Ciao Firenze, Hello USA

We woke up at 630 Friday morning to get our belongings together for our departure home. We ate our last breakfast at Mama Lo's and got ready to go. Our taxi arrived at 730 to take us to the airport. Getting through the airport was pretty easy minus some people's luggage rearranging due to some weight issues. I literally slept the entire flight from Firenze to Frankfurt except somehow I managed to wake up right as we were passing over the Swiss Alps, it was absolutely breathtaking. Frankfurt airport was a little bit more strict. My friend Chris pretty much had to do everything but strip down to get through security once we did though it was smooth sailing and we walked right on the plane. The flight back was not bad at all. I actually ended up sleeping for 6 hours of it then just watched a movie. Finally, we were on American soil. We waited in customs forever then sailed through immigration. I turned the corner and there were my Poppop and Mommom waiting for me to take me to my cousins wedding and reunite with my family.

The last night :(

So to much of our dismay, our last night in Firenze finally was upon us. Most of the groups had their last dinner with their homestay but since my house had ours the previous night we decided to go to an apertivo for our last dinner in Firenze. We went to one that we had been dying to try, Moyo. It ended up being my favorite apertivo. The drinks (mojitos of course) were so good and the food was excellent. We finished dinner pretty early so we decided to go to Kikuya to get one of their Dragoon beers which is 10%, crazy. It was really nice to spend time the last night with my roommates, just us. After we finished our beers we grabbed some wine and headed to the stairs of Santa Croce to meet up with everyone. We drank some wine there. Everyone came out! It was so fun. We went to Naima for one euro shots then back to Bacco. Then, way too quickly the time came to say goodbye. It was really sad saying goodbye to people that I have spent the last 53 days with everyday. Marie, Alex and I walked back to 7 Via Dia Serragli for our finally time.

By far the best day in Firenze..

Yesterday was by far my absolute favorite day that I have spent here in Firenze. We had our italian final then art class then we planned to spend the day with Mama Lo at her center. Mama Lo and 4 other people started this center for children that have a handicap or disability. It is a place for them to learn, express themselves and most of all just enjoy life. Alex, Marie and I all piled into Mama Lo's car and headed to her center in the country side. The place is absolutely astounding. We first started our tour outside walking through the fields and gardens. There are totem poles all around but they are made but all of the kids at the center! There is this hut made from an old wine barrel that looks like a little play home, pretty much every little kids dream! There is a HUGE dragon created out of wood which all of the kids painted a piece of the wood to create it. She showed us a fountain they created that was surrounded by the beautiful purple artichoke flowers which looked like something out of Avatar. Who would've known that if you don't eat them they grow into something so beautiful. Their outdoor stage is magnificent, I definitely wish I could have seen some of the shows they put on there. Inside there are places for the kids to do crafts, dance and activities. Every piece of art (which there are tons) is created by the children that attend this center. It is absolutely amazing.

I have honestly never been so inspired in my life than I have been on this trip during conversations I have had with Mama Lo and after seeing that place. She is the most extraordinary woman I have ever met and someone I definitely needed in my life. I honestly feel like I was destined to meet her. She once was a model for Roberto Cavalli living in one of the most superficial worlds possible now she spends her time working with disabled children at her center and showing them the beauty of life whether it be through art or dance therapy. Living with her and being able to have these types of conversations with her has made me realize how much we take for granted in the United States and how much we need to stop and appreciate the things around us. Life here is so much more relaxed, people don't get worked up about the little things like they do at home. Mama Lo has inspired me to not fear the future. She also has made me realize that as corny as it sounds, anything is possible. The excuses of not having the money to start or do something you feel passionate about isn't a reason not to, there is always a way. She has also taught me that the people you surround yourself with and the company you keep really affect your life which is something I haven't always believed. All in all after seeing the center, talking to her and just feeling the energy there I have never been so inspired to pursue my goals and the things I want in my life.

When we came home Marie, Alex and I went to one of our favorite salad shops for late lunch. Afterwards, we came home and studied for our two finals which we have this morning. Then I went for what was probably my last run in Firenze and showered. As soon as I heard the country music playing in the kitchen I knew it was time to start cooking dinner. Mama Lo has let me watch/help her make dinner for a few weeks now and it is amazing. Since lastnight was our last dinner together she decided to make our favorite, pasta with pesto, salad and eggplant parmesan. We also decided to go down to our favorite Mini Mart man and pick up a couple bottles of wine for the meal. We usually eat inside but since it was the last night and it was cool enough we set up a candle lit dinner on the terrace. It was beautiful. What is usually about an hour long dinner lasted over two hours! It was so much fun! Mama Lo was telling us stories about groups she had in the past and we talked about some of our favorite times here. Though it was such a great time it was really sad realizing that our time here is up.

Today is our last day here. We have two finals then done! I have some last minute packing to do then plan on enjoying the rest of the day and celebrating with these amazing people I have met on this trip tonight. I can't believe it is almost over, time definitely goes way to fast!

Trouble in Paradise...

So it has been the week of 'lasts,' the last classes, the last trips to our favorite cafes, last minute shopping, last time climbing the BI's stairs (haha). We've been racing around all week trying to find time to get last minute gifts and see places all the while trying to find some time to fit in for studying for our final exams. Not only did I have all this on my plate but Monday night my worst fear happened.

