Some random thoughts...

Ok, first things first: Let me just say GO HAWKS! Congrats on the 90-65 victory over Texas saturday night!  Tonight is KU v. Misery(aka Mizzou) MUCK FIZZOU...let's definitely eat tiger for dinner and LOVE IT!

Secondly--my weekend kind of blew...except of course for saturday night's dinner, which I have to say I never thought I'd be so excited about: McDonalds! man, it was sooo tasty! yum...

Today we had class...woohoo. Nothing special.  However, we had to read Seneca: Letters from a Stoic and let's just say my mom's voice was in my head the entire time after I read the sentence in his book: Treat others how you want to be treated. (man, she thought she was SOOOO clever making that one up on her own! haha).  Scary huh?  I thought my mom was smart and made that up--guess not! (just kidding--she's smart...she made me think it was her own idea for all those years!)

Tonight is monday night pizza and gelato with Liz while the rest of the roomies are going to their cooking class...yeah! The boys are coming with tonight(oh joy, Jeff is coming--I may not go! :) )But man, gelato is so yummy!

Anyways...I'm totally and completely procrastinating writing my European Studies paper that is due tomorrow...I don't wanna write it!  So I'm off to attempt to do the darn thing so I can enjoy going out tonight!

Ciao!

 

I miss heat

Yeah...no comments from the peanut gallery on the fact that I'm listening to Gretchen Wilson.  I don't listen to country music,  what are you talking about?!?!? 

Not really much else to say so far--just thought I'd throw in a hello to everyone.  This morning we went to the market and then we came home, I started homework--oh joy with the fun I'm having doing this homework!  I swear, torture is really fun for all professors. :)  It's all good...

Ok, so this heat thing.  I swear until my dad looked at the weather online, thought it couldn't possibly be that cold here...it's like 10 below in Illinois, I can't possibly be upset that I'm missing it!  Well, let's just point out the fact that it might be warmer here...but I have no heat! (well, European heat I have...) I really just wish I could sit at home snuggled in front of the fireplace, with my doggies, drinking hot cocoa that's not thicker than molasses!(even though it was good!)  Oh well, I guess it's one of those "life lesson" things I'm supposed to be learning! haha...

Ciao for now!

Holy Snowflakes Batman!

Last night, 3 of my roommates and I went to this adorable little trattoria literally across the street from our apartment!  Our teacher had recommended it and said it was supposed to be very good...so we went, and it was delicious!  The food was amazing...not to mention the breadsticks rocked! :)  I had soup a filet mignon--really really tasty, though the steak was a little undercooked for my liking.  The people there were so nice to us, and we just had a great meal(however, it was like 30 euro a person!...we ate a lot!)  Afterwards, Liz really wanted gelato--so at 10 p.m. on a thursday night, we decided to roam the town to find a gelateria that was open...we finally found one and we were all soooo happy!  I had chocolate, of course, and also mint...what a fantabulous mix! :)

This morning we all had to get up at the crack of dawn(6:15 a.m. to be exact) to shower and get ready for our day trip to Siena.  The bus ride wasn't too bad...only about an hour and I listened to music the whole time and tried to get a mini-nap in.  Once we got there, there was this odd white flakey stuff coming down and it was wet and cold...oh wait a minute, it was SNOW!  I had forgotten what that stuff looked like!  It was really freazing out all day but we toughed it out.  Towards the end it sucked because not only were my shoes soaking wet, but so were my socks and my jeans were soaked mid-way up my calves!  Let's just say I my feet were froze, my nose was froze...and I just wanted to go home! haha, it was a good day though!  We also got to taste these really good cookies that our teacher Madeleine said were really delicious--they are like an almond cookie that was crunchie on the outside and a little more "raw" on the inside, covered in powdered sugar.  My expert "sugar" tasting tongue decided it was definitely worth it and really good! I forget what they are called...but maybe my mom can learn to make them! (haha, they start with an r...who knows!)  We came back home...and now I'm sitting here.  Lots of fun!

Tomorrow may or may not be a trip with the boys/roomies to Cinque Terre...we're deciding on the weather, it's FRICKIN' Freezing here!  Anyways...back home to attempt to be warm and watch MTV in Italian all night! Ciao!

Black Wednesday

Ok, so the picture thing didn't exactly work out...I'll figure it out and get back to you.

