The Trek Back to America

My last day in Florence I spent my last few hours with friends and walking around the city taking my last pictures.  Pictures from the market, I realized, I hadn't shared yet soooo...

Upstairs, you have the fruit and vegetable vendors

while downstairs you have the fresh meats, cheeses and breads

and by fresh meat I mean fresh meat!!!

Of course they also have whole chickens, 

cow heads, tongues, and other random animals.

I also climbed the stairs of the Duomo my last day with Jordan and her sister and it was a really good time to reflect on my time there because you could see the whole city.  It was crazy to think when we first got there we all had our maps out whenever we went somewhere and now we knew where pretty much everything was.

This is my side of the river...

But Yes.  I'm home!!

So Saturday, my morning started in Florence Airport where rumors had been flying of long lines and strict rules.  The rumors were true.

First, they tell me I cannot leave my rackets in my carryon (even though I flew in with them there and when I asked they told me I can't go through security).  I asked to check them as sporting equipment that way they wouldn't break.  The lady refused.  She made me put them in my suitcase which was already stuffed.  I had to sit on top of it to get it zipped after I put my rackets in.  It was very awkward.  

Then she weighs my suitcases which are right on the weight limit.  Then she weighs my carryons.  I have never had my carryons weighed.  I always cram stuff in there so of course they are overweight and I have to take like 5 kilos out.  She tells me to put it in my suitcase (which she just said was right on the money) and doesn't charge me extra.  Why she wouldn't let me leave my carryon I don't know why.  But I had to go off to the side and repack stuff some so when I went back with my last suitcase, the lady had left and so I had to go to a different lady.

This lady tried to tell me I had already checked in two bags and I'm like umm No!  Finally, about 5 minutes of arguing later, she looked on the other lady's desk where my tag was sitting.  Punks!!

So my porfolios weigh like 20 pounds which is how much your carryons can weigh so I tried to beat the system.  I asked another girl behind me in line to hold them while I went and had my stuff weighed and then after, I got them back from her.  It worked cause security just assumes everything meets the weight limits when you go upstairs.

I finally made it out of Florence to Frankfurt where luckily our plane was delayed because we ran to catch it but had to get our passports stamped and then go through security again.

It was my turn to get my passport stamped and the guy looks at it, calls someone else over and they talk for about 10 minutes and scan my passport several times so I'm not really sure what that was about but I finally made it through and went running to go through security where I was the lucky girl to get a full patdown after going through the metal detector.  But I did make the flight with a few minutes to spare!

Then it was off to America and I 

arrived in Washington!  I had to go through customs which was a rat race.  After we got our passports stamped, we had to get our luggage.  Mine was luckily one of the first ones through so then I went through customs, rechecked my luggage, and went running to find my next flight. I had to take a shuttle which took around 5 seconds (which was about 9 minutes and 55 seconds longer than I thought it might take) so I actually had about 30 minutes to relax before my last flight.

And then I made it to Charlotte where mom, dad, and Amy were waiting for me.  Once again my luggage was one of the first ones out (I think they were making up for losing mine when I first went to Florence) and as soon as I saw my biggest suitcase, I yanked it off the conveyer belt and ripped it open and inspected my rackets which thankgoodness were not broken!!! I was so relieved and I immediately put them in my backpack where they should have been the whole time!!

Please note the non broken rackets:

At the car, they had a dozen of Krispy Kreme and a Cheerwine waiting on me!!

When I was at home unpacking, I found a note saying my suitcase had been searched.  I also found the bubble wrap around a bottle of olive oil slit open.  I am mostly unpacked and I am getting my haircut today.  I'm also going shopping for jeans since I have none now.  Mine had chemical stains all over them from the dark room so I just left them in Italy.  

I am definitely still on Italian time.  I haven't been taking naps trying to get over jet lag faster but I went to bed about 8 Sunday night after drinking some caffeine (which only peps me up for about 20 minutes) and took some sleeping pills but only managed to sleep until about 1.  

Full suitcases do not mix well with jet lag, 

a comfy bed you haven't slept in 

for four months, and lack of motivation!

I also haven't adjusted back to the culture yet. 30 seconds into my American experience at Washington, I ran into people just because you have to do that to get anywhere in the streets in Italy.  Woops!  I have to remember I'm not in Italy any more!  It still surprises me when I walk around and realize I can actually understand EVERYTHING people are saying.  It feels so weird!

It's weird because I'm experienceing more culture shock now comingback to America than when I went to Italy.

