Goodbye, Firenze.

Ten minutes before we leave.
And I'm freaking out, but it's still not hitting me.
Everyone else says there's a pit feeling in their stomachs, but not me.
It'll hit me in a week. When I'm looking at old pictures and then I just start bawling...
I said goodbye to Alece today, but I made sure it was just a simple hug and "I'm thankful for you, I love you, and I'll see you again soon."
I also went to Palazzo Strozzi's Bronzino exhibit.
And then it started SNOWING!
Florence NEVER snows, so I knew this was a gift from God.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your grace. Thank you for the best semester of my life, and thank you for letting me leave in it this pristine condition.

I'm going to miss so much about this place.
I'm going to miss all of the museums and the never-bored-ness.
I'm going to miss everyone looking so nice as they walk along the street.
I'm going to miss not understanding the language but learning from the Italians, and I'm going to miss being forced to use hand gestures and simple nouns as a form of communication. It's funny how you can bond with someone and understand them so well without a language barrier.
I'm going to miss Ricardo and our chats.
I'm going to miss the ISA ladies and the ways they were hilarious and so loving.
I'm going to miss my amazing roommates and the crazy nights we had together singing, dancing, and laughing together.
I'm going to miss my UK girls and the way they always make me laugh and feel right at home. I'm going to miss our conversations and the way that I feel I understand each of them. And I simply can say that I love them so dearly and deeply.
I'm going to miss Chiesa Evangelica and the varied style of worshiping the Lord.
I'm going to miss my street, Borgo SS Apostoli, and walking down the cobblestones after class every day.
I'm going to miss my teachers, especially my Literature Simonetta. She and I bonded, and she's given me a love for my favorite author, Calvino.
I'm going to miss the church bells.
I'm going to miss taking stunning pictures.
I'm going to miss dancing parties in our living room.
I'm going to miss haggling with salesmen.
I'm going to miss the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo.
I'm going to miss the David statue.
I'm going to miss the accessibility of truffles, fresh produce, excellent breads...
I'm going to miss aperitivo and meeting up with my friends and chatting about our weeks and our beliefs over drinks.

I can't imagine myself not in the place after the four months of living in Firenze.

But, I'm excited to come home and take everything back there. I can't wait to share stories and sit and listen to my friends'. Christmas is on my mind and I am so looking forward to having a pine in our house. I can't wait to hug my family.

I'm grateful for the time I've had here. I've loved sharing it, and I've loved writing (almost daily!). I hope to write another blog about the different but still exciting life of a college student at UGA. I hope you'll follow it as well.

Tutto il mio amore.
All my love.
Cat

Am I European Yet?

In the spirit of leaving this magical country, I compiled a list of ways that I have adopted European characteristics. Enjoy:
1. I no longer refrigerate my eggs, but they lay on my shelf in their clear plastic container.
2. I wear a belt.
3. Balsamic vinegar and olive oil are my favorite condiments.
4. Pasta is a staple in my diet.
5. I double-cheek-kiss my friends.
6. I know how to tie a scarf several ways. Going outside with a cold neck begs a cold.
7. I can wear heels on cobblestones (notice I didn't say I can walk well in them).
8. I don't smile at strangers passing on the street.
9. I use cash, not my credit card. Out of necessity, though.
10. I hang my clothes after being washed.
11. PDA doesn't bother me so much.
12. I buy fresh produce from the market.
13. I buy fresh bread from the bakery.
14. Whilest showering, I turn the water off to soap up and turn it on solely to rinse.
15. I don't think twice about using a converter.
16. I find men who wear scarves (and even ponytail buns) attractive.
17. Butter is unnecessary.
18. Sunglasses can be worn indoors as well as outdoors.
19. I have only worn sweatpants out of the house once since being here.
20. I show respect to elders and strangers by not using an informal salutation.
21. Eating while walking makes one seem barbaric.
22. My leather boots are my favorite accessory.
23. Black and monochrome are always "in."
24. I've started to learn to lower the decibel of my voice.

Today:
1. Exam. Hugged my favorite teacher Simonetta goodbye. Told her I'd add her on Facebook.
2. Made white wine and truffle pasta for lunch.
3. Went to Santa Maria Novella. Fell in love with Massacio's "Trinity" and Giotto's Crucifix.
4. Met up with friends for aperitivo at Ganzo. Which means "cool" in the Tuscan dialect.
5. Went to Grom to cleanse our palates.
6. Took pictures at the Duomo.
7. Home, uploaded pictures, studied a bit, read some news.
8. Bed time.

I'm in the mood for lists today. Getting up in 7 hours to take pictures with my KY girls. Buona notte, miei amici!

Vini e Vecchi Sapori and Christmas Caroling!

"The Clock's tickin' I just count the hours." I'm listening to Kanye's new album while I type.
I've had to fit in so much today, and I still haven't managed to knock anything else off my "to-do" list on my "I MUST do this" list.
SO, I woke up, studied, and went to make reservations at "Vini e Vecchi Sapori" because no one would answer the phone. I met the owner outside the door just as he was walking in. "Posso fare un prenotazione? Alle mezzogiorno oggi?" We had a bit of miscommunication, but the earliest the osteria was open was 12:45. I told him I had class at 1:30...but because it would only take an hour to eat, I was okay with sacrificing a few minutes of Italian class.
Next, I was on to pick a number to get my stay permit to live in Florence. Funny that I have three more days here and I just got the "go-ahead" to live here. Hmmph. At least I have a nifty card.
Anyway, I did some Christmas window shopping and price comparisons on the way to the office. Once I got there, the man told me to come back in two hours. Grr. So, I walked ALL the way back (25 minutes or so) but walked a part of Florence I'd never seen before, so it was worth it.
I had to meet up with Alece for our lunch, so we walked by the restaurant but it was empty...so we walked in again five minutes later at the same time as another couple. It was a-dor-a-ble!!!! The whole place has only 18 seats, and that's when every seat is full. About ten minutes after we sat down, every table was taken. And every person there was Italian. I felt like we had stumbled upon a Florentine secret!
They played some American music...a cover of a Celine Dion song and Outkast's "Ms. Jackson." Alece and I about died laughing when we heard that come on the radio.
There's pictures of locals, celebrities, and just about a shrine to Madonna there. I still don't understand the significance of all of those scattered pictures of her. Right when you walk in, there's a picture of the family that runs the restaurant: the son (the only waiter) and his mother (the chef) are sharing a laugh, and the father (overseer/chef) is smiling at the camera. I have to say that one of my favorite details of the restaurant was the service. The waiter's English was impeccable, and he told us exactly what was good and explained the choices.
We ordered a glass of the house red wine; a Chianti that didn't bite very much...probably the best I've had in Tuscany! Then, Alece and I decided to split an antipasto. We ordered a plate of mixed prosciutto and compared each type. Mmmmm, bellisimo!
Then, the waiter assisted us on our entree selections. I ordered stewed beef and a side of spinach, and Alece ordered a type of large noodle with ragu. We were STOKED when they came out! My beef was deliciousssssssss. It was so rich in flavor seasoned with peppercorns. I also realized how much I miss cooked spinach. It was hilarious, the waiter even came over and seasoned our plates without asking! So Italian. He took olive oil and dressed my spinach, and he put grated parmesan and fresh pepper on Alece's pasta. Of course, Alece and I shared and compared our meals. They were both FANTASTIC! One of the best meals I've had YET!
Oh, but it wasn't over. Alece and I LOVE sweets, and I read that getting dessert here was a must. We asked him for a suggestion, and without a second thought, he blurted, "Raspberry Tiramisu." We shared our bowl, and Alece fittingly said, "Let time slow down." It did with every bite. It was the best dessert I may have ever had. We just looked at each other in amazement after it was finished.
I asked for the bill and already had my fifty euro bill out to pay because I had to rush to class. He noticed and laughed, and brought the check as well as a twenty euro bill. But, our total was 34 euros (seriously cheap if you consider what a quality meal we had with the bottled water, wine, antipasto, two entrees, dessert, and coperto)! He was going to give us a four euro discount, the dear man! I decided to leave him a tip instead for his graciousness. Oh, how I love you
Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I've already told my friends they have to go before they leave. Make sure to get reservations, though!
I went to class twenty minutes late. One more reason why I love Italians? My teacher asked why I was late and I told her that my lunch ran late, and I knew that wasn't a very good excuse. She said that was perfectly understandable and didn't count me late.
After class, I had my permit to stay meeting. This consisted of my botched Italian negotiating me a number, studying for a over an hour waiting to be called, and finally receiving a card after a few months' process.
A handful of people in front of me in line, I recognized a blue jacket. "SABS!" I called out. Sabrina had been there for a few hours and we never even saw each other! She introduced me to her new friend she bonded with while waiting, and then Sabs waited for me to finish so we could walk home together.
We decided to go to the grocery store together (pretty much just an excuse to spend more time to chat :). Then, I went to their apartment and got to see Meredith. We're scheming to end up all sitting together on the plane ride home from Rome to Charlotte.
I went home, and soon after, I had my Christmas party at Chiesa Evangelica! We sang Christmas carols, lit the advent candles, ate little treats, prayed and read scripture. I got to read Matthew 2:1-12. Man, I just love my church. I am so sad to leave it and my friends there. After, we worked up some confidence and went caroling around Florence. We received applause to "O Come, All Ye Faithful" from the Italians at the German Christmas Market. We also went to the Porcellini Market and the Ponte Vecchio. I love singing (even though my voice sounded grating compared to the chorale masters in our group) and I love spreading the joy of the gospel, so I'm thinking caroling needs to become an annual event. Anyone want to join me?
I adore my friend, Katie, who's in ISA with me. We've been each other's support system, and she and I have a similar sense of humor so we can bounce jokes off of each other. She kills me! Always an encouragement. When it was time to part from the group, I blew kisses to everyone and gave hugs. These people have been the hands and feet of Jesus while I've been here and needed his presence. Katie and I hugged a few times because she's not going to fly out of Rome with the ISA group, and we squeezed hands right before we left. Gosh, these goodbyes have taken me so off guard. We said we'd stay in touch though, and it's not goodbye. Even if it is on earth, we'll worship the Lord together again in Heaven someday.
Well, I have another final tomorrow. I best get some sleep!
Thanks for caring.
Tutto il mio amore.

