Back to School...Back to School...

Well, I can officially say that my semester abroad has begun! I had a rough time falling asleep last night and I associate that with the "first day of school jitters". I am definitely still adjusting to the time difference and learning how to best communicate with those at home. However, I am still happy to be where I am and I am glad that school is looking to be pretty easy. I had only two classes today, Intro to Marketing at Noon till 2:30 then Broadcasting: Italian Culture and Television from 6-830pm. Marketing seems like it will be pretty boring in the sense that my teacher is very slow and she seems a little intimidated but I am planning to just throw myself into my studies and work very hard to get all A's. My Broadcasting professor is an intelligent man who sounds like Bartok from Anastasia, for those of you who have not seen the movie, I will include a clip at the end...educate yourself. Overall my day was very mellow and I found a bookstore that has "international books" aka books in English and bought Sense and Sensibility, I have always wanted to read it as well as this other book that I have never heard of an currently very confused by. However, I am happy to be reading. I have lots of time to fill during my week days and I might as well do things I couldn't do back in the States, such as read or take a nap or do my Julian Michael's Six Week Six Pack DVD. I love Italy. Learning each day how to just simply live. I think we often forget how simple life really can be and so embracing the Italian culture has been a challenge but a very healthy and rewarding one. I have nothing worth complaining about and I am enjoying the little things. Now that school has begun, I know it will all fly by and I do not want to look back on this trip and be angry with myself for not FULLY experiencing it because I was too busy worrying everything other than that exact moment.

I found a quote that summarizes how I feel about this trip:

"Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been and you not been afraid to live it?"

The answer is: no. I do not want to look back on this trip and wish I could have done more or seen more or worried less. So, I will do, see, and experience all that I want to and continue to have the time of my life. I will be limiting my time on the computer and immersing myself in this city and outside of it fully.

Bartok

CIAO!

Last Day Before School Begins

Today was a day well spent. I bought a beautiful journal from one of the vendors that is right outside my building and I have been writing away. Sometimes I am afraid that my mind and heart might explode with how many thoughts and feelings they contain at times, luckily this journal is small enough to bring with me everywhere. I have also begun scrapbooking my trip, I have saved receipts, entrance tickets, business cards, plane tickets, napkins, and anything else that will remind me of places I have been. I am very happy to have some kind of creative outlet, it keeps my mind at bay. The hardest part about being away is making myself less available. It sounds strange but I had it in my head that I would be busy, busy, busy 24/7 but the life style here is not as fast-pace like it is at home, so I have lot of time to enjoy the city, wander, be lost but also be available to those I miss the most. I am on this journey to learn how to be more selfish and do things that are best for me, not others and that is a challenge that I am looking forward to someday accomplishing. By no means do I wish I was anywhere but here, I love it here and I am happy to spend four months of my life here and I just have to remind myself that my life will be there when I get home. I am SO thankful for those who have gone out of their way to talk to me and make me feel appreciated/missed/thought of/loved etc. Being away also opens your eyes to those who really matter and deserve a piece of your heart. Being here is going to give me a lot of time to reevaluate my life, where I want to be, who I want to be and what I want to do. Clearly no matter where I go, I cannot run away from  how thoughts and how deep they run. My life has been one exciting adventure and I am thankful for every memory and experience. I love the happy moments just as much as the sad ones because they all have taught me an important lesson. People matter to me more than anything and I am blessed to have amazing people in my life, so being here is hard because all I want to do is tell each and every one of you how much I love you and care about you. However, I shall refrain simply because I would never leave my room because there are too many of you and I would like to take in the Tuscan air and landscape while I can. If it isn't obvious yet, Europe only added fuel to the already burning romantic inside of me. Tonight I walked to my favorite place, Piazza Michelangelo and as I watched the city come to life through every street lamp, I couldn't help but fall more in love with where I am but it is a bummer than you all couldn't be there to see and feel the magic yourselves. Standing there made my worries melt away and got me excited for school to begin, I need classes to add another level to this experience and I look forward to meeting new people.

