It's snowing right now and it is supposed to be in the low 20's tonight, and yet my landlord still turned off our heat for the night. I guess there are some things about Florence that I will never understand.

We are expecting "severe weather" all night & all day tomorrow with a possible 6-10 inches of snow. Looks like we might be having a snow day!

Roman Holiday

Hello! I am back safe and sound from Rome and had an absolutely amazing time! It was even more amazing than I remember it and I appreciated it more a second time as I was able to see more sites and spend more time at them. My roommates and I were up at 5am on Saturday because we had to be at the buses at 6am, it was an early morning but definitely worth it! We arrived at our hotel around 9am, checked in, put our luggage in our rooms, and immediately went back downstairs to start our day. As I was walking around Rome I could immediately see the differences between Rome and Florence; Rome definitely has more of a "city feel" and it is much larger than Florence. It is very easy to walk everywhere you need to go in Florence; this is something that I love about it. We went to all the "typical" tourist places such as the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and the Colosseum on the first day and I could have easily stayed at each one of these places for hours on end. All of the detail in Roman architecture is simply breathtaking. I was unable to visit the Pantheon on my first trip to Rome and I am so grateful I got to see it this time; it is a must see if you ever go to Rome! As my teacher was telling us about the architecture and history of the Pantheon, I was trying to wrap my head around the thought of the people designing and building it thousands and thousands of years ago but it is unfathomable to me. I am still in awe.  We ended the first day at the Colosseum (not a bad way to end the day, right?), and we had the rest of the afternoon/evening to ourselves. Our teachers gave us each a bus ticket so that we would be able to get back to our hotel...and this is where the adventure began...

We followed the instructions on how to get to the bus stop and we were instructed to take either bus #40 or #64 (to which our teacher warned us that it is the most pick-pocketed bus in Rome) and it would to take us to the main train station, and our hotel would be about a two minute walk from the train station. As we were walking up to the bus station we see bus #40 driving away so we waited for #64 to come around and we got on. Now, in Italy, when you have a bus ticket you MUST get them stamped by the machine on the bus; this puts an expiration time on your ticket so that people don't use the same ticket for days, weeks, etc. Officials sometimes get on random buses and check "random" people's tickets to make sure they stamped it. So, we all handed our tickets to the roommate that was closest to the machine so she could stamp them all. She came back, said she stamped them all, and put them in her bag. Well, at the next stop an official got on the bus and came right up to us and asked for our tickets. She handed him all the tickets and come to find out, only five out of the seven tickets had actually gotten stamped, the other two had not fully gone through. He asked to see two people's passports so two of my roommates took out copies of their passports and gave them to him; and then he told us we had to get off at the next stop. We got off and he was explaining that it is a $100 fine for each ticket that is not stamped and we tried to explain that someone tried to stamp them but did it didn't go through but is English wasn't very good and most of us know very little Italian. I'm pretty sure he could tell that we were all freaking out so I'm pretty sure he just did not want to deal with us so he ended up lowering the fine to $50 total. Problem solved? Not quite. Now we are lost in Rome, no idea where we are, with no bus ticket, and no idea how to get back to our hotel. Great situation to figure out who does well under pressure and who does not. A couple of my roommates freaked out (with good reason), but the rest of us decided we did not have time to freak out and just had to figure it out (and soon) because it was getting dark. We took out our maps to see if we were in walking distance to our hotel...too bad the street we were on was not clearly visible on the map; and if you have even been to Italy, you know that everything is crammed very close together so it can be difficult to distinguish side streets on a map. So we just started walking to see if we could find a main street that would be easier to find on the map. As we're walking, I see these huge pillars that look oddly familiar but I didn't want to say anything until we got closer and knew for sure where we were. We ended up right in the middle of St. Peter's Square. I immediately started laughing because I thought it was hysterical that we accidentally ended up in Vatican City right in the middle of St. Peter's Square; however, most of my roommates did not find it as amusing. I took out my map and found Vatican City then I looked for the street our hotel was on "Via Cavor"...yep, they were on complete opposite side of the map. We obviously realized that it would take forever to walk back and far too expensive to get a taxi back so our only option was to get more bus tickets and get back on the bus. All of the tobacco shops here sell bus tickets, and there are a lot of tobacco shops so it was not too hard to find one. We bought our tickets, went to the nearest bus station, waited for the #64 bus, and we were soon on our way back to our hotel. As soon as we got on the bus we each stamped our own ticket and double checked that they were all stamped correctly. I have never been in a more crowded, confined space than the #64 bus in Rome, Italy. It was so overcrowded with people (some who clearly had not showered for a few days), so I stood in the same spot with a death grip on my purse because like our teacher warned us, it is the most pick-pocketed bus in Rome...they also told us that older men tend to get very "friendly" on this bus and not to be afraid to "elbow" someone...very reassuring. Luckily I did not have any such encounter. I over heard the couple next to me talking in Spanish saying that they needed to get off at the main train station and that it was the next stop; I told my roommates to get off at the next stop so we all got off and asked a police officer where "Via Cavor" is and he pointed to the next street over. Finally, we saw our hotel and I have never been so happy to see something in my entire life! We were all so relieved yet so exhausted that we got a quick dinner and then went to bed, as we had to be up at 6am the following morning.

