June 19, 2009

OFFICIAL LAST DAY.

This week has been all sorts of crazy. I do know one thing - having total access to alcohol and food 24/7 has not been good for me.

Monday we did not end up people watching. Instead we just chilled and hung around and read books in our room. LAME. Also, we did not go out either because we were tired and needed to take the night off.

Tuesday was SO MUCH FUN. First we had Italian, and then we had a wrap up class for Renaissance, which was quite short, thankfully. We had a break for an hour or two and then we went to our cooking class at an authentic Italian villa! It was so pretty, she had two really cute dogs, and we made SO much food. We had literally eight or nine dishes - all delicious and fattening. MM MM GOOD. When we got back from cooking class, I immediately took to drinking and we began plans for the wedding of V and Matteo that evening.

The wedding was quite intense. Matching bridesmaids dresses, reception, wedding cake, toasts, white dress, suits (good enough), flowers, ring bearer, flower girl, the whole shebang. Pictures on facebook do not do the evening justice.

Then we all went out for Cara's birthday. It was a great night.

Wednesday we all went to Bologna. It was kind of rainy and we were all tired, so it wasn't the best excursion. Plus, we didn't see most of the places we went there to see because one of them was closed, Ciccareli decided he didn't like the other one, and because it was cold and rainy. Instead, he took us to get ice cream.

We came back to Firenze and had a very nice dinner. Then I went to bed.

THURSDAY, which was yesterday, was just a huge frenzy of a day. We woke up kind of late, and sort of studied. Went to the OIL SHOPPE for the last time ever :( and thenn came back and studied some more and hung out. Took our test around 5:30 and thenn we had dinner. After dinner some us went to the Ponte Vecchio for gelato and the sunset - perfect.

Our last real night was spent on the terrace with all the people from our program. When we drank too much, we went out. It was a perfect last night in this city.

Today we woke up, packed, and moved to our hostel. Then we climbed the Duomo, ate at Cucciolo, got ice cream at La Carraia, went to Mercato Centrale, and just hung out around our room in the hostel. I took a mini nap just now. Soon we're going to the Arno, then out to dinner, and then going to bed because of our flights in the morning. I LOVE IT here but I can't wait to be home.

<3
V

June 15, 2009

In Capri!


Blue Grotto in Capri

This was one of the best weekends ever :)

Thursday of course I finished packing and got ready and we got on our bus to Sorrento. We knew we would be stopping for dinner but we literally did not till 9 o clock. We were starving. But as we got out of the bus, we realized that the bus next to us had Jesus on it. COINCIDENCE? I think not. Jesus was our savior.

We got to Sorrento late that night and slept. Friday morning we got on a ferry to CAPRI! It was so beautiful. First, we took an island boat tour and we also visited the Blu Grotto. Then we headed to the city center and then down to the beach for the rest of the time. We almost got left behind on the beach since no one told us about the bus. Thanks guys.

We got back and had our three course dinner at the hotel - bruschetta, penne pasta with red sauce, and fries with chicken. I just didn't eat the chicken. Then instead of going out we were lame and read and went to bed. Atleast I read three books this weekend - Da Vinci Code, Bridget Jones' Diary, and Kite Runner. All very good. Next up will be Angels and Demons, followed by Digital Fortress, and then I'm up for recommendations. Probably finish up the Shopaholic series and also finish Bridget Jones.

Saturday we got up late-ish and went to Positano for the day, which is also beautiful. We spent the day on the beach, reading, soaking up the sun, etc. Had a nice, long, lazy, expensive lunch. Once we got back, had dinner again, and then back to reading and sleep.

Sunday was nice too. We walked around Sorrento, got some gelato, read in the city. Then we left for Pompei, and spent some time there. Had some close to real Napoli pizza! Thenn back on the charter bus and back to Firenze.

Today has been good too - after Italian we went to Piazza Michelangelo and I finally ate a waffel! SO worth it. LOL. Plan for the rest of the week:

Today - People watching at Piazza della Republica, Going out :)
Tomorrow - Lunch at some random place, COOKING CLASS
Wednesday - Bologna
Thursday - Oil Shoppe, Mercato Centrale, Packing, Going out :)
Friday - Cucciolo, Walk around Firenze, Duomo

June 11, 2009

Wine Tasting!