Two finals DOWN. But Goodbyes already?

I just got an email from ISA. It was the ending survey. It's coming, it's coming!
I wrote a glowing review about ISA in the survey. Honestly, studying abroad: best decision I've ever made. I feel like I've matured so much and become more independent. I've met so many people and realized that not everyone believes the same things I do. Challenges did arise, but working them out has made me a stronger person. Hopefully, I now better understand people so I can love and serve them in a more beneficial way. And I have learned to love people better! Oh how I love my friends here.
The sand is seeping through the hole in the hour glass...I can't take a minute for granted. So now, while I study, I'm listening to some of Verdi's "La Traviata." Soakin' up some pristine Italian culture.
Today, I woke up early, studied, drank an espresso, and fixed some eggs before my test. My dad says protein is "brain-food" so I make sure that I eat some before exams. My first was a challenging but quick: History of the Italian Renaissance.
I got done early so I did some Christmas shopping. Success! Then, I checked my snail mail at the school. I had two letters that brightened my day! One was from my sweet grandmother, Lollie, and she even included a bit of cash. Score! Lollie told me she loved reading my blog, and it made me so happy to hear that she was traveling with me. I can't wait to talk to her about it in a few weeks! Her stationery included a drawing of "Pineapple Place," and honestly, Montreat is one thing I miss most about America! I've already talked to Olivia, Meredith, and Sabrina about having a reunion in the next few months there.
My second exam was Italian Vegetarian Cooking. This means a written test then a practical exam. Yikes! I was super nervous, but we were allowed to use our recipe books so I was very relieved. I relaxed when I was placed in my normal group of cooking buddies and we were assigned "Melanzane di Parmigiana." Mmmm! One of my favorite meals of the semester.
The muscle memory came back, and soon we were slicing and salting and grating like pros. We took plenty of pictures for our last adventure together.
When our dish was complete, we took it out of the oven and walked carefully with the plate to our chef for a tasting. We simultaneously took the first bite and critiqued. A tad bit too much cheese for Italian cuisine, the sauce was a bit oily. The eggplant was cooked perfectly and the flavors were excellent. We received an "A"! I just hope my written exam matches.
Sarah, my cooking buddy since the beginning, and I walked home together through the San Lorenzo Market, just like we do every week. When we reached the Ponte Vecchio to split, I realized that this was goodbye! It was so odd; it didn't even occur to me that this would be our last meeting. We hugged and vowed to be FBFF (Facebook Friends Forever). Welcome to the technological age.
I came home and have been studying off and on and watching Glee. My guilty pleasure.
Tomorrow I have to go Christmas shopping before meeting Alece for lunch at a place that Lollie recommended! I just have to get reservations - they've been closed for the past two days, and I've been out of the country for four days! We'll get there, though.
I forgot to write about Belgium again. I have to go to sleep now, though. I hope to write about it, but in the mean time, look at my pictures on Facebook!
Ciao ragazzi!

Truffle.Skate.Gatto.

Dear ones,
I am safely back from the capital of the EU.
Let the week of packing everything I've wanted to do this semester but haven't COMMENCE!
There's just one small problem. Four of them, actually. Finals.
I guess the good thing about studying abroad is that your classes are...well, let's just say I'm going to study, but I'm not going to miss out on anything worthwhile to do so.
I started this morning. Alece and I met on the Ponte Vecchio and went to our favorite rockin' posh grocery store. We bought some ingredients (and others yesterday at Mercato Centrale directly after getting off the train) and headed to her place.
Alece's mom is a great cook, and she convinced Alece that she should make something with truffle while she had such easy access to it. Alece was hesitant to do it on her own, and, knowing that I take a cooking course, she suggested we make a truffle dish together. Best friend, free truffle lunch, and cooking experience? I was not going to turn down that opportunity!
Her kitchen is huge so cooking was a breeze, and I sighed with pleasure when I saw her gas range stove top.
We used a Pino Grigio and make a white wine sauce, then added the truffle after it had thickened and was off of the heat. All on her own, Lecey made the bruschetta and it was SCRUMPTIOUS! I'm really proud of our Tuscan lunch from scratch. We ate sooooooooo much.
I was thankful that our next stop on the last Sunday in Florence was rollerblading with my ISA buddies. When we strapped the blades on, we shared a sense of nostalgia. I felt like I was a pudgy eight-year-old strapping my rollerblades to nervously trample around Olympia Skate Center for a friend's birthday party.
Thankfully, rollerblading is just like "riding a bike." In a few minutes, I was no longer stressing my thighs, trying to brace in case I fell. I found my center of gravity and glided along the pavement next to the Arno River. Our group even had an Italian guide accompany us down the park. We chatted and took pictures in the sunset, and we exchanged sweet memories of our times in Florence.
Then, we decided we had to go to dinner together. We headed to "Il Gatto e la Volpe" just to have an excuse to spend more time together.
I met a man from Atlanta, and he and I chatted about Natalia's - "The Best Italian Below Atlanta" according to him..I gave him an extra high five because I was so ecstatic about meeting a fellow Georgian.
Il Gatto has cheap, all homemade pasta and pizza! They love students, so we get a 10% discount, too. Plus, they produce their own balsamic vinegar that's sweet and thick and soooooo good. While eating, we traded bites and made plans for the rest of the week. We're basically doing something every day of the week.
The reality of leaving my now-home hasn't quite hit me. I'm weird in these situations. Sometimes I'm so completely in denial that I don't even cry when saying goodbye to a friend. Or maybe it's just that I view "goodbye" as a normal, expected part of life?
Ikes. I've got to go finish studying for my two horrid exams tomorrow. Then it'll be smooth sailing for the week. Hopefully I'll post again and tell you all about our adventures in Brussels and Bruges!
Out.

I've made a list...I've checked it off twice.

"Buona Sera, signorina, buona sera!" Our apartment has been listening to Louis Prima. You know, the guy that sings "I want to be like you-ooh-ooh" from the Jungle Book. He and Dean Martin are my new guilty pleasures. They both sing with such magnetism. And they sing in Italian! I can actually understand a bit when I listen.
Be proud of me! I've checked TWO more things off of my Italian bucket list.

To remind you and me, here's the list:
1) Visit San Marco Convent.
2) Go to the Galileo Museum.
3) Santa Maria Novella Church.
4) Climb the Duomo.
5) Try out famous gelaterias: Vivoli, Perche No?
6) Orsanmichele.
7) Casa di Dante.
8) San Lorenzo Church.
9) Tempio Israelitico.
10) Palazzo Strozzi.
11) Hot Chocolate at either Gilli or Rivoire
12) Brancacci Chapel
13) Ribollita

Last night, Leyla, Jess and I decided to have a girls' night. We went to dinner at a place right down the street called "Grotto Guelfa" because it was cold and we couldn't drag our feet any longer. I was craving a pasta, but when I saw "Ribollita" on the menu, I couldn't resist! Ribollita is a traditional Tuscan soup that is made with leftover bread, and it is cooked down for about a day. It is delicious mush. Mmmmm! I'll definitely make it when I get back home. Check! One specialty down.
This morning, I woke up at six o'clock. Granted, I went to bed at 10. The earliest I have in probably a few years. So, I made breakfast, took a shower...and decided to cook. I made lentil soup. It simmered for about four hours. Ohhhh yeah. It was...decent. I added a little bit too much of too many spices instead of being an Italian and letting the flavors of the ingredients come out on their own. Lesson learned.
During this time, I checked off ANOTHER of my "to-do's" in Florence! I went to the Galileo Museum (also known as the Science Museum). It was SICK. I listened to MGMT and Ratatat while looking at all of the crazy inventions. It was epic. I saw Galileo's telescope. No big deal. I wasn't allowed to take pictures, but I snuck a few. As a student, I received a 3 euro discount, so that made the visit sweeter.
When I got home, Jess had picked up my and Leyla's mail. I received two letters from dear friends today, and they made my day! It makes me a bit sad that snail mail will be virtually non-existent when I'm back in the States. Oh well, I'll savor it now.
I only had my cooking class today, so I was thankful I had meager soup for lunch. We made pizza! Yes, I can make my own dough. Whoop whoop! It was delicious. I'll be making it on my own when I get home. The only really time-consuming part is letting it rise in a warm area. It takes an hour or two.
And now, I am back home and preparing to go out and meet Alece at the Ponte Vecchio. We're going to a Florentine venue called "Le Cite" to watch a jazz band at 10. Late, I know, but we've got to do what we can while we're still here!
Got to touch up the make up.
Buona sera, miei amici, buona sera!

Lucca!

Lucca. Say it out loud slowly. The city is just as dreamy.
The weather was bellisimo; the clouds were stunning and the sun was shining. Lucca is a city on a hill with a huge wall running around the top and grass below. The green grass must be watered to make it as vibrant as it looked. If I were wearing another jacket, heavier socks, another pair of tights and thicker gloves, I'd say it looked like springtime!
I took a solo trip, which at first really depressed me. I honestly LOVE adventuring by myself, so it wasn't that I wouldn't enjoy the time alone. It just hit me that this is my last weekend with my friends, and they were all going to be together in Pisa but not me. I convinced myself not to think about it. Once I saw the Duomo bell tower peaking over the hill and the green on the ground, every other thought vanished. You know when the feeling when you see something so beautiful it wells up in you? I cried. I smeared my eyeliner a little. I realized how utterly happy I am here, and how this will end. The tears came from the joy of the moment but the thoughts of leaving in two weeks caused them to be bittersweet.
I'd love to live in Lucca. It's the perfect size; not too small and not touristy. It has several gorgeous churches and I checked on the calendar: it has a festival just about every week. This weekend's was a celebration of chestnuts! Of course I had to go try out the gastronomic delights at the festival. They had regional wines, olive oil, polenta, sausages, porchetta, cheeses, honey, and chestnut breads and cakes. Mmmm! I bought some 1/2 pane integrale, and its inside is so light and fluffy! The cornmeal on the outside MAKES the crust.
I attended a few book fairs and huge market. I bought some new earrings, whoop! A man tried to sell me a pasta maker...I almost bought it but refrained. I don't think I can fit everything in my bags home...
My train home was delayed...an hour. No lie. I read a book on the Italian Language and got to chat with an Italian student sitting next to me on the bench. She was reading Allen Ginsburg poetry; English on one side and Italian on the other. She was really cool and her English was pretty good. She translated the message on the loudspeaker for me as the train's arrival time was pushed back again and again.
Finally, we boarded the train and I sat on the double-decker part of it so I could look out over the city lights. But I really just studied for my midterms...because I can't next weekend. I'll be too busy in the capital of the European Union. NBD. No big deal.
Now I'm just listening to "Skeletons" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and melting into Karen O's voice.
Off to bed.
Sweet Dreams! Buona notte!