Yesterday, I went shopping at Target and pointed out the Euro store to Amy without even thinking (I was referring to the dollar spot) and sadly, when I went to find Italian bread, they only had the americanized kind.  They also don't have plain marinara sauce here except in a can.  There are many things I will miss.  Especially the friends I've made and the girls of MC17!  But the things I won't miss at all is being away from all my friends and family...and people to play tennis with :)

the last of the lasts

This is for the family golfers...They had a tournament.  Tee off the Ponte Vecchio onto the green which is in the middle of the river.  They had like 6 holes I think.  Talk about a water hazard!

So my final week is almost up and I have my suitcases basically packed and probably overweight.  This week I have been soaking up the last bit of Italian life for a while.  Sunday, I went to my last Fiorentina soccer match.  Oh my gosh was it a humbling experience...

The sky was awesome

And luckily, the storm missed us

So we get on the bus all excited...I have on my jersey thinking I'm all cool and showing spirit or whatever and Kate has on a Fiorentina sweatshirt too.  She tells me that a friend told her that "real" soccer fans only wear the club's scarves.  I'm like well the last time I went everyone else had on jerseys and everything.  We get on the bus and on our way, police go whizzing by with thier sirens blasting.  They were definately escorting the Fiorentina team bus.  That was exciting.  While we are on the bus, we notice everyone has on scarves.  Aparently, I forgot that the last game I went to was with the school and everyone around me was a student.  Whoops.  

So we are sitting on the bus and everyone is looking at us and talking about us...in Italian of course.  It was VERY awkward.  As we get off, a lady figures out what we are talking about and tries to make us feel better and says "Bellisimo"  It didn't really help.

We get off feeling awkward and start heading toward our section in the stadium.  We are at the very last one so it's like a 10 minute walk from the front.  We go through security and I'm waiting for Kate.  Apparently her SLR camera is not allowed.  They tell her she has to put it in a locker somewhere so we head off to find the locker but to no avail.  We go back and they are kind of mad but one of the guys walks us over to where it is supposed to be (at the front where we first came in so this is our 2nd 10 minute walk to the front).  He can't find it and asks around.  No one knows where it is.  We walk back.

So we go back in past security but not actually into the fan part yet and he walks around trying to figure out where it is.  So we keep going in and out of where fans are coming in and the security people are like "Wait ticket" but we keep walking.  

Then a guy gets on the radio so everyone knows about us.  He finally gives up and we go to the other place that has lockers.  Which is on the other side of the stadium.  We definitely walked around the stadium a couple times...without scarves on.  Finally we find the lockers which are not lockers but an ambulance who puts stuff in plastic bins.  Luckily, I just brought the little camera.  We later found out that the camera was not allowed because you could throw it onto the field if you got too upset and start a fight.

But Fiorentina did win.  There were only 5 yellow cards and two people had to be carried out on stretchers.  However, once they got to the sidelines, they were miraculously healed and came running back onto the field.  They took faking it to a whole new level.  

Warming up

I also had my last Italian classes this week.  I actually ended up with As in all my classes so that's exciting.  For advertisement, we had to do car commercials and one of the cars my group did was Volkswagen.  Yeah definitely spelled it Volkswagon.  He asked me about it and asked if I knew it was German.  I said yes but I thought we were presenting in English.  He said well why didn't you call it peoplewagon then.  I got a minus for that.  But later on I made to slick comments and got it erased and ended up with an a.  

Wednesday, we all went to the best restaurant in Florence.  It was amazing.  Soo good.  We got there when they opened at 7:30 and didn't leave until they closed at like 10:30.  I am going to miss long leisurely meals like that.

I also went to Assisi for the last time for a while yesterday.  It was rainy but it was still soo pretty.  They had a life-size nativity in the yard at St. Francesco as well as a contemporary one in the piazza thing in front of it.  That was my favorite.  We tried to make the 5:18 train but we missed it and the next one didn't leave until 7:18 so we decided to get some supper (Jordan and her sister came with me).  We go into one restaurant which had open in the window might I add and the guy acts all weird.  Apparently he's not open and thinks we are crazy because "no one opens for dinner here until 7:30!"  Luckily, good ol McDonalds was open so we ate there.  My second and last McDonalds meals while here this semester!  This one had a McDrive.

I have two suitcases packed that could possibly weigh too much and I'm going out today to take a few more pictures and a few more Christmas presents though I'm not sure how much room I have...

Liz left this morning.  Megan leaves tonight for Rome where she is flying out of and everyone else leaves tomorrow.

Correct Spelling

One reason why spelling should be taught at a young age...

Check it out

I found something you might find interesting and possibly even motivate you to not get seconds at this year's christmas dinner!

Only in Italy...

Only in Italy can you...

lose a pet alligator 

Put a whole new meaning on personal style

write a letter to Santa and see him read it!!

see Italian reindeer!