Secret Bakery!

I only have eight more days here :(

I don't want to leave!

Monday was fun for the rest of the night. I did some homework, and then we went and got dinner and got ready and went over to Caton and David's apartment and pregamed there with some of their friends. From there, we all went to so many places - Astor, Red Garter, Loch Ness. Loch Ness was LAME, Red Garter was good as usual, Astor was just okay.

Afterwards we went and found the Secret Bakery! It was awesome - just the sign that says "Please be quiet." And the lady next door that got so mad since so many drunk people were hanging out outside her place. We got chocolate croissants and pizza.

Tuesday was fun too! We went to class and then slept all afternoon. Then we got up and got ready for our wine tasting! It was me, Cara, Sarah, Jana, and Jordan! It was such a great deal - 15 euro for like six glasses of wine each, plus actual food. Then we decided it would be a good idea to go to Tiawana for happy hour! We shared a pitcher of strawberry margaritas and pina coladas and then headed back home for dinner. Wine tasting was so filling, so we didn't eat much. We just hung out here, and then went to one of Jordan's friend's apartments for pregaming.

Then her phone was lost and it was bad news. We left twenty-one right away and were coming back. We took 20 minutes to walk home even though its um literally a block away from our hotel. We're silly.

Yesterday was a nightmare. Italian class and then we had to go to the Uffizi for Renaissance. It was so unbearable. After Renaissance we took naps again and then went to dinner. We sort of studied after dinner, but mostly I just played solitaire and did nothing with my life.

Today was italian, renaissance, and then we got lunch. I came back here and finished my Italian and now I still need to shower, clean up, and pack all before 5:45 since we leave for Amalfi today! I cannot wait...three beach days in a row!

June 8, 2009

Ciao bella!

Today has been one of the best days of my life because I did what I do best - shop. But let me talk about yesterday first. I tried to sleep in, but I ended up waking up at 8:30 and so I read a little and finished up my Renaissance homework! Then we got lunch and went to the archeological museum.

It was quite possibly the worst museum I have ever seen. Indiana has better archeology museums than this one. There were rooms with just posters on the walls! It was crazy. Then it started pouring and we got lost for a little while so we just holed up in our room and watched movies and exchanged music and had a very lazy day. We left the room for dinner - and went to the closest place we could find. Then we came back and literally did nothing. I got some homework done, but mostly we sat and laughed and chatted. It was a chill day.

Today we had italian in the morning, as usual. AND THEN WE STARTED OUR DAY OF SHOPPING.

First, obviously, we got lunch. At this pizza place called piccadilly. It was delicious. Then we picked up a lemon popsicle on our way to the other side of the Arno - where the best market in town is. From one of the shops I got a dress and a going out shirt. Then from the second shop I got some sweet red chucks. Then from shop three I bought a dress.

Then as we were leaving, we passed this little jewelry stand run by an Indian man. He asked me if I spoke Hindi, which I do, so we talked in Hindi for a while. Then he gave us 50% off on the necklaces we wanted. AND he gave us each a free bracelet. It was kind of amazing. I have now officially leanred the tricks of the trade - GO TO THE INDIAN VENDORS! It's a sweet deal.

Since we were on the other side of the Arno, there was no choice but to go to our favorite gelato place, La Carraia. DELICIOUS, as usual. On our way back I stopped and bought myself a Fiorentina jersey, which I am super excited about. THEN we went to the boar's market, which wasn't that great, so we headed to San Lorenzo, where I might have gone a little crazy with shopping. I bought myself two scarves, a tray and some coasters for my mom, a sweatshirt for my sister, some gifts for my IU friends (you read this, so I can't say what I got for you guys), gifts for my Fort Wayne friends (you also read this, so I can't say what I got for you guys either). Then we dropped our stuff off and went out for round two of shopping.

We headed back to the boar's market for something for Jordan's mom, went to H&M for some shorts, and then went to a cute jewelry store, where I got a sweet gift for my grandmother! On the way back we stopped at the chocolate store, so I bought some chocolate for myself and my dad. AND I got some Kinder Buenos.

Also, we figured out that the chocolate shop has an entire section for alcohol in the back. And its really cheap alcohol too. Way cheaper than Asian man next door. So now I'm going there all the time.