Wine Tasting and Florence's German Christmas Market

Ahhh Florence. Even if you do have a fake German Christmas Market, it was still a good attempt.
I've been three times already, although I've only bought one thing (delicious apple strudel!). I'd love to live at the market. I'd sleep in the carousel/make-shift bar with some comfy slippers I stole from a neighboring kiosk, eat apple strudel for breakfast, try on jewelry for a few hours, sausage for lunch, call my friends and shop for ornaments together, chill on the steps of Santa Croce, eat some bbq looking pork for dinner, drink some hot wine, and repeat. This could be magical.
They have candied apples, a stand dedicated to Ireland, chunky jewelry, and even a stand with different flavored cheeses (wasabi, pesto, tomato and olive...).
Like I said...I could live there. I don't even think I'd get bored. Just cold.
When Alece and I went tonight, we couldn't stay long because we were so cold. My fingers were like ice cubes inside my leather gloves. We huddled together on the walk there.
Heading down Via de Neri, we heard two loud "bang! bang!"'s. She and I flipped, and I almost dropped to the ground. We still don't know what it was, but we changed direction...and five minutes later we heard it again! We grabbed each other tight and freaked out until we got to the festival. Once we got to the cheese station our mind changed to different things.
I loved just strolling with Alece and goofing off. We talked about the old times, we talked about THIS Wednesday's trip to Brussels! I can't wait! I've got to start researching.
I'm back home now, and going to Lucca in the morning for a day trip! All my ISA friends are going to Pisa for the day, but I've already been several times, so I decided to go somewhere I wanted to go. Plus, I always get a ton of studying done on train rides.
I'll take plenty of pictures.
As for Thursday, I had class and then roamed around Florence and the German Festival with Alva, Alexi, Justin and Jess. We took pictures again. I had to eat a sandwich, drink a teensy glass of Brunello, then feed the pigeons in Piazza Signoria. I hate pigeons, but I did it for the love of art.
Then we were off to the German fair, and Jess, Alva and I split a big chocolate pretzel and took pictures. We had way too much fun.
Later in the day was the wine tasting, and other than in France in high school, this was the first time I was taught how to really taste a wine. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
First, you examine and describe the color and the clearness, or limpidity, of the wine. We had to say out loud what we smelled (what fruit, if there was oak, honey, chocolate...the certain spice). It was crazy what you can detect, and a lot of it traces back to the region where it was grown. For example, the grapes in one wine we tasted was grown near the sea, so you could smell the ocean from the terroir in the wine.
We tasted the sweetness on the tip of the tongue, the tanons of the red wine in the middle, sour on the sides of the tongue, and bitterness towards the back. Then, you counted how many seconds the tinge "persisted" in your mouth.
This is how alcohol is meant to be used, and only in doses that are meant to be enjoyed and appreciated. You see the personality of the person who made the wine and you can detect what the land is like from the taste.
After the tasting, we went and made eggnog (having to roam the streets in the rain trying to find ingredients late at night...EVERYTHING closes early!) and watched "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Such a perfect Christmasy evening.
Well, I'm off to study a bit before hitting the sack and getting ready for Lucca! Ciao ciao!

A Charlie Brown Christmas.

My weekday schedule always holds something special.
Mondays are cooking class days.
Tuesdays I go to Chiesa Evangelica.
Wednesdays we have aperitivo! I look forward to it all week. It's time to relax, to have an excuse to spend time with friends, and eat delicious, unlimited gourmet food. There's always the usual crowd and then those who come sporadically, but the conversation is always hilarious. Tonight, we ended up talking politics and "Glee." "Glee" was with my female friends, of course, but last night's episode was SO GOOD that we couldn't help talking across the table about it.
We then got on the subject of CHRISTMAS after Kyle starting singing Charlie Brown's "Christmas Time Is Here." Meredith, Kyle and I decided that we HAD to watch it. Tonight. I mean, it IS the first day of December!
After we said our goodbyes, we headed to Mere's, let the movie buffer on her laptop, and enjoyed a nostalgic trip into Schulz's cartoon. I never realized how daring he was to read the story of Jesus's birth in such a well-known film! I'd seen the movie a million times, but I guess when you understand the statement he was making, you appreciate his pointing towards the true meaning of Christmas.
We continued to ride the wave of nostalgia, and Olivia and Sabrina joined us. We watched part of "The Year Without Santa Claus" and even some Bill Nye The Science Guy. I love my friends.
Sadly, Kyle and I had to leave, but we decided that my apartment would host a Christmas party on the night before we leave. Christmas cookies! Christmas movies! Christmas tinsel! Christmas music! Ahhhhhhhhhhh! I can't contain my Christmas excitement.
Anyway, the beginning of my day began with waking up to a nightmare and hyperventilating under my covers. I had to stab someone who was trying to kill me first, but he didn't put up a fight. Maybe I've been watching too many documentaries.
Then, I edited my paper on Calvino's Invisible Cities and went to class. I love my contemporary Italian Literature Class...our teacher made us think of one significant book and write it down. Then, she compiled the list including six books of her own choosing, and made copies for our whole class. How thoughtful! I chose "House of Leaves" because of the way it made me think about the technical aspects of framing and writing as well as the book as an interactive medium of literature. Looking back, I may have chosen something different, more paradigm shifting. Ohhhh well. At least I have a list of meaningful books to read now!
After class, I came home, watched a documentary on Vlad the Impaler, and read until it was time to meet up for aperitivo.
Now I'm safely at home, getting ready for bed. Today's been a good day.
24 days until Christmas. And a few less than that til I come home, but let's not count those :)
XOXO, Cat

Examples of God's Undeserved Grace: Free Gelato and Chiesa Evangelica

It started out with an eye twitch. The eye twitch has not stopped. I've taken out my contacts and had some water to drink, but the sensation is persistent.
I think I need more sleep.
This morning I woke up and went to Mercato Centrale where I did ALL of my grocery shopping for about five euros. This included special sunflower seed bread my chef recommended to me for 2.50 (a fifty cent discount because she knew my chef), two carrots, a huge zucchini, and two tomatoes for 99 cents, two Fugi apples and five clementines for 1.20, and some ricotta cheese for 90 cents. I was so proud of myself for getting such fresh ingredients at reasonable prices.
For lunch, I decided to buy a slice of pizza at a famous pizzeria I've been wanting to try out. It was cheap and delish! Then, I had Italian. I practically dozed off in the middle of it.
When I got home, Jess told me she and Alexi were going to get gelato at Grom and take pictures for her food photography class. The assignment is "Through the Mouth of a Tourist." "You can come if you want! I'm paying," she added. Or, underhandedly bribed. I consented, of course. "Great! Wear your hat and some red lipstick. You'll be my model." Grreeaaat.
I got gelato with Zabaglione and Pistachio (a fab combo!), and then was told to "act natural and lick the gelato instead of eating it with a spoon." Funny how you forget what it's like to eat ice cream when someone is watching you. Wait, do I use my tongue or my lips? It's like someone was filming an intimate scene for a blockbuster movie. How do I do this again? What's this supposed to look like?
Well, some of the shots turned out well. Jess focused on the gelato while Alexi of course took artsy photos from sharp angles. It was fun! And now Jess may make me go eat a panino with her tomorrow at a famous bar so we can take more photos for her assignment.
I got home and watched an interesting documentary on Wikileaks' Iraq War files. It was disheartening, and it makes me want to do something to soothe the Iraqis' hurt, to show them the positives of American culture and our freedoms. If ONLY I were a diplomat. Maybe one day. A girl can dream!
Katie and I went to church tonight. It was such an intimate time with the Lord. I could feel His reassurance and his presence. I loved being with the community of believers, too, and rejoicing in the Lord. We sang a few hymns and Matt Redman's "You Never Let Go." I was overwhelmed by the God's faithfulness. I've been praying for this community, and it is so clear that he has provided, and that he wants my praise. And I am so grateful! I don't deserve this grace. He didn't have to provide me with these lovely people and my lovely friends.
Off to finish my documentary on Iraq before bed.
Listen, it's less than three weeks til I come back to 'Murica. I'm freaking out a little bit. And tomorrow's IL PRIMO DECEMBRE! Ahhhhhhh. So happy.
Sleep well, Dormite bene!

