The last supper arrived and it only took me a short wait at the bus stop to start crying. That’s beside the point, though.
We arrived at Etabli, a beautiful Italian restaurant up the street from Piazza Navona. Everyone got dressed up and looked super handsome, and I could tell we were all very invested in the night. Additional to the wait staff, the food was excellent. We started off with the traditional antipasti of meats and cheeses, as well as wonderful bread. Our main course was a serving of pasta, which was elegantly spiraled into a tasty mass in the deep bowl. Our food was paired with red and white wine, and I think it may have been my favorite white wine of the trip.
When we slowed down with dinner, the mushy gushy part of the night started, also known as my favorite part. Mitch and Jordan volunteered to create superlatives for everyone, which I had mentioned to do at the beginning of the trip. My superlative was “Most likely to be a squeaky toy at the pet store.” This fit me completely well because I squeal and squeak with (mostly) excitement multiple times a day, and everyone knows I love animals. I was honored to accepted my recognition. We then listened to everyone reminisce briefly about their experiences from the trip, which was such a sweet way to conclude our time together. I gave everyone a hand-written note, and I think they all really appreciated it. We finished our time at Etabli with a delicious tiramisu and coffee. I ordered a cappuccino for the first time in my life, and once I put a little over a packet of sugar in it, I was able to enjoy the taste of the drink.
The Hofstra Romans left the restaurant so Professor Hillebrand could pay the bill and so we could get gelato from Gelateria de Teatro. This was my third time ordering from there Wednesday, and I did not regret a second of it. This may have very well been the most delicious gelato I had ever tasted in my life. I would love to compare flavors side by side with the gelateria in Florence.
As a way to spend time together, Professor Hillebrand planned to roam the streets of Rome one last time. The group of us headed to Piazza Navona for a quick photohoot, and then met with the professors at the Pantheon. We hung out there for a bit before heading to the Trevi Fountain. We ended the trip where we started, but with more memories, education and friendships than we could have ever imagined.
To make the most of our last night, Sarah, Lauren, Mitch, the twins and I went out to enjoy the nightlife and views of Rome one last time. It may have been one of the wildest and best nights of my life.
sarawhitmanythoughts 