We just went to Florence for Fun and booked our wine tasting for tomorrow, and now I think I might clean everything up and take a nap. Or read a book. Or do my Italian homework!

June 6, 2007

I'm exhausted. Really. My body aches.

I didn't end up going out on Wednesday night either since I had a test on Thursday. Thursday of course we had our exam, and we had Renaissance class and then Jordan and I went to the gardens and read there and we explored the Pitti Palace. I'm even more in love with the place now that I've seen the inside of it. I really want to own in someday.

Thursday night was also uneventful - after dinner I just read a little and then went to bed. I have already finished Chasing Harry Winston and Deception Point - about to start the Kite Runner. I am really excited about it, it should be a good book.

Yesterday we went to Brolio, which is this castle somewhere in the middle of Chianti in Tuscany. Except we got there and IT WAS CLOSED FOR A CONVENTION. It was so funny. So we just walked up to this other castle and then went to our other destination - Vallombrosa - early. Vallombrosa is a state park and some of us went hiking for like three hours to the top of the mountain. Hence why my body hurts. It was amazing though - but it got kind of cold up there haha. Then we still had time to kill so I slept on the bus a little (sort of) and then Ciccarelli treated us all to some coffee/snacks at the bar by Vallombrosa.

Afterwards we went to dinner, which was good, but not great. They gave us less wine that usual, which was definitely quite lame. Today, we went to Milan. Looked at the Duomo, all the fancy designer shops, and bought only one things. It wasn't a very eventful day. I definitely learned that although train conductors have been extremely lenient in the past and are lenient to other people, this is my time of bad luck. I had the ticket for the wrong day on the way back since originally I had planned on coming back tomorrow. So did Ian. I had to pay 76 freaking euro for my ticket and a fine, while Ian had to pay nothing since the train guy didn't even look at the date on his.

In the past, other people have had tickets for the wrong day and we haven't had stuff validated, but to this day, no one has had to pay 76 euro for this kind of stuff.

Ugh.

June 3, 2009

It's my first June entry - sweeet.

Monday we had Italian class (as usual) and then we all did laundry. It was so expensive - 7 euro. That's like 10 dollars for doing one load of laundry. Literally, ridiculous. Then we got lunch at the Oil Shoppe (again) and then we went to the Salvatore Ferragamo shoe museum. It was really cool - we saw shoe molds of so many famous people and lots of really cool shoes.

Then we came back and did homework and read books and stuff. Then at 7 Matteo and I went to pregame at this Mexican restaurant. We had a pitcher of margarita each. THEN we all went out that night. Enough said.

Yesterday was very uneventful. Italian, Renaissance class (where we went to see David by Michelangelo at the Galleria dell'Academia) and then napped until like 6. Then I did my homework and we had dinner. After dinner I had every intention to go out, but then I got tired and I just wanted to read my book, so I ended up bypassing going out and I read my book till like 11:30. Then, some of us watched a movie and I went to bed at 1:15. It was a good night.

Today has also been uneventful. Italian class again, Renaissance again and lunch again. Then I finally finished my book (it was really good, it was called The Double Bind) I have also already read The Devil Wears Prada, Marshmallows for Breakfast, and A Thousand Splending Suns. Today after I finish studying and getting everything done, I am going to start Chasing Harry Winston. Then next on my list is Deception Point, and after that The Kite Runner. I love reading so much.

Tonight I might go out and meet up with some friends we made from Princeton, or I might stay in and study for my test. Or I might go to a gay bar with Bryce. We'll see.

Ciao!

May 31, 2009

Fiorentina vs. AC Milan!

I'm going on a diet, it's official. Today I had a sandwich the size of my head for lunch. A large slice of pizza for dinner. And then I had two gelatos. Two gelatos, after dinner. Just because I wanted them. I'm going to be the size of an elephant by the time I get home.

Today was fun! I finally got to sleep in and get as much sleep as I wanted and then I got ready and we met up with Jordan's friend David and his friends Katon and Emily and we all went to lunch and then to the FIORENTINA vs AC MILAN game at 3. We lost 2-0, but atleast we got to see David Beckham since he plays for AC Milan.

After the game we hung out and then got dinner around 7:30 and since then we've been talking, facebooking, gchatting, and attempting to finish hw and read.

I love european football.

