the back is amazing and the size of a small park (HUGE!) complete with a bocce ball court!

I will post again soon, but mostly just wanted to check in and say WE MISS ALL OF YOU!

Ciao!

Tarrah