Aside from the Piazza, Alex, Lainey, Jessi and I (alex my roommate and the other two girls go to chapman but they are sophomores) had coffee at this caffe by the Ponte Vecchio and Alex ordered a cioccolato calda (hot chocolate) and it was literally melted chocolate... I will definitely be going back there.

Keep sending the support and I will keep sending my updates :]

ciao ciao.

It has been too long

Bonjourno! I apologize for not posting in a few days but now that everyone has arrived, we have had orientations to attend and friends to make :].

On Thursday was orientation which went from 845-3pm...way too long. They simply just went over attendance policies, safety tips and other general information. We met our advisor, Elena, who is very sweet and also has a pretty thick accent. I am really excited to start school! For those of you who are curious, this is what my class schedule is:

Monday: Intro to Marketing 12-230 and Broadcasting: Italian Culture through Television 6-830 pm
Tuesday: Italian 101 9-10:15am and Pairing Italian Wine and Food 6-830 pm
Wednesday: Social Psychology 6-830 pm
Thursday Italian 9-10:15am

Needless to say, my schedule is very spread out and easy. I don't think school is going to be all that stressful, especially since one of my classes consists of cooking and then pairing the dish to wine...awesome. Speaking of wine, I have officially fallen in love with wine and more so the their idea of how a meal should be enjoyed. I personally enjoy quality conversations, especially when they are exchanged over a delicious meal, luckily the Italians share this idea. Eating quickly and not finishing everything is seen, not as rude, but they assume you didn't enjoy the meal (although you did). The pace of life here is much slower and a lot less stressful. I still find myself rushing to get ready or go places, when really, there is no need for that here. I highly suggest anyone with high blood pressure to move here, or in the surrounding countryside.

Friday: Was the first day that I have slept in since I have been in Florence. I am happy that our window shutters work as blackout curtains and that wine makes me very sleepy. Probably the best night sleep I have had in a long time. After waking up at 10, I spent the day with Alex, Lainey (one of my sorority sisters) and her friend Jessi (also from chapman). We showed them around the city since Alex and I are now professional tour guides. It was really nice to be around other people and share in the excitement of the city. We went to dinner at this place called Mamma Toscanna's...I had tagliatelle ai funghi porcini (pasta in a mushroom sauce), it is probably my new favorite dish. Oh, also on Friday we experienced an earthquake...thought I left California but I guess not. It wasn't terrible but definitely unexpected. I also went shopping at Zaras and bought two coats because the temperature is steadily dropping and I am tired of freezing every time I step outside. They are very nice and on sale :] now I have a white coat,and a black coat to keep my red coat company.

Saturday (today): Alex and I went grocery shopping!!! It was quite the experience because here, in the open market they have a bunch of different shops for meat and veggies/fruits/pasta/cheese etc. You go to the stand of your choice and tell them what you want and you pay for it there as opposed to walking around and paying at the end. It was very intimidating considering I don't know what things are in Italian and they do everything by kilograms not lbs. Aside from being a little nervous, everyone was really nice and helpful and I highly enjoyed myself. Other than cooking lunch for ourselves, we have just been enjoying ourselves and relaxing before school starts on Monday!

Ciao!

Apartment Living

Today we finally moved into our apartment which we will be staying in for the next four months. Words cannot describe how great it feels to not be living out of my suitcase. Our second was definitely better than the first, but this apartment is unreal. The building is right in the middle of the central market and we have some nice views of the buildings and streets below...also if you stick our head out of our window in our room you can see the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Alex and I share a large room with two beds and lots of closet space. (there is even a tv in the room!) The kitchen/living room is very nice and just one big room. The entire place is very clean, sleek and modern looking. We have plenty of dishes, cooking essentials, and linens. I feel as if I am living in New York but when I look outside I see the beautiful streets of Florence. We are lucky enough to be right across from the large market where we can buy produce, meat and other groceries we might need. I am excited to perfect my italian cooking (or start it for that matter) and bring home some yummy recipes. Alex and I went to this really tiny super market and bought some essentials, aka pasta, nutella, olive oil, coffee, tea, hot coco, etc. It was a fun experience actually. We are living next door to four boys we know from chapman and it is definitely going to be a wild semester, I don't think the boys have an 'off' switch. For the past few hours we have all been trying to figure out the internet...for some reason I was the only person who could log in...turns out the password was written down funny and I entered it wrong but it turned out to be correct. Silly Italy.