May 30, 2009

Monterroso in Cinque Terre


Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi

I am about to pass out from exhaustion, really.

I've taken eating to new highs - today for dinner I ate two large pieces of bruschetta, AN ENTIRE FREAKING PIZZA, and still had room for dessert afterwards. I can already feel it all being unhealthy in my stomach and I sort of would like to throw it all up.

Yesterday we went to Assisi for our class excursion. It was actually a pretty fun trip. We first got there and went to the Basilica of San Francesco. I learned a very important lesson there - I really should NOT read in cars and buses. Here's how it happened: I read on the bus and became very bus-sick. Then I still felt sick when we got to the Basilica. Once we were inside, not only did I become really pale, but I felt like I was going to throw up AND I kept blacking in and out. So I had to go sit outside the basilica for a little while and regain my composure and my eyesight. What a start to the day! Oy.

Then I still felt sick but I could see so I went back in. After seeing the basilica, we took a break for lunch and I think I napped with my bag as a pillow while Jordan read her book. The break was so fast, and then we went to climb this fortress! It was then that I remembered how much I love climbing things and I explored all over the place. I wish so badly that I could have stayed longer because it was awesome. Then we visited two other churches, San Rufino, and Santa Chiara, and then got on the bus to get to our restaurant for dinner!

Anthony officially calls me "champ" now, which I love. For example: "hey champ, how are you feeling now?" Basically, he's my favorite teacher ever. Dinner wasn't as good as last week, but still entertaining. The professors encouraged more drinking and people got roudy, as usual. When we got home from dinner I fell asleep after uploading my pictures.

Today we got up fairly early and took a train to Cinque Terre. From La Spezia, we went to Monterosso, and we got our tickets for everything. We checked out each town and traveled to each one by train. When they said small towns, they really meant small. Literally, some of them are smaller than the size of my neighborhood at home. But they were really pretty and really cute, and I enjoyed myself. We stopped for some gelato in Corniglia and for pesto pizza in Vernazza. SO delicious. Around 3:30 we got to Riomaggiore (the last town) and started hiking. There are four trails, but we only ended up doing the first three since we would have run out of time for the fourth.

The trails got harder as we went, but the views were incredible! We then stopped in Vernazza for dinner at this really cute place, got some more gelato, and then got on a train and headed home. I fell asleep again and Jordan read her book again (pattern, anyone?) We got back into our room around 10:30 and since then I've been uploading, editing, and working on choosing pictures for Facebook. I took a shower like half an hour ago and now I'm waiting for my pictures to be uploaded to Facebook but it might not happen tonight.

Once my head hits the pillow, I'll be out. Hiking for two hours and walking all day is exhausting.

May 28, 2009

Boboli Gardens!

Ciao ragazzi!

Tuesday was a good day - we just shopped till we dropped (basically). Ended up eating dinner at the hotel instead of going out because we were so so full from lunch. And then we were really lame and went to bed kind of early. I still don't feel like I've caught up on sleep from Monday night, which is not that great.

Yesterday! We finally had our oral exam and I think it went pretty well. I forgot to bring my props to school though, which made it kind of sad. Also, we screwed up, which was not that great either. HA. That's ok though, I love italiano. After that I met up with my sister around 1, and we hung out in the Duomo and then on this bench right outside Paperback Exchange and we walked around and ran some errands.

Then Nancy came and me, Suhas, Nancy, and Jordan went to get gelato from our favorite gelato place (La Carraia) and went to the Boboli Gardens. They were pretty, mostly. I have decided that I want to build myself a palace with gardens SO badly. Or I just want to be rich enough that I can buy the Pitti Palace in Florence and just move in. (The Boboli Gardens are part of the Pitti Palace.)

We shopped a little afterward and then came back and looked up the gardens online, only to find that we'd completely missed like 3/4ths of the gardens. SO we're going to have to go back at some point and explore the rest. We thought we were doing a good job too - we'd found some pretty cool secret nooks and crannies. Oh well, I guess I'll never be Christopher Columbus or Amerigo Vespucci.

Then we went out to dinner at Il Gatto e La Volpe and it was SO good. I've decided I'm going to stop ordering two courses at places because I literally barely finished my first course and could not eat my second. I was so so so so full. PLUS SIDE - didn't have to get lunch today haha. I loved having my sister here, and it was super nice to see her. After dinner they left to go back since they were leaving for France this morning and we came back to study for our exam.