As I was sitting on my bed reading I looked up to my one book shelf where I always keep extra money and my passport and my passport was missing! At first I didn't worry thinking I just misplaced it but after some time of looking it was no where to be found. Then set in panic mode. Alex, Marie and I literally tore apart our entire room searching everywhere from the closets, to trash, to our notebooks. Still not being able to find it I did what any 21 year old would do....called my mom (haha). She calmed me down a bit but knowing me as well as she does she ended up calling me a little while later telling me to relax and go to sleep because she knew I was still up searching...which I was. The following morning I went to the American Consulate and explained the situation. I was petrified walking in there but they were so nice to me. They told me I could get an emergency passport that day which was valid for three months but most importantly could get me back into the states. I decided to wait until the following day to do that as a last option hoping that it would turn up as I packed up my belongings.

Well I am all packed up and it is still no where to be found. It is the most bizarre thing. After my italian exam I went straight to the American Consulate and applied for an emergency passport which was handed to me about an hour later. I personally think it is a sign that I am supposed to stay in Europe but looks like I'll be heading back to the states after all!

And Nothing Else Compares

So it has finally set in this past week that we are leaving so soon. I don't know where time went. I feel like we just got our bearings on the whole city and the whole traveling bit and now we have to leave. However, I'm not letting a second of the rest of this trip go by without enjoying it.

After the Malta trip I was pretty exhausted and ended up sleeping until 1230 the following Sunday! Since their weren't many of us back yet from our weekend trips, Arianna, Paul, Jeff and I all went to Gusta Pizza for lunch then headed to Amadeus to watch the soccer game. There is honestly nothing better than the World Cup in Europe. No matter what game it is there are always people out cheering and going crazy. After the game we all went home to shower then I met up with Jeff and Chris to go to dinner at Gato y Volpe. It was really good and somewhere that everyone I knew whose previously been here told me was a must go. After dinner we had one of their famous "gato bomb" shots. It is pretty much a jaegar bomb on steroids. Following that we hung out at my flat for awhile then I went out with Jeff to meet his two sisters at Bacco for drinks. Before we made it there though we went to Lion's Fountain and the craziest thing happened! The bar was completely empty except for one family...the family was from Cinnaminson! What a small world. After we talked for awhile we ended up going to Salamanca which was really neat. Then came the best part of the night...the secret bakery. Everyone has heard of it but noone on the trip has been able to find it. However, Jeff's sister and her friends knew where it was so we went. It is the most absurd thing. You walk up to this little glass door that looks like it belongs on a shower and knock. A man pokes his head out and asks what you want and then you give him a euro. Soon enough you have a hot chocolate croissant that is so unbelievably good. Even with being there once I still couldn't tell you where it is or how to get there...bizarre.

Monday we had classes as usual then went to lunch at this small sandwich place we heard about next to the Lion's Fountain. We of course had gelato after. Though we were dead set on not going out that night we easily got persuaded to by Jeff giving us the guilt trip that his sisters were here. We went to Salamanca again and had some awesome Sangria.

Tuesday morning we had Dante then went to the American Diner for lunch. We came home and took naps. Alex slept alot longer than I did so I hung out with Matt and attempted to cut his hair but the clippers only would work if you held the cord in a certain position so we finally gave up with only the back of his head being cut. He went to go find a hair salon after but everything was closed! haha So I had to touch up the rest of the pieces with shaving cream and a regular razor. We laid low that night since we had to work on our papers. I got to skype with my mom which was really nice since I've been missing her and hadn't talked to her in awhile. I would seriously do anything for her to be able to come here and experience all the things I am with me. She would absolutely love it here but like she says 'someone has to hold down the fort.'

Wednesday we walked into italian and we had a sub which was kind of a bummer since Susanna (our professor) is so fun and such a good teacher! Now we only have one more class left with her before the final. After class Marie and I grabbed a panino from this Mom and Pop shop where we usually get our waters in the morning. Afterwards she had class so Alex and I went to do laundry together. Once Marie and the other girls were out of class we all went to see Eclipse. It was really neat seeing a movie over here. The theater is so much different and more like that of a Broadway theater, it even has an intermission right in the middle of the film which was strange. Since Zora was busy that night we didn't have dinner at our homestay instead Marie, Alex and I went into Santo Spirito and went to an apertivo there. It was the best one I have been to so far and the mojitos were really good. Then it was the night we had all been trying to plan this whole trip, Central Park. Unlike the other discotecas in Florence this one was all outside with a bunch of different dance floors. Everyone from the group went and the place was packed. It was by far my favorite club I have been to.

Thursday we had two classes which felt like they took forever since we all didn't get home until really late. We went to Academia to see Michaelangelo's David. It was huge! After class we grabbed a quick lunch and then went home for our usual naps except.. our naps ended up being A LOT longer then we expected. We laid down around 130 and when I woke up I could not believe what time my phone said..19:15 or in US time 7:15! We almost took a six hour nap. The worst part was that we woke up had dinner with Zora and then literally went back to sleep until the next day! However, I did get to skype Mikey before I went back to sleep since it was his birthday! I guess we caught up on a lot of missed sleep from the past few weeks.

We didn't have any classes on Friday which was nice. I woke up and met Lauren Onestack, the director's daughter in front of Palazzo Caponi to go for a run together. Once we finished one of the hottest runs of my life we both went home to get ready for the lunch her parents were having in their faculty flat. They are seriously the nicest family I have ever met and the kids are the most mature and respectful kids I have ever come in contact with. They invited all of us to their flat for lunch to sit in the air conditioning since it has been scorching hot here the past few days. It was really fun pretty much everyone in the group went. We ended up staying longer than most people because we were playing UNO with Brandon and Lauren. Even though it was so hot we decided it was the day to climb the Duomo. It was so worth it! I thought the view from Michaelangelo was pretty but this was out of this world. It was so high up! Once we climbed the narrow, steep steps down we came home. That night we decided to go to Tijuana for dinner which is this mexican restaurant that everyone talks about. It was pretty good and relatively cheap. Afterwards we came home and sat on the terrance and had some wine while we waited for our other friends to shower and get ready. We ended up just going to Gato y Volpe and spent the night there watching the soccer game and hanging out with everyone.