Well, yesterday was probably the most interesting day since I've arrived in Europe.  Nothing like a trip to Florence without a visit to the local emergency room...leave it to me to make sure my visit is complete.  Yesterday started out pretty normal--got up, went to class.  This girl Meg got up at some point because she wasn't feeling well and fainted.  She went out of the room to recoop...fainted again.  She's feeling better...but the day just got worse.  After class I went about my day as usual, had lunch...went to the Accademia for our Art History site visit.  20 minutes into it Jeff disappeared, 30 seconds after that...SPLAT.  He fell to the ground.  So much for class.  The museum people called the ambulance and what not.  While we were all waiting for the ambulance to arrive, I sat down because I was getting a major headache.  Slowly and surely, I had what was my very first blackout.  The emt's came and Jeff and I ended up in the emergency to get checked out.  I don't speak Italian--at all, but I'm guessing mine was a simple(ha) case of dehydration.  I had an IV of who knows what, and I was in the hospital for 3 hours. OH JOY.  I'm fine now...today I feel weak and tired, but I am getting better.  I ended up not going to class however, because I was afraid 3 hours of walking around was not a good idea...especially with this weekend coming up.  I slept most of the morning, and now I'm just taking it slow.  But man...THAT WAS WEIRD.  I don't care for hospitals much.  Don't worry though...I am doing alright, I just needed some water and some rest. 

Tonight, depending on how I feel, some of us might go to this movie theater where they play english movies like once a week or so and tonight it's RAY with Jamie Foxx...I heard it was a great movie, so I'd like to see it. 

Tomorrow is our day trip to Siena/San Gimignano.  I'm looking forward to it, but we have to be at the train station at 7:45 A.M.!!!  Way to early for me.  hehe. Looks like our trip to Venice is out...we had trouble booking a hotel, not to mention that currently, the town is flooded.  Oops--looks like we forgot our flood boots to walk in knee-deep water!  Oh well, we'll save it for another weekend.  We're looking into doing a day trip type thing somewhere saturday instead...who knows. 

Anyhow...I'm on my way back home to uh, do nothing.  Ciao!

I have Pictures!

Alright Everyone!  I have finally figured out how to get pictures to you all!  Just go to

http://www.snapfish.com/photolibrary/t_=16700893

copy and paste that into the server...and click on the Florence, Italy photo album!
Let me know if you guys have problems...but I'm pretty sure this will work!
Ciao

Week 2

ok, so it's the beginning of week two...and far it's gone off without a hitch.  Sunday was boring, yesterday was little more exciting.  I had class(oh big joy!) and we went to Santa Croce(a church) for our Art History site visit.  It was pretty neat...not as exciting though because a lot of the things were blocked off and covered up because of restoration things they are working on--so we only got to see about half of the things Madeleine really wanted to show us.  It was still interesting...I got in just enough pictures before my camera decided to take a nap and eat the batteries for good :)  (Side note:  I know everyone wants to see pictures, but for some reason this website is not allowing me to put them up from here in Europe so I'm looking into other website options for pictures and will let you know soon!)  Yesterday after our site visit, I came home and read Aristotle like it was going out of season...homework rocks my world. (note the sarcasm).  It's actually pretty interesting, but this reading business has GOT to stop haha.  For dinner yesterday, Liz and I went and got pizza while the rest of our roommates took this cooking class.  I decided not to take the class because let's be honest here folks, I don't need to spend 120 Euro on a class to teach me how to make risoto and stuff that we all know Chef Maureen can teach to me for the small price of me being a pain in her butt! :)  The pizza was good(no Lou Malnati's though...) and afterwards we decided to get Gelato--the chocolate will be the end of me here, it's so good!  We also each got a pastry of some sort with like jelly filling to take home and save for later.  The desserts here look really good, but other than the gelato, surprisingly enough I have not tried them yet! Shocker I know...I have a major sweet tooth!  I promise to get right on top of that.  This morning we had class for 3 hours straight and the rest of the afternoon off...what to do?  There's only so many times you can walk around the city--especially when it's FREEZING here today.  Granted it's no 12 feet of snow that you people are "claiming" to have gotten, haha, but it's still COLD.  Remember: it may be 45 degrees here, but we don't have HEAT!!!  Just thought I'd point that out...again.

This weekend we have our first day trip to Siena/San Giorgmano(?)  on friday.   Saturday I think my roommates and I and probably the guys are going to Venice for the night...but I think we're trying to ditch Jeff, that's what Liz said anyways.  (btw, I know that sounds mean, but he's probably reading this so don't stress about it).  I am really excited about Venice--the gondolas and stuff...how romantic!  Me...and my four roommates. HAHA  I will keep y'all posted on this weekend stuff once the weekend is over.