I didn't study AT ALL. Oh well.

Today I finished Marshmallows for Breakfast. I'm starting my sixth book of the summer today, I hope it's good. I gave up on reading the classics. I'm going to start on reading Oprah Book Club Books, News York Times Bestsellers, and Bestsellers from Amazon.com.

I also did nothing all day, until we ate dinner and went for a little walk. Now i'm probably just going to read for two hours and then go to bed. This is the life.

May 26, 2009

Monday night at I Visacci!

The past day and a half have been so much fun. Sunday after we got back we were pretty exhausted so we just spent the evening recovering and stuff. Florence is so weirdly my home now, but I love it. Whenever we take trips out somewhere, we always talk about going back home to our beds and our computers, even though we live in what is essentially a dorm room. I love my roomie and this place though - I can't believe I'm on week three!

Yesterday my sister and Nancy showed up in Florence and I was so excited! After Italian class we just hung out and had lunch and then I met up with them. We shopped around, came back to Hotel Villani, got some money, walked around, looked at their photos, uploaded their photos, went and saw some of the sights, and just chilled. I got back in time for dinner, and after dinner we all got ready and went out!

It was a lot of fun. We started at i vissaci, then headed to the Fish Pub, then to Lion's Fountain, and finally to Yab, which was this hopping club. It was definitely a good night.

Except waking up in the morning for class kind of sucks. We had Italian only for like an hour today and then Renaissance class wasn't too bad. Professor Ciacarelli told us some good news - we don't actually have a midterm on Thursday. Instead, we're all going to sit around and "chat" about what we've learned so far. Basically, I love that man.

Today will be chill - lunch, shopping, napping, then going out to dinner, and then working on our prova orale for Italian tomorrow. This week is going by fast, and this weekend will be a lot of fun. We're doing Assisi and Cinque Terre, so we'll see some culture, and then we'll just beach it up and soak in the view and even hike a little.

I love Florence.

May 24, 2009

Gondola!

Hi! I got back from Venice today and it was really fun!



The Irish pub crawl that I talked about earlier was very entertaining and a great deal. You pay 15 euro, and then you get unlimited sangria at the first bar, go to two more bars, and then go to Space Club, which is a "discotheca" in Florence. We ended up having so much fun, but we got creeped on a lot too haha.

Saturday we woke up late and went and bought a straightener since all my converters and adapters and voltage thingies broke AND my straightener won't work anymore. We got a pretty good deal, I'm pleased with the purchase.

We got to Venice around 5 pm and checked into our hostel - RIGHT ON THE FREAKING GRAND CANAL. I looked out of my window, and I see the canal. It was amazing. Also, there were two very attractive guys in my room, which was kind of a plus. Lol. That night we took a gondola ride and walked around Venice and found the boardwalk. Then we had dinner at this cute little place in Campo Santa Margherita and sat at dinner for a long time. We got ice cream on the boardwalk - at one of the most famous gelato places in Venice. Then back to Campo Santa Margherita for drinks (Happy Hour = Buy 2, get 1 free)

While we were walking around, we got accosted by a drunk British stranger who

1) Picked on Ian and told him he would get robbed because of his American accent
2) Asked me for directions and asked me to put my number on MY map for him
3) Said some other inappropriate things that cannot be said here - ask me and I'll tell you

Sunday we ended up seeing Piazza San Marco and shopped a lot and read in the garden in Venice too. It was a nice, relaxing weekend. We took the Eurostar back, but I didn't think it was all that it was cracked up to be.

Now I'm back in Florence, I uploaded photos, and I need to shower because I feel so icky. ALSO, I am sad because I can't find my spare contacts anywhere, and it sort of freaks me out a little.

Bye!

May 22, 2009

Once again, it's May 23 here, but barely, so I'll act like it's May 22.

I've decided I hate two things about Italians:

1) THEY ALL CHAIN SMOKE
2) THE PDA IS UNBEARABLE BECAUSE FAT GIRLS GET WITH SKINNY GUYS

Today was fun! We didn't have any classes, so we got up around like 9ish and we took a train to Pisa at 10:30. Pisa is the most boring Italian city so far - we ended up walking around, eating lunch at a delicious sandwich place (mine had eggplant and cheese and tomato and lettuce), and then going up to the top of the Leaning Tower. Going up was SO worth it - the view was amazing and the breeze was nice and it was just surreal.