Saturday morning we woke up and had to be at the park by 11 am or we would be in big trouble with Brandon (our directors 8 year old son) because we promised him we would all come and have a big game of soccer. However, that was not the best part of the morning. When we woke up Mama Lo was back!!! She has been gone for about 2 weeks on walking tours and though Zora is great we all really missed Mama Lo! It was so nice to see her and catch up with her! It was so much fun except for the heat and the fact that I'm pretty sure I swallowed like 30 nats. We laid down for a bit since we were so exhausted from the heat then headed to our usual spot, Amadeus to watch the Germany/Argentina game. We ended up just having a quick dinner at Gusta Pizza which was nothing short of amazing before we got ready to go out. Alex, Marie and I enjoyed some wine at Santo Spirito and listened to live music and watched this Brazilian interpretative dance. It was pretty amazing to see people move in such crazy ways. Jeff and Ren met up with and headed to Space, one of Firenze's most well known night clubs. It was my first time there and was so much different then what I had anticipated! I thought it was going to be dirty and sketchy but it wasn't at all. They played such great music! We even saw some of the bartenders from Gato y Volpe.

Today, we woke up and walked into the square to find a cafe to study. We forgot that it's Sunday and most places are closed so we ended up just grabbing some food then heading back home to study. Since it's the 4th of July we are all planning on getting together tonight and doing something! I cannot believe I have to leave this Friday. This has been the best experience of my life and I definitely don't want it to end but I have learned so much. I am taking advantage of these last few days and going to enjoy every second to the fullest!

Let It Be

I can't believe I haven't wrote about this place called Bebop yet! So every Tuesday night at this place called Bebop there is a Beatles cover band. Seriously they are so good and it is such a great time! Everyone usually goes. It's so much fun just to be around everyone and music that everyone in the world loves. There are two parts to the show and the first part is always so packed. They play in the basment of this little bar and literally people will fill the place, flooding up onto the stairs. Usually after the first act it thins out a bit. However, the second act is the best part for the music and because it is not as crowded. It is so much fun! One of the guys on our trip, Paul is a Beatles fanatic, he is so much fun to go with. He knows every word to every song. If you're lucky you get to hang out with the band members during intermission and some of the girls on the trip have even had a drink with them after the show! I get my hopes up everytime that they will play Let It Be which is my favorite but I think it's too slow but my friend Jeff and I are determined to get them to play it before we leave! Only two more chances left!!

So after seeing the tower in Pisa Arianna and I took the tram from the train station to the airport. We were really curious to see what RYANAIR was like since it is so cheap. However, as we waited to check we witnessed something ridiculous. There was this woman, barefoot wearing sunglasses literally throwing things around the building and against the walls, her cell phone, pens, shampoo, hair spray, pretty much anything in her possession. Then she was waving this water around and rubbing it on the walls like it was holy water or something. Soon she started walking around punching signs and trying to rip the fire extinguisher off the wall. At first it was pretty entertaining but then it was pretty scary since no one was doing anything not even the airport employees. Everyone was just watching. Finally, we got our tickets and were able to leave while this woman was still pitching a fit.

RYANAIR was a lot better than I thought. The plane was pretty big. There was a group of really obnoxious spanish soccer fans on our flight wearing jerseys and blowing this annoying horn. I'm not sure how I managed it but the second I sat down on the plane I was out. I didn't even wake up through take off. I woke up just in time to see the island coming up though. After we breezed through the airport we took a bus to Paceville, the town we were staying in. The drive there was so beautiful and so bumpy! The bus drivers are crazy and there are no doors on the bus. Since Malta was a British colony they drive on the other side of the rode. We really weren’t sure where to get off since nothing was really labeled and the directions to our hostel literally just said walk down past the Burger King. Real helpful huh? We end up getting off at the wrong spot but the weirdest thing happened. The number of our hostel was 35 so we found 35 on this street, even though it was the wrong one and it was a James Madison University building. So weird! Well we got back on the bus and eventually found our stop. Our hostel was so great! It was right in the center of Paceville, which is home to Malta’s best night life and we were right by the ocean as well. We had a terrace so we could sit out there and we were in a private room so it was just Arianna and I. Best part, all of this for only 15 euro! Crazy. So we got dressed and were ready for our first night out in Paceville!

We went to this restaurant called Amigos for dinner and to watch the soccer games. It was really good, we just got a few appetizers to split and drinks. It was also so cheap! After the game was over we started our night. We went to this place called Fun Bar and it was insane. It was a bar/club. The best thing was it was filled with Netherlands fans all painted and going crazy. Everyone was so nice and outgoing! We made a lot of friends and spent all night there and the place right next door called Havanas which was a dance club. It is seriously the perfect place for college kids to go. Unlike Firenze where drinks are so pricey and there’s a cover charge everywhere, in Malta there was none of that. You could get pitchers of your favorite mixed drinks for 10 euro then get a second one for free. It was bizarre. We stayed out pretty late and eventually headed back to the hostel.

We woke up on friday morning and found a little place to grab breakfast. Afterwards, we talked to the owner of our hostel about where the best place to go to the beach was. He told us to take the bus 45 minutes north to a place called Golden Bay. The bus ride was a wooping 47 cents and had the most beautiful views. It was worth the 45 minute drive. The beach was prettier than any island I have ever seen! Crystal clear water, cliffs and the softest sand. We literally stayed there all day laying out and swimming in the sea. We grabbed lunch at this place called Munchies Beach Shack. I had a mixed salad with tuna and this amazing basil and mint dressing. We took the bus back to Paceville and went home to shower and get ready for night number two.