Overall, today has been a huge relief. Moving in brings a lot of peace of mind and security. I also don't feel as frazzled or dirty. Hostel living was fun, we met some really awesome people, like our Canadian friend Charles or our robust friend Terra from Colorado who has been traveling around the world for the past 13 months. Costansa, our tour guide who made a funny Seinfeld joke in regards to her name. I was tempted to call her George from then on out.

Italy has opened my eyes to what life is like after college. I am fending for myself, problem solving as I go and just growing more accustom to change. I love it. I have never been so happy and free in my whole life and I will be sure to enjoy each day because the next four months will go by faster than I expect.

Cheers to you, for reading my blog and supporting me on my adventures. I shall drink this glass of wine in your honor.

Ciao!

Swollen Feet

This city is great. The food is to die for, I have already found a few places where the sandwiches are delicious and I am still in search of my favorite gelato place. The only downside to this city is that the streets can be a little confusing, so until I learn Italian, I am refraining from exploring toooooo much. Last night we went out to the Lion's Fountain again and met a group of girls from Minnesota studying at another school here in the city and they invited us to join them at another bar called the Red Carter, which is another popular spot for American students.

Santa Maria Novella

Today we went on another tour with our hostel that took us to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella which is a church right down the street from our apartment actually and it is beautiful. From there we headed down towards the river, passed by the Palazzo Strozzi which is a palace that I will actually be attending class in for school. (can't complain about that) We saw a few more palaces and churches then we hit the Fiume Arno and crossed over the Ponte Santa Trinita to the other side of the river and went into the Chiesa del Carmine, a gorgeous church that from the outside, looks very plain however the inside was breathtaking. Most churches, more specifically the Renaissance churches have beautiful, yet simple facades but the inside of the church is far from plain or simple. This plays along with the idea of separation of body and soul. 

Santa Croce

After our tour we got lunch at this cafe right across the square from Basilica di Santa Croce. IT WAS DELICIOUS! I had a very tummy panini and cappuccino. After lunch we went inside of Santa Croce and it was absolutely unreal. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, the Medici family, Dante and other very important historical figures are all buried inside of this church. Fun fact, the church was actually designed by a Jewish man...there is a star of david on the facade. The church had a lot of restorations going on so I definitely plan on going back later in the semester. Also, I would like to get the audio tour next time so I can learn more about the church and about each of the tombs.

Battistero di San Giovanni

Today we also went inside of the Baptistry (Battistero di San Giovanni) which is right in front of the entrance to the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (the cathedral where the Duomo is attached). The ceiling of the Baptistry is unreal. The detailing and the gold made it feel as if you were looking into the heavens. There are two doors on the side that are considered to be the entrance and the exit door is facing the Cattedrale. The meaning behind that is because once you were baptized, you are then ready for church, thus you exit at the foot of the church.

Outside the Battistero

The exit doors, as Michelangelo called them the "Gates of Paradise" were done by Lorenzo Ghiberti. They are made of bronze and plated with gold and have ten panels each depicting a different scene from the Old Testament.

Gates of Paradise 

I love Florence because of it's rich history in art. All of the buildings have character and you cannot walk a few blocks without running into a palace, piazza housing some important statue or breathtaking church. The mixture of Gothic and Renaissance architecture gives the city even more richness and awe inspiring power. Nothing is ugly, only old. I am going to make it a point to learn all that I can about the history of Florence and especially the history of all the churches and famous palaces. Everything has a story and I feel as if I am walking through a textbook, the feeling is indescribable.

