I know it's been over a month since I've posted on here! Time has absolutely flown and I have been keeping track of my trips but I don't like to post about them without pictures (who wants to just see words anyway?!) and the wifi here struggles when I try to post pictures, so I'll probably leave these posts for winter break when I am back home and have very little to do.
Some updates on this past month:
- I have become a pro-walker of the city. This started back in October when our class went to the opera one night, and I think I was on the bus for a total 4 1/2 hours that day between going to/from school and to/from the opera. The next day, I decided to walk to school and haven't ridden the bus since. Don't get me wrong, the bus system is super efficient, but I hate being on a smelly, cramped bus with people breathing on me and sneezing everywhere. When it rains, the bus is so incredibly packed that the windows start to steam up. Also, the walk to school is really not that bad. I can now walk the three miles in 40 minutes flat and it gives me some time to think and enjoy the view. When again will I have the opportunity to walk to school along the Arno? Also with the 70 euro I save on two monthly bus tickets, I can eat 12 more times at All'Antico Vinaio (my absolute FAVE panini shop in Firenze).
- The traveling has been even better than at the beginning. I don't know if this is because I am visiting different places or I have met so many people along the way. I went to Switzerland in the beginning of November and had the time of my life. I met six other random girls in my hostel who all live in Florence (but are from various states in the USA). I now have other friends in the city to go out with, eat dinner with, or just talk to. It's been great. We went to Rome this past weekend and I was blown away. The Colosseum was even cooler than I imagined and the Vatican was unreal. We walked through the entire Vatican only to realize at the end that we had missed Le Stanze de Raffaello (Raphael's Rooms) so we had to backtrack and go find them. We spent 4 1/2 hours in the Vatican but it was SO worth it. Amazing to see the pieces from my art history class in person. The Sistine Chapel was breathtaking and St. Peter's Basilica was amazing. We were in there after sunset, walking around, and there was music playing…. just one of those moments where you look around and have to pinch yourself as you realize how lucky you are to be in that place at that moment.
I think that really sums up how I feel about studying abroad. It feels unreal. Everyday I wake up and it's easy to get into a schedule of school, school, school, school, travel, travel, travel, sleep, eat, repeat. Sometimes I have to remind myself to look around and take a breath and realize where I am and the unique opportunities that I have had so far. And I know that when I return home to California it will feel like a dream because even after being here for three months it still does.
- I finally feel like I have found my niche in this city. We had a language exchange activity where we could sign up to go to the University of Firenze and talk with their students who are learning english. I was paired with another student, Liana, who is 24 years old and just the cutest thing. We talked for two hours, she would talk in english to practice her skills and I would respond in italian to practice mine. After exchanging names and Facebooks, we messaged for a while and met up today for the second time. She took me to an outdoor fair that was going on this weekend, where vendors were selling food, wine, cheese, gifts, and anything else you could imagine. I feel so lucky to know Liana and really be able to spend time with her, working on my italian and learning so much about her life! I am so grateful for my host family, too. Andrea and Tommaso are the best brothers I could have asked for -- Andrea is always curious about how school is going and Tommaso and I have a game going on of sneaking up behind each other and scaring the person, keeping a point system as we go on. I'm grateful that I am comfortable enough with this entire family to joke around, to make a fool out of myself as I create phrases in italian that aren't correct, and to be myself. Barbara has been an amazing mother and makes me feel so at home. Today she made a greek salad for lunch because "she knows it's my favorite." I am the luckiest person in the world and I am so grateful for all that this experience has given me.
- I have 27 days left in this beautiful city. Next weekend, Gaston and I are going to Paris for Thanksgiving and then the weekend after that we are going to Barcelona and Madrid. I will have one weekend left in December and plan on soaking up every last bit of this city that I can. I am so excited to go home; Sheridan and I haven't been on the same continent in 7 1/2 months, it will be so great to see Brett as much as possible before he moves to Germany, and I cannot wait to be able to call my mom and dad whenever I want. I'm stoked to go back to Santa Barbara, I have a fantastic job waiting for me for winter, spring and summer, and I am so happy to be reunited with some of my best friends. At the same time, I'm also so sad to be leaving this beautiful place. I'll miss walking to school, I'll miss the simplicity of everyday things that I have here, I'll miss my italian class and my food professor. I'll miss going to a sandwich shop and getting a wonderful, fresh sandwich for 4 euro everyday after class. I'll miss the gelato, the Duomo, and the Christmas lights that are now strung up around the city. I'll miss the possibility of hopping on a train and going anywhere, being able to be completely spontaneous as long as I'm home for dinner at 8:30 (something I will always be home for). I'll miss Barbara's cooking -- the pesto lasagna, the pork with bread wrapped around it, the chocolate cakes with homemade whipped cream and triple chocolate gelato (my favorite), the apple strudel, the "Grannuci household" Oktoberfest with beer and sausages, the baked chicken with potato strips, the greek salads, the grilled eggplant and zucchini, the homemade chocolate chip biscotti -- tutto. I will never, ever be able to repay la mia bella famiglia italiana for the experiences, the love, and the feeling of home that they have given me.
- Random things I will not miss about Italy: paying for water at a restaurant (when there are fountains EVERYWHERE in the city just pouring out fresh water… no drought here obviously), paying for public bathrooms (1 euro to pee? no thanks), trash/dog poop/random food that people just leave in the streets; RAIN - I think it rained for twelve days straight this last month and I forgot what the sun looked like.
- Things I miss most about America: my family, pb&j sandwiches, and a gym.
That's all I have to say for now. Just some thoughts that I wanted to basically put into writing before I forgot. Hope everyone is doing well :)
Xoxox
Alexandra
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