We left pretty early - got back here around five. I went to the ATM and then just hung out until dinner, which was served early today - THANK GOODNESS. I was starving. Then we went on the Irish pub crawl, and it was a surprisingly good evening. We got back around an hour ago, but we're not tired yet so we've just been hanging out.

I can't remember any funny jokes from tonight, but I feel like I have a lot. Look forward to pictures soon!

May 21, 2009

Karaoke at Lion's Fountain!


Girls pregaming tonight!

Ciao! It's technically May 22 here, but its May 21 at home and its barely May 22, so I think this counts.

I tried to study hardcore for my exam for last night, but I really just ended up facebooking all night after dinner and only sort of studying. This morning we had another surprise Renaissance class. Apparently "classes on Tuesday and Wednesday" means Thursday as well, because we also have Renaissance class next Thursday, when we have a quiz.

Today was really nice though. We had Renaissance and l'italiano switched, so we went to this pretty museum early in the day (Museo San Marco) and then we went to class - and we had it at the hotel today, so we didn't have to walk all the way to the institute we usually go to. Had lunch at some place called Forno (which isn't as good at Cuicollo, which is one of my favorite food places here) and then we shopped. Except shopping was a fail for two reasons:

1) We couldn't find the cute boutique that I SWEAR we saw yesterday on our way to the chapel.
2) We got to this awesome market at one - just as it was closing. So we'll have to go back on Monday I think.

So we went and got the best gelato in the world and then GASP! I actually did the reading for Renaissance class. I'm all caught up, so as long as I read what I'm supposed to read every week now, it should be really easy. I didn't get time to read my books today, which was a little sad, but I'm glad I got caught up on school. Dinner was good - we had penne pasta. After dinner we went on a walk and replenished some of our drink supplies since they were running low and then we got ready and hung out on the terrace.

We ended up going to the Lion's Fountain, which is a cute little Irish pub. Jordan and I sang karaoke, but we ended up coming back early because we were sleepy and we have to get on a train to Pisa tomorrow. I'll update after Pisa and before Venice since we're only spending an afternoon in Pisa. (There isn't much to do there!)

ALSO - creepy thing that happened. This one shop owner that we accidentally bumped into one time (who was in love with Jordan) bicycled past us on our way back home from the Lion's Fountain and he pretended to ask us directions to somewhere in Italian. We know enough Italian not to be fooled - but it was so shady that he knew obviously who we were and we recognized him, but he still pretended like he didn't remember us. Then he just apologized cuz he thought we were italiani but really we were americani. It was sooo creepy because he already knew we were American and was just pretending. But I guess I've learned that all Italian men are creepy.

Lol that's all for the day! Arrividerci!

May 20, 2009

So yesterday we found the cutest little american bookstore down the street from our hotel and I think I am absolutely in love. You can buy a used book for anywhere from .25 euro to 5 euro, and then return it when you're done and get like half your money back - which you can use towards store credit, so you can get another book. I'm on book three already, I have read so far

1) Confessions of a Shopaholic
2) Shopaholic takes Manhattan

Now I'm starting the Devil Wears Prada. But to keep myself a little classy and not just read fluff, I also started the Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Yesterday afternoon I spent the day mostly reading, taking a nap, and then reading some more. Dinner was delicious - we got rice instead of pasta for once and I was very pleased. After dinner I read some more. Today Italiano was boring because we had to review for our test tomorrow. For culture class we went to this chapel that is apparently really important for the Renaissance. I couldn't make myself pay attention - but THEN a great thing happened. Professor Ciacarelli took us all out for gelato and paid for it. This place had the best flavors - nutella, chocolate, cookies, chocolate mousse, cheesecake, banana, etc. Basically anything a girl could want in ice cream.

I have spent my afternoon reading, facebooking, and of course, more reading. Dinner was good again - they finally stopped giving me five hunks of (bland) mozzarella cheese just because I'm a vegetarian. It's a nice change. I have been studying since after dinner, but also I've been listening to music and Jordan and I have been chatting, so I haven't really studied much.