Germany: A Christmas PARADISE

Is today really only MONDAY?
That means that YESTERDAY I was in Germany. !
Germany. Land of meat and potatoes, efficient trains, hot wine, and Christmas paradise.
I want to go to there. Again.
While Alece and I were still strolling the sidewalk next to the Main, we were plotting ways to come back to Deustcheland the next weekend. Unfortunately, we couldn't find tickets as cheaply as we did for last weekend (yes, eight euros there, eight euros back! ryanair.com should be every study abroad student's homepage).
I knew it was going to be a trip to remember about five minutes before we landed in Hahn. I was sitting by the window, sleeping soundly. A gentle nudge at my sleeve. "Cat, wake up. Look outside the window!" she considerately whispered. I peeled my eyes open and looked down. Are those tents? Is that a carnival? I closed my eyes to refresh my dried contacts and looked again. It was SNOW covering the most adorable German villages! The picture taking commenced.
Once we were outside the airport and waiting for our bus to Frankfurt, we knew it was picture time. How often does German snowflake land on the tongue of a young girl from Macon, Georgia? I'm sure it was clean water; Germans are sticklers about cleanliness. I'd say that to Germany, cleanliness is above godliness (Not that the people are pagans!).
Our bus ride was two hours, and so we plotted what to do in Frankfurt and enjoyed viewing the sweet German cottages from the comfort of our seats. One day, I will rent a cabin with a working fireplace in a small village in Germany and stay for a week in the wintertime. Or maybe I'll honeymoon there. All I wanted to do was jump out of the bus, find a little log hut, snuggle in a blanket, and later in the day dine in a small haus overridden with locals.
That didn't happen. One day it will. Instead, Alece and I arrived in Frankfurt, FINALLY found our hostel after staring idiotically at it for who knows how long. Oh so THAT building that is visible from five blocks away that says the hotel name in red is our hostel. Ohhhhhh. But, that didn't get us down! We always just laugh at ourselves. Honestly, nothing really gets us down when we're together.
You see, Alece and I are perfect travel companions. We're two strong women who are not afraid to speak up, but also know how go out of the way for something special the other wants to do. We know what it took to get us across the "pond," and we're going to take advantage of every moment we have here. We make the most of whatever city we're in, and Alece has tons of energy to keep things upbeat! We get up no later than 8 and normally go to bed after midnight. "No naps today, just hot chocolate!" she always says when we have a busy day. "And coffee for me!" I always add. Alece is super considerate. She's as quiet as a mouse in the morning, and I'm convinced she'll never wake up a hostelmate as long as we travel.
My highlight of the trip was the German Christmas Market in the Romer district of Frankfurt. Oh it was magical! It was a forest of Christmas goodness, and if you know how much I love Christmas, you'll understand how close this comes to my heart. My parents have always made Christmas a big deal. Rightfully so! We celebrate the birth of our Savior, and we always spend a lot of family time together. It's special to me because just, what? three years ago? my dad had brain tumor removal surgery the day after Christmas. Christmas morning we opened presents, ate our traditional breakFEAST and headed to the neurosurgery unit in Birmingham, Alabama. That night we prayed for each other and said our goodbyes, making sure to tell each other how much we meant to each other. Since then I'm reminded of how I should never take a loved one for granted (although, I'm not perfect...and have definitely done that since then). I've always loved Christmas; it's a symbol of God's faithfulness in my mind. He reached down and healed my father, but more than that, he came down from heaven and took on the lowly form of a baby...and then lived on this earth for 33 years.
Anyway, back to Germany. All of the food is hearty. Too hearty for my taste, although I surely enjoyed the meals we had! The last night we had to go for thai food because we couldn't eat any more bratwurst.
Well, my computer is about to die so I guess that means I should head to bed.
Goodnight my dears!

Italian Thanksgiving!

Today was my first Thanksgiving without my family. Thanksgiving is always a big deal for us Southerners. You HAVE to have your brined, juicy turkey, dressing (although, I'm the ONLY person here that doesn't call it "stuffing," and I get made fun of a lot), green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, Mama's peas, and sweet potato pie or pecan pie.
In Italy, they don't commonly eat turkey. Or sweet potatoes. Or green beans. Or pecans. And dressing? Nope.
So how did I cope without a traditional Turkey day feast? ISA took us out to an Italianized American three-course Thanksgiving dinner. First, they poured us a glass of champagne to celebrate our big day. Then, they brought out the bread and newly pressed olive oil. Next came a piece of heaven: the creamy pumpkin soup. It was out of this world! Leyla thinks it was so good because they made their own stock at the restaurant. Whatever it was, it was some of the best soup I have ever had. It was slightly sweet but also savory.
The next course was...ta-da! The perfectly prepared turkey with dressing and a little bit of gravy on top. Next to it on the plate were "mashed potatoes" which looked more like gravy. They had obviously been pureed and had a lot of milk. They tasted fantastic, though! Their conception of American cuisine made me laugh a little. I definitely appreciated it, but the most humorous part of the meal was the "cranberry sauce." Well, cranberries don't grow in Italy. But that's okay because they made us blueberry sauce and didn't explain what it was. Also, it was warm and soupy. Yet delicious! I'm NOT complaining (although some "privileged" Americans had some negative comments...yes, even with a free gourmet meal!).
We also had peas and some not so delicious pickled onions. Don't know why they thought that was part of Thanksgiving.
After, I came home, and I skyped my girl, Katie Gamble. The Gambler. An amazing friend. We had so much fun, and it was like we had never been apart. I miss her so much, and i was sad our conversation was cut short. My parents skyped me from Mama's house, so I got to see my Dad's side of the family! I chatted with my grandma for a bit and told her I was going to help her make dressing for Christmas. Yay! Add that to my recipe book. I saw my 1st cousins, once removed, and they are all getting so big. It freaks me out. They're all adorable though. I also go to see my puppy, Hallie. Mom's teaching her tricks. I can't wait to shake her paw when I get home!
Now, I've got to go to bed because tomorrow Alece and I go to GERMANIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S GOING TO BE SNOWING!!!!!!!! I'll take my scarf and duck boots, and, OBVIOUSLY, tons of pictures.
Auf Wiedersehen!!!!

Cauliflower Pudding with Gorgonzola Bechamel Sauce, Convento di San Marco, Pumpkin Risotto: all in one day.

I haven't been sleeping well for the past few days, and this morning I woke up at 7:20...I don't have class until 1:30. This may seem like a bummer, but it turned out to be a blessing!
I had a quiz at 1:30 so I knew I needed to still study for it. But first I wanted to roam the town...and I knocked off one item from my list!
After my morning green tea and yogurt with cereal, I got ready, read and journaled, then headed out the door for San Lorenzo, Italian notes in hand.
I decided to check out the chapel before going to the convent and cloister. It was breathtaking beautiful and almost in the shape of a square with small side chapels. There were some foreboding, closed, wooden doors in the direction of the convent, and I contemplated trying to open one and sneak in. My self-restraint won.
I eyed a statue of Fra Savanorola and gave a snicker. He's the monk that lived in the convent for a while. Eventually, he became a powerful figure in Florence and kicked the powerful Medici family out. He's also responsible for the "bonfire of the vanities," where he encouraged the burning of art and books. I'm frustrated by his attempt to destroy these beautiful pieces of the culture. Can you imagine a Florence that housed more elegance?
A little man in a yellow slicker was cleaning the floor near the statue, and he put his mop down to talk to me. "English?" I answered in Italian. Don't know why. Anyway, we chatted for a bit and he told me about Savanarola and other stories of the convent. His English was a little muddled but I nodded and "si" whenever I sensed the need. He then asked if I would like to see something, and he grabbed his building keys. We headed to one of those wooden doors and he unlocked the way to a gorgeous private chapel. He recited 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 in Italian, and we talked about the differences in translation. We talked literature, too, and he even gave me his address so that I could write him after reading one of the books he recommended. He then pointed me in the direction of the convent and strongly suggested that I see the Last Supper of Ghirlandaio.
The museum (free with the Uffizi pass!) is HUGE. It houses fabulous fresco art of religious scenes painted by Fra Angelico in each of the monk cells, more early Renaissance/Medieval art, and the huge books and writing tools of the monks who copied manuscripts. These books look like spell books...huge, velvet or leather, detailed bindings, buckles and straps all over. They reminded me of "Hocus Pocus."
Then I went to Mercato Centrale, and I bought some schiacciata just because I watched it as it was taken out of the oven. Home, egg/tomato/onion/asiago/basil scramble for lunch, study time for Italian, Italian quiz.
When I got back home, I decided to try out a recipe from class that we haven't made yet (and it helped free up space in our fridge). I made "Cauliflower Pudding with Gorgonzola Bechamel Sauce." Sounds disgusting, but it was delicious! The Cauliflower Pudding in itself did not have a strong flavor, but paring it with the Gorgonzola Bechamel made it POP! It was so. good. I was skeptical but pleasantly surprised. The roommates loved it as well. We devoured it and still have a bit of a tin leftover! Leyla also made some banana bread after buying a woman's overripe bananas at the market for only 25 cents. It was fabulous!
Soon, it was time for church! I met Katie on the Ponte Vecchio, and we chatted and admired the city together until we came to the church. Tonight, we started celebrating the advent season by talking about what each week typically represents. We got in small groups, and we had week four: God's incarnation and Mary. Our exercise what to talk about what Mary felt, what her response to Gabriel was, how we should apply her availability in the same way. A girl in our group was from Singapore and had no knowledge of Christianity. I realized how much I loved getting to explain to her about who Jesus was and why God had to come to Earth. In a weird way, it was refreshing to talk to someone with such a "blank slate"; she didn't have any prejudices or expectations, and could understand the beauty of these beginnings of Jesus's purpose. Mark led worship and we sang some great songs; "How Great Is Our God" and some others I can't remember.
I headed out early for "CIBOVision," basically a cooking class we can sign up for at school. It started around 9, and we didn't eat until 11:00 or so. Each group made different dishes using rice. We had arancini (saffron risotto balls stuffed with fresh mozzarella and then fried), stir-fried rice, mushroom risotto, rice pudding with apples, and our dish: pumpkin ravioli with parmesan cheese. Ohhhh my. Leyla was my partner, and we competed against our buddies, Kyle and Evan.
We both did the pumpkin risotto, although Leyla has been a restaurant chef before and Evan had never cut an onion. Both were delicious, and the differences between the genders were evident in the outcome. Our dish had a delicate pumpkin flavor and color, and the rice was smooth. The boys liked the cheese, the salt and the orange color of the pumpkin as well, and although their dish had a little more "crunch" (we started to run out of stock), it was de-lish. There was a rim of cheesy rice sticking around the pan from their free styles of stirring. Quite a sight. Then we got to sit and eat our dishes while watching an episode of "Modern Family." Great night.
Leyla and I walked home, and here I am now! I'm a bit tired though after my long, eventful day.
Tomorrow's another packed day, unfortunately for my tired body but fortunately for my whirling mind.
A domani!