I wish everyone could visit and experience the beauty that is Florence for themselves.


Ciao!

If its not baroque, don't fix it!

Today was awesome! It is only 4 pm but we did a lot up until now. This morning we had breakfast at our hostel (its free, so duh) and then we went on a free walking tour that they give. We met a guy from Whales, a guy from Quebec and this woman from Colorado who has spent the past 13 months traveling around from South America to Africa and now Europe. I really wish that kids in the United States saw the importance and value traveling has in life. I have been here for only three days now and I feel exactly how I felt when I dreamt of Europe. The beauty and richness of the buildings, sculptures, churches, paintings, etc. are heart stopping. In Florence, everything moves at a slower pace and every moment is precious. The walking tour took us to places we have already been but offered more historical information and I was able to ask the woman questions that I had when exploring on my own. She also gave us useful tips, like the fact that most museums are closed on Mondays but the churches are open, so tomorrow we will be going into the churches and doing those tours. After the tour, Alex and I walked back towards our hostel with our new friend Terra, the older woman on our tour, and she helped us to find where we will be living for school. It looks a little sketchy, but the area is perfectly safe and surprisingly close to everything. Most of my classes are in the area as well which is also nice.

After finding where we will be living we had lunch at the Lion's Den. I had a spicy salami and mozzarella sandwich with a 1/2 pint of beer...it was SO yummy. Then we walked to Fiume Arno and just enjoyed the lovely weather and the beauty of Firenze. Fun fact, the fleur-de-lis is the symbol of Firenze, just reaffirms my love for them and they are everywhere, along with the Medici coat of arms because the Medici family ruled over Florence for a few hundred years. We walked back towards our hostel through the Piazza del Duomo and I got my first gelato :] menta! (mint chip...delicious) Then we headed from there through the central market where the street venders are and I had a younger man tell me that I dropped something...to which he responded with "his heart" and complemented my smile and let me on my way. It is interesting because in America, men who are vocal about what they like we view as crazy, scary or insane, whereas here, it is very common and 99% of the time, not threatening.

I feel as if the city is already mine. I love the life style, the history, the art, everything! I love it all. I was obsessed with Europe before I left and now here I am, delighted that is it everything I expected it to be. Florence is gorgeous and I will everything back at home could visit, not just to see me but to experience everything that I am and to fall in love with this city as well.

Ciao!

The Duomo

(formatting is still weird, couldn't tell you why)

Florence continues to amaze me. I have always romanticized Europe because of the art, history, rustic old buildings, and the different life style. Although I had a melt down the first night, I have done a complete 180 and find myself in love with this city, just like I dreamed I would. I am looking forward to making this place my home and understanding the language, public transit and how the streets work...they seem to be a little chaotic. So far, Florence has been everything I thought it would be, beautiful, charming and full of life. When wandering around, there are still little comforts from home, such as all of the American music that stores and restaurants will play, bringing me peace in a way. I firmly believe that every one should go to Europe at some point in their life, but more specifically when they are young and free of most responsibilities. Two days here and I already feel like my life has changed. (On the right is a view from the top of the Duomo)

The Duomo

Today was our last day in our first hostel, so we woke up at 8 and was out the door at 10 to find a caffe, which we did right down the street from our hostel and I had a cappuccino (obviously). From there we walked to the Duomo because the day before I discovered we could walk to the top of the dome itself. Turns out you can take a tour of the the church, around the terraces and from the terrace go up to the dome, so we did! I absolutely loved hearing all about the history of the church, the building of the Basilica  di Santa Maria del Fiore (Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower...the Lily is the symbol of Florence) began in 1296 and it was completed in 1436. The fascade of the church is actually not the original, it was redone in the 18th century by Emilio de Fabris, however, after a flood had occurred it was discovered that the flooring inside of the church is made up of the original marble used for the original fascade.