See tall Elves...they must have been inspired by Buddy

Can I also add the Santas here are slightly thinner than those in America 

(even statues and stuff)

See more Christmas Pictures!!

A Day of Firsts

So today is the a day of many firsts such as...

sprinting to catch a train

going to Lucca

attending a major photo exhibition

4 euro pizza that was aMAZing

rode on a 2 story train

ate an Italian donut fresh out of the grease and dipped in sugar mmm!!

saw real snow capped mountains and I mean like the kind out see in magazines

I went to Lucca on a field trip to a photo exhibition featuring many photographers including the World Press Winner so it was pretty awesome though we didn't make it to all the exhibitions. They were having another festival there so Kate and I stopped to get a donut and then she stopped to get some peppermint sticks and nuts at one of the vendors.  

We were already pushing it to make it back to the train so we sped walked to the station where Kate got her ticket and checked the board for the platform number.  Of course the machine wouldn't take my money so she had to pay and then the little stamper machine didn't stamp my ticket (Kate is yelling at me the whole time cause she can see the train) Finally, she grabs it and apparently it was validated the date stamp just didn't work.  So we take of in a dead sprint jump on the train and whatdya know the train was 4 minutes behind so we took a moment to catch our breath before the train started.

Classes this week...

Finals next week...

America next weekend...

Body Image

Ever wonder why, no matter how hard you try, you can never look like the girls on magazine covers??  This is why  You are trying to look like something that is not real.

Chin Up

The Good: I am caught up if not ahead for my final projects...

The Bad: We have no heat and no hot water

The Ugly: No showers until the hot water is back can look pretty ugly

They offered to put us up at a hostel until it's fixed but it isn't really that cold to me so I'm staying at the apartment with Jordan and Liz.

So off the record, I've been counting down the days for about a month and a half now.  

But for the record...15 days until I leave...16 until I'm back home

so heaven really can fit in a box

Thanks for the package mom and dad and everyone who put stuff in it!!!!

A few days later...

So Wednesday, I took a day off from school (yes I skipped my only class that just happened to last 5 hours...) and did nothing related to school.  I was going to sleep in but some unfortunate events prevented that so I worked on my website some more and went to lunch with Jordan.  I had Chinese!!  It was very good.  I had sweet and sour chicken with pineapple.  It was awesome cause they served it inside half a pineapple that had been carved out.  

Oh and a side note...I picked a good day to skip I guess cause only three people showed up to class (there are like 10 people in the class).

I celebrated Thanksgiving today!  I took myself out to brunch compliments of mom and dad and went to the American Breakfast where I had hash browns, pancakes with strawberry jelly and real syrup, and a strawberry milkshake.  Mmmm.  That was probably THE best milkshake I have ever had.

I would have gone on Thanksgiving Thursday but these silly Italians didn't give us the day off.  For some reason they don't celebrate Thanksgiving.  Go figure.  I stayed at school until about 10 printing and the likes.

I also went Christmas shopping today.  Although I ended up buying a couple things for me :/ But oh well.  I like them!

So I guess I got Thanksgiving and black friday in one one day which was neither a friday or a thursday but rather a Saturday...

Several of the girls are out of town this weekend so I am taking advantage of the emptier apartment and lounging around today although I might try to find some more gifts.  Tomorrow however, I must take more pictures for class.

Until then...

A little history and a little thanks

Last Sunday was a treat.  I got to meet with the guy who started Gospel Fellowship.

This is from earlier in the semester.  

This is about how many we have every Sunday.

The current pastor and his wife are squatting on the front left.

But anyway...the man who started the church Stuart is from California and currently resides in Portugal.  He came to Florence about 6 years ago I think with a team of people to start an international church here.  They stayed here for two years, spent hundreds of euros and were finally denied their visas by the Italian government and had to leave.  They left the church in the hands of Maurizio who is still in charge of it.

But he works with an organization that sends people out to various major cities in western europe to plant international churches.  Check it out

I also went to Assisi again this past week and took loads of pictures.  I was taking some pictures of the whole city at the train station before I took a bus up and I met the nicest old man.  I took a picture of him too but it is on my film camera (don't worry I knew I could handle myself cause I was taller, younger, faster, and stronger than him!)  I think his name is Fede or something.  But I am supposed to find him when I go back to Assisi.  

He started out trying to figure out what I was taking a picture of (I was taking a picture through an opening in a fence covered by vines).  So I try to tell him I'm a student from America because that is about all the Italian I know.  So he is like "Wait here.  I finish my walk and come back and take you to Assisi" (the town itself is about a 3 minute bus ride from the train station).  So in the car, I am trying to talk in extremely broken Italian and then he busts out perfect English.  Mama mia...I hate it when locals pretend they don't speak English!  They did that a lot in Honduras.  They just wait until after you struggle for a few minutes and then start speaking English.