The Sticky Forehead Game in Orvieto

Florence has been raining just about nonstop for the past week and a half. Rain + cold + inadequate gear + work to do = not wanting to leave the house much. I know, and I'm in Florence. I've had to force myself to go to sheltered places like museums so that I won't fall out of love with the city.
Yesterday we got out of the city (although it was still raining) and took a little ISA program trip to Orvieto, Umbria. Che bella!
This city is built on a huge hill with fortress walls built around it. It was virtually impenetrable, and when it was surrounded, they had their own little system of underground tunnels. Theses caves and tunnels are not a natural phenomenon; they were carved out volcanic rock by hand. The remnants were used to make mortar. Isn't that SICK? They were created over thousands of years and are in danger of collapse, so now they have huge pillars holding them up.
In one of the tunnels we went into, there was an ancient pagan underground temple for a god of the after life. The next room over was an old wine cellar. And in the same big room was a huge system of stone disks to crush olives and a place to store the oil.
Before you walk down into the caves, there's a map of the city on the land in black, and the other figures show the underground city/tunnel system in red. I've always fantasized about living underground for a period of my life. Just exploring a system of tunnels. Maybe it's reading The Hobbit as a child or something. Realistically, I want to live in a sunny place for my life, because I believe the sun is vital to a person's happiness. A person NEEDS fresh air and sunlight to avoid depression. I have a whole schpeal I could go into...Meredith and I did with our tour guide yesterday.
When we first got out of the funicular that took us up the mountain, we headed to an overlook and then into "St. Patrick's Well." I was a bad student and didn't really listen to the tour yesterday so I don't really know its significance...but I did get to go down the 250-something steps (and climb back up them, whoosh!). It reminded me a little of the movie "The Ring." I really enjoyed it though.
The Umbrian countryside was breathtaking, of course. "The New Tuscany" considered by some, Aunt Treat told me. There was a quaint little abby around the green of the fields and it was one of the most picturesque things I've seen. I wanted to so badly to run down and just go look at it.
We also met some sweet little cats while we were there. I don't really like my cat at home, Angel, but my best friend for 13 years/now deceased cat, Jonathan, makes me have a soft spot in my heart for felines. I got him Christmas of '95, when I was five, and named him myself. I was a weird kid, okay? I even told my teacher I had eight brothers and all of their names were Jonathan. That's one of my favorite stories. You can tell I had an imagination, but could not have been more original? Maybe I'll name all of my sons Jonathan or something. I'll call one Jonathan, another Jon, another Johnny, another J. Joking.
On the way home, six of us snagged a glass booth and decided to play "The Sticky Forehead Game" where each person writes a name of a random person or figure on a piece of paper, passes it to a neighbor who must lick the paper, and put it on his forehead without looking at it. Then, each person can ask a question regarding who they are, and this goes in a circle. The object is to guess "who you are" through the answers to the questions/the hints that your friends give you. As you can imagine, this can get really funny, and really frustrating (like when you're "The Abominable Snowman," so you're sort of a man, you're an animal, you're not famous necessarily for a movie or a tv show, not in politics, and you're associated with a season). Some of the ones were "The Purple Teletubby," "Thomas The Train Engine," "Monica Lewinsky," and the like. We had such a good time. I love my friends.
Before we left Orvieto, I tried two specialties of the region: Parpadelle al Cinghiale and Est! Est!! Est!!!. Cinghiale is wild boar meat. It was fab. Est! Est!! Est!!! is a sweet white wine...probably my favorite so far. The legend is that when the Pope had to travel through towns, he had a messenger go before him to taste the wine. If it was good, he would write "Est" on the door, which meant "It is." When he tried this wine, it was so good that he wrote "Est! Est!! Est!!!" The Pope came to Montefiascone on a leg of his journey and drank the wine with such a gluttony that he ended up dying of alcohol poisoning. Dangers of alcohol, kids.
The Duomo of the city has the reputation of having the most beautiful facade in Italy. It was created in the Middle Ages and has magnificent mosaics all over it! It's all about Mary, and it's gold-en. You gotta check out my pictures. There are three or four sections that have scenes of stories of the bible; one of the creation and Fall, one of the Old Testament, one of the New Testament, and the last of the Final Judgment...gruesome but skillfully done.
Overall, I loved Orvieto so much...it's such a complex city, but so small and quaint with beautiful views from up high. Don't miss it if you come to Italy!
Today, I woke up (embarrassingly late), watched a documentary on how TV affects children (and I'm already making rules for my future children), ate some yogurt, and finished by six page essay solely on the San Marzano tomato. I had to do a whole lot of embellishing to fill up six pages.
Now, I'm celebrating the Day of Rest. Praise God for his mercy by giving us a day dedicated to relaxing after a week of work.
Arrivederci!

To-Do's

I'm a firm believer in accountability.
I know my failings, and I know that healthy pressure from someone who loves me enough to push me towards the right direction is necessary for me.
I'm going to compile a list of things that are "must-do's" in Florence, and I'm going to need your friendly nudge to get them done before I leave (in a MONTH yesterday!).
1) Visit San Marco Convent.
2) Go to the Galileo Museum.
3) Santa Maria Novella Church.
4) Climb the Duomo.
5) Try out famous gelaterias: Vivoli, Perche No?
6) Orsanmichele.
7) Casa di Dante.
8) San Lorenzo Church.
9) Tempio Israelitico.
10) Palazzo Strozzi.
11) Hot Chocolate at either Gilli or Rivoire
12) Brancacci Chapel

I'm sure I'll add more as time goes on.

I've gotten to see numerous masterpieces in the past few days (Uffizi tour today and solo trip to Pitti Palace on Wednesday)...your brain gets to the point where it can no longer appreciate another painting. It's like when your computer is running too many programs and the bottom of it starts to warm on your lap and making that weird "oh-no-it's-taking-off" noise. My brain does a version of that.
So, I came back home and made pasta with a white wine, white truffle, and castarone cheese sauce. Ummm, I can't believe I actually made it. It was delicious. I worked on my research paper on the "San Marzano tomato" and decided to take a nap before I was to meet my friends from church to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Pt. 1.
I woke up with enough time to spare and sauntered over to the church...no one came. My internet hadn't been working so I thought they sent an email to cancel it. I took a lengthy stroll back home and made sure to look in the windows of all the jewelry shops on my way. There are these fantastic rosette earring that I drool over every day, but I know they're not worth the cost.
Turns out the Harry Potter movie gathering is TOMORROW at five. Tomorrow when I'll be on my way back from a day-trip to Orvieto. I'm going to either a) go solo during the day or b) recruit a friend for a weeknight showing. This is necessary.
Last night I went over to Sabs, Olivia, and Mere's apartment for dinner. I brought the bread and salad and Sabrina made delicious homemade manicotti. We chatted and laughed and then the girls, interior design majors, showed me their websites with their projects. Oh. my. gosh. Everything they do is so hands-on and they have to think about so many variables. They have to think so much for the other people's desires, needs, and if the design will actually function. But they get to use so much creativity as well. It was so cool to see the professional side of my friends...I'm positive that they'll be successful after they graduate. They are so prepared.
Today I've just tried to be productive. This includes deleting a lot of my junk mail and unsubscribing to wayyyy too many newsletters. Everything is hitting me with the Christmas consumer illness. All the pictures of snowmen and families hugging are giving my first taste of homesickness. I leave this place in less than a month, so my mind is preparing me for my departure. I'm looking forward to watching movies with my parents and chatting with my friends about our adventures and cooking with my sister. I almost miss the oppressive Christmas advertising of the U.S. I keep thinking, maybe they'll put up more Christmas displays after Thanksgiving, then I realize they don't celebrate that here.
No worries, ISA is throwing us a Thanksgiving dinner, so I'll get my fix. Then the next day I head to Germany! Whooppppp.
I'll miss my Mama's birthday on Wednesday. She's the only family member whose bday I'm missin'.
Well, off to bed decently soon because tomorrow is Orvieto!
Ciao ciao.

Recipes, The David, Trufflez, and Opera

Everything in Florence is a celebration. With so much history in one city, how can there not be tradition? And every tradition sparks new, modern ones.
I'm currently uploading pictures I have taken over the last week.
Yes, that is grass around the Duomo to commemorate the miracle of San Zanobi.
Oh, and correct, that was the David Statue on the roof of the Cathedral that I saw on my way to see the real one at L'Accademia.
Parade off winged-creatures on stilts in the middle of the "Biennale Enogastronomica" market in Piazza della Repubblica? Why not?
I love the U.S., but I wish it wasn't discovered so late. Why can't we have saints' days? And ancient art?
These are the things I'll miss when I come back home.
Daddy wrote me an email today...it ended saying he was already sad I was going to miss Thanksgiving. Well, same here. My grandmother, Mama, makes her special dressing, and I could eat it plain year-round. That recipe's going in my new beautiful recipe journal.
I've been cooking up a STORM! Last week in class, it was foccacia. (Kiss-your-fingertips-and-say-Bellisime!-good.) Then, it was Olivia's birthday carrot cake. The next night, I made my own gnocchi-for-one from scratch (yes, from potatoes!). I had to play with the recipe a good bit to cut down portion size, but it came out excellently!
This weekend I stayed in Florence, but the timing couldn't have been better. I went to the culture and immigration conference at our school, which I loved because I'm a nerd like that and I like to learn. And then it was full of roaming around Florence's huge markets; the art market behind Palazzo Strozzi, the huge traditional Tuscan food market in Piazza della Repubblica, this season's new olive oil market in Piazza Santa Croce, and the huuuuuuuge antiques market in Piazza Santo Spirito across the river on the Oltrarno.
I could help myself. I bought a small bottle of freshly-pressed, extra-green, extra-virgin olive oil, some roasted nuts, some castarone cheese, a bottle of Vernaccia di San Gimignano that I've been wanting to try for FOREVER, and a jar of white truffles. Yay! I made a pasta sauce with it last night. Sooooooo gooooood. There's a truffle fair in San Miniato this weekend, and I MAY just have to go.
I went to the English speaking church with Jess on Saturday night, and we saw the opera "Carmen." I loved it. I want to opera all the time. It was a small venue, so it was very intimate. Their voices were incredible. I used to want to be an opera singer as a child, and the dream came back when I was there. My friend works at a theater, so I'm getting her to tell me the dress rehearsal times so I can watch fo' free.
Around this time of year, the city of Florence plays a game with a fake David statue. It was found on top of the Cathedral, where it was actually first intended to be displayed, but they thought it would not be appreciated from afar. Then, it was brought down in front of the Cathedral.
Last night, I was walking around the city when I heard drums coming from Piazza Signoria. I followed a huge crowd and found my way to the middle. An enormous procession of trumpeters, flag-throwers, torch holders, and drummers ushered the statue on a platform into the middle of the piazza. Every member of the crowd clapped and cheered. We watched with anticipation as the platform rotated and David's face stared into the eyes of the audience. The Florentines were so proud. And so was I. Even the mayor came down from his balcony, wearing his sash across his chest. He shook hands with the flag-throwers, and they did another number as the people roared. It was one of the coolest things I've experienced.
And today, I had a short presentation in class, ate an egg-roll for lunch (I miss Chinese food. badly.), went to cooking class, and made stuffed peppers. I've got a KILLER recipe. And I feel like I own this one. I'll make it for you, Mom and Dad, when I get home over break.
Since then, I've come home, done my homework, skyped with my sissy, listened to some good music (Sufjan's new album, some Phoenix, some Broken Social Scene), and watched an episode of Glee, my new guilty pleasure.
Ahh, now I'm off to read a bit before going to bed.
Oh! Ian McEwan is coming to Florence on Weds. night. Almost makes me want to miss aperitivo. What do you do when you want two things so badly?
I guess I'll sleep on it. Arrivederci!