Interior of Church Looking Down From Terrace

Yes, even in the 16th century, they recycled. Construction of the Dome began in 1420 and was completed in 1436 and remarkably only one person died in the making. From the ground to the top of the lantern and where I was able to walk up to and around measures 90 meters or 295 feet. Also, the dome is octagonal meaning that Brunelleschi had to devise a new way of constructing the dome in order to combat the forces of gravity. The fresco on the interior of the Duomo is breathtaking. It depicts The Last Judgement with Jesus sitting opposite of the devil.

Looking Up Towards the Inside of the Duomo

From the interior terrace of the dome, you can see the details of the work more clearly and I was dumbfounded to think that the Vasari's fresco begun in 1572 and was completed by Federico Zuccaro who had to sit upside down from 1568 to 1579 until this 3,600 square meter mosaic was completed. The rest of the mosaic is split up and has a variety of meanings and depictions, but those details would talk too long to explain. Inside of the church there is a variety of artwork and busts and what I found to be the most interesting is that on the aisles (sides) of the church, cultural contributions and societal ones were exemplified and in the main body of the church, spiritual contribution and importance were upheld. I love that all those years ago, society found that substantial contributions to the arts, military and writing were just as important as the spiritual. Well-roundedness was key. Also, I guess I missed it in history class but Dante is considered to be the Father of Italian language. Our tour guide must have thought we were dumb. 

View from the Exterior Terrace

View From the Top of the Duomo

Stairs we tok to get to the top and to take down

After the Duomo we ate lunch as this small restaurant right off the Piazza del Duomo. I had pizza again....I really couldn't help it. It was delicious!!! After lunch we left our first hostel and took a taxi over to our second. The driver got a little lost and frustrated with us because it was difficult to find our hostel, but we got there eventually. This hostel is about 10 mins walking distance from the center of town and right down the street from where I will be living. Still haven't found where I will be living and it looks like I am living right next to where the market is as well as where all the street venders are...glad I am used to LA and no one can hustle this. This hostel actually keeps the internet on all night which is nice and it is heated and comes with towels and a heated towel rack (fancy living). 

Once we got settled in our room we went to this really cute restaurant, however they weren't serving dinner, just wine and free appetizers... I had a glass of Chianti (SO yummy) but then I got really sleepy because I hadn't really eaten. That is something Alex and I are set on figuring out, what is custom and how you can tell if they are serving food or when they are open until. All apart of adjusting. 

disclaimer

so I am having difficulty with formatting when it comes to adding photos so please hold tight and I will try to figure it out soon! Go to facebook for more pictures!

Day One: Got Lost and Saw it All

Piazza Santa Croce

I may not have slept at all last night and I may have given myself an anxiety attack due to being sick on my first night and in a new place, but today was EXACTLY what I needed and wanted. Alex and I were up at 6:30 this morning and slowly moving around the room until about 8:30 and headed out to get lost in the city. Right down the street from our hostel is Piazza Santa Croce (as pictured on the right). Since it was early in the morning, the piazza was pretty empty except little kids and their moms walking or biking to school just past the church. It felt nice to be up and about so early because we missed most the 'touristy rush' and felt like we had the city to ourselves. After Santa Croce we continued down the street (basically down past the far left of the photo) in search of coffee/pastries. We walked for a few blocks and figured that we were mostly in residential areas since we were surrounded by moms taking their kids to school. So we turned down Via delle Casine and made our way towards Fiume Arno (the main river that cuts through Florence) because we heard a) its a beautiful walk b) we would probably have better luck finding food.

Walking down Fiume Arno

Here I am walking down Lungarno delle Grazi and there is a bridge in the background (very small in the photo) that is one of the three main bridges in Florence, Ponte alle Grazie. We did not walk all the way down to Ponte Vecchio at this time but instead somehow managed to turn down a small street that lead us back to our Hostel. I still don't understand how their streets work and I got confused quite a bit as to how we would managed to get to places and then end up somewhere we were earlier. Confusing, but at least it was during the day and we were never lost in small alleys.

