Buona Sera!

Buona sera!  Well, I guess for most of you it's buon pomeriggio! (Good afternoon!)

This past week has been a pretty typical school week. Wednesday I went with my little research group to a library and we learned how to use it (at the University of Florence),  It has an old school dewey decimal catalogue! Should be interesting :) Thursday was our big Italian test for the end of month one, determining whether we move up to level two, and presumedly counting towards our grade.  We don't really know though, since Italians apparently don't care about grades, so they don't understand why we want to know how much these tests count for!

Friday was Siena and San Gimagnano, which was so fun.  Both of those places are so beautiful, and I saw once of the most amazing sunsets in San Gimagnano.  We started early in the morning and it was only about an hour ride to Siena.  We saw several churches and museums, and I love the large piazza in the middle of the city.  It's on a curve, and there are so many hills in that city.  I bet there are no overweight Sienese!

We had lunch at a good pizza restaurant and then left for San Gimagnano, which was also amazing.  We saw a church and museum, and climbed to the top of a large tower.  The view was amazing from there.  Afterwards, the art history teacher surprised us with a wine and cheese tasting.  She got several bottles of San Gimagnano white, cheese, and salami and took us up to an overlook, just as the sun was going down.  It was so amazing.  

Today (Saturday) I spent most of the day planning the trip for next week to Rome.  It's me, Allee, Kelly, Will and Erin going and we have tickets so far for the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Vatican.  I think it will be a lot of fun!  I also worked a little bit on my paper due. Tomorrow, is ALL work ALL day.  First big essay due for Ringelberg's class and a reading/response paper on Monday.  Wish me luck :)

My class at the overlook after our wine tasting in San Gimagnano.

E bella, no?

Me in San Gimagnano--amazing Tuscan countryside.

Brittney and I on top of the tower in San Gimagnano.

Siena tower in the central piazza.

Mi dispiace ancora!

Ciao a tutti!  I am so sorry it's been so long since I've updated.  Kim asked me to update, and that's when I realized it had been a week!  Time flies by really fast here.

So let's see!  I left you at our V-day dinner.  It was really fun, and the food was great.  We had shrimp linguini in a white wine sauce, bruschetta, salad, asparagus, and amazing chocolate cake for dinner.  We had some great food and conversation, and chocolate hearts and a sweet card from one of our roommates, Kalin, made the night special.  

From left: Taylor, Brittney, Rebecca, Me, Grant, Ringelberg, Allee

Sunday was the trip to Venice.  That city is so beautiful.  There are no cars, and everyone gets around by foot or water taxi.  It was carnivale, meaning people were walking around in costumes all day.  There were some pretty outlandish outfits!  It was jam-packed in the city, but still a really nice day.  We were on a tour with an Italian speaking guide, and he made me his official translator (not that I was very good at it!)  We didn't go into any churches or museums, but just walked around the city and learned about it which was still great.  

From left: Rebecca, me, Brittney

Let's see.  That leaves this past week, which was mostly the typical school week.  On Wednesday my italian class went on a field trip, which was so much fun.  We were broken up into teams and we each had a destination--it was each team's job to get the class to the destination by asking for directions in italian.  We got some great cappuccino/hot chocolate at a cafe, and then went into Santa Maria del Carmine, a church that housed some frescos I had learned about before and wasn't expecting to see.  That's always so exciting!  My italian teacher is really cool, and it was a great day.  

That day was Allee's (one of my roommates) 21st birthday, so we took her out to dinner at an amazing restaurant called Osteria dei Pazzi (Pazzi means crazy...) The food was so good and the service was great.  I'm definitely going back there!  I felt like it was truly my first authentic italian meal--three courses: bruschetta, broccoli penne, and caprese salad.

Friday was an art history class trip to Lucca and Pisa.  In Lucca we saw many churches and monuments, and it was a really beautiful city.  I was so excited to go to Pisa, because when I came to Italy in high school I didn't make it there.  I would live in Pisa! It was so amazing.  Quiet and cute, yet hopping all at the same time.  I climbed to the top of the tower with a few people, and the view was amazing and worth the 15 euro.  It was so disorienting getting up there though, because the staircase was leaning, obviously!

Here's me at the top of the leaning tower!

Of course I took this picture...I couldn't help myself!!!!

Saturday was a chill day, with everyone doing homework and hanging around.  Today (Sunday) was the Florence carnival, which consisted of a parade moving through the city.  The parade had 36 different countries represented, with some floats and dancing people.  Bolivia had it going on!  Their street dancers were amazing.  It wasn't anything too extravagant, but it was nice to be out amongst the Florentines watching the culture pass by.  And all the bambini (children) were dressed up like it was Halloween--they were so cute!

Well, that gets everyone caught up for now.  I will try not to wait so long to update again, although I don't think I'll be doing anything much different than usual this week.  Friday is the Siena/San Gimignano trip, which I am excited about!

Vi amo!

Mi dispiace!