(Non-)Dating Advice.

It's funny who one meets just walking down the streets of Firenze.
Yesterday, I met Mohammed Ali. Yes, Mohammed Ali. That's what it says on his IDs.
This one's a boxer, too, but he's from Tunisia and is now studying cintematography.
"Firenze è una città bellissima."
"Si!" I smiled and nodded. This apparently gave him the go-ahead.
We talked about the documentary festival being shown at the local theater, Firenze, his family, my studies, my Italian. And then he asked for the number.
So, I'm terrible with this stuff. Horrible. It's so hard for me to turn someone down, even if I'm not interested.
Being aware of my people-pleaser mentality, I've come up with a few good excuses to have on the tip of your tongue at all times. I am the worst liar in the world, so I've ingrained these in my brain so I can avoid situations that will lead no where. Some of these are hand-me-downs from friends. I hope you can put these in your back pocket as well...just in case.:
"I have to put my focus on my studies now, and I barely have any free time. I'm flattered you asked, but it is just not possible for me."
"I'm busy now but maybe another time." (And then never answer your phone again.)
"Just got a new phone/different number because I'm out of the country. I don't remember my number! So sorry."
"Ooops, left my phone at home."
And my personal favorite: "I just started dating someone, but I'm flattered that you asked!" This is one guaranteed way that the unwanted male will stop pestering you. Men are territorial. If you're taken, you're no longer on their radar. Done.
Maybe Georgia boys have no balls (excuse me, American men in general), but it is a rare occasion when one is intentional about pursuing a girl or honest about his feelings. Why do they put so much pressure on a single date? If a man would just ask a female he's interested out for a drink or lunch, the woman would most likely be 1) impressed and 2) more than willing. I'll be honest, it's been quite a self-esteem booster to come to a different country where men ask me on dates regularly.
Yesterday Mohammed Ali asked me out, and I gave him the "I'm busy but maybe later" approach. Annoying thing is that he still has my number and the "block call" option does not seem to work. He's a really nice-seeming, lively person, but "I'm just not that into him."
This morning, I donned by black-and-white-striped shirt, vintage black and gold belt, black skirt, leggings, and my boots. I had to wake up early to go to the "Permit To Stay" meeting, where, four days before I leave, I will FINALLY receive a card allowing me to stay in the country...after a four month process. Italian bureaucracy. Enough said.
After that was the ISA tour of the Accademia, i.e., the home of the most magnificent sculpture ever created, Michaelangelo's David. The tour portion solely for David lasted almost an hour. It was fasccccinating.
While walking to the museum, a creepy Italian man looked at my boots and made some vulgar gesture. I flipped! I still don't know what it means but have been trying to find it on the internet. Maybe it's best not to know...
On my way home, I stopped by a huge outdoor market being held in Piazza della Repubblica. It's olive harvesting and crushing season, so I HAD to buy a small bottle of the nuovo extra-virgin olio. I also bought some roasted nuts, my FAVE. Checked off my Firenze bucket list.
Then, I went home, heated up leftover pasta, and watched an episode of 30 Rock. Dopo, I went to the Oltrarno, which is quickly becoming my favorite section of Florence. It's the less-touristy, artsy side of town. Oh, and it's cheaper. I found the Pasticeria Americana, Mama's Bakery. I bought a chocolate-chip cookie (IT'S BEEN MONTHS), a bagel for the morning, and sipped un cafe, American style.
I read a bit then decided to attend this conference on Emigration, Migration, and Immigration at our school. I was late to the meeting, but it's just a conference, right? Sono un idiota. I came into the room during the middle of a lecture, confused the speaker, and had to sit on the stairs. Ohhhhh well. The lectures were really interesting and I tried to be very attentive to make up for my earlier lack of respect.
I slipped right out afterwards, and two doors down there was this fascinating exhibit in a free art gallery. Perche no? I went in, and looked at the first piece of art. I made eye contact with a man passing by and recognized him from the conference. He turned around, came in the door, and introduced himself. He was actually one of the speakers, but I missed the lecture because I was late...I congratulated him anyways. He was funny, kind, and direct, which I especially enjoy in a person. He asked if we could have a drink, and I told him I had plans (I really do, Leyla and Jess and I have planned to try out a famous gelateria tonight!). We'll see each other tomorrow at the next set of lectures, though. My classmates should be there tomorrow, too, so that will help to give me a bit of security, haha. Yes, I really think this way.
I'm aware that I encouraged the male race to ask girls on dates, then gave a list of ways to reject guys. Well, use with caution. If you'll be in the same country as the other for more than two months, he does not seem like a criminal, and he could be someone you're interested in, then HELL YES ACCEPT THE INVITATION/DATE/FREE DINNER. The experience is worth it, and you'll make a new friend. It's easier to know who the quality ones are in your home country, so use your judgement and woman's intuition.
I'll get off my soapbox now. Ciao!

Una Opera del Amore

Today, every minute has been occupied.
I woke up, ate breakfast, got ready, then headed to the store.
You see, it's one of my best friend's birthday's, and it was her request a few weeks ago that I make her a carrot cake. I have a recipe for one in my Italian cookbook, so of COURSE I wanted to show my love for her by this simple gesture.
My friend is Olivia, an interior design major from Kentucky. She's humble, compassionate, funny, has CRAZY stories that you would never respect (including her tendency to faint at inopportune times), and is the perfect balance of everything rolled into one.
I went to my favorite grocery store, Sapori & Tintori, and bought the ingredients...it's funny how many small things you have to collect! Eggs, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, flour type O, baking soda, nutmeg, a POUND of carrots, toasted almond, ...
Notice the ingredient baking soda. How does one say baking soda in Italian? Beats me! I had to ask for help from the sweet baker, and she told me that Italians use something that is more like a cube, but there is also a powder if I could find one. "It's on street two," she answered in English. "Oh, si! Grazie."
Street two.....I couldn't find it on aisle two, either. Sigh. I found a packet of something, brought it to her, and asked, "E corretto?"
"No, no, no! That's spices!" She laughed and shook her head. Good thing I double-checked! The butcher standing next to her said, "Oh, a Spice Girl!" I cracked up and said, "Oh no, not quite." He then escorted me to the baking soda. Whoop! In my possession.
I headed home and began to peel and grate the carrots before class. I read the recipe. "Line the pan with parchment paper...". Dang. Parchment paper. I didn't have time to pick it up, so I waited until after my Italian class.
I came home and went immediately to preparing the cake. I tried to put everything on one side of the counter so as to not to block my roommates from using the kitchen. Well, ingredients went EVERYWHERE.
I grated almost a pound of carrots. My hands were orange. And my arms? A little more sculpted, if I do say so myself.
I kept bringing the mixing bowl down to Leyla. "Does this look right?" "When should I add he eggs?" She kindly, patiently assisted me on every detail.
The recipe gave enough batter to make two cakes, and we only have ONE small toaster oven. Hmm...I guess I'll just shove them BOTH in there! This was not the best idea I've ever had. One was smashed by the oven door, the other browned faster because it was in the back. Ohhhh well. The end product was cooked well, and even though they looked a little deformed, they tasted just right! Leyla suggested we layer the cakes and ice them (this also solves the problem of their deformities!). Off to the store to buy confectioner's sugar and cream cheese to make icing!
Jess came with me this time, and she is the icing master. You've never seen such delicate finesse with an icing knife. Of course, maybe except from Katie Gamble. I kept wondering what I could learn from watching Katie perfectly bake her wonderfully round, delicious cakes. Yay for my next chef roomie!
Turns out that Italian supermarkets don't normally sell powdered sugar. So, we grabbed something off the shelf of the cake section...turns out it's pretty much regular sugar and fake cream. Well, it went into the cream cheese, we melted some butter, whipped it all together, and VOILA! Next, iced the layers of the cake. At 7:24, we realized we were supposed to meet everyone for Olivia's birthday dinner at 7:30! I handed the knife to Jess and let her quickly touch up the cake. We flipped another pie tin over the top and ran out the door.
Dinner was fabulous. We went to a mexican restaurant called Tijuana (TJ, if you love the OC as much as I once did...) and ate NACHOS! Delizioso. There was a cover-charge for eating the cake in the restaurant, so we passed. Seriously, Florence? SERIOUSLY?! Can't a person celebrate their birthday? Instead of charging us, why don't you give us a discount because it's the girl's big day? Yeah. Thank you.
Anyway, we headed to our favorite pub, sang to Olivia, and cut the cake. A man came by with roses and sweet Leyla bought one for Olivia. The man tried to short change her, but she stood her ground and made sure he indeed gave her the correct change. After chatting for a while, we gave hugs and promised to meet tomorrow night at aperitivo at Ganzo. I'm really going to miss that in the States. It's our cheap, delicious excuse for having a guaranteed hang out with friends. Maybe I'll start one up at the Hardin house when I get back.
Today, I had one of those "it's hitting me" moments. I was walking back from the grocery store, listening to Broken Social Scene's "All To All" (which is one of my favorite songs ever), and stopped before I walked up to my little door. I'm leaving this soon. When I'm older, I'll tell my children about my time here, but I'll never LIVE here again. I started to tear up, but I decided to just enjoy the end of the walk to my apartment.
I love this place. Living here has finally felt like really living here. I adore my roommates and really feel like I know them. I've gotten to the point where I can genuinely say I will look back and miss laughing, singing, cooking with them.
All this to say that I'm going to soak everything up. I love this transitory place in life, and my duty is to keep finding its treasures while I have time here.
I hope you all look at where you are in the same way. You'll only be in this phase of your life in the present, so take it in for what it can be. And if you're complacent, change that.
Bedtime now, I guess. Goodnight my dears.