Night number two was pretty much a repeat of the first night. We ended up eating dinner and watching the game at the same place because we had such a good time the night before. The only difference was we stopped in at a few other small places before going to Fun Bar and Havanas just to check them out but nothing was as fun as those. We even met up with some of the same people from the night before. All in all it was one of the best nights of my life.

On Saturday we just went to one of the local beaches before getting ready to leave for the airport. We tried to switch our flight to Sunday but RYANAIR has all these dumb rules, but hey what do you expect when you can get flights that cheap. Malta was such an amazing experience, one I will definitely never forget. If I wasn’t studying in Italia I don’t think I would have ever thought to go to Malta. It was so cheap and one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It was also so nice to travel with only one other person instead of a large group. We were able to do more and get to places quicker. It was seriously one of the best weekends of my life.

Pisa...literally just a tower

So Thursday started our four day weekend which meant traveling for the majority of us. People went everywhere from Dublin to Barcelona to the Almafi Coast but Arianna and I decided to go to Malta from the weekend which is south of Sicily. Since our flight out of pizza wasn't until 4 we decided it would be the perfect opportunity to go and see the tower...literally that is all there is to Pisa. We got off the train headed to the piazza where the tower was located took some corny pictures then realized we still had tons of time to kill. We stopped for cappuccino then just decided to head to the airport early to get our bearings since it was both of our first time.

This is what dreams are made of

Friday morning we left for Rome pretty early. We arrived in the city in the late morning and went straight to our hotel to check in. After we were all settled we had a few hours to grab lunch and explore the city. The five of us girls ended up at this place Mojito Tres right on the water to just sit and relax and have a drink. At 3 we headed back to the hotel to meet our guide Frederico. He was one of the most energetic people I have ever met. We first went to the Roman Forum and saw ruins that dated back to the time of Julius Caesar. After that we went into the Senate. Next, was the Colosseum. It was unreal! The architecture of that time period was unbelievable. However, as Frederico told us stories about the types of things that went on in the Colosseum it made the place a little less appealing. Once we finished up there we headed for the Pantheon. The drainage system in this magnificent building was absolutely astounding. There is no glass or cover over the dome so when it rains it comes into the building. The floors are crowned with tiny drains running along the outside. We then were set free for the rest of the evening. Some of us went to this small pizza place across from our hotel. It was so good! Then we headed back to the hotel to shower and get ready for our first night out in Roma!

That night one of the girls on the trip was turning 21 at twelve so we all pregamed together then headed to one of the main squares. There were tons of people out! Not only people from Italy but from Austraila, England, America etc. We ended up at a really crowded bar, waited until 12 and sang happy birthday to her. Then we called it a night since we had to be up and ready for a 7 hour tour starting at 730 the next morning!

730 came WAY too quickly Saturday morning. We had a small breakfast at the hotel then were off with Frederico once again. We headed straight for the Vatican Museum, trying to beat the line! Frederico told us that 25,000 people enter the Vatican everyday! We waited for a little bit and Frederico made sure no one got in front of us in line. Once we were in it was worth the wait! First, we went through the museum where we saw all sorts of amazing mosaics and rugs. Next was my favorite part of the trip, the Sistine Chapel. I still cannot believe that I was in the Sistine Chapel. I have spent so much time learning about it in school and looking at images of it but nothing will ever compare to the feeling I had the second I stepped in there. To be able to see all the amazing frescos painted on the ceiling by Michaelangelo and his breathtaking painting along the back wall of The Last Judgement is something I will never forget. I am so grateful for such an amazing experience. After we spent enough time in the Sistine Chapel we headed for St. Peter's Basilica. Once again, I felt so lucky to be able to see such a place in real life. There is so much history and art there it is unreal. I don't know how anyone could not appreciate such amazing places.

So we all survived the 7 hour tour but were starving! A small group of us grabbed some pizza right on the water. It was probably the best pizza I have had so far. Once we finished some of the girls went home for naps but Alex and I decided to walk around the city a bit more. We ended up going to this gelato place where the owners made us taste pretty much every flavor they had. Once we tested all of them we walked into this square where there were all these break dancers. They were really good and so entertaining. It's so strange in every city when Alex and I venture off we always find the most bizarre things or weird things happen to us. Then we returned to the hotel only to leave again to go play football with Brendan and Lauren Onastack for awhile except once again we got side tracked by the same square where we saw the dancers. This time however there was a magician. He literally ate a balloon. I still have no idea how that happened. He also got himself out of a straight jacket that was chained. It was incredible. Once that was over we decided we were in desperate need of a shower. We got ready and decided to try an appertivo for dinner since we love them so much in Firenze. The appertivo we went to was awesome! It seemed like a very local place and very artsy. It was so much fun! We came back to find pretty much everyone on the trip hanging out in the common room pregaming before we went out. It was the first time everyone was together just hanging out playing drinking games. It is definitely a night I will never forget.

Sunday morning was a lazy start. We had to bring our bags down at 10 so we slept until the last possible minute. We grabbed breakfast then went to see the Pope. We actually made it on time and were all blessed by him! The it started to downpour and we got stuck in the middle of it! Once it subsided we made our way to the Trevi Fountain. We threw a coin in over our shoulder and made a wish! Then we headed to the Spanish Steps and sat there until it was time for us to meet at the hotel to depart for the train station. All in all Roma was such an amazing time! It was nice to hang out with everyone and see so many cool places. I cannot believe I was in the Sistine Chapel! It did make me realize how quickly time is going since it was our last scheduled trip with the group :( TIME PLEASE SLOW DOWN!!