He works at one of the church museums.  It was closed to the public but he took me and showed me around.  I got to see a lot of stuff that is never open to the public so it was pretty awesome.  He also took me to the top afterward so that I would only have to walk downhill rather than uphill.

It's always the Italians outside of Florence that renew my faith in them.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I will probably be spending the whole day in the darkroom printing thankful for Henry William Fox Talbot for inventing the calotype aka the negative process.

Top 10 Things I'm Thankful for in Italy:

1) My photography classes with the exception of Travel Photojournalism.  I am learning so much and I actually feel like a legit photographer now.

2) Trains!  I love the trains here.  They are cheap and easy to use.  I love taking trains even though I've only taken a few for money reasons.

3) 1 and 2 Euro coins.  They have a coin for 1 euro and then 2 euros.  I love having those instead of bills although I feel like I'm spending less than I actually am because my mind is telling me I'm using quarters or something.

4) Calendars starting with Monday.  It makes so much more sense and is easier to write stuff out cause most plans take place Friday through Saturday or Sunday.  On these, you can draw one line and it just looks better.

5) Pashmina they are kind of like scarves but way more awesome!!!

6) NUTELLA!!!!! It always tastes so much better in another country.

7) Pizza Ahhh best ever LOVE it

8) Window displays.  The mannequins actually look like real people with wigs and everything and are decked out.  It is so cool!

9) Outdoor cafes.  Even though I haven't eaten at many since it is cheaper to eat at home, they are really nice (when it's warm) and they are everywhere.

10) Muller's yogurt.  Ohh my gosh it is so much better than yoplait.  It's a German brand.

Pictures Pictures Pictures

Roma from fall break

and Assisi annnnd around town aka firenze

Yall just better be glad the printer wasn't working properly and I had a few extra hours.  baaaahahahaha

A few revelations...

You know you've been in Italy too long when:-you stop converting prices in your head and think of 5 euro as 5 dollars (it's actually like 7 dollars)

--you aren't so fond of pasta and rice (considering you've had it for pretty much every meal excluding breakfast)

--you start drinking the tap water to save money

--you hardly notice when you trip on the uneven pavement...every 5 minutes

--you think back to yesterday and realize "yesterday" was actually a week ago

--the food cravings set in...and boy have they!!

Kripy Kreme...doritos...cheerwine...homemade hot cider...sweet potato...potato casserole...STEAK to name a few

Oh and can I just share a story real quick with you.  My professor came into class one day furious at something that had happened before he got to school and he was venting to us.  He explained why Italians cannot own guns.  He said "we are 60 millions people now and if we had guns today, tomorrow we would only be 30 millions."

I have less than a month left (28 days) and thankfully, we are able to use digital for some of the projects this half of the semester.  So I think I might be able to finish up without stressing as much as I did with midterms.  I am still editing my pictures...I am editing them at school cause I need more ram and they have bridge which I am in love with.  With their inconvenient hours plus all the time I'm in the darkroom leaves me little to no time.  But I will have some up shortly hopefully.

Oh and I saw some nutella christmas ornaments.  They were SO cute but they were like 2 euro which you can get a bottle 5 times that size for less than 2 euro.  So I just opted for a picture.

Yes.  Christmas has arrived in Italy...

before Thanksgiving just like in the states 

(most stores even had decorations out around Halloween!)

One of my friends also took me to a restaurant where they serve "American" breakfast which usually means tourist trap but oh my gosh it was amazing!!  They had everything there...eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes (plain, chocolate, fruity), french toast, regular toast, everything.  Of course I went for the American breakfast and ended up getting a Spanish omlet.  

Oh and they had milkshakes too.  Afterwards, me and Kate went on a walk to take pictures and we ended up where they have olive trees and the really rich people live.  We saw the most beautiful sunset which is where the picture in the post before this is from.

So new development in the last 5 minutes as I was uploading pictures...God does look out for you and has a sense of humor when he shows you (or me anyway).  This weekend I was supposed to go to see a friend but I was not able to go.  I just found out that the girl has bed bugs and so it is a good thing I didn't go because not only would I have gotten them but I would have brought them back and all of my roommates would have gotten them.  These are horrible to have but I mean isn't it amazing God protects you from little things (that you can hardly even see) like bed bugs??  That just makes me smile :)

As promised...

And here is reason number two...

Oh and the first reason 

(as Relient K said)

 "He touched my heavy heart 

and when he did he made it light"

Atenzione

Just for the record... 