Once on this little street which happened to be right by our hostel we decided to finally have something for breakfast. We went to Moka Arra and I am not totally sure if the guy spoke english but yay for pointing and head nodding. Also, turns out that in smaller places you can eat first then pay, which threw us off but makes enjoying food and savoring your cappuccino easier. The chocolate croissant was unbelievably delicious and so was the cappuccino and both only cost 2.20 euros. I hate you Starbucks.

Breakfast at Moka Arra

Once we finished our breakfast, we headed down a street that I cannot seem to remember how we even got to but as we were walking, the most amazing thing happened, we stumbled upon the Piazza delle Signoria. That was basically the theme of the day, walk down streets and then stumble upon extremely popular landmarks. I felt as if every few minutes I would say, "OOH whats that?!" or "Lets go down here, wooahh!!". Anyways, the Piazza was breathtaking....unfortunately I am not a history buff so once school begins I will probably have pictures of the Piazza again along side a history lesson of what everything is and why it is there. Most of the statues were undoubtedly recognizable, but I want to learn more. The next hostel we are staying in offers free walking tours so we might take one!

Fountain of Neptune

Now I did not include all of the pictures from the Piazza delle Signoria because I know I will be going back there and taking more photos so I will have a blog just for it as well as most of the other famous landmarks I will be going to. However, this large open square and beautiful and it was fairly empty since it was so early which allowed us to take better pictures (even though the lighting was awful and gray.) I am looking forward to coming back here later and taking a tour so I know exactly what everything is, who made it, and why it is there. So these are just to wet your palette.

Perseus and the head of Medusa 

David

Piazza delle Repubblica

After walking around the Piazza for a while we headed up Via Cazaluoli towards the Duomo, however we got side tracked again because we saw the Piazza delle Repubblica. I think the most magical thing about Italy is, is that you could be walking down some tiny street or large one, and turn a corner and BAM, the Piazza delle Repubblica or Ponte Vecchio, the city's oldest bridge...(it means "old bridge" in Italian) That is where we hit next from the piazza. I highly enjoyed walking down all of the streets and the beauty each alley way had was breathtaking. After we wandered toward the Fiume Arno, we finally saw Ponte Vecchio, one of the most classic views in Florence. 

Piazza delle Repubblica

Ponte Vecchio

the duomo

From there we walked past the bridge, through the Piazza delle Signoria (which was packed by now) and headed off to see the Duomo. The grandure, detailing and beauty of the Duomo is very difficult to describe in words and capture in a photograph. I really want to walk to the top of the Duomo, so hopefully that will happen tomorrow! 

After the Duomo, it was lunch time so we headed back towards our hostel to eat at a pizza I had spotted earlier when we got breakfast. I had a torta rustica, basically just a ham and cheese sandwich...to a certain extent. It was very rich and filling, I felt bad not eating all of it. Overall, 

Letizia E Michele was very yummy and cheap. After lunch, I desparately needed a nap since i didn't sleep at all the night before....we ended up sleeping for four hours...oops. So by the time we woke up it was time for dinner. 





















We headed over by the Duomo and ate at Ristorante Il Scudo. I had pizza margherita... SOO GOOD! Seriously, I do not know why we think we make good pizza in the US (well NY has pretty good pizza but thats because its made by Italians). The pizza was literally the size of my face and Alex and I should have split it. (I am having difficulty adding photos so I am going to stop here, look at facebook for all of my pictures!! Add me if we aren't already friends!)


After dinner, we went to The Lion's Fountain which is basically an Irish Pub where americans studying abroad go to drink. Some really drunk guy from Wisconsin hit on me via asking if my credit card was Chase Sapphire and processed to follow that statement with a 'high five". Alex and I enjoyed people watching till two Italian guys walked over and started talking to us....clearly they think we dont understand the concept of a wingman because the guy who was talking to me's friend was literally standing there, body language screaming "i just came over here so my friend could meet you". Anyway, I was nice obviously but he was not so nice on the eyes, so they left after more American girls came running in, kinda funny to watch. Another fun fact about today, in every place we ate, really random American songs were playing, such as "Young, Wild & Free", "My Heart Will Go On", "We Found Love", an Avril Levine song and "Still Loving You" by the Scorpions.  The pub only played American music and it was humorous as to watch songs they played. 

Day One: perfection. I needed to hit the ground running and start getting swept up in the magic of Europe. Yesterday was just airports and our hostel room which was not fun. As for Day Two, we are moving to another hostel and staying there until we move in to our apartment on the 25th. Our next hostel is on the other side of town, so it will be really fun to see a different part of the city, the part that I will actually be living and going to school in. I love all of those who are taking the time to read this and thank you for being supportive! 

Ciao! 

Safe inside my first hostel

At last, after leaving LAX on Jan. 18th at 350pm, I made it to Florence on Jan. 19th at 245pm. The first flight was direct from LAX to Charles De Gaulle in Paris. It was a slightly painful, very bumpy, and very long. I have never been on a flight longer than 5.5 hours, plus the plane itself was not what I am used to. It is a lot larger than most planes that are flown around the US and they also cram in as many seats as possible. I guess culture shock started on the plane? Aside from the negatives, I watched the movie The Help during the flight and it was amazing. I really wish I would have read the book now... anyways once the flight was coming to an end, my mood went from cranky to excited. After landing in Paris, Alex and I were faced with the glorious task of trying to figure out where the heck we were supposed to go! Oh and I got my first stamp ever and of course it would be from Paris :]

CDG is a ridiculously large and oddly set up airport however, we managed to find our way and take this tiny little tram to our tiny little terminal that isn't even connected to the main airport? While going through security this man who worked at the airport was trying to guess what language everyone spoke before he directed them to a security line. He looks at me and says "hola?" and I wanted to laugh out loud but I looked at him and shook my head no. His next guess what "good morning?" I found it humorous and flattering that he thought I wasn't American right away. Anyways, our second flight was on this tiny little airplane that we walked onto and had no room to do anything other than lean forward and sleep...which we did since we didn't sleep on our first flight.

We finally landed in Florence and got our luggage then braced ourselves for what we thought was going to be a terrible customs process....there was none. Our stamp from CDG was good enough and there was no one even there! Being the nervous people that we are...we went up to the information desk to ask them about it, they laughed and said we were fine. (Dumb americans I know) From there we got in a taxi that drove us to our hostel. We drove past the Duomo and my mouth dropped, I was not expecting it to be so grand and smack in the middle of everything. I am looking forward to exploring it tomorrow... 400 steps to the top :] At last, down this tiny little street we reached our destination. Turns out the building is over 500 years old, which explains why later that night our shower was leaking into the room below us.

Overall, the first day has been very stressful due to all of the flying and confusing airports and my lovely stomach deciding that it needed to get sick which sparked some anxiety which lead me to write this blog as a way to reflect on how important it is to push yourself and be outside your comfort zone. I know that once Alex and I start exploring the city, getting more comfortable and acquainted, and once our program actually begins, I will forget why I was even anxious in the first place. Every feeling felt on this trip is important and I plan on embracing and tackling them all.

I will post pictures here soon.

Ciao!

Finding the Silver Lining

As the countdown reaches four, I think it is starting to finally hit me. The past two days have been spent packing (my least favorite activity) and with the solitude that packing brings, I find my thoughts consuming me. Over the past two years, College has been quite the adventure. I have faced different challenges that have changed who I am, but I feel as though I have strayed from the path that I had originally set for myself. Florence is exactly what I need in my life right now.