Nothing like a run in a hail storm...

So today we had our Dante class in the morning which was a bit rough since we were all out pretty late lastnight celebrating finishing our midterm art papers. We all made it through though. On the walk home I stopped at the fruit market to buy some cherries. After numerous attempts of trying to see if Matt could catch a cherry in his mouth we decided we better do something else with our lives. I finally convinced Matt even though he is living off of two hours of sleep he should go run with me. When we left home it was just cloudy but as we got further into our run it grew darker and darker. Pretty soon a HUGE storm blew up. It started to lightening and thunder then pour of course while we were in the park surrounded by thousands of trees and the arno...not too smart haha. We decided to tough it out since we were already soaked until it began to hail! It wasn't just small little pieces of hail either they were HUGE I have never seen anything like it. So instead of getting pelted the entire way home we took shelter under a hotel awning. After about ten minutes it lightened up and we continued on. Our clothes and sneakers probably weighed an extra ten pounds. We finally made it back and as expected our 3 other roommates laughed at us when they saw how soaked we were. I just took a hot shower to warm up. I feel so guilty staying in on these free afternoons but the weather is atrocious right now!

Red, Red Wine

On Monday after classes we went up to the Frescobaldi Mansions for a wine tour. We stopped at two different places the first where they make white and sweet wine and the second place where predominately red wine is made. We got to see the mansions, vineyards and where they actually let the wine age and ferment. It was one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen. It was really interesting to see how they make the wine there. I couldn't believe how long of a process it is! It takes four years for wine to ferment. Then the wine professor here took us into the basement of one of the houses and showed us all the wine given to the Frescobaldi children. If you are female you receive 100 bottles of wine that was made from the year you were born. If you are male you receive 500 from that year. I think that is pretty unfair!

We saw two plants that Prince Charles planted and all the pictures of the amazing people who have been to their estate. There were pictures of the Clintons, the royal family, Catherine Zeta Jones, etc. It was amazing!

Next, we headed out onto the terrace for the best part of the trip, the tasting! We tried a white glass first and then two different types of red. The third red was by far my favorite. We had cheese and bread with homemade olive oil. I don't know how people go to all these wine tastings. After a few glasses alot of us were pretty buzzed but that only made for a fun bus ride home.

That night we had dinner at our directors home. It was so nice! Their flat is huge and amazing and the altuna provides a beautiful view of the rooftops of Firenze. It was especially nice because the group I was with was very small and didn't consist of people we usually hang out with. We stayed there for awhile and watched the first half of the Italy/Paraguay match then headed home. However, as we walked through Santo Spirito there was a huge projection screen playing the game. Everyone was out in front of Pop Cafe watching. There was this tiny car with two guys DJing in it. The energy and excitement was amazing! There is honestly nothing better than watching the World Cup in Italy!

We only have one more day of classes this week then we're off to Rome! Time is going too fast, it really needs to slow down!

Save tonight, fight the break of dawn

I spent the day friday with Matt, Matt and Paul at a bar called The Old Stove to watch Mexico versus South Africa. After the game we headed home to shower and grab a quick dinner. We then met up with some other people in the group and went to Beni's place. However, when we got there Beni couldn't find the channel so we ended up going to another bar with a huge flat screen. We grabbed a drink and enjoyed Uruguay and France. After the game most of the people went home but Jeff, Danny me and some of the other girls stayed out and met up with Beni and Lorenzo. We had a few drinks at their bar then headed to Bigallo. Danny, being the nice guy he is walked me all the way home since I was the only one out who lived on the other side of the arno.

Saturday we woke up bright and early to head for the island of Elba. We took the train to Piambino then a ferry to Elba. The island was beautiful! However, the weather on Saturday wasn't took great. We checked into our hotel then took a bus to Cavo from Rio Marina where we were staying and ended up not spending much time on the beach. Instead we stopped at this little restaurant for pizza and a drink. It was a really great time. I definitely think everyone enjoyed themselves. After we finished we headed back to the hotel for showers and naps. We all did our own thing for dinner with our rooms. My room went to a restaurant right on the water followed by some delicious gelato of course!! Then we headed back to the hotel and all hung out in the girls room drinking wine and watching US verse Englad. I still cannot believe we tied! Once the game ended we left the hotel. The second me and Alyssa walked outside we heard "Yellow" by Coldplay being played. We turned down the street and there was a band playing live music. We sat on the steps, enjoyed some wine and the music. They had a great playlist even playing a crowd favorite, "Save Tonight." The energy of the street was amazing, something so glad I got to experience. It started to rain so we headed to the bar by our hotel with the outside covered patio. We grabbed some more wine and then two of the guys from the band came to hang out with us! We stayed out there for hours talking to them. It is actually really fun to learn italian from them and teach them phrases in english.

So today, we got stranded in Elba. The bus that was supposed to come and pick us up to take us to another beach never came. So we had to wait to take the ferry only time find out that not many trains were running today due to a strike. Since we had alot of time to kill before the ferry came to pick us up we decided just to take some time to relax and take in where we were. Marie and Amanda hit up the beach and Alex and I found these HUGE rocks on the water and sat on them to sketch and journal. It was exactly what I needed after a hectic day of traveling with a lot of people. We took the ferry back to Piambino and found out the only train to Firenze wasn't coming for five more hours. So we figured out how we could take a bus back. However, the bus sold more tickets than it had seats and took awhile for our bus driver and this couple to stop arguing and finally leave. We just arrived home and it feels so great to be back in Firenze. I also got to skype my family today which was something that I definitely needed after a hectic weekend. We are going to go grab a panino for dinner then possibly go somewhere to watch the games tonight.