Can you guess where we went with our school on Sunday? Yep, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican; but no one else in our group can say they saw it at night with the Christmas tree all lit up (ahh, the silver lining). Again, if you are ever in Rome, these two places are a must see! They are both so gorgeous and breathtaking, I could have stayed at each place for hours just admiring the paintings on the ceiling and walls. I cannot explain how mesmerizing it all is, but please go if you ever have the opportunity (but be sure to get there before it opens and just wait in line, it will be well worth it). It was an incredible weekend filled with fun adventures, yummy food, and of course some of the most famous and beautiful sites in the world. I love Rome, but it made me realize how happy I am to live in Florence and how much I love it here!

Spanish Steps

Trevi Fountain

Of course I had to make a wish!

I love all the markets around Italy

The Pantheon!

Inside the Pantheon

Colosseum

St. Peter's Basilica...the night we accidentally ended up there

...and we went back the next morning!

Like everything else in Italy, pictures do not do it justice!

Beyond Excited!

I have been receiving a lot of emails from my program advisers about different job and volunteer opportunities around Florence. The one that immediately caught my eye is a volunteer position at a local school helping to teach children English. I talked to my adviser today to see if my schedule worked with the teacher's schedule and it looks like it is going to work out; I should be getting an email later today that confirms it all. I will be volunteering at an elementary school with children who are 9-10 years old and they are from various European countries and some are from different countries in Africa as well. They are all learning Italian and English so I expect it to be challenging, especially in the beginning, but I am so excited for this opportunity! It works out great because I usually have 4-5 hours breaks between my classes so I will have plenty of time to volunteer in between my classes. The earliest I can start is next Tuesday, assuming everything gets organized by then; the school I will be volunteering at is about twenty minutes away from my school so my adviser will go with me the first time to help me navigate the train station and show me how to get there, but after that I will be on my own. Don't worry Mom, I am going to be just fine; Dad, I know I don't have to tell you not to worry because I know you would just tell me to "go for it!" :) I can't wait to start!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

A Beautiful Day at the Duomo!

It was supposed to rain today but I woke up to clear sunny skies and a high of 52 degrees, finally starting to "warm up!" My roommates and I were planning on going shopping today but we did not want to be inside on such a beautiful day so we decided to climb to the top of the Duomo instead. For those of you who do not know, the Duomo is a cathedral and the most popular landmark in Florence. We climbed 463 stairs to get to the top and thankfully I do not get too claustrophobic because some of the staircases were extremely narrow. However, the view at the top is well worth 8 euros and 463 stairs. The view was spectacular and it was so peacefully quiet that I could have stayed up there all day. After the Duomo we got some gelato and lunch (yes, we had the gelato first); tonight we are going for aperitivo which is where you pay 8 euros for wine and unlimited appetizers, yum! Hope you all have a great day!

Enjoying the view

More stairs? Really?!

Perfect day!

Some streets of Florence

Basilica di Santa Croce. My apartment is in the same piazza as this basilica.

The bell tower

Piazza della Republica, this is where my school is.

Best gelato!

My apartment is directly to the left of this gorgeous basilica!

All You Can Eat Pasta & All You Can Drink Wine, Does it Get Any Better?

