…Do your best to study for a cell and molecular biology exam and your ACS organic chemistry final exam. You can throw a synthesis laboratory report in there, too.
The past week and a half have been extremely busy, filled with tests, laboratory experiments, and travel (hence the delay in my latest post.) With the light shining bright at the end of the tunnel (and it not being an oncoming train,) I can coast to the end of this week and prepare for more upcoming travel. Let me walk you through the past several days.
Day Twenty-Eight
My friends and I decided to have a small dinner party, which was hosted by yours truly in my “spacious” apartment. (It barely held the six of us, and seating accommodations included three people on my twin-sized bed.) One of us suggested cooking traditional Moroccan dishes, in preparation for their upcoming trip to Marrakech. Being me, and absolutely loving any party with a theme, I jumped right on board.
Our appetizer was chakchouka, a skillet dish with bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and egg cooked right in the center of the pan. The main course included chicken schwarma, couscous, tabbouleh, garlic-yogurt sauce, and fresh vegetables. All of this was paired with naan, a tasty flatbread, and all of it was scarfed down with utter delight. We also kept the theme with dessert, with none other than totally-not-French-brand ice cream bars! (Hey, Moroccan bakeries are difficult to find on Google Maps…)
Day Twenty-Nine
*turns voice recorder on* “Day one of synthesis laboratory, experiment one. Nobody has died yet, and the laboratory hasn’t exploded. Day one is a success.”
After an excruciatingly long day in synthesis laboratory, we were treated to a fancy four-course meal at one of the local restaurants in Lyon, complete with bottles of the house wine to the traditional fresh espresso finish. Like I said, there was a lot of delicious food this past week.
Day Thirty-One
A Friday with no class can only mean one thing: a perfect weekend to travel! My friends and I took an 8:50 am flight to Rome, Italy for (roughly) a two-day weekend. This is my second time visiting the Eternal City, but it’s a place I love to visit. Upon our arrival, we took a taxi out to our hostel, dropped off our bags, and headed right out for our first afternoon of sightseeing. On our agenda? You probably can guess: the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Although they were decently crowded, we had no issue entering any of the attractions. It definitely pays off to purchase your tickets ahead of time!
Enjoy some artsy photos from these three locations.
After doing my duties as a tourist in Rome, it was time for something, or someone, a bit familiar. Look who I found!
My other half and future architect.
Well, I didn’t find him. It was planned to meet up since our schedules overlapped. Cameron and I walked around Rome for a while, and he pointed out all of the major architectural highlights of the city. We then ate at a cute little cafe, where I had yet another delicious meal. (I’m starting to think I should begin a workout regimen to keep up with all this eating…)
The dinner was also framed with a beautiful evening sky:
Day Thirty-Two
The next day was another early morning, because we were on the hunt for the one and only Papa Francesco in Vatican City. Like the locations the previous afternoon, the pre-ordered tickets paid off tremendously. If you’ve never visited Vatican City before, then you may not know how long the line can get to enter. It can stretch for a few blocks from the entrance! The Vatican has several museums, filled with not only the Catholic Church’s history, but with Roman and Egyptian history as well.
I then hustled over to Saint Peter’s Basilica, which is just a short walk from the museums. I have only two words: absolutely breathtaking. Even if you are not Catholic – or religious, for that matter – it’s hard not to feel a sense of awe inside the building. Maybe I’m biased because I’m Catholic, but I don’t really care. It’s a beautiful place.
Outside Saint Peter’s Basilica.
During the hottest part of the day, I stayed in the hostel to cool off and study for the exams that loomed in the not-so-distant future. Later that evening, Cameron, my friends and I walked over to see the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. They were busy, but they’re also free to visit, so that appealed to us broke college students. Cameron took us to a good restaurant not too far from the Pantheon, where I had some authentic Italian pizza (when in Rome, remember?) I don’t have any photos of it, because it looked like a regular pizza. Sorry, y’all.
We then headed back to the Trevi Fountain so I can, once again, throw my coin in. I guess this means I’ll have to visit Rome for a third time, no? We capped the night off with some tasty gelato, a must-have in Italy (really any part of Europe. Or anywhere. Gelato is delicious.)
Day Thirty-Three
After some heartfelt goodbyes, we headed back to Lyon the next morning in order to prepare for the biology exam and the American Chemical Society final exam. It’s a standardized exam that every organic chemistry student takes. The exam is comprehensive and includes material from both organic chemistry I and II. But, once those are done, there’s no more class for the rest of the week!
On the radar ahead: a trip to CERN in Switzerland with the entire group on Thursday, and a short vacation to Barcelona, Spain for the weekend. I can’t wait to visit a museum on chocolate and relax on the beach after four weeks of organic chemistry. Until my next post, enjoy some photos from Rome found HERE.
Ta-ta for now!
Wanderlust 
Avery, I feel like I’ve been there with you! You could be a travel writer as well as a fabulous PA!!! Love reading these posts. Ms. P.
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Thank you! Who says I couldn’t be both? Exploring all of my options…
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