Bye Rach and Astrid (sniff!)

The end of summer announced itself with a bang - literally, another of those thrilling Roman thunderstorms that I have come to love. Rolling rumbles of thunder at 3am followed by brilliant lightning and drumming rain.

And in the morning, the temperature was 10 degrees cooler. Just like that.

It also brings the end to intern season, and it's suddenly time to say farewell to the girls who have been my boon companions these first few months. From that first carefree beach bash in July, to nights in Trastevere, songs ringing in the stairwells of the Castell Sant Angelo at 3am, and impulse buys at market stalls along the Tevere. We've shared tears and ridiculous giggles, life stories, good times, stressful times (Tiny scottish Rach has also been juggling part time work and some study while she's here. Danish Astrid hasn't had to care about any of that. But somehow this odd couple has worked brilliantly!). My 'summer of mojito and prosecco' would never have been the same without them. (I might've seen a few more Saturday mornings though, instead of emerging middle of the afternoons... this is the difference between 23 and 35!)

Now I have to start all over again on this 'making friends' caper. This is the downside of living as an expat in a place like Italy... I wonder if all my friends will eventually up and leave, and whether we will ever feel like we belong. Sniff.