Now...back to my day because the sales end this week and if I'm going to shop, I might as well do it when I can buy more because everything's ON SALE! 

Ciao!

OK SURVEY(and please don't ask questions, I just want opinions): If you could pick one career for Jaime to have...what would you pick???  Email me back and let me know, or leave comments on this page! GRAZIE!

la pioggia (rain)

It's raining, it's pouring the old man is snoring.  He went to bed and bumped his head...I'm not sure if he's gonna wake up! :)  Today it's cold and rainy and plain old just yucky out.  Which I guess just makes for a nice sunday for us college kids to do homework...oh wait, that was last night!  Friday night was cool--we went to the Irish pub by the guy's place, then to a discotechque by our place.  It was interesting, but I was a little homesick because clubbing is my thing at home and so it was hard to take it all in without my favorite people back home.  Yesterday we woke up and we went to the fresh produce market--which I have to say is amazing!  There's meat and stuff  downstairs and fresh fruits, veggies, and all kinds of other stuff upstairs.  It's really cheap and there's so many choices.  After that Marli and I went to the Penny Market(grocery store) and had lunch nearby.  The sandwiches here are soooo yummy.  I have absolutely no idea what I'm eating most of the time--probably for the best--but the bread is amazing and they have all been really good so far!  Then I had a great day--very exciting:  I sat on my bed and read Plato for class til I was bored stiff...finished the book, then wrote 1 of 2 papers due tomorrow.  The European Studies paper was kind of a breeze...it's a personal journal, but we have to talk about certain landmarks and things.  Then I read my John Grisham book til I fell asleep around midnight...

I woke up this morning, showered...and wrote my western civ paper.  That one took a little more effort, but it's all good.  I decided I couldn't let myself get to the computer until I was done writing it, in pen and fully complete. (all of our stuff is hand written here, so it takes a little longer...)  Then I ran into Liz at the internet train and since it was full, we went and got the richest, thickest hot chocolate anyone will ever attempt to drink.  It was so delicious though!  Now we are back at the internet train for a bit...then back home to read like 80 pages for European Studies.  Not that I'm complaining...but that's just a LOT of reading. oh well :)

Not much else to say for this weekend...it was ok.  It's strange to think that we've been here for over a week.  It seems like so much longer, because we've done so much.  It'll be really interesting to see how the next 5 weeks go, because if they're anything like this week...it'll be packed with stuff to do.  I am definitely hoping that this feeling of missing home will go away though.  Not that I don't want to miss home, but it definitely makes things a little harder here.  don't get me wrong, Firenze is awesome...but I miss all y'all(my y'all for all my L-Town people) back home!  Va Bene!

Ciao

A shopper's paradise

Ciao! and happy friday!  I have officially had one week of classes...and yesterday was full of adventure!  We didn't really have class, we had our two site excursions to the Piazza's and to the Synagogue.  Afterwards, Liz, Marli, Nicole, Jeff and I went and took the bus to Fiesole.  It is a town in the top of the mountains here, and the view is undescribable.  From where we were standing, you could see the entire city of Firenze, and then some!  It was really neat to see it all and to be with my friends.  We had a great time!  I was talking to Jeff on the bus, and he doesn't know what he's up to for break, neither does his roommate Kevin, and my roommate Nicole doesn't know...but there's potential for a trip to Greece! (How cool!)  After we got back, my roommates and I went to dinner at a little restaurant near our apartment, then went to the pub again since we didn't have class today.  Sarah and I left early because we were tired...but it was a fun evening!  Today I got to sleep in...something I haven't done in a long time! (For all of you "non-believers" in that statement, I'm up every morning at 7:30 to get ready for class so shhhh!).  Then I went and grabbed a sandwich at a snack shop, which was really really good--though I have very little clue what was on it--and walked through the market and bought that cute purse I wanted! yeah :)  I'm a happy camper!  Then I walked through town and went to the Ponte Vecchio and drooled at all the jewelry in the windows--that's where all of the gold is, wow--amazing!  I started to head back and went through another market area and bought a REAL cashmere Pashmina in a very pretty periwinkle-ish color for only 15 Euro!!  For anyone at home knows that real pashmina's are like $100!  That made me happy!  I did not however, like some parents of mine would like to convince me of, buy or attempt to buy a leather coat. (however...and if you say I told you so, we're in a fight...the idea is starting to grow on me).  :)  It's all in good fun.  The markets here are amazing...there are so many little kiosks and so many things you can buy...oy, I'm a shopaholic in Woodfield...I think I may have issues here because everything is great! 

