So this week was very interesting! As you all know by now, I begun working independently in the lab. Initially, this was tough considering my research background. All of my colleagues have for more experience with laboratory work and either are working on their PhD or already have it. But, I am learning… Tomorrow I extract RNA again and prepare a pellet for Wednesday’s extraction. As they say practice makes perfect.

Well, the weekend was pretty interesting considering I went into the “mountains” on Saturday. Yes! If you haven’t heard or looked at my facebook page, I was in Belluno. Ok, you would think after reading the tour books and noting that Belluno is where the Venetian plains meet the Dolimiti that Belluno would sound like a pretty town. However, after a two and half hour train ride through plains and mountains I arrived in Belluno and was in shock! It was a DUMP! I should have listened to my friends and godmother… One friend called it a “hole” and the others said it’s blah! They were right! I don’t think I will ever be going up to Belluno anytime soon. I would like to go back to Cortina d’Ampezzo. Now that’s a beautiful town in the mountains! So I decided after walking around for 1 hr to get back on the train and head back to Padova. Prior to my departure I stopped of for lunch. Try to guess where I ate! 

Hint #1: I never eat here

Hint #2: My friends were all shocked when I told them

Hint #3: Trans-fat

If you haven’t guessed by now, I ate at McDonalds… ick! Haha. I am in Italy and I eat at McDonalds…. What’s wrong here?

Okay, enough of my complaint with Belluno and lunch. Back in Padova I decided to go out for a spritz at Pedrochi… expensive but worth it! Shortly after, I met up with friends and we went out for spritz in the Ghetto (the old Jewish section, not the other Ghetto….) Great place, and  great atmosphere! By the time we finished it was 9:00pm and we were making our way to dinner at a local Osteria. The food was Tuscan and the décor was Siena and the Palio… All the banners from each contrada were hanging on the ceiling and walls. The food was terrific! I had a Pasta alla Colonna. A famous dish comprised of lard… figures I would be the one to order this! I must say however, that it was excellent! The entire day was made up for during spritz and dinner! I can’t wait for next week!

Okay! So I finally went back to Venezia this past weekend for the first time since October. Funny, I only live 20 minutes by train, and I hardly ever venture into Venice. My original plan was to meet one of my friends from Franklin and Marshall College for the day on Saturday and then again on Sunday. I didn't think to reserve a hotel room considering I already have a comfortable bed near by. After walking around for a couple hours I decided to stay for the night... However, I had no passport nor clothing, so I went back to Padova and then back to into Venezia (80 euro later, I was back and checking into my hotel.)

First off, I should inform you all that I am the type of person who would drop at least $50 dollars on a meal for myself and book a 4 star hotel for one night. My friend was in a Hostel, and to be honest I saw it the next day, and thought despite meeting people my age, it was too sketchy! However, the hostel was one of the top rated hostels in Venice. 50 euro per night... My 4 star was 84 euro... I think I made the right choice! Safety and comfort! Before making the spontaneous decision to spend the night in Venice, my friend and I walked around for a while, in the old Ghetto, the Rialto and San Marco. Then I went back and came back in! haha. By the time I arrived, it was already dark, so we met at the station, went to my hotel, and out to dinner after an apperitivo at Harry's Bar. We had Bellinis After that, we found a nice local restaurant, kind of hidden, and ate quite a feast! By the end of dinner I was ready to keel over and sleep, luckily I didn't fall into the canal on the way back.

That next morning, after being followed by some man for 20 minutes (I lost him by cutting corners and walking fast) However in that process I got myself lost... If you are ever lost in Venice, don't panic, just find a canal and follow it! I had a map, and still managed to get lost! Go figure, a college graduate getting lost even with a detailed map... Venice is one of those cities in which you can get lost very easily! At night, its even scarier to be lost!

However, this day was cloudy and cold, but we took a water bus up the Grand Canal and went to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Great exhibit with many famous pieces of art! Sorry mom! You would have loved it!

We basically just spent the day walking around, and took a 4:30 train back to Padova. We put down our bags and went out for a Spritz at Brek.. my new favorite place.

The next day my friend explored Padova while I was at work before leaving for Milan. This week has been great thus far. My cells are growing nicely, my pellet of RNA was prepared perfectly, and I am extracting RNA, counting and changing cells, and making a pellet of RNA again tomorrow!
I am very excited that I am getting able to do more stuff in the lab. The equations and procedures are beginning to make more sense, and I am loving it even more... Although, I still contemplate my future...But what graduate doesn't?

So! I have new updates on my experiences! The great and the nettlesome nonsense that has plagued me since my return... But it is good news!