God is awesome

...I'll let you know why tomorrow

No More Excuses

How many times have you not done something because it just wasn't you?  I'm guilty of this frequently (although after recent realizations that hopefully will not be the case).  I put myself in a box all the time.  The devil likes to keep us in a box all the time by disguising them as acceptable labels in society.  Like whenever I say "Oh, I'm just not a people person or I was never a science person." As long as we think like this, we won't realize that we are actually just sitting inside of our comfort zones and not living up to our full potential.

Any time we say we just aren't THAT kind of person, we place ourselves in a box.  Either because we think we can't do it or because we are afraid to.  Society says this is ok.  Be yourself, don't challenge yourself because it's not your fault you just aren't THAT kind of person.  

The truth is, I have believed this my whole life until recently.  These "boxes" are conveniently described as acceptable and normal aka comfort zones.  Think about it.  When was the last time you did something challenging for you?  No, something really challenging.  Something you didn't really want to do but you did anyway because you knew you should.  Let me give you an example of something I did this week.

I've always used the excuse I'm just shy to avoid social situations and talking to people I don't know (and yes I know that sounds bad coming from a Communication Arts major).  Well, this week, after Bible study, there was going to be a small group of people getting together after for a potluck dinner.  I never do well meeting new people...especially if I don't even know anyone there which was the case here.  I made Jello to take (strawberry to be exact) and still wasn't sure when I left if I would stay or not.

After the Bible study, I decided to stay because I knew it was time for me to stop making excuses.  I got to know several of the people there, learned a new version of spoons (same concept, no spoons, but you have partners), found 3 people who play tennis, and actually started a few conversations myself.  It was definitely hard for me to just decide to go and not place myself inside the "I'm not a people person" box because it's no fun to be alone in a box.

This morning I was reading 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which says: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

So basically the Scriptures are good for everything but what caught my attention is that it helps you train in righteousness so that "ALL God's people (that's you and me) may be thoroughly equipped for EVERY good work."  

Now, it doesn't say equips you for some good works and me for others.  It equips everyone for every good work.  If we place these labels on ourselves, how can we do every good work.  I mean, God made me to share the gospel.  So if I place myself in the "I'm not a people person" box then how am I going to share with those I don't know?  It says I can be thoroughly equipped.  Not partially.  Thoroughly.  

So just start being aware of when you label yourself.  I do it all the time and never thought twice about it but now I catch myself doing it all the time.  Never choose to not act simply because you think you aren't made for that.  You are.  God made you for every good work and has thoroughly equipped you.

Do one hard thing today.  Challenge yourself.  Don't use labels as an excuse instead, pursue a life with no excuses so that you can live up to God's expectations.  After all, would you rather reach the potential God has for you or the potential society offers?

It'll be harder but I'm thinking I'll stick with God and stop making excuses.

This, that, and aliens?

Sooo yeah haven't edited the pictures from fall break yet so you'll just have to work on your patience but in the mean time...

Ordinarily, you can never predict what is going to happen when you are in another country.  For example, I go to fashion photography assuming I am going to hear a lecture on fashion of the 80s and 90s (which is what we have been studying).  After the first twenty minutes, we drift off to other topics including a 45 minute lecture on anorexia, another 45 minute lecture on drugs, annnnnnd yet another 45 minute lecture on aliens.  The first two I can understand but the alien...well no one in the class knew if the teacher was being serious or not but then again we usually don't.  But that is how unpredictable days are here....you never know what to expect.

Speaking of classes, today in class, my teacher (this is the same one that gave the alien speech) told me I look like one of his friends.  I said oh is that good or bad to which he replied Oh she's ten years old.  Ok I know I look 13 but 10???  Hopefully when I'm 50 I will still look younger than half my age baaaaahahahaha

The good news is that we aren't doing as much film work as before so hopefully finals won't be as stressful and lacking in sleep as midterms.  Hopefully.

I also ate at a Mexican restaurant which was way overpriced and didn't even taste like Mexican food.  It was more southwestern.  I split a bean burrito with Jordan which cost about 12 US dollars (I could have made one just as tasty).  Oh and the menu was in Italian so it was quite disappointing.  

I also made it a month without nutella (technically more than a month by 4 days  but who's counting).  So I treated myself to a jar.  It's been 4 days and I still have some left.  I haven't over indulged either.  I found some plantain chips at a store today so I splurged on those.  They are so good.  The first time I had them was in Honduras...with nutella...mmmmmm

Speaking of nutella....one of the girls in my classes has a website and needs help with it so I am going to try and help her.  She said she would pay me by buying me one of the economy size nutellas.  This is the size the stores use. Like the picture below.