Tonight my roomies and I and the boys(of course) are going to some hip-hop club that is free entry for international students.  Yeah, I know...I'm in Italy and going to a hip hop club, but it should be fun!  I do think that going will make me really start to miss my friends back home and all the fun we had going to the bars...especially when Kris and I attempted to teach Phil how to dance haha!  Other than that, the word of the trip is "scuzi".  Not just to say it...it has to be very attitudey!  Don't know why it's the word, but it's the word.  Oh, and yesterday at lunch, the rest of my roommates declared the boys as "ours" for the rest of the trip!  haha...They got invited to some jazz club with some of the other girls, and we were all like, um "scuzi" but we didn't say you could hang out with other people! haha(it's not a serious thing, but they are "ours"!  (evil laughing)hahahahahahaha.

Ciao!

It's Been One Week...

So as of today, I've officially been in Florence for 1 week.  Amazing isn't it?  How fast time flies, yet seems to go really really slow at the same time?  Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying it here, but sometimes things just go really slow and I wish they didn't.  
Today we didn't exactly have "class" we had our two site excursions for Western Civ and European Studies.  We went to all of the different piazza's (squares) today for European Studies and walked to Oltrarno.  Florence is divided into 4 sections, West, East, North, and Oltrarno.  Oltrarno is across any of the bridges from W, E, or N Florence.  It is the less "developed" side so-to-speak and has a completely different feel to it.  It was cool to see the other side of Florence.  After that we walked across Ponte Vecchio--which for those that don't know, is the bridge that has all the gold shops on it...wooooo I wanna shop! haha.  It's actually pretty cool to know that above the shops on one side is a corridor that one of the Medici rulers had built so he didn't have to walk across the bridge and be around at the time what was butchers and factory type shops.  The reason the bridge is now all gold shops is because the Medici ruler did not want the noise...so he ordered that any vendors that were in there had to be gold shops so it was quiet.  (and fun to look at!)  
We also went to the synagogue that is here in town today.  It is actually really big, and on the inside the walls are beautiful.  It is an Orthodox Synagogue, and it has a seperate division for the women who come to pray which they have to sit behind.  It was really interesting to see because I don't think I've been in an Orthodox Temple before.  The woman that worked there gave us a mini-info session on the history of Jews in Florence, and how the synagogue came to be built and the architectural influences that had been used.  It's kind of funny to think that the Catholic Church was a major influence in building a Jewish Temple!  (there were 3 architects, 1 Jewish, 2 Roman Catholic).  
This afternoon we have a wrap-up session for classes, then we have the rest of the weekend free!!  It's lots of fun to know we have 3 day weekends every week!  It's kind of the group consensus that KU should have classes like that back in Lawrence!  
I'm not sure what exactly I'm up to this weekend...maybe exploring some more around here.  I still don't know my way around very well, so maybe I'll get lost and try and figure it all out...who knows?!?!?  I do know that I will do some shopping this weekend...there are so many things I want to buy...but we'll see!  Ciao!

We've Been Cursed!

Alright, so far the weather has been cold, but fairly do-able. That is until Monday when Madeline, our Art History GTA(graduate teaching assistant), said of the "cold weather complaints" ..."well at least it's not raining, because usually it is this time of year here." WOW! What a curse?!?!?  As of yesterday is been drizzling, but nonstop and it makes for chilly weather worse!  The rain just sucks because well, rain just isn't fun when you have to walk everywhere...except for last night when I kind of did this leap-skip thing in the street cuz I felt like "dancing in the rain." yeah, so that's another story. 
Last night we had this Mixer at ACCENT for all of their study abroad students to meet each other and whatnot.  It was cool, we met some people from TCU(Texas Christian University...which we totally BEAT in basketball earlier this year, woohoo GO HAWKS!).  It was nice to mingle with the people I already know on my trip haha...everyone kind of stuck to their crowd at first, but after awhile it got better.  I pretty much talked to Jeff and Sarah the whole time(Jeff is one of 2 guys on our program and Sarah is 1 roomie).  Afterward the mixer my roommates and I, Jeff and Kevin(the 2 guys) decided to go to this pub that's right around the corner from my apartment.  It was kind of fun to go have a drink and sit and chat with everyone and get to know the boys since we haven't really talked to them. (yes, we all had a drink on a school night! but you would SHOCKED at how PACKED the pub was at 11p.m. on a TUESDAY night).  Let me tell you though how much FUN we had!!  The 7 of us really just had a blast.  I have a nickname now(aside from the misfit title I got on the first day for being late to class).  Jeff told Liz(my roommate) that she was his new best friend on the trip and so I pretended to be offended and said I thought I was since we were late to class together! and he pretty much told me(with pure sarcasm) oh well, you're sooo cool that you're past the best friend title...you're like a symbol now, like Prince. (and since I got him a 7-up at the mixer when I got my drink) he goes, like the 7-up...you're a dot!  Ok, dottie it is! (I guess you had to be there...but it's still sort of amusing! :) Him and Kevin are really awesome, but we feel bad for them since it's just the two of them...all the time...alone because they live together, eat together and sleep in the same room.  Human interaction is at a minimum for them aside from class, so apartment 8 on via de porcellana(our apartment) has kindly taken them in as our "friends".  The quotes are for the fact that the 5 of us joke that the only reason we want to be their friends is because they can be our escorts when we want to go out later at night and having males with us is a smart idea blah blah blah.  (It's not(totally) true! haha, no, they're really great guys!) 