We discovered today that procrastinating is actually a good thing, because so far on this trip, those who have procrastinated have come out better than those who haven't.

Example one: Jordan got her cell phone beforehand, and now I got a way better deal.
Example two: I got my train tickets beforehand, and now I am suffering because I cannot get them changed at all.

I should study, ciao!

PS - The novelty of taking pictures during the week has gone away since I now actually live here, but I'll take pictures in Pisa and Venice this weekend! Also I'm doing a pub crawl on Friday - it should be great.

May 19, 2009

Part of our festivities of the evening last night!

Buongiorno!

Yesterday was Monday - which meant back to classes. But the good thing is we only have Italian on Mondays, so it eased me into the week. It was a good day - we got lunch early because we were starving but then we got gypped by this gelato man - I kept asking him for a small cone but he gave me a large one and I ended up having to pay 9 freaking euro for a gelato. I am not having gelato for the rest of the week!

Then Jordan and I walked around and went shopping. We went to this little market, where there is a boar fountain. And you're supposed to put a coin in the mouth of the boar, make a wish while rubbing its snout, and then let go of the coin so that it falls into the grate. And if it does, your wish will come true. I made the same wish that I did at the Trevi fountain.

BUT then, these french people tried to ask us what we were doing while we were wishing and we ended up having a conversation in 4 languages. Jordan knew Spanish, I knew French, they knew both Spanish and French, but we kept getting confused since we're learning Italian. So I explained in French, she took over in Spanish, we kept putting in Italian words AND we talked to each other in English and were speaking in English to the couple when we couldn't come up with any words. It was so chaotic, but so so funny.

Then, we were just walking when I saw a camera store, and so I ended up buying a camera and I AM SO EXCITED. It's a Kodak easyshare like my old one, but its nicer because its 10.2 megapixels and it has a chargeable battery and its black and sleek and pretty and I love it.

Then we sat around and facebooked for HOURS. Then dinner and then some drinking games on the terrace. I think the most wonderful thing about Florence is the weather lately. It is lows in the high 60s, and highs in the high 80s, and even upto the 90s. Today after Italian class and after Renaissance class I ate a sandwich with lettuce and tomato and cheese on it. It was SO good because its the first time I have been able to actually eat vegetables in a while. Otherwise its been fatty food galore with calzones and pizza. I spent the afternoon getting a mega tan on the terrace, and now I'm in my room hanging out!

I'll write again later tonight, life is so good.
I'm going to Pisa and Venice this weekend - should be amazing!!

I <3>

May 17, 2009

Colosseum!


Trevi Fountain


St. Peter's Basilica


Inside the Vatican


Our table at dinner!


Me in a building in San Gimignano


View from top of museum in Siena

A blog post is WAY overdue, but I just haven't had internet for the past three days and I've been traveling a lot!

Thursday was a relatively normal day in my life - went to Italian class, had a surprise Renaissance class where we went to Santa Maria Novella, got lunch, walked around Florence, and did our homework. It was quite a boring day!

Friday we went on our day trip to Siena and San Gimignano. Siena was really preety - we went to their cathedral and then we had time to hang around the city. Jordan and I got our Italia sweatshirts. It was raining and kind of cold all day though, so we didn't enjoy it as much as we could have. We also went to the baptistry, which was really pretty! Then we went to San Gimignano, which is the cutest little town in Tuscany. We went to the top of the city there, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. They took us to dinner at this restaurant with a 5 course meal, and Professor Ciacarelli kept pouring us wine - I think I had WAY too much lol.

SATURDAY MORNING WE LEFT FOR ROMA!!!!

It was amazing - we did everything. In the morning we went to the Vatican, and then we went to St. Peter's Basilica. The inside was so gorgeous - it was one of the prettiest churches I have ever seen. Then we saw the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain and got gelato at supposedly the best gelato place in Italy. We also went and saw the Pantheon and went out to dinner at a sit-down place. Food is so weird here because you have to pay a sitting fee if you want to go to a restaurant. Even at places they call bars, which are actually like snack places where you get pizza or calzones, and you have to pay for actually sitting at the table. Otherwise, you grab and go. We went back to our hostel for the night - which was an interesting experience, but we ended up getting good roommates and it wasn't a horrible experience.