Life's for living, not living uptight

So the another night I finally worked up the guts to ask Mama Lo if I could help/ watch her cook. She was more than willing to! We prepared a dish called "Saten." It looks and tastes like meat but is actually washed flour. Even better than learning how to cook was the conversation. I got to spend time with Mama Lo, her husband and her daughter Camilla alone. They are seriously the most fascinating people I have ever met. Mama Lo told me how she used to model for Roberto Cavalli! Her daughters did also. She is seriously one of the best people I have ever met. Her husband has designed jewelry and is willing to talk to me about it and show some of his sketches. Their daughter Camilla does projects all through out Africa and lives in Indonesia. We discussed the Peace Corp and my application while we set the table.

Meeting these people has already changed my life in such a huge way. I am learning so much about myself and who I am as a person. I am also learning who I want to be. These past four weeks have already changed me substantially.

Don't you want to curve away when it's such a perfect day

Venice was by far my favorite place I have been so far in Italia! There is water everywhere and not a single car. You have to take a boat to go anywhere. It was absolutely beautiful. I'm not sure how much I would like to live there because it is super touristy but if you let yourself 'get lost' down the side streets it is amazing!

We left Firenze early friday morning by train. The ride took about two and a half hours. After arriving in Venice we had to take a boat to St. Marco where our hotel was located. We settled into our hotel and grabbed a quick lunch then headed off for the tour. We saw the cathedral and a few other places then all went our separate ways. Alex, Arianna and I ventured around the town for awhile eventually finding a little out door restaurant to grab a glass of wine. After we all showered and got ready we grabbed a panino and drink. Since we were really tired we called it a night pretty early but not before we enjoyed a little vino.

We woke up Saturday bright and early for breakfast at the hotel. I'm pretty sure I eat Nutella at almost every meal these days. After breakfast we had another 2.5 hour walking tour through the city of Venice. Though the tour was long it was so much more interesting then the previous day's. After we finished the tour we grabbed a quick panino and headed to the boat taxi to go to Murano, the island of glass but not before we got our daily gelato. We went into a showroom and got to see how they blow the glass it was ridiculous! We watched the man make a vase and a horse like it was nothing! We did a little shopping then headed back to Venice. It was really great because I hung out with alot of people who I haven't really gotten a chance to hang out with alot yet! After we returned from Murano we decided to go to happy hour. We first went to a small wine bar and got one of their Spritzers that you see everyone in the town drinking. Next we headed to this bar called Jazz Bar and sipped on some sangria. On the way home Alex, Marie, Arianna and I stopped at a cute little outdoor restaurant for dinner. Once everyone had enough we headed back home to prepare ourselves for the night approaching. We started the night out sitting on Paul and Jeff's balcony drinking some wine then we stopped to get the other boys. A lot of people in the group sat up in the square drinking wine and kings but Matt, Chris and I decided to go back to the Jazz Bar for a bit which was alot of fun.

Sunday morning came way too quick! Everyone was slow to rise since the late night before but we all made it to breakfast then had the rest of the day to do as we pleased. We went and shopped until we couldn't look at another piece of glass. Then we grabbed lunch and sat by the water, it was so beautiful and something I will never forget. We went back to the hotel to meet up with a few people however, most people were just sitting inside. I couldn't sit inside when Venice was right through the window! So Alex and I went with some of the others kids on the trip back down to the water. Again, I found myself with people I hadn't had much time to talk to so it was really nice to get to know them. Finally, it was time to come home with the train ride that felt like forever. It's funny though because as soon as we arrived back at Mama Lo's it felt so relaxing and so much like when you come home after being at school for awhile.

I think this weekend was exactly what we all needed. Last week it seemed like everyone was in a bit of a lull between getting sick and everything wasn't new anymore. Also it is inevitable that clicks and groups will happen but this weekend I was able to get to know so many more people and had such an amazing time. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to be abroad with. Everyone is so unique and interesting. It's crazy to think that we all may never have crossed paths if we didn't come on this trip. It is going to be so great to go back to JMU have 26 new friends.

In a place called vertigo..

So we actually did make it to Cinque Terre yesterday! It was by far the most amazing, most beautiful place I have ever seen. We took a train from Firenze at 7:45 and arrived in Vernazza, the third of the five cities around 10:40. We decided to take advantage of the good weather and hike to the fifth town Monterosso which would take about an hour and a half. The trail was so scenic however, it was straight up and down! There were so many hills, steps and the path was so narrow that no exaggeration at all if you weren't paying attention, one slip and you were donezo. After a sweaty but so worth it trek we finally arrived in Monterosso. At this point we were all starving so we ate lunch at this little place right over the beach. We had a drink and lunch then set out for the beach. We lucked out big time with the weather! First, it was overcast then we could see a huge thunder and lightening storm over the other four cities from our spot on the beach. However, it ended up breaking up before it hit where we were. We spent the rest of the day drinking some wine, laying out and swimming. We grabbed a quick dinner then boarded the train for home. Unlike the ride there which was direct we had to transfer two times to eventually get to Firenze. We met some other college students on the train who are also studying in Firenze, one was from Palmyra , the town right next to my hometown and attended Rowan where my two best friends go! We ended up not arriving home until after midnight. We threw our plans to go out out the window and crashed in our beds. I will honestly never forget this day for my entire life. It was so breathtaking and I got to spend it with some great people. I feel so lucky to be here. I know I keep saying that but I am not taking a moment of this for granted.