Starting with the VISA situation, as it now stands, I may apply for a certain type of Study Visa where I would be enrolled in a certain course in Padova at the Language School. I am still awaiting to here if this is possible, and so far all signs are a go. It would be a wonderful idea. I will admit that while I can converse fully in Italian, my Italian is not perfect and could use some further instructions. Maybe they even have a Food course at the language school! That would be right up my alley!

Moving on to the big news! Today, I spoke with head of the laboratory, and I decided on Molecular Biology, and even more specifically, working with and studying colon cancer (cancro di colon) I was very excited to be finally getting to use my hands more in the lab. I enjoyed my time in the beginning, but after awhile of just watching, the experiments began meshing together and repeating... You can only imagine how many times I had to watch the same procedure, over and over again. Although, I will admit that I have taken a lot out of these experiences. Now that I have "direction" and a "specific topic" that will last till September, I can focus the majority of my brain power to one experiment.
All of this got me thinking about life down the road and where I will end up. I love science and research. I love Immunology and Neuroscience. However, a certain interest has occasionally crossed my mind. In the future I would love to study Neurofibromatosis Type 1; these are benign nervous system tumors, and I have been living with it my entire life. Currently, there is no cure, but I believe that the answer is out there somewhere! What a combination!

My experiences have been getting better. I have been doing more outside of the lab, and meeting more and more people everyday! I actually went out for spritz and pizza with some friends and their friends last weekend. We started in Padova and made our way to Abano Terme! Love that area! Volcanic zone with all the thermal spas and mud baths! But enough of the spa! The pizza was fantastic! Crispy thin crust! Just the way I like it!

Looks like things are really shaping up for me!

For those of you who saw my latest post, you may have noticed that it was in Italian. Sorry about that. I just realized I switched the language on everyone. My mother actually called up saying... "Um... PJ, your blog is in Italian." Grazie mille mama!

So, I guess before I run off to take a bath and study my GRE (math....) tonight I should take this time and translate what I wrote into english.

I have finally arrived back in Padova after a great vacation and New Years, with a lot a food, family, friends, and cold weather. This week in the lab there is not much going on as my colleagues are all writing their theses. I actually don't have my project yet, as I am currently dealing with a tremendous amount of bullshit in trying to get one document, that is taking some office outside of the University decades to obtain. I know this is a growing experience for me but I don't have decades, I have two weeks! In this period it seems that nothing is going my way or in my favor. But, I must say that I am in Italy, and I couldn't ask for anything more! I mean, I have my passport which allows me 90 days until I need to return to the USA. I just wish I could get this done sooner so I could go to another country for a weekend. Go see my friends in the UK, France, Spain, Croatia, Switzerland, maybe even go to Prague or Norway?


I am very happy to be back, besides the Nulo Osta fiasco. I am fencing more, however, I am ditching practice tonight as my back, and both legs are swollen and sore from the conditioning I did last night (2 hrs of hell!) But, I am 2 hrs stronger!

Finalamente! Sono appena tornato a Padova....

Dopo la vacanza di Natale e capodanno, ho appena tornato in Italia finalamente dopo 3 settimana di mangiare, la famiglia, e sole, nevica, e la clima freddissima! Ma, infatti questa vacanza era necessario per io.

Addesso all lavoro non c'è molte cose per fare perchè gli altri stanno scrivendo i suoi tesi. Io non ho un progetto ancora perchè ho una problema con mia VISA. Quindi, se io recivo il Nulo Osta prima di 30 di gennaio io torno per applicarla. Se no, io torno quando loro mi hanno darla. Non è una problema, ho 90 gironi prima di bisogno di tornare negli Stati. Ma, sarebbe meglio se ho la VISA. Bisogno di imparare di stare tranquillo...Miei amici vi mi conoscere!!!!!! hahaha.

Comunque, sono contento. Ieri sera sono andato a scherma, la parte di preparazione atletica, e sta sera io tiro. E anchè domani, lunì, martì, mercolì, zoba, e venerdì! (Quello era un po' di dialetto)

Ho gìa visto alcuni di miei amici Italiani, e sabato sera io vado fuorì per mangiare ancora con i miei amici!

Questi giorni eranno ingannare perchè era nebuloso ma non c'è pioggia! Che bello! Sopratutto ci sono molte cose per fare nel poco tempo.... buco lupo a me!

Le foto sono arrivano!!!!!!

L'ultima festa negli Stati col i amici a Zeppelin Hall

Well! Looks like my days for spending half my time in the Martin Science Library burying myself in my organic text book is long gone! I am so fortunate that that chapter in my life is well behind me. Don't get me wrong, I loved college and all of my experiences, but the year that I took organic chemistry is all just a blur haha... Well, maybe just that one class.

I actually strolled in the door at 2:30 am, and my parents were still up because you know parents, they can't go to bed until they know that their offspring are safe and secure in their beds. Plus, it was snowing to top it all off. Luckily I wasn't locked out of the house like my sister was. Except, the only difference between her and I, is that I know where the spare key is hidden.

Getting to Zeppelin Hall was very interesting. I was meeting my friend at the Kings in Bedminster, NJ so we could drive over together in one car. However, his GPS took him so far out of his way that he ended up getting lost. So, I decided to go off looking for him... not smart, but I finally found him. The funny thing is is that if he just ignored the GPS and continued traveling straight he would have arrived at Kings in no time. By the time we decided to leave, it was already 30 minutes past our proposed departure. Luckily our friends haven't left yet either. But we all eventually made it to Jersey City, and the night was able to commence!

I am not going to lie. I am not a beer drinker and I prefer my spritz (Italian aperativo) sopratutto (above all,) but the beer at this beer was excellent! So many varieties to choose from.

Anyway... I depart tomorrow for Italy! Ci vediamo in Italia... o forsè domani mattina prima del mio volo! 

New Year, New Beginngs

This coming Saturday I depart for Italy, and I am a bit apprehensive. The good news is that my appointment with the prosthodontist went swimmingly! My temporary crown is in place, and my permanent will be ready for February. This means I need to come back from Padova. However, I have to anyway... One word... The word I dread... You guessed it! VISA! I am proud to say that I was finally able to research the Consulate in New York, and talked to the supervisor. As it turns out, I need to apply for the Study/Research Visa, and need only to produce two documents at my interview in February; my passport, and a document from the Labor Department in Italy. This document should have been sent to me automatically back in July of 2009, but you have heard my complaints before so I will spare you the agony of my ranting over and over again. I need to learn from these differences. It is a growing experience. Not everything will go my way, and different cultures and societies approach things differently. So this will get done... Just have to come home which I hope the people at the lab will understand, and I am sure they will!  If I don't get this visa I risk being deported and imprisoned! Something I want to avoid. Could you imagine me in prison? The crappy food I would have to eat? Well... I mean I survived college, and my dinning hall service also catered to prisons! That's right! F&M food and prison food were the same! Haha!

My suitcase is nowhere near packed, and I decided not to bring my skis back. However, I will bringing my ski outfit, because I do intend to hit the slopes with some buddies when I return. Tomorrow, I am heading up to Jersey City to hangout with my buddies before my big trip back. Friday night, birthday dinners at an elegant diner! Yes! The SkyLark Diner! The food there is high end!

As I get ready for my new year in which I will travel to new places, explore new areas of my research, take the dreaded GRE in Milano, and have the final installment of my dental work completed. To be honest I could have 2 lbs of white truffles with the money I spent on mouth! As always the aroma and taste of white truffles is always orgasmic! But alas, my mouth comes first, and I prefer to have dental work done on my turf! The USA!

Apart from all this drama, I am looking forward to tomorrow night, and my trip back... Everyone has been asking when I am getting back. SPRITZ time and more dinners yall! Non vedo l'ora!

Always remember... Keep it rocking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Places I want to see in 2010: Go to London, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, and Prague

Wow! Sorry I haven't updated the blog in a while! So much as happened since my last post... I think it was a friends birthday! haha.

Anyway, I had a wonderful time with my parents, was invited to a friends graduation in Padova... LOTS of fun!

To be honest, I really enjoyed coming home, despite the long flight (9 hrs) ugh! Plus... I am not a big fan a flying even though it is still the safest way to travel.

Christmas and New Years this year were all low key. But coming home to a well decorated house always surmounts those holiday spirits that lay dormant until just after Thanksgiving (which I happened to celebrate in Italy)! I have been in Jupiter, Florida for the past week and I am leaving today. I am returning back to Padova, Italy on Saturday. I am going to be working on my own project upon my  return. Also, I am going to be traveling within Italy more... I am living there so I have no excuse not to take a train and jump to another city over the weekend.

Going back to my discussion of Florida. Florida was FREEZING! A massive cold front moved through...But, I was able to spend time with my cousins and eat FANTASTIC foods! It's always a blast in Florida despite the unusually cold temperatures for this time of year.

I have however, gotten my fix of Thai and Sushi! Who knows the next time I will be eating that cuisine again. :D