Back! From Barcelona, from Milano, from the Fiorentina Game.

I'm back!
How unlike me is it to not post for two weeks?
Forgive me for my hiatus. I'm been EVERYWHERE for the past two weeks, and I can't wait to share.
I left last Wednesday for Pisa and took a plane to Girona, a city an hour outside of Barcelona. My flight cost only SEVEN EUROS! So, I was willing to make the trek alone and stay alone in a hostel in a country where I didn't speak the language.
I made it safely, then went off to look for my hostel...in the dark. Girona's streets are poorly marked, so I frustratedly ran around the town for about thirty minutes. There were a group of people on their balcony across the street, and they could tell I was lost. It was late, dark, and I was a lone American. "Parlez-vous français?" "No....English." The next thing I knew, a Frenchman ran down the stairs and across the street to my aid. We used English, French, and Spanish to find out where my hostel was. I gave a "gracias!" then headed to the hostel.
It was clean and cozy, and I decided to explore Girona a bit more. At night, everything was beautifully lit and the stone, Medieval buildings tower over you. It was so impressive.
The next morning I woke up, got my free breakfast of cocoa krispies and tea, and headed to meet Garrett in Barcelona.
He flight was delayed, but we finally met up back at the hostel and decided to take it easy the first day. We both took naps then decided to hit the University center of town and search for a restaurant. We caught up and walked in any direction we desired before finding a tapas bar for dinner. We chose mainly seafood and had great conversation.
The next morning, we ate a big, warm breakfast and headed to the station to meet Alece. We missed our stop and watched out the window as Alece sat on a bench by herself, straining her neck to find her friends.
Alece and I have bonded. We often call ourselves "travel buddies," and love hanging out together. In fact, we've known each other for less than two weeks but have passed a stranger's "best friend test." I'd share it, but I'll have to do it in person so as not to spoil the trick. We were tested last night by a Florentine engineer we met on the train from Pisa to Florence. He was...interesting. He leaned over to us and said, "May I ask you a question?" Alece and I nodded. "Would you date a guy who was still friends with his ex-girlfriend?" This developed into a 30 minute conversation about dating, the differences between men and women, and even immigration. Oh, the people you meet while traveling.
Back to Barcelona. I'll spare all of the details, and I'll suggest you look at my pictures for specifics. We checked out a lot of the modernist architecture of Gaudi...everything his created defies expectations and is so passionate...it's aesthetically pleasing, mesmerizing, really, but is also functional.
We went to the coast and found a cute little market for antiques, jewelry, and art. I stepped up and decided to buy my first piece of art! It's odd. I guess you can say I was inspired by the expressionism of the city. It's pink, has an old-fashioned espresso maker, and has words in different languages written across it. I've decided to start my own little collection. Soon I'll buy one of the Ponte Vecchio to take home; I'm already scouting out artists on the street.
To experience the Spanish culture, we decided to attend a short concert with Spanish guitar, singing, and Flamenco dancing. Oh it was lovely! The dancers alternate smooth, sensual moves with tight, emphatic ones, and they stomp to the music with their feet and clap their hands. It was a delight to watch. The next night, we went to the jazz bar next door to the Flamenco club, and we watched Italians play and sing the blues. I smiled at the Italian accent that peaked out from an attempt at a southern drawl. The concert was lively and even a sweet taste of home. The music was great, too! "I got my mojo workin'..."
A highlight of my trip was finally getting to have lunch with my friend from high school, Jennifer, who is studying in Barcelona. She was so kind and toured us around, and we laughed and talked about home and about how studying abroad is such an enriching, strange experience. Her family comes soon, and I was her sister's intern this summer, so I'm so excited to hear about their time together. They are such sweet, loving, generous girls.
So, fast-forward to THIS weekend. It's Sunday night, I just ate a stir-fry dinner, and I'm sitting down to work on a presentation on "The private life of the Renaissance family" for my history class tomorrow. Today we went to a rainy yet explosive calcio (soccer, European football) match against Verona's Chiavo team. I loved the exhibition of Florentine pride...purple everywhere, flags waving even through tired arms, yelling and chanting their song. We won, too!
It rained, and because we weren't allowed to bring umbrellas into the arena, I had to use a magazine as a makeshift hat. The walk was forty minutes back to my apartment, and I had to go to the grocery store as well. The "hat" absorbed so much water that it broke apart, and when I returned home, I realized it had left black ink residue on my forehead. I was still completely soaked. Hopefully I don't get sick again after my trek in the cold rain!
LAST night consisted of a five and a half hours of train travel from Milan and finally arriving back in Florence at midnight. I worked on schoolwork, read, and chatted with Alece and fellow travelers on the way back.
Our weekend in Milan was fantastic! I love the city, although it is very much metropolitan rather than the stereotypically charming, inviting Italian village. A lot was destroyed in the war, but there is still a castle, a few palaces, and of course the famous Duomo of Milan. It's breathtaking...the facade is the first thing you see when you get off the metro. It's free to get in, and the stained-glass windows were huge and amazinggggggg.
We met two guys at our hostel at breakfast, and we invited them to come along with us for our day of sightseeing. Charlie was from Northern Ireland, and he convinced his friend Tommy from England to travel in Italy with him. They were hilarious. We made jokes about American stereotypes and had a friendly competition about America versus the European Union. This included a game of Trivial Pursuit, which lasted until 2:30 in the morning, but Alece and I won! The bragging rights were worth the lack of sleep.
Other than that, we traveled all around Milan, had an inexpensive aperitivo buffet near the canals, and met interesting people. It was great to be with Garrett in his city, of course. We went to the shopping district and found a "discount outlet." Yeah, right. Everything was still hundreds of dollars. Thanks but NO THANKS.
The highlight of this trip was the Salvador Dali exhibit. He was a surrealist, so his stuff was a little crazy. Probably the craziest art exhibition I've ever seen. I soaked up every bit I could. Just look at some of his stuff. Really. I can't describe it. Some of it was too overwhelming, and I just thought, "I guess here's where the art for art's sake philosophy comes in." But then there were documentaries playing in side rooms, and the interviews of him were hilarious. He has this curled up little mustache, is Spanish but speaks decent English, and refers to himself in the third person. He talks about how he is the best artist of the time simply because there are no other good artists, and goes on a schpeal about his love of money. Anyway, I'd go again in a heartbeat.
Here's a Disney cartoon he made. Odd but spellbinding:

Enjoy!
Well, I'm off to skype my parents.
Arrivederci!

Grace Alone

Another post for today, but I can't stop praising the Lord. He is too good to me...He put me in His place in Florence where he wanted me to find community. It's a little meeting on Tuesday nights at the Methodist church where people, mainly students, come to worship the Lord and read scripture, hear a sermon, and discuss. And so much fellowship!
Tonight, it opened up with Psalm 84 - the first psalm on which I gave a lesson in Sunday School this summer - and the Lord used it to call me to Him, and showed me my need to be in his dwelling place. "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God." I read these words tonight, and singing them in the hymn was definitely the appropriate response!
We read from Jeremiah, reminding us of our failings but that God is faithful, and his covenant with his people is sure. Then, we read from Luke 18, and talked about the tax collector's prayer, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" We prayed throughout, and we discussed the passages after hearing a sermon. The people were so real and honest, and they truly understood the gospel. Their priority was to give reverence to the Lord!
I'm just so happy to find this, to find this time that I can be committed to, to meet cool people who love the Lord, to know their names and have them know mine.
I met two girls doing a masters program in shoe design, Molly and Myra, and they were really sweet. I then met a girl a little older named Kate, whom I loved. She was down to earth and beautiful, and she and her husband are going to Barcelona this weekend as well! They're in Europe for a year taking a break; she's a doctor and he's a musician. His name is Mark Shultz - he gave me a hug tonight although I don't know him, haha. But, he's pretty well-known in the States. He led the music tonight, along with another man who played the piano and had an amazing voice. We stood and worshipped, and it was informal but reverent at the same time. I'll definitely be going back. Unfortunately I had a coughing attack and almost had to leave - spiritual warfare?
We sang "Grace Alone" and I'm so convinced this was necessary for me to hear. I've been really self-focused, very prideful since I've come to Italy. I've wanted to do all of this for ME and to do only what I wanted. I've thought I've known best, and I've treated others poorly because of my pride. Even without realizing it!
But, this hymn points me to my Maker, the one who has a purpose for me and will use me to be an instrument in his redemption of the earth. Here are some of the lyrics:
"Every promise we can make, every prayer and step of faith,
every difference we will make is only by his grace...
Grace alone which God supplies,
strength unknown he will provide.
Christ in us our Cornerstone
We will go forth in grace alone."
And it was by his grace I've been brought to the magical land of Italy, and it's by his grace I was brought to this service tonight. And my response to that is worship, awe, and to love my neighbor as God has shown his undeserved love for me.
Just had to share what God laid on my heart this evening, and rejoice in finding a church body!