Today we had class and it's cold and rainy again.  Though we think there's a ghost of some sort in our classroom because the doors and windows kept opening on their own every few minutes...CREEPY. :)  This afternoon at 2 we are going to visit the Palazzo Vecchio for our Art History site visit...I'm sure I will more on that later!

Other than that...I have one more thing to comment on:  People tell me I will love coming here, but it will make me appreciate the things I have at home so much more afterwards.  Let me tell you this:  I've been here a week and I already 100% appreciate so much more 3 things:  My pillow back home(the one here is flat as a pancake!), my fleece jacket that is warm and cozy, and last, but not least...in fact, it's first: HEAT!!  Central heating is an unknown modern technology Europeans for some reason refuse to acquire.  Staying warm means 12 layers and lots of winter gear that for me...is sitting nicely tucked away somewhere at home! It's ok though, it's not terrible.  It just makes me really miss having heat. 

Lots of Love!

Ciao Bella! 

Buon Giorno

So since Sunday...we've started classes.  I know, ultra-exciting.  Anyways, yesterday(Monday) We had Art History at 9 a.m. and after about 30 minutes of lecture we started to look at the outside of the Duomo, the Baptistry, and the Campanile.  We only did a little of that because we had our site visit there later in the afternoon, so we just started on it.  Afterwards, we were all walking back to class for Western Civilization, and one of the guys, Jeff, decided to stop and get coffee since it is freezing here. (ok, I know it's like below zero at home, but when it's 40 and windy, it's pretty chilly here too!...that and there's no central heating...and our classroom is ICE).  Anyways, I went with him to get coffee...neither of us speak Italian very well, which was funny to listen to us try and get some coffee.  Getting our drinks took longer than we planned, and the 15 minutes we had to get to class was not enough.  We were completely laughing and joking about the fact that we both got an A+ for stupidity of being late on the first day of class!  Haha...It was really funny because for the rest of the day(and probably the trip) we called ourselves the "misfits" that were late.  It was fun. :)  
last night wasn't really exciting, we basically made dinner at home and then studied all night.  the homework here is just mainly a lot, A LOT of reading...so we did that.  I went to sleep around 10 which is highly unusual for a college student.
Today was the second day of class and it was ok...same old same old, except we had European Studies and Western Civ instead of Art History.  
After class, Marli(one of my roommates) and I went to the fresh produce market and bought some fruit and vegetables.  I also got some raisins--they are really yummy!  Much better than that boxed business back home!
It's drizzling here, so it's COLDER than iced cold, but it's ok.
I think I am going to go home and study, because we have a mixer tonight with other ACCENT students as a "get to know you" sort of a thing.  I will keep you posted on the rest of my happenings as they come...
CIAO!

oh...p.s. I found this ADORABLE pink leather bag/purse thing at the market today(not the produce market, the shopping kiosks) and it was only 45 Euros!  (I'm gonna bargain haha.) I just had to share because I haven't bought anything yet, and I want it!! haha

Happy Sunday

Buon Giorno/Buono Note! (which ever  with the time difference!)