Please notice how the jar is bigger than my head:

So my plan is to binge on Nutella and get the girls to eat some too and eat it all before I leave, pack stuff in it, and CARRY ON!!! Oh yeah I am so excited!  And thennnn I'll just eat super healthy for a week to make up for it but wait a minute, I'm getting home just in time for Christmas dinners and such soo I'll just run a little extra.  Gotta have that Nutella!

I tripped again today.  Though not a complete wipeout like before it was still embarrassing.  I laughed out lout at myself (I thought it was pretty funny) and this guy walking beside me was trying to act like he didn't see it (even though I know he did) and he looked over at me and was trying very hard not to laugh so I just sped up so he could laugh...I could definitely hear him after I walked past...

So it is now almost 11pm here and that is way too late for a 10 year-old so I must leave you with a quote from the office as said by Andy (and yes he's talking in the third person): Andy Bernard does not lost contests.  He wins them.  Or he quits them.  Because they're unfair."

Top 5

These are all in no particular order...

Top 5...

Foods I Miss:

1) Doritos - I haven't even seen any here. 

2)Plain Cheese - The cheese is so strong here but apparently I'm the only one who feels that way.  And they don't have cheddar...

3) Krispy Kreme - They don't really have doughnuts here...But I crave these at home anyway!

4)Sandwich meat - One of the downfalls of not having preservatives.  You just get meat right off the animal.  They don't really slice anything except salami.

5) Cheap Peanut Butter - A jar about the size of my fist costs about 6 or 7 US dollars (A jar of nutella 3 times the size costs the same price)

Foods I will miss:

1) Prosciutto Pizza - I have a feeling pizza won't appeal to me as much when I go back.

2) Pane Tuscana - I will probably miss this the most.  It's the typical tuscan bread.  You can buy it freshly made at the market.

3) Gelato - It's basically awesome

4) Hot waffles served with melted nutella - Mmmm but this is quite expensive and I've only had one but I can make these at home (you should try it out too)

5) Calzone con prosciutto e formaggio - I had this in Rome and was a little wary but it is now one of my new favorite meals!

Things I miss:

1) Lined paper - They use graph paper here as regular notebook paper.  It gives me a headache to write and study.

2) Smooth roads - The roads are very uneven and I frequently trip (although I no longer jump over the chains).  You always have to look down when you walk so you don't wipeout and it's hard to wear anything but tennis shoes or flats.

Things I will miss:

1) Walking everywhere - I love being able to just walk wherever.  Even if it's 30 minutes away (that I consider a short walk now!)

2) Being able to take a train wherever - the trains are cheap here.  I can go an hour away to like Sienna, Pisa, Assisi for about 20 US dollars round trip.

3) The Market - I love buying from the market.  They always have the freshest produce and breads and meat.

4) Window shopping - The Italians take great pride in their window displays.  They always look perfect.  The downside is, if you go in, they expect you to buy something because you should be able to tell if the store is in your price range or not and if you like their clothing based on the window display.  Needless to say I do more window shopping than actual shopping.

5) Hearing Italian - Although  not much is spoke in the center, it really is a beautiful language.

Places in Firenze:

1) Villa Bardini - This is a garden that overlooks the city.  I love going here because I feel like I'm not in the city even though I am.  

2) The Arno - Everything is more peaceful here.  Not as many tourists. Plus I can see mountains from here!

3) Piaza Michelangelo - You can see all of Florence here and is beautiful.

4) Santa Crocce at night - The church is so big and at night it is just amazing

5) Oltrano - I can get lost in the streets here because it is so quiet and peaceful

I will be posting more frequently the next couple of weeks because after that I probably won't have as much time since I will be having even more work to finish this half of the semester.

Before and After (2 months)

Before: I had no sense of direction and would get lost everywhere...like department stores

After: I am baller with a map!! I can actually know which way to go without looking at a map when I take random side streets.

Before: 30 minute car rides seemed long

After: 30 minute walks are short

Before: I had never explored cities before (or lived in one)

After: I like to explore by walking (even if it takes an hour to get to where I need to go) because you can see more of the city.

Before: The city life appealed to me

After: I want more space

Before: I cautiously crossed the street

After: I take chances...if you don't you will never get across the road here.  In Rome, the cars never stop unless you are actually in front of them and then they slam on their brakes.  I crossed a 5 lane circular intersection once and saw my life flash about every 5 seconds.  Florentine streets now seem easy to cross.

Before: I would avoid bumping into people on the crowded streets.

After: I run right into them (if I can't get around them of course).  It's like playing chicken.  You walk straight towards one another and even though you are pinned against a wall and the other person can go around you they don't and walk past as you have to stop and stand plastered against the wall while they pass.  Oh and like today, they were doing construction so I was trying to turn a corner where there was only room enough for one person to go through.  A lady was just standing there waiting and I obviously needed to get through and she didn't move so I stopped and said Excuse me in Italian and she still didn't move.  At this point I was like standing right in front of her (within a few inches).  She still didn't move so I just pushed my way through and apologized.  Mama mia (Italians actually say that...frequently).