Ciao amici e famiglia!  I'm sorry I haven't posted in a view days but things have been so busy! Tonight there is nothing really going on, so everyone is enjoying a little calm time.

This weekend was fun--on Saturday me and a few other people went to the Piazza Michelangelo, which was the most incredible view of the entire city.  It was a really nice day, perfect for being up there.  Walking further up leads to San Miniato, which is a monastery at the top of a huge hill.  The view was even more amazing from up there, and when we went into the church there were monks chanting.  It was really nice to just walk around, enjoy the sights and feel like a Florentine.  Although we did take some touristy pictures...:)

On Sunday, almost everyone on the trip went to Ravenna with the art history class.  It was a very long day, with us getting to the bus station at 7:00 am and returning to Florence at 8:00 pm. I got to see so much though, including San Vitale, a very beautiful church that I have learned about before in my art history classes.

The art history professor was VERY knowledgeable, and told us really interesting and minute details of every place we saw.  Ravenna was a little bit like Florence, but much smaller.  We had a break for lunch, and had a really good sandwich.  It was overall a good day, but we have all been very tired since then.  Sleep is not plentiful in Florence!

Me taking a cheesy photo in front of the lunch place...

Dante's temporary tomb, next to the actual tomb

Mausoleum of Theodoric

Monday was class as usual, and Tuesday night I went with a group of people to a music club called BeBop for a Beatles cover band.  A few of us left early because of class in the morning, but we got to feel the place out and it was a lot of fun.  The band was actually pretty good! Thursdays are Oasis nights, so we might check that out soon.

I think that gets everyone about caught up!  This weekend, we are going to Venice on Sunday with the school.  Some people are leaving tomorrow, but a few of us will just be going on Sunday.  We will be trying to plan out some trips and stuff tomorrow, booking hostels and whatnot.  On Saturday those of us who are staying here until Sunday will be cooking a big Valentine's day/Anti-Valentine's day dinner, so we are working on what we want to cook.  I'd welcome suggestions!

Ciao!

Venerdi

I can't believe it's Friday! While on one hand it seems like I've been here forever, on the other it seems like the week went by pretty fast. I am hoping that Florence has gotten the rain out of its system for a while, because I'm pretty tired of it. And it's made me sick! Almost everyone has some form of a sinus/cold type deal.  Swell.  BUT...we're in Firenze.  'Nuff said.

I've decided I really, really like my Italian class.  The teachers are really nice, and all the students are too.  It's cool that they are all from different countries and continents--China, Australia, South Africa, Brazil etc.

La mia classe 

I'm going to post a few pictures here of the walk to the school-we go right past the Uffizi (which I haven't been to yet, but am pumped to do!) and walk through the Piazza delle Signoria.  It's a a nice, scenic walk and doesn't take to long...I think I may have it figured out for myself now :)

Piazza delle Signoria

Tomorrow (sabato) I am planning on going on a walking tour of the Duomo and Baptistery, seeing as when I tried to go earlier this week I got lost on the way to the school and missed it (sad day).  But I think I know my way now for sure.  But so that's the plan--Although, it depends on if I get a GOOD nap today.  I am so tired!  The art history class (which I'm not in) is in class/on a trip right now, so it's just me and a few other people in the apartments now (both of whom are asleep).  ANYWAY, that's the plan.  Sunday, I am going on a trip with the art history class to Ravenna, which I am excited about.  I think all the Elon students may be going, save a couple.  So, I'll post after this weekend to update on how things unfolded!

Ciao!

Classe!

So today was my first day of classes.  They went well!  At 9 I had to take a placement test with a few other people who had already taken some Italian classes.  I'm in a pseudo-beginner class with another girl, Rebecca, and one of the boys, Teddy. The class is different from the class everyone else is taking in that we will be moving faster and speaking in all (that's the plan...) Italian.  The teacher seems nice, but it is a long class!  From 9 to 12:30.  

After class, I went with a few people to try and find a general store.  It was kind of unsuccessful, but still--I'm in Florence! Any wandering is good wandering. It was rainy though, as it has been for the past two days.  Kinda blucky, but it will pass.  At 2:00 I had my other class, the GST with Dr. Ringelberg.  That was fun as well, a lot of the people from the trip are in that class.  After class I stayed to talk to Dr. Ringelberg about thesis stuff (eek) and then realized I had no idea how to get back to my apartment.  She took pity on me and walked me back, giving me a mini tour on the way.  I can't wait to hit up all the museums!  I'm not quite ready to start museum hopping yet though, I still need some time to just get settled into a routine of classes and being abroad.

Right now I am in my apartment updating this, and about to start doing homework, make some dinner (PB & J?  Yes please...economic and delicious), and then shower and hang out.  It's still rainy, so hopefully that will deter the partiers from being outside my apartment!

Since it has been raining the past few days, I haven't really taken any pictures. I'll try and get on that and post asap!  I applaud you if you've gotten this far...I kind of ramble :)