The Global Village

Ok, the Global Village was a smashing success. The entrepreneur class was split up into groups of 4 students and each group picked a country and set to work on a booth with food, games, information, and trinkets that were traditional to the country they picked. The group that picked China asked me to help them out with information on the Chinese zodiac and Chinese religious practices. I accepted the "job" on the condition that they come up with something for me to wear (I can't just walk into my wardrobe and come out looking Chinese). The kids were great and came up with the dress I'm wearing in these pictures. Also these kids were in contact with the Chinese embassy from the very beginning of this project. They invited the Ambassador from China to visit the Global Village and he accepted the invitation. In the second picture is the Ambassador from China, his assistant, and me.

I had a lot of fun with this even though it wasn't my class, nor my students. I got to know the upper class men a lot better and broaden my horizons that much more.

Our Miss Brooks...

Ok, for the last week I have been working with a group of 18 kids and two other teachers on the school play, Our Miss Brooks. I was the back stage supervisor (hence only really working on the play for a week and not the last three months like the director and costume supervisor). I had so much fun with the kids and they got a lot out of it. Well, the show was yesterday and there was a lot of fun back stage involving soap flakes (that got everywhere) and the sound effects (a sheet of tin and other objects to sound like a storm and breaking glass). Somewhere there is a picture of me floating around wearing stage blacks (black shirt, shoes, and pants) and stage makeup (thanks to the make-up girls that really wanted to go to town with my face apparently).

Regardless, I'm proud of the kids and they did a great job.

more sights of the city of Rome

The Mouth of Truth. basicly a stone slab with a face of the god Jupiter. The story goes that if you are a bad person and stick your hand in his mouth, he will chomp down and crush your hand. If you are a good person, he won't.


Republica Plaza and the Basilica of Our Lady of Rome. The fountain was one of the major sites I saw every day we were in the city of Rome.

International tree hugger...

Yep, that would be me, the international tree hugger... hugging a really big tree at Ostia. The trees in Ostia were really pretty and provided nice shade in the ancient city. Next to the big tree is an ancient column and more ruins.

Ostia

Ostia. The port city of Rome durring the time of the Empire. The river Tiber is not far from this site and most of the ruins are in pretty decent condition. The escavations are the work of Musolini durring the 1920's and '30's. The spot that I'm at is a balcony where you can look into many of the ruins that have no roofs to see the mosaic flooring and such.
The theater at Ostia. This is one of the most complete Roman theaters in Italy and most of Europe for that matter.


The floors of most of Ostia's well to do were mosaics of various sea creatures...This one--no exception.

occupation of an Empire

Yep, more Rome picture, one of these days, I'll get back to Bahrain news but for now, my sister is insisting on more stuff from Rome.

A triad statue of the occupation of Egypt (left) and Europe (right) with Rome in the Center represented by the goddess Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war (Athena to the Greeks). Minerva was also one of the protectors of Rome.

Occupation of Europe

Minerva

Occupation of Egypt

Street entertainers

The street entertainers of Rome are an interesting sort. Honestly, they don't do anything until someone puts some money into their money cup or hat and for the most part they just thank you and if you want your picture taken with them they will let you. The first one is 'Death' and the second one was just plain funny. The sign off to the side reads 'why make friends when you can buy them? .50 for a picture with your "friend".' The two kids involved in this were backpacking through Europe and were running low on funds. I just found it funny so I had to partake in their little endever.

For Sarah...

These are pictures of the Hard Rock cafe in Rome taken from the bus that Beth and I got "lost" on. We hopped onto the wrong bus and went on a small adventure throughout the wrong part of the city from where we wanted to be. I had fun for the most part on that little adventure and got to see the not-tourist part of Rome in the process.

When in Rome...

The Swiss Alps
(view from the plane into Rome)

Me at the Flavian Ampetheatre (the Colosseum)

The Pantheon

Me at St. Peter's Basillica (in Vatican City)

Tossing my coin into Trevi Fountain

More to come but here's the run down of the trip: I had a lot of fun.

First full day in Rome I walked all over the city and ended up at the Pantheon and later to the outside of the Flavian Ampetheatre. Yes, I have TONS of pictures if you want any pictures that I may or may not post please e-mail me.

Second day was the Capitaline Museum, the Roman Forum, the Mouth of Truth, and Trajan's Market

Day 3 -- The Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica

Day4 -- Trevi Fountain and INSIDE the Colosseum (that is an interesting story--apparently I look like a teenager to most people)

Day 5 -- The Roman Forum (inside the temple of Vesta), The Hard Rock Cafe (special trip just for Sarah) and getting lost in the city while taking in the sights and the Spanish Steps (which were starting to bloom)

Day 6 -- Ostia (the port city for Rome)