My roommate Nicole found a fun dinner event through a company called EuroAdventures so last night we met up with the people putting on the event and went to dinner. They are all from the United States and they are either seniors in college or had just graduated, and they were really fun to hang out with. They took us to a restaurant with all you can eat pasta and all you can drink wine, what more could I ask for? The food was delicious and the wine was amazing. After dinner they took us out to a couple bars; one of them had karaoke and let's just say my friends and I were not shy and put on quite the concert! After the bars we went to a nightclub that was having its grand opening last night, but we were only there for a little bit; I found out that I don't really like clubs that much, I would much rather hang out in a bar and sing karaoke. As my dad says, "What happens out of the country, stays out of the country," so those are all the details I'm going to give about last night, but I had a great time and it was the most fun I have had in a really long time!

Bar #1: Ladies Night!

Getting the party started

How Many Girls Does it Take to Open a Bottle of Wine?

My roommates and I cooked dinner the other night (pasta, of course) and we bought a bottle of wine to go along with it. We were enjoying some cheese and crackers while waiting for the water to boil and we decided wine would go well with the little appetizers we made (but then again wine goes well with everything, right?). So we got out the wine opener and started to screw it into the cork, but it wouldn't come out and neither would the cork. None of us had ever opened a bottle of wine before but it always looks so simple...I'm also pretty sure we bought a cheap kind of wine because the "cork" seemed to be more like plastic. We all tried numerous times to try and pull it out, but no amount of strength could get it. Then we had two people trying to pull at opposite ends (not the smartest idea) but even that didn't work. Eventually we were able to create a little hole in the cork and wine dripped into our cups drop by drop...it took forever! I guess you could say we were a little desperate...and frustrated...and "thirsty."

My roommate Cecilia got home shortly after we created the hole in the cork and she wanted to try and get it out. She tried for about ten minutes and finally got it out, needless to say we were all very excited! Just had to share that with you all, I know my family will especially get a laugh out of it!

Team effort, Maddy and Alli trying to get the cork out...

Drip, drip, drip...desperate much? Yes.

Uh Oh...

I just went to wash some dishes and there was no water coming out of the sink so I went to check the bathroom sinks...nothing...nor is there any water coming out of the showers.

All I want to do is take a hot shower and go to bed...ugh, hopefully it comes back on soon!

San Miniato and Hot Chocolate, Perfecto!

I only had one class today and it was from 8:45-9:40am, it was so nice to have the rest of the day to relax and get some things done around my apartment! I knew I needed to do laundry soon because let's face it, I only do laundry once I get down to my last couple pairs of socks and underwear (like every other college student). None of my roommates have done laundry yet so I decided to test it out today and it went pretty well. Once I got done reading the three pages of instructions that our landlord left us I put my clothes in the washer. The washing machines here are much smaller here so I will definitely have to either do laundry more often or just divide my normal loads into two or three smaller loads. I only washed two loads and they ran longer than I am used to and the washer was making some pretty funky noises but my clothes seemed normal after the cycle was done so I think it's okay. Once it was finished I pulled down the drying rack from the ceiling (because Italy apparently does not believe in dryers...) and I hung my clothes up on clothespins to dry. This was early this afternoon and they are still not close to being dry...probably because it is about 60 degrees in my apartment and the laundry room doesn't have a heater so *fingers crossed* that they will be dry by tomorrow morning. I definitely have a new found appreciation for my washer and dryer back home.

 

 

 

 

 

First time doing laundry! I was so proud I figured it out that I had to take a picture haha

Tonight, a couple of my roommates and I went up to San Miniato church with some other students in my program and one of the advisers. It gave us a breathtaking panoramic view of Florence! Of course I took a few pictures, but they definitely do not do it justice. We went into the church and it was beautiful, I tried to take pictures inside but I was not able to use a flash so unfortunately they did not turn out very well. After walking to the church, we enjoyed some hot chocolate; it pretty much tasted like melted hot chocolate with a dash of milk and it was so thick we had to eat (drink?) it with a spoon. I loved it (surprise, surprise), but it was so rich that I could only have a little bit.

My roommates and I found a really yummy pizza place right by our apartment so we had dinner there. I have a little bit of homework left and busy day of school tomorrow, so I'm off to bed!

Have a wonderful day, xoxo!

GROM

Ciao!