Saturday we spent so much time sitting at the Trevi Fountain and in the Piazza della Spagna. It is such a pretty city, and I LOVE IT.

We woke up today and went to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Both places were so cool to look at - although I had no idea that the Colosseum was actually converted into a quarry - so what I thought would be open space was actually full of bricks and stuff.

I'm putting up some photos - not from my camera but from Jordan's. I'm considering buying a cheap camera here somewhere that's still digital but won't be expensive or anything so I can take my own pictures. I'm going to the store tomorrow.

May 13, 2009

Lil Jon!


My new Australian friend, Duncan!


Girls in Piazza della Repubblica on the way to the club!

So its technically May 14, but its still tonight, so I think this counts.

So last night was probably one of the most ridiculous nights of my life. First, we ended up walking for an hour and a half to get to this club - and had to stop and ask some tranny prostitutes for directions. Then these two guys tried to get me and Jordan in their car - but wouldn't let Ian or Dan or Kristin come. We finally get there, and the club and Lil Jon were awesome! We met some Aussies and some Hollies (they were from Holland). BUT then my camera got stolen and I cried haha.

Got home around 4:30 am after I expertly navigated a little and passed out - only to wake up for Italian class this morning at 9 and culture class at 11. Needless to say, it was a painful 5 hours of being awake. Ate lunch, got back, and PASSED OUT until like 6 pm, when we made ourselves get out of bed.

Then we just ate dinner, spent the day studying for our quiz tomorrow, and being mad about my grades and my life in general. Basically, I think God is telling me that I am doing something wrong because things keep getting messed up.

But atleast I am in Florence and its a nice city. I always feel better about things the day after, like I feel very calm about my camera today. So maybe I'll forget about my grades by tomorrow.

I love you all.

May 12, 2009

Hello!

I feel like its going to get really boring to tell you guys about my day, so I'll probably update on the funny things that happened last night.

FIRST, TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO SEE LIL JON. I sort of can't wait, and we might be taking tons and tons of pictures.

Last night was quite possibly one of the funniest nights of my life.

We have officially changed our names to:
Vasundhara - Viani
Ian - Iani
Jordan - Giani

(Italian has no j's, just g's, which is why it has to be Giani)

Today, we planned our weekend trip to Rome this weekend and finally bought the rest of our tickets!
Also, we had our first Renaissance Florence class, in which I am pretty sure everyone fell asleep atleast once. But it was funny. It was realllly hot out today, but still a nice day. We just walked around and stopped by the Piazza of San Lorenzo and saw some really awesome open street markets, which was cool. Did Italian homework and took mini naps. I am so excited for tonight.

Also, I left my camera cord at home and I won't be able to get it until my sister visits me in 2.5 weeks, so I can't put up pics now, but I will do it all once I can.

More later, I still love this place, its going to go by so fast.

May 11, 2009

Day 2!

Today has been fun. We went to our first Italian class and learned some stuff about saying hi, bye, asking people about names and then random stuff. Then we did a lot of errands! Ian and I went and got cell phones - but I can barely talk to anyone since its so expensive! I bought a notebook, which I needed for class. And then I bought a pair of shoes. I need to stop shopping. We also went to the supermarket and bought a ton of stuff. We stopped by the train station, which wasn't that entertaining. And then we went to get Lil Jon tickets and the GREATEST thing happened: we met the owner of the club.

Now we are now officially VIPs - which basically means that free stuff lol.

I am going to add a picture for today soon, but I need to get a good one first!

I LOVE FLORENCE!

First Day!

Today, I got to Florence. It is quite possibly the most beautiful city in the world. I have been here since 12:30, and Ian and Jordan and I walked around the city and got gelato and calzones and then found the rail station. Funny things that happened already:
I got harassed by a street artist and I gave in and paid 10 euro for the worst caricature of me - ever.
Jordan got harassed by some guy working at the Space Club and he offered us a discount to come party with him.
And then come hang out with his friends afterward! Then I napped and now we are waiting for dinner, but sitting on the terrace and having a good old time.


That picture up there is the view of the Duomo from our terrace.

Things to do tomorrow:

Train station to get tickets validated
Cell Phone
Buy Notebook/Pencils (I forgot I was actually here to study abroad)
Get tickets to Lil Jon?!

Awesome