Today we went and saw Donatello's David which was so exciting! After that we grabbed lunch at this place called The Diner which was an American food place. I got a burger and fries haha it was amazing and nice taste of home. Afterwards, Alex and I decided we needed to spend some time together and went to the market to go shopping. Anyone that knows me knows my obsession with jewelry and stones. So I told her about this little jewelry store I found earlier in the day. We went and got so many amazing things! It was really cheap too and the woman spoke spanish so I was able to communicate better with her. She was so nice she even let us pick out a free pair of earrings! We got home and showed our host mom our new things and told her about the place and what a small world, it is the place she gets all of her jewelry too!!

We helped our host mom move some furniture out of her house and poor Matt had to carry all the heaviest parts especially down all 90 steps we have to our flat! We have dinner with our host mom tonight and are heading for Venice tomorrow! I'm so exciting to see what Venice brings us!

If she wants to rock, she rocks. If she wants to roll she rolls.

I still can't get over the life I am living right now. Last thursday and friday was the usual. Classes, amazing food then going out. We seem to always end up at the same place the Lion's Fountain. Hopefully that will change soon so we can experience more places!

Alex and I woke up Saturday and decided to ask our host mom where a good day trip would be. She mention Lucca and it turned out to be a blast. My roommates and I took a bus there and spent the day riding bikes around the medieval town. We stopped at their amphitheater for lunch and a few glasses of wine. We eventually got ready to head out, returned our bikes and took naps on the bus ride home. All in all it was a really great day and nice to just be with my roommates all day.

We got back Saturday night got ready and had a few people over to pregame. After awhile and many arguments we decided we would go to Lion's Fountain to meet up with people but not go inside since we wanted to go somewhere new. Well that didn't happen. We had a few drinks there and then just called it a night.

We had all intentions of waking up and heading to Cinque Terre for the day Sunday but noone could get their act together and it just turned out to be a frustrating mess. We decided to call it quits, take a nap then go from there. We ended up taking a four hour nap! It was good because we finally realized that if we want to do something we need to just do it and not worry about everyone else, if they want to come they will. It was time for dinner when we woke up so we went into Piazza de Santo Spirito and ate at Gusta Osteria. Afterwards we decided to head up to Piazza de Michaelangelo to watch the sunset. It might be my favorite place in Firenze! I've never seen anything so beautiful!

We have a short week this week. We had class today, have it tomorrow then off Wednesday for a holiday. We are determined to make it to Cinque Terre this Wednesday! Then we have classes Thursday but none on Friday since we leave for Venice for the weekend!! My life is unreal here, I am so fortunate. I am not taking a moment for granted.

Never looking down, I'm just in awe of what's in front of me

We left bright and early Saturday morning for Siena! The bus ride wasn't too long but allowed us to all nap. When we arrived we had a guided tour of the city. We went to the Cathedral and saw the room of nine in the center square. The medieval architecture was amazing! After the tour was over we had a few hours of free time. A group of us found this small pub with great paninos. It even had ones wit hot sauce! After lunch we walked through the winding roads, shopped and had gelato. It was the first time I had it and it was amazing! After the group met up we headed to meet the bus, only to have to wait for what felt like forever. Once we got back we went home to get ready for our first Saturday night out in Firenze!

Once everyone was showered and ready to go we headed to our first apertivo at Slowly. It is such a cool thing. You go and pay for a drink and then there is a buffet of food for free. It is the perfect way to start a night out. Next we headed to Piazza Santa Croce and stopped in a little bar for a drink. After watching the end of the European Soccer Finals the group split, some heading for this club called Space and others headed to what seems to be our usual spot the Lions Fountain. I ended up going to Lions Fountain with the boys and Arianna.

We all slept in on Sunday which was much needed. Then we headed into town for the day and to have lunch. We ate at this little brick oven pizza place. After that we headed to the Chrissi's house to meet gina (the dog) and Sonia who does everything for the boys including organizing their underwear drawer. We headed home to shower before dinner.

Instead of going to a sit down place we grabbed a pannino from Gusta Panino in Piazza di Santa Spirito and heading up to Piazza di Michaelangelo. It is quite the hike up hill but so worth it. It has the most amazing view I have ever seen. We sat up there for awhile talking and drinking some wine. I still can't get over how beautiful it was!

Monday morning came early. We had italian class with Susanna then Dante with Alessandro. Dante was pretty boring but hopefully as we get further into the class it will get better. After that we ate lunch in Piazza di Santo Spirito on the church steps. Then it was time for our daily nap. I went for a run again through the park but this time had some company which was nice. We made our way down around the Duomo and had dinner at this place OK Bar. It was really good. On our the Chrissi's called us and said they were already at our homestay. When we walked up to the house however they were nowhere to be found. We walk in our house and their sitting on our couches inside. Apparently they helped our house mom carry in the groceries so she let them inside. We hung out and laid low for the night.

Tuesday we had italian and dante again. After class we had lunch in the Piazza di Santo Spirito. I was finally convinced to try a Donor Kebob. Even though it looks gross it was pretty good. I sat outside for awhile to read and get some color until some bum came up to me and freaked me out. I left and met up with my roommates. We took our daily naps then got ready for dinner with out house mom. It was so good. We had pasta with tomato sauce and squash. We then met up with some of Alex and Chris's friends that are visiting at their hostel. We headed to the Lions Fountain with all intentions of going to the club after but ended up staying there all night.

Today we had italian and art history. Then ate lunch, did homework, took our usual nap and then went for a run. We're getting ready for dinner now and planning our trip to Cinque Terra this weekend which is supposed to be amazing !