Before: I thought a lot of people didn't take school seriously (sadly including a few teachers)

After: All Italian teachers take their classes seriously (most are professionals who teach on the side so they are extremely passionate about their field of study).  The teachers expect a lot more out of the students here than schools do at home.  A lot more.

Before: I thought I didn't like ice cream

After: I discovered gelato (not actually ice cream but the Italian version)

Before: Tshirts and jeans were my typical dress but they brought many stares and looks from the stylish Italians.

After: I dress up and blend in more but receive more comments from the creepers.

Before: In America, you walk down the street and no one says anything to you.

After: You can't go out the door without receiving at least one comment within the first five minutes (if you're a girl...guys have it easy).

Before: I associated Gypsies with the kind in Disney movies (like the Hunchback)

After: Florentine Gypsies are nothing like that and cause major problems.

Before: I was never the minority

After: I've experienced it in multiple areas, situations, and settings.  I also have a better understanding of how Hispanics feel in the States.  A lot of people are rude and obnoxious to them because they don't want them there...the same is true about Americans here.

Before: No one liked Americans (this is only a slight exaggeration)

After: My Italian professor walked in and said with the election of Obama, America has found favor with the Italians once more (and most every other country from what the other international students say).

Before: I thought I would love Italy

After: My heart is still in Honduras. 

Before: 111 days to study in Italy

After: 44 days til I come home

Before: Not sure of any more international travel

After: 256 days til I go to Honduras again!!

Just a Taste

So fall break is over and I'm already busy again.  I will do a real post soon but in the mean time, here are some pictures for you.  I went to Pisa, Florence, Assisi, and Rome with my friend from Paris who came for the weekend.

I will have my real pictures up and running hopefully by next week!

Ciao!

and thus it begins...

So Fall break is almost half over and with the knowledge that I am halfway through a little homesickness has started creeping in.  So I came up with 2 ways to deal with it. 

Step 1: Carve a pumpkin for Halloween

This is Leonard's Innards

This would be Leonard 

(to whom the innards belonged to)

Isn't Leonard cute all lit up with his unibrow??

This is Leonard from our apartment window

(he's on the left)

Step 2: Throw the 10 Euro weekly food budget out the window 

and fix a 5 course dinner over a 3 hour period

Course 1: Egg drop soup

Course 2: Refried beans

Course 3: Steamed Veggies and Pasta

Course 4: Peach Jello

Course 5: Chocolate Pudding 

(Jello brand from home!!)

Mom, you would be proud...I've taught these girls several dishes to cook (ones that I've learned from you) and Luisa loves your life lessons dad such as...if you have to ask how much it is, it's too much and you can't get fat off of free food.  

But enough reminiscing, it will only make me more ready to come home and I have not yet finished here yet.  I wanted to go to Fiesole today but due to inclement weather, I was unable to so I will try again tomorrow.  

My friend from Paris is coming Wednesday and we will be touring Florence of course as well as Rome, Assisi (I've been waiting about 10 years to go back there), and possibly Venice this weekend before she leaves Sunday.  I can't wait to see her!!

Fall Break

So I survived midterms.  Wednesday, after my last portfolio presentation, I came home around 10 slept til 3 and went back to bed around 4 and got up again around 7 for dinner and went back to bed around 9.  The following day was very similar but I did manage to make it to Fiesole to get away from the city life.  This is a church that was there.  

Fiesole is a mountaintop village that overlooks Florence.  It is about a 20 minute bus ride away.  Of course I had to be the typical tourist and get my picture made with the city in the background.  Sadly, it was very overcast when we went but it was still amazing.

This is downtown Fiesole.  It was so quiet and peaceful.  I could actually cross the street without having my life flash before my eyes from crazy motos (mopeds)

Here is one of the many overlooks in the city.

And of course one artsy one...

So this week is fall break and I'm excited to actually have time.  I am going to stay around Florence catching up on the touristy things because I haven't had time to see most of the sites and plus I don't really have the money to travel so I will just enjoy the touristy spots of town this week.  Next weekend, my friend studying abroad in Paris is coming to see me.  We are going to Rome and Assisi for sure and possibly Venice depending on finances.  

I plan on going back to Fiesole to take some pictures on a more sunny day.  They also have an "American" grocery store there.  I say American because it has aisles, organized shelves, and buggies.  Plus they had pretty cheap stuff so me and Luisa bought a bag full of groceries.  I splurged on some salami and provolone cheese.  Both of which is already gone.  I did fry the salami in hopes of having it taste similar to bacon.  I failed.  It tasted more like bologna but it was pretty good.  That is the first fried food I have had here.  

So more pictures will be here soon after fall breaking!

Pronto

I have been frequenting Villa Bardini just to get away from the city (plus to take pictures for class.  It is one of the many gardens and has a nice view overlooking the city.

The other night, Luisa and I were walking and came upon this band traveling through playing in the street to get their name out.  They are very cool.  I love them.  They are the Cyclown Circus.  They have a very big band type music with a jazz feel and the girl sings and has a very 30sish sound.  I bought their cd which is the best purchase I've made here.  I was listening to it and imagine my surprise when I heard the Tiger Rag (Clemson's fight song).  Which made me love them even more!

The trumpet player had a mullet but dreadlocked

Elizabeth and I were sitting in the living room when we hear water running.  Our sink has been dripping for a while but this was a different kind of drip so we run to the kitchen to find the sink overflowing and running into the floor which already had standing water.  The drain declogged itself and went back down (we've been having drainage problems) but me and Elizabeth had to clean the floor and hallway where the water went.  Most of it seeped through to the floor below us before we could get it all up.  The neighbors downstairs didn't say anything about a leaking ceiling so I guess we are safe for now.

Elizabeth cleaning the floor

You can't see it well but there is like a half inch of standing water

The gardens are on the other side of the river so I pass the Arno frequently as well.  Everything is much less crowded over there and much much quieter.  I like it better.

Oh and this is for dad...

Oh and Italian bars are the same as our coffee shops!

I also went to check on the fort again.  This is right outside the entrance.

And then a little old man walked by...so sad and alone 

in the picture anyway not in real life!

And this is the outside of the fort which the police randomly closed for who knows what reason.

Or the "Old Fort" as Amy said :)

So Megan went on a trip this weekend and brought me back a surprise.  You know how hotels have like the little mini butter tubs (for like 1 or 2 slices of bread)?  Well they had them...of Nutella!!! and she brought me back some!!  They are awesome!

So I'm pretty sure these are individual serving sizes but they are definitely NOT the serving size I use!  Megan snagged some honey for herself though!

This is our last week before midterms and being the perfectionist I am, I am reshooting for an entire class this week plus developing so I definitely have my work cut out for me this week.  But I come to expect it because I never follow through with my original plan for projects.  But it'll be totally worth it in the end!

The Little Things

Things I took for granted at home:

--Reliable People

--Dad and Mom to buy me a little somethin somethin on occasion ;)

--The touristless streets of Old Fort

--Walking on smooth concrete and not tripping every few steps

--Free water (like at restaurants)

--Preservatives (the fresh produce is so much healthier here but it only lasts a few days since they don't use preservatives)

--Walmart

--Public tennis courts 

--Mountains

--Not having to pay for all my own food

--Sleeping an entire night without waking up

--Goldfish

--Friends and family who were my support system

--Notebook paper (their "notebooks" have graph paper inside)

Up Up and Away

The masses are starting to get to me.  I can no longer roam the streets of the center because there are just way too many tourists.  I take many side streets to get out of the center and away from the crowds.  Luckily, with photography class, we've been going to different more secluded places to take pictures so I went back this morning to get out of the apartment and away from the center (plus I had to reshoot 2 rolls but I just won't mention that).

We went to an exhibition which was amazing.  They were definitely the best black and white photographs I have ever seen.  They were taken by George Tatge, all within Italy.  I especially enjoyed them because they were all of the country.  

The musuem where the exhibition was held was also connected to the Boboli Gardens.  Apparently, I only made it to the Pitti Palace but never to the actual Boboli Gardens (there are about 50 million entrances to the gardens and that is only a slight exaggeration).

We also walked up toward the top of the city to take architecture photographs.  Coming back down today, I took a different road that followed the old city wall back down to the river.  It was very relaxing and pretty.

And for those of you who don't usually see in black and white...

Tomorrow I'll be taking more pictures of course!  Most of what I shoot is film though since 3 of my classes are film.

My Italian is still struggling.  Instead of spanglish I guess you could call it Spalian.  Although I did win the tongue twister contest in my Italian class.  The other little slackers didn't even practice it so I was the only one.  Oh well I won a chocolate egg with a prize inside!  It was a little face that goes on the top of a pencil.  Yes I'm basically awesome.

I've also gotten Luisa to translate some of my catchphrases for me. My favorite (and one I use most) is:

You wish--Stai Fresco (Sty Fray-sco)

The Arno

The Arno at night

(the picture does not do it justice)

After seeing that, what can I say?