For the past 20 (almost 21) years, I have lived in the same place and as lovely as SoCal is, change is beyond necessary. Europe has always been a place where my mind escapes to when life seemed a little to hard to handle but now, Europe is a reality. Over the past few days I have discovered that I need to leave now more than ever because I need 'me' time. It is my turn to grow and change and I am terrified but in a healthy, more excited/nervous kind of way. There has been nothing in my life that I haven't been able to handle, Europe is no different. I need to have faith in my own life and know that it is moments like these that shape and define who we are. I have had a lack of moments in the past two years that have really challenged me. The lack of internal growth and too much focus on others is unfair to my own soul. My little Madison had a long talk with me about how it is okay to be scared but I need to finally realize that I am not easily dispensable and it is important that I just trust myself and this journey I am about to embark on. The biggest challenge in life is simply trusting it. Having faith in something I can't always control. Being completely open to what is thrown at me and never thinking for a moment that I will be forgotten because that is a silly thought to have to begin with. I am lucky to have the beautiful life that I do and I guess my biggest struggle is finally accepting that right now, my life is about...me. Not my friends, not my family, not my sisters, but me. I have been neglecting myself and that is never a healthy thing.


I am thankful for a lot of people in my life right now and I trust that they will support me and encourage me throughout my entire trip because those closest to me know that it is time my life gave back to me instead of me always giving to others. I love quotes and here is one that I have always had an attachment too but finally feel is holding true...
   "I believe that my life's gonna see, the love I give, return to me" -John Mayer


It is time to have my own adventure.

Ciao.

One Week Till Departure

One week...the final stretch. Luckily I have been very on top of everything that needed to be done so I have been spending the past few days getting last minute essentials such as: adapters, running shoes, t-shirts, toiletries, etc. I have begun the slow and grueling process of packing up my room as well as organizing all that I want to bring with me to Florence...still have yet to decide how many bags I want to bring. I can't say that packing has been an enjoyable experience but aside from packing, I have spent most days hanging out with friends and my roommates. I am blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing and supportive people who are just as excited I as am to set off on this amazing adventure.

As excited as I am, the anticipation of waiting and watching the days slowly crawl by, is making me nervous. However, it is a liberating feeling knowing that I am going to a country where I know a few people, don't know the language and have little responsibility aside from school and watching my carb/alcohol consumption. I am excited to learn new things, try new foods, meet new people, experience a culture far different than my own, and become more independent. The past two years I feel as though I have drifted away from my true self and from becoming the woman I want to be. I now have the opportunity for growth and discovery and THAT is why I am excited to go to Firenze.

Life is far too short to not travel outside your comfort zone. See the world, try new things, take risks and eat good food. I am ready for this week to fly by but until then I still have packing, shopping and going away parties to attend.

Ciao!

Dieci Giorni (Ten Days)

I cannot believe that I began my 'Florence Countdown' 75 days ago and here I am with only ten days left on the calendar. Whether we like to admit it or not, time really does fly. After an amazing first semester of my junior year, I am closer than ever to embarking on a trip of a lifetime. After hours of paperwork, crazy Consulate visits and lists upon lists of 'things I need for Florence', I am just days away from walking onto the plane and heading off into the Tuscan sun.

I have always wanted a blog, now I finally have a reasonable excuse to get one. I will be using this to update you all on what I am up to and it will give me the opportunity to add details on my day-to-day life.

Here are some pre-departure details:

Alex Chrystal (best friend that I am traveling with) and I will be flying AirFrance and arriving in Florence on January 19th, six days prior to orientation for school, Lorenzo de'Medici. During those six days, we will be celebrating Alex's 21st birthday in Florence (on Jan. 22nd, even more of an excuse to leave earlier and explore Florence on our own). We have our hostels booked and to say we are both excited is an understatement; I am crawling out of my skin in anticipation.

Although I am excited, I still have a lot left to do: pack up my room, move out of my house, pack for Florence and check, double check, triple check, check again that I have ALL of the paperwork I need in order to study and stay in Italy. I already forgot a paper once when I had to turn in my Visa application...I don't need to forget another. So until the 18th, I will be preparing and seeing friends/family.

Ciao!