Happy Sunday to everyone!  I am currently at another internet cafe writing to you, this one is RIGHT around the corner from my apartment! WOOHOO :) 

Last night my roommates and made dinner for ourselves at the apartment.  I made spaghetti with roasted garlic and olive oil...it was alright.  After dinner Sarah, Marli, and I went to the liquor store a few blocks away and bought some wine and stuff...I bought some heineken(yum, beer).  We sat around and drank a little.  I know...alcoholic lush.  Actually no, but it was really exciting to go into the liquor store and be able to purchase alcohol legally!  Today I woke up around noon, and Marli, Nicole, and I walked around town a bit.  We bought some Gelato(fyi: AMAZING) I had chocolato, of course!  It is just that perfect softness and soooo chocolatey...I'm sorry I tried it...addictions are bad!  yummy though!  We walked to the Piazza della Signoria which is Florence's most famous square.  It has the Palazzo Vecchio which has the bell tower, the copy of the David, and the Fountain of Neptune(slightly disturbing...it looks like the water is coming out of parts on the body that just don't seem, well, right!)  The weather was pretty nice here, not as chilly as the past few days.  We walked by the river and on the bridges as well. 

It's really pretty here...as we walked through one part of town, there's the market, and it's really cool because they sell everything!  They sell clothes, bags, purses(lots of fendi, louie, etc...guaranteed all fake because they have a real Louie Vuitton store here!)  my roommate Sarah bought this amazing pashmina at the market for only 15 euros!  At home in needless markup(neiman marcus) they are around 100 dollars...can we say a must have???  Yeah, so I'm a shopaholic, but I promised myself a few days before I start buying goodies. 

We start class tomorrow...so I must go now, and start the oh-so-fun reading that every one of my roommates has fallen asleep reading(mainly for my European studies class).  Great...

I will write again and tell you all my first days of class and my site excursions!

Ciao!

I'm here!

Buon Giorno from Firenze! (that's Florence in Italian).  I made it here safely, and I have survived my first 3 days in Italy.  The flights were good, though Germany was interesting.  Of course I had the smallest airplane ever from Frankfurt to Florence, which scared me a little, but I survived.  Thursday was impossible to survive, the jet lag was a bit overpowering and I final caved in(accidentally) while reading my book for about 2 hours in the afternoon before we were taken to dinner at a nearby Pizzeria by ACCENT which is the place that coordinates our program over here through KU. (basically, they're the study abroad place here that helps schools with their school, excursions, apartments, etc).  I survived my first meal of Bruschetta(no surprise, I love it!), Masteccoli(I spelled that really wrong) with meat sauce...yes, I tried it.  It was alright, not something I would neccesarily jump to eat again, but I tried it which is the important thing.  Then we had Turkey and potatoes, and vanilla flan with chocolate sauce for dessert.  The flan was interesting, the texture takes some getting used to--it jiggles. haha.  Yesterday we got up early, got our apartment assignments and moved in.  I live in a cute 3 bedroom with 4 other girls who are really nice.  3 of them are sophomores and 1 is a senior graduating in May.  I think the culture shock officially hit as I was unpacking and I cried, but I think after a few days or a week, I will be alright.  It takes some getting used to around here--I don't know where I'm at or where I'm going and I am lost on every street we turn on...but I'm trying to learn!  Yesterday my roommates and I went to the Penny Markey(which is the grocery store basically) and bought some essentials for our apartment.  We also "splurged" and bought a HUGE bottle of white wine for only 5 Euro!  Ahhh... the beauty of being able to drink legally here. :) The 5 of us went to dinner last night at this cute little restaurant about 5 minutes from our apartment and again, I survived the meal.  I ate Roasted Chicken with potatoes(it was one of their specials for the day) and some form of Minestrone soup.  It was rice and beans and veggies but not in the tomato base a Minestrone normally is...but it was good! 

We start class on Monday morning(woopdeedoo) and we have the weekend to wander and do what we want.  I will keep you all posted on my adventures...so far, so good! 

Arrivederci

Tomorrow is the day.  I'm so excited and nervous and curious and afraid.  I think that saying goodbye is the hardest thing, especially when you have to do it over and over and over again.  So far I think my biggest hurdle will be all the food I won't eat over there because for those that know me well--I'm picky.  I promised my mom that I would try everything I could there.  I started on that promise today--I had lunch with my mom and we had corned beef on rye with mustard.  2 new things: mustard and rye bread. Not too shabby!  Looks like I'm well on my way to eating fau grois and frog legs! (right...)

Testing...1,2

Ok, So I'm just testing this out to make sure it's working...haha.  Only 2 days until the adventure of a lifetime begins!  If only I was packed...