Best Hot Chocolate Ever

On Thursday, I spent hours doing school stuff, i.e. running around in the snow finding books and paying for my Permit to Stay which you have to get in order to stay in the country legally. Personally, I don't understand exactly what it is for and I think they just want more money from people staying here longer than 90 days but thats ok. I also found Grom, which is an amazing gelato place that makes authentic gelato and it was mind blowing. Nothing too exciting really happened yesterday but at night I went to dinner with Alex, Lainey and Jessi at a restaurant around the corner from my house. Dinner was awesome! We just spent the whole dinner laughing and talking and our waiter gave us all a free drink. After dinner we went to the Lion's Fountain and had a few drinks and just hung out. It was nice to finally go out and enjoy myself after a week of school.

Today, I got to sleep in :] I don't have class on Fridays with is really nice and although it was 28 degrees, I was brave enough to go outside. Alex, Lainey, Jessi, Leah and I walked around by the Duomo and did a little shopping. We went to the pastry/caffe place Rivore and had probably the most amazing cioccolato calda EVER. The whipped cream was unreal and the chocolate was literally melted chocolate that was warmed. I think I died and went to heaven. No, I am pretty positive that I did. Sadly, the city is pretty dead due to the cold weather and there is a trip to the French Riviera so even on the school end it is pretty quiet. I am starting to enjoy the peacefulness of doing nothing. This past semester was jam packed with events, class, meetings and I never had the time to relax, read, journal, etc. I am adjusting to this laid back life style a little faster than I thought and I am very excited about that. I want to enjoy the city, take it easy and not worry about anything other than what is currently going on. I am still very thankful for the support I have back at home and I am even more thankful that they WANT me to be here. I get to go to Paris for my 21st birthday...never in a million years did I imagine spending my 21st in the city of my dreams. I am beyond words really. I don't quite know how to express what I am feeling but I hope the next few weeks fly by :]

rivoire's cioccolato panna

ciao!