Birthday Blog

I'm posting this story to share a cultural experience that happened today. That's it.

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This morning, my drawing class went to Ostia Antica, Italy to visit/sketch some old Roman ruins. To get to Ostia Antica, you have to take this high class bus:

I sat down on this fine bus in the first seat I saw by a regular-looking Italian man.

Lets call this regular-looking Italian man David.

"Where from?" asks David.

"America."

"Ah, California?"

"Yes."

*David smiles*

(You see, people think America is composed of three states: New York, Texas, and California.

It's way easier to just answer these Europeans simply.)

(Mississippi is not a simple answer.)

"You with him?" asks David.

*David points to Kevin Jonas's twin across the bus*

"No."

*David smiles*

"Basketball?" asks David while pointing to my legs. (????)

"What?"

"Play basketball?"

"No, I don't."

"Ah, baseball?"

"No, I don't play sports."

"Ah, you play all."

"No, none." I reply.

*David smiles*

…silence…

*David begins rummaging through his pants pockets and searching up and down, and up and down, and up and down, through his pictures stored on his massive cellphone*

"I paint!" exclaims David.

DAVID THEN SHOWS ME A PICTURE THAT HE PAINTED OF HIMSELF IN THE NUDE SITTING INDIAN STYLE WITH A TURBAN ON HIS HEAD.

I repeat.

DAVID THEN SHOWS ME A PICTURE THAT HE PAINTED OF HIMSELF IN THE NUDE SITTING INDIAN STYLE WITH A TURBAN ON HIS HEAD.

Everyone, meet David.

I honestly believe that Anna snapped this picture just as David (far right - in case there was a mix-up)
was pretending to be Michelangelo.

Happy Birthday to you, Kaitlyn. Happy Birthday to you.

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After sadly leaving David, I had the most incredible birthday!

It began with a large poppy.

And some Roman ruins.

This is Ostia Antica, a city that was just found underground last century.
Ostia Antica was absolutely phenomenal.

Everything was so carefully dug up that it was so easy to see how these Romans lived.

Literally this place was GORGEOUS.

All of the Mississippi girls at the Ostia Antica Stadium.
Can you believe this was once completely buried underground?

(from left to right: Maura, Erin, Jordan, Anna, Sydney, and myself.)

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After class let out, Anna, Sydney, and I headed west on the fancy bus to Castel Fusano to spend the afternoon at the beach. It was absolutely perfect.

Today would have only been better if my family and friends back home were here to celebrate.

Lastly, cheers to you, David, for waking me up, since I missed my morning coffee.

Until next week,