About 7:45 AM, he introduced me to Abigail, an American student. She told me that they are also going to Rome, she invited me to escort them. I thanked her, but I promised anyway to join them in their trip to the train station. At 8:00 AM, I was leaving the ship, dressed in an Italian dark blue T-shirt (I got from Egypt in fact), Egyptian beige shorts, Chinese yellow socks, and Italian dark blue shoes (I got from Austria in fact!!). :) I met Earnest again. Some students were waiting for a bus to go to the train station, and others were going in a trip for Italian film production studios! Earnest introduced me to Alok  (?), an Indian student..but he is exactly the same as all my Indian friends; smart and funny! :) Earnest introduced me as well to Maria Khalifa, and that was a surprise!! :)

I know Maria will be surprised how I got this photo! Maria is an Egyptian girl, who was born and lives with her Egyptian family in the US. She speaks the cutest Arabic I have ever heard! Moreover, she learnt lots of Egyptian slang words (and bad names as well!!) outside Egypt..which is great!!!! :) She told me on that day that she will visit the studios because she is a communication student.

So, once I arrived to the train station, and I got the ticket. I took the 9:00 AM train. It was again one of those two levels train! I spent the time between Civitavecchia and Rome reading the map, and searching for the places I have not been for. I realized that there are only 2 important places; Castle of Saint Angelo, and Trevi fountain. So, since the castle is located inside the vatican as my map indicated, I left the train in Rome Saint Pietro station at 10:00 AM.

For my surprise, after taking this photo, they asked me about my country..so I said Egypt! I was surprised to know that the mother of the guy and his sister is actually Egyptian!!! And.. the girl said: "I know two Arabic words...shokran..and habeebi!!" :))

I told the guy this is too much. I cannot pay all this. So, he said..ok pay 100 US$ and it yours! So, I said it is still too much..So he said pay 50 US$ and it is yours (Imagine this!!)
I said..look, the maximum I can pay is 35 US$!! :) I was surprised to find him saying okay!!! It is yours!!!!!!!!! :) I was planning to ask for only 25 US$..but the bag was really expensive as it looks..! A brown leather bag, hand made in Italy..!! So, I got it for one fourth its price!!! Strange!

I was introduced to Dean Denny and Professor William (Bill) Griswold. Professor Bill asked me to repeat my real name, then he said: "You pronounce it with 3ein? (which the way my name is pronounced in Arabic "Mo3taz"). I was surprised, but he told me that it is similar to Momtaz, which he has seen a lot in Turkey. Bill spent a very long time teaching English in Turkey, that is why he knows some Arabic! :)

Dean Denny asked me whether this is my first experience abroad. I told him that I just returned from Austria after spending my practical summer training. He asked where exactly, and I said Steiermark. He asked: "in Leoben?!" I was really amazed because how on earth could he identify the place where I have been..the small Leoben!! He continued that he spent about 12 years in Austria. He also told me that I should talk to Reinard Heinisch, who is an Austrian professor on board of the ship..from Carinthia!