I cannot believe how fast the month of October flew by! I am terrified that the month of November will go by just as fast or even faster! I am having an amazing experience so far here in Rome.
There have been some challenges of missing home; but as I begin to realize that my time here is running low I can’t help thinking of all the wonderful things that I am going to miss once I leave. All the awkward culture shocks and getting lost in the crazy streets of Rome are events that I am really going to miss once I am back in the U.S. Through cooking dinner, eating, and doing the dishes together I have grown very close to my roommates. I can’t even begin to imagine saying goodbye to them once the semester is over.
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Cooking dinner with the roommates!
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One of our many delicious meals we created
The month of October was an eventful one. I had the opportunity to visit Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest. Germany was a nice reminder of home because of the fall leaves and bratwurst. I also got to have an eye opening experience and the concentration camp Dachau. It was unimaginable and surreal to be in a place where so much pain and history was created. The feeling of walking through the camp on that rainy day will forever be etched in my memories.
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The crematory at the concentration camp Dachau
On a lighter note, my absolute favorite thing I did during the month of October was the Umbria Weekend Excursion with SAI Rome. We stayed at this amazing farmhouse where we were served traditional cuisines. My roommates and I decided not to use the internet the whole weekend, which ended up being an experience I will never forget. It was great to bond with them by playing the game Heads Up; there was so much laughter and endless memories being formed.
![The sunrise from our window at the farmhouse](http://www.saiprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/nov45-225x300.jpg)
The sunrise from our window at the farmhouse
We also went to the Perugina Chocolate Factory which was to die for! I ate so much chocolate at the taste testing I did not think I would ever be able to eat chocolate ever again! But I was just kidding myself, because next on the agenda was the cooking class.
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The cooking class at Perugina Chocolate Factory
The cooking class was a fantastic time and I highly recommend it to everyone who goes! It was a blast making our very own Baci and love notes to go inside. I told myself I would save my hand made chocolates for someone special; however, I ended up eating them all within the next two weeks! I could not help myself they were too delicious to stop at just one! The entire Umbria weekend trip was a complete success, but those are my favorite memories from it.
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The love note I made to put in the package with the Baci I made
I cannot wait to see what the month of November will have in store for me, but I am positive that I will not be disappointed.
![A statue we saw during our tour of Assisi](http://www.saiprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/nov56-225x300.jpg)
A statue we saw during our tour of Assisi
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Ashley is a student at St. Norbert College studying at John Cabot University in Rome through SAI Programs during the Fall 2013 term.