First day of school went really well yesterday! I had my "Beginning Italian" language course and I already feel like I have learned so much, it definitely helps being able to take what I learn in class and use it around town. I also had my photography class yesterday; it seems like it will be a demanding class but I know I will get a lot out of it. Today I had my language course and my "Living Italy" class which is all about contemporary Italy and I think I am really going to enjoy it. 

After my morning class today my roommate Theresa and I went to the grocery store down the street, its called "Billa". We have been there a couple times but didn't get too much so we decided to go today and stock up on some fruits and vegetables (...and maybe a little wine, too). I learned that when buying fresh produce or vegetables you must weigh it on the scale BEFORE you check out; kind of embarrassing when I got to the register and she began scanning my food then told me in Italian to go weigh it...to which I just gave her a blank stare because I had no idea what she was saying...and then she pointed to the scale; I apologized and then went to weigh my items. Thankfully there was only a couple people behind me and they were all very nice. I also saw an entire pig's head just laying on the meat counter waiting to be cut up...needless to say I immediately went into the next aisle. 

One of my teachers gave us a recommendation for the "best" gelato place in Florence, it's called Grom. My roommates and I went there after we bought our books and it was amazing!! I know I have only been here a week but it is the best gelato I have ever tasted and will definitely be going back. 

Time to start my homework (apparently Italy doesn't believe in "syllabus week"). Buonanotte!

Ponte Vecchio

Buongiorno! (To those of you in the US at least...it's the afternoon here in Florence)

I had a great day seeing the sights of Florence today. My roommates and I got coffee and then walked around and went to the Ponte Vecchio (the bridge in most of the pictures). It was a gorgeous day but still very cold! It was in the mid-high 40's today and is supposed to get slightly warmer this week; I never thought I would be so happy to have 50 degree weather! We also went on a tour around Florence with some people from our school. Our teachers took us around to all of the "main" places in Florence where they taught us a lot about the history of Florence and also showed us some great places to eat around town. 

First day of classes tomorrow, I am so excited!!

I love it here!

Very cold, but still a gorgeous day!

Street statue and me

Wow, Ikea...

FYI, if my post titles don't "make sense" then that probably means it is an inside joke between Katie, Alicia, and myself.

Today my roommates and I were able to sleep in and it felt great! However, today proved to be the most exhausting and overwhelming day since I've been here. We went to Ikea to get mattress pads because our mattresses are hard as bricks and have the same support as a piece of cardboard. I saw online that the Ikea here in Florence has a free shuttle back and forth so we were determined to find it. After wandering around for a while (thinking we were in the right spot) we finally went in to a "tourist information station", asked for directions, and finally found the shuttle stop. Ikea was about twenty minutes away but we ended up being there for two hours! It was so huge and super crowded, and the fact that everything was in Italian (no surprise there) took us forever to find all that we were looking for. After a couple hours we finally found everything we needed, had lunch, and then got back on the shuttle to go back to our apartment.

I have also learned to expect huge crowds anywhere you go in Florence on the weekends, it's crazy!

Hoping to Skype with my family tonight! So Mom if you're reading this, please check your emails as well :)

Theresa and I so happy to have finally found the Ikea shuttle bus!

Castello di Verrazzano

Today was so much fun! Castello di Verrazzano was gorgeous, I just wish the sun was out because it rained a little bit and was very cloudy so the pictures do not do it justice The wine was amazing and the food was so delicious! I ate some of the best pasta I have ever had and I think what makes Italian food so amazing is that it is all made fresh and it is very simple. We had penne pasta with a tomato sauce and some cheese and spices on top; very simple, but extremely good! Then they brought out a bunch of meat but they asked if anyone had allergies or did not eat meat (I now know how to say: "non mangio la carne" or "sono un vegetariana" which means "I do not eat meat" or "I am a vegetarian") so they brought me a plate with quiche, cheese, carrots, beans, and all kinds of yummy veggies! Once we got back into Firenze (Florence) we got some gelato and then we all took much needed naps.

I can definitely get used to Italy: delicious food, drinking wine before noon, and then taking a “siesta” in the afternoon…perfecto! However classes start on Monday and then I'm sure I won’t have as much time for morning wine tastings and four hour naps in the middle of the afternoon. I'm off to get some dinner and then play some card games with my roommates!
 

Have a great day!