First days in Firenze

For our second night out we headed to a pub called the Lion's Fountain. It is an american friendly bar and even has JMU tshirts on the ceiling. Not only that but they also have a JMU shot! We spent all night there and had a great time.

The first day of classes was pretty rough since most of us stayed out a little too late. First we had Italian. Susanna, my italian teacher is amazing and so energetic! After Italian we left the British Institute to head for Palazzo Capponi, JMU's study center. There we had our first art history class. I'm really excited for this class especially because of all the trips to the museums we will be taking! After classes were finished it was time for some serious napping. When I woke up I decided to go for a run through a park in Firenze. It was beautiful and really big. I think that's when it finally hit me that I'm in Firenze and so fortunate to be here.

Right after showering it was time for dinner. Mama Lo is such a great cook! We had ravioli with herbs, salad and the best eggplant parm that I have ever had. Everything is so fresh and flavorful. After dinner some of our classmates came over and we headed out for the night. We ended up at a bar called the Red Garter. It was also very american friendly however, there were a lot more locals there than the Lion's Fountain. In the back of the bar was a dj and karaoke. It was so much fun! We sang I wanna dance with somebody. We spent the whole night dancing and hanging out. Definitely a place I would like to go back to.

Today, we had italian again and then our literature class Dante's Comedia. In between classes we grabbed lunch at a small place Gusto Panini. I ordered a panini with mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto. It was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had! We ate it on the stairs on the cathedral in Palazzo Santo Spirito. I really like my literature professor and think I am going to learn alot in his class. All of the professors here are really great and helpful. After class, we had a meeting to declare our presence in italy. We had small group meetings with our directors afterwards to discuss our homestays and details for our trip to Siena tomorrow! Following the meeting I wanted to take advantage of this beautiful weather so I went for a run again in the park a few bridges down. Tonight we don't have dinner with Mama Lo so we'll be experiencing our first dinner at an italian restaurant. Afterwards, we are going to get gelato and hang out with a few friends since we are leaving really early for Siena in the morning!

Home Sweet Home

Monday, May 17th finally arrived after which felt like years of waiting for it. It didn't hit me that I was really leaving until my mom dropped Alex and I off at the Philly airport. We breezed through check in and security and had time to kill so we ended up going to Chickie and Pete's for our last american meal and last american beers for awhile. Traveling was so much easier than I expected! Neither of my flights luckily were affected by the volcano as well on time. When we arrived at the airport we met up with a lot of the other JMU students however, two of the students luggage didn't arrive with them! After finishing up some paperwork we were on our way to our homestays! The taxi ride was crazy. I thought driving in Philly was bad but it is nothing compared to Firenze, the lines on the street are more like "guidelines" and it's every man for himself.

The driver literally just dropped us at the curb and left us to find our way to our homestay's flat. We actually ended up walking into a hostel unsure of where we were since none of us can speak italian. However, Mama Lo to the rescue! Mama Lo is our house man or Lori Trapman. She must have heard us lugging all our luggage up the flights of stairs and showed up the way to her flat. The inside is amazing! It's something out of a movie. Everything room is brightly colored with huge windows that remain open during the day. Since me Alex, and Matt (our only boy roommate haha) arrived first we were able to pick which bedroom we would like to live in. Alex and my room is huge and decorated so awesome! The only thing better than the flat is our house mom. She is super artsy and so sweet. I definitely could not have asked for a better person to stay with. We are fortunate though. She is originally from England so unlike the majority of the other homestays we do not have to worry about the language barrier which makes things alot more comfortable.

After we unpacked and settled in we took naps since we were all so jetlagged before showering. Once all five us had arrived we decided to walk through town and find Palazzo Capponi which is JMU's study center and the British Institute where our classes will be held. As soon as we returned it was time for dinner. It was amazing! Mama Lo cooked up pasta with pesto, a salad and chicken with capers in lemon. One of the best meals I have ever had! Though we were all tired we decided to meet up with some of the other students to get a drink to toast off the trip. We decided on a little place in Palazzo Santo Spirito called Popcafe. It was nice to finally be able to relax. While we we're getting ready to head home the night life in Firenze was just beginning! People don't go out here until 1130 or 12 when the discotecas open. However, since traveling got the best of us we decided after a few drinks it was time to call it a night.

We woke up bright and early for our first full day in Firenze. However, it wasn't too bright out. We had our orientation then the walking tour. It poured and thundered the entire time! We ended up heading back early after visiting a few palazzo's. We grabbed some pizza and a wine juice box on the walk home for lunch! It's 2:15 here now which is crazy because that makes it only 8:15 at home! We still have some orientation things to do today and we'll see what the night brings. I am already falling in love with this city and can't wait to experience all it has to offer!

Bittersweet

Though my third year of college has come to a close I am excited for the new challenges and adventures that await me. This year however, has been the one that I have grown the most as a person and I am grateful for every memory, mistake, lesson and person that was a part of it. Though it was my third year of college this truly has been the first time I've enjoyed it and felt like I belonged somewhere. I moved in with the greatest group of people that I could ever have imagined and have created a new family down here at JMU. I don't think I would be where I am today both physically and mentally if it weren't for the friends that I have made this year. Not only did they make me laugh, lend a shoulder for me to cry on and provide me with some great memories they also accepted me for who I am and helped me discover who I can and for that I am so grateful.

Though I am not looking forward to this upcoming Sunday when I will be leaving our home at 821 to head back to South Jersey, I am very excited for the challenges that await me this summer as I will be studying abroad in Florence, Italy. I am prepared to take on the next stage of my life and experience new people, places and chances.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain