This week for the American in Rome was nothing out of the ordinary, but it certainly was special. Of course, I took in my morning walks to the markets and stopped in several places along the way. It was a feeling of belonging now that I have been here into my third week and finding my way around, getting to know the neighborhoods and simply feeling like I live here, which in a sense I do. I also went to the Liberation Museum which is about a 25 minute from where I am living, which is built on four floors of an apartment building. I walked each flight, but don’t worry, there is an elevator, and while everything is in Italian, there are some English captions, and an audio-guide in English, so you can understand what happened in Rome during Fascism and the Nazi takeover. I don’t frequent the tourist areas, unless I am meeting up with Rosa after a tour, which of course, I have done. I also met her on one of her tours this week, as it was clients from Minnesota, who were off a cruise ship. The interesting thing about these clients is that I had started working with them after I left Minnesota last August and so, while I love to meet my clients in person, if possible, this had not happened, so zoom meetings, phone calls and emails were the communication methods. All of this is very normal in this day in age, so when I knew that I do was going to be in Rome at the same time, I asked Rosa to tag along. Of course, at first, she said no. I explained, that for me, it is very important to meet the clients in person, if there is an opportunity, even if around the country or around the world and I have done both in my travels and my many years in the industry. It is very important for me to establish that connection, while some of my clients I have never met in person, when there is a chance to, I look forward to it. And, I had the chance, as we compromised and after she had time with them in the morning, I ended up meeting them at the Trevi Fountain and we hung out for a couple of hours before they had to hop on the bus back to the ship. Later this year, I will also meet up with other clients here in Rome, a couple from New York, who I recently met in Upstate New York, for the first time in person and shared in a previous post and a gentleman from Tennessee who will be here in September. In any case, this is something that is very important to me and while perhaps more of my business is with clients who are not from where I live, if the opportunity makes itself available, I am thrilled to meet them.
The other event this week which was very special, and it was posted on Facebook, as you know I love to share my experiences with her, with you, is that it was Rosa’s birthday on Friday, and we went to the Hard Rock. She said she wanted to and so we did and had a nice evening and her very good friend Silvia and Silvia’s friend Leonardo joined us later in the evening and it was very nice. While last year, we celebrated her birthday today, but early, as I was in Rome in June of 2021, this was especially nice since it was on her birthday and yesterday, we spent the evening with a group of her friends at a restaurant in Tivoli where her birthday was celebrated, her friend’s birthday was celebrated and an anniversary of a couple, that were her friends, also was celebrated and while most of the conversation was in Italian, and you know, my Italian, which in a vocabulary sense is growing, is definitely, not there, it has English interspersed, so it was a very enjoyable evening. In the end, I am getting into a routine as Rosa guides everyday and the time she and I have together is having a meal or two together in the apartment or grabbing a suppli or pizza. It is just a wonderful feeling to be with her each and every day, even with bumps in the road will and which happen. In August, we will have a chance to get out of city, hopefully on more than one occasion, just she and I and, if not, I may hope the train somewhere and experience something new for a day trip or a weekend. We will see as we move forward and get to know each other better and better. I know my decision to come here was the right thing and I am excited to see what happens next. Until next week and the continual sharing of pictures of my experiences here from this American in Rome and beyond, as always, I am interested in your thoughts, comments, questions and adding to the discourse is always appreciated be in on the site itself or on Facebook, Twitter or wherever you read this. Thank you for your support of my crazy little world and of my small business. It is truly appreciated!!! Share the knowledge
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