Home Remedies

Sadly, I'm still sick.
I haven't wanted to do much, and I finally made myself get up and out of the house today. I printed off my boarding passes for Barcelona, and while I was there, I saw my crazy Italian teacher Nada.
Then, I decided to return some cds to the library because they won't work on my computer - different cd size (one was The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds"). BUT, I wandered around a deserted library before realizing it opens at two on Mondays. Lame.
So, I continued walking around the Duomo area, and I started to get a fever. I was all bundled up, but the chills were coming, and alllll I wanted was a cold drink. Whenever I'm sick at home, I stay in my bed and drink a nice coke from a straw. Perfection. Well, I stopped in a supermarket, grabbed a coke can, impatiently waiting in line after people who had bundles, and I only had my coke and exact change. I opened it in the store, then proceeded to sip and walk down the street.
I walked by and a man, probably in his 40s, began to talk to me. As I am sick, I gave up all attempts of speaking in Italian, and said, "What?" in English.
"Ohhhh, parla inglese?"
"Siiiii."
"A Londra?"
"No, di America. Di Georgia, but I'm a little sick so you may not be able to tell."
"Che cosa?"
"Sono male."
The European culture loves home remedies. The man told me that if I came back that night, around seven when he is about to get off work, he would take me to the bar and we would drink some special drink and in the morning, POOF! my sickness would be gone. This was a remedy handed down by his grandfather. I politely said I may, but I had other plans.
We continued to talk for quite a while, and he complimented me on my teeth. I laughed loudly. I was drinking a coke, so I told him "ma gialla si io bevo questa coca!" I have never been complimented on my teeth by a stranger. Really creepy. He asked me another question, which was lost in translation, so he went to his computer, went to his online translator, and started saying "treat!" "treat!" and then pressed the button so the robotic voice from the speakers shouted "TREAT" in English. He did this several more times. "TREAT. TREAT. TREAT. TREAT." I had to laugh but tried not to seem like I was laughing at him.
He kept telling me to come back at seven last night, but of course, I'd rather not put myself in an odd position with a bald, Italian man who likes my teeth.
When the library opened, I handed in my cds and rented some more books: Saturday by Ian McEwan and a book called Speaking Italian Like A Native, which is just a collection of essays from a British man who has lived in Italy for twelve years.
One of my favorite authors is essayist Anne Fadiman (READ ANYTHING YOU CAN FIND BY HER! SHE'S AN EXCELLENT WRITER AND INTIMIDATINGLY WELL-READ). She writes a chapter on reading where you are - absorbing yourself in a book that is placed wherever you are so that you can deeper appreciate your present setting. I think it's a great idea, and it gives me more awareness of the Italian culture around me.
Annnnyway, I got home and Olga, our Slovakian housekeeper, came by soon after. Jess walked in and had a bad case of the hiccups. Olga ran up the stairs, poured a cup of water, and told Jess she was going to fix her problem. She then forced Jess to lean down towards her feet, put her hands behind her back, and Olga shoved the cup of water in her face. Similar to water boarding. Joke. But it worked! Olga cracks me up. She's very blunt but works very hard. She told us her sister is a singer and uses that remedy every time she has to go on stage.
Other than that, I've just caught up on emails, read, and had two cups of tea today. I'm still trying to get better and relax before I travel for a little over five days. Ayyy!
Going to try out a Methodist church tonight at seven. Pray for me!

Finiamo a Roma, e solo adesso ho male di gola!

Briefly, briefly.
I often say those words but get caught up in the maelstrom of my mind. And then must type everything I think and have felt from the day.
Perhaps tonight I'll be brief?
Mom, Dad, and I exchanged hugs and kisses before they hopped in their cab to the airport in Rome this morning. An abrupt ending to a blissful week or so together. After their door shut, I continued up the hill from our hotel, looking backwards to make sure they were finally off. I climbed the hill, took a few pictures of the sites..Rome's beauty creeps up on you! And continued walking past the President's house until I stumbled upon the Barberini National Gallery of Art "Antica." Well, I'm not quite sure what this is, but it's open. I walked in, found my way to the ticket office (biglietteria), and handed the man a fifty euro bill for the five euro fee. "Una cinquanta? No. Troppo grande." I laughed, told him it was the only bill I had, he shrugged and gave me a ticket for free. "Really? YOU ARE SO KIND." That sent him cracking up, and he repeated my words.
I had to wait a few more minutes until the rest of the "sale" or rooms were open, and then another woman and I headed in. Every person there was Italian, and I was flattered that they spoke to me in Italian as well. I nodded and smiled even though I understood little.
The museum was fabulous! I saw Raffaelo, Carravaggio, Fillipo Lippi, Titian, Pietro di Cortona, and many more.
Then, I sauntered out and headed towards the Spanish Steps. My goal for my Roman morning on my own: visit the Keats and Shelley museum. I reached the door, but unfortunately it didn't open for another hour or so. I decided to grab a cappuccino and read while waiting.
I found a cafe overlooking the Spanish Steps with a view of the museum so I could see when the doors opened. The prices for coffee were outrageous. I spent the money I would have on the museum in that quiet corner of the upstairs restaurant. I sat in the window in a table to myself with a beautiful vista, delicious cappuccino, and delightful book, "My Life in France," by Julia Child. I'm STILL reading it, but I'm hanging on to her every sentence. I adore the woman and her writing style. I feel like we're kindred spirits. But she's more Type A than I am. We'd complement each other well.
A British woman came in, and of course, I watched her from the corner of my eye. She was curt with the waiter and barked out her order. It got worse. She ordered a coffee and a croissant (making sure to use a french accident, which the Japanese/Italian waiter could barely understand). She exhaled haughtily when he asked her to repeat the word. After nibbling on the pastry, she flagged the man down again, although he was busily waiting on several other tables. "This croissant is SWEET. I don't like it. I want a BUTTERY one." While french croissants ARE warm, flaky, buttery and savory, the Italian brioche are sweet, crisp, and rarely warm from the oven. Cultural differences, Miss Priss. The confused waiter simply took it away, and she rolled her eyes. Ruuuuuuude.
The museum doors open and I asked for my bill. The museum was headed by an American twenty-something and a stern British woman. I saw where Keats lived and died in Rome, as well as a few of his letters and original poems! Pretty cool.
Later I hopped on the metro, arrived at the train station, was helped by a gypsy when buying my train ticket, and finally got on a slow, four-hour train. I met some cool Canadian girls traveling to Florence, but they only wanted to know of a good club in town. Sigh.
Then, I went to the supermarket, made a fruit salad, and Olivia and Meredith came over for our much anticipated UGA vs. Kentucky tailgate! We made burgers on huge Italian rolls, potato chips, fruit salad, and juice. Oh, and the girls brought KETCHUP! What a surprise.
We chatted and laughed and talked about Fall Break plans. Olivia's boyfriend arrives tomorrow, and Meredith's mom comes on Monday. I was jealous that they will get to spend time with their loved ones while I had to say goodbye to mine today.
And now, Jess and I have chilled.
I'm getting a bit sick...coming down with a sore throat and losing my voice. Maybe a little fever, too. But, it's my Fall Break, and I don't leave for Barcelona until Wednesday! That leaves plenty of time to recuperate.
I want to stick around and sight-see Florence. There are still too many things on my bucket-list that are unchecked. I'd also love to pick up an Italian journal and start writing my own little recipe book. Other than that, it's sleep, cook, chat, and drink tea until my throat is soothed.
The past week has been marvelous, and I hope to finish uploading pictures tomorrow of my dear family. If only sissy Emily would visit.
A dopo!

Domani, Vado a Roma!

Allora, vado a Roma domani con mie parenti. Whoop!
Other highlights:
While hanging out in the living room, I looked over my computer screen into the hallway. I saw something in the corner of my eye but legitimately thought I was dreaming something up. It was a cat! A fat, short-haired tabby cat had crawled in from our window in the bathroom and into our apartment! I let out a started little "Ohhhhh, guys!" and Leyla and Jess came running. It must've gone back out the window because we haven't seen it since. That or it's hiding under one of our beds. They said we weren't allowed to keep pets here, but...
Today I signed up for UGA classes...three English 4000's. I have to do it to graduate. I may die of exhaustion before I get there, though. Is there any way I can read the books NOW????? It's a little disheartening, because that means I'm really going to have to leave this lovely country. Weird.
Mom and Dad left this morning on a train to Roma. I hope they're loving it. Being away from them for a bit makes me miss them. Weird, huh. We've had a blast being together. Walking everywhere, laughing at each other, exploring the history of Italy, telling stories that we've missed from being on different continents. They're great people, and I'm grateful that I'm their child. I'm blessed!
We went out with my roommates Leyla and Jess last night to the restaurant RIGHT next to our apartment. It's called Trattoria Nella. Delizioso! We didn't have reservations so we had to wait a good bit, but it gave us more time to chat for my parents and my adoptive sisters to get to know each other. Ever stand back, aware that your two worlds are colliding? Mom and Dad loved the girls. But of course they did! They're so down to earth and mature, but they are hilarious and adventurous, too. The perfect roommates, really.
Today, after M & D left, I had another exam. Contemporary Italian Literature. It was pretty easy; a lot of opinion questions and essays on the general themes of books. Everything she said would be on there was. Plus, I've read everything, listened in class, and done my homework, so there isn't much else you can do to study for a lit class. So, I guess my studying very little while Mom and Dad were here didn't turn out as badly as I thought...but I still have another exam tomorrow.
It's Italian Language. It shouldn't be bad...mainly conjugating and a few irregular verbs. I understand it, so i haven't really looked over it either....Ohhh welllll. I took an online course thing before I came to Italy, so what we're learning is pretty much ingrained in my head. Alexi came over tonight and I coached him through what we'll need to study. He left a note and some of his AWESOME artwork at our door today and asked if we could study, but the note disappeared! Frantic Alexi needed some help and I didn't know. So, I went to aperitivo and then came back and got in my jammies...and that is when he decided to come over. I looked like a fool but it was a successful study sesh.
Aperitivo at GANZO was, of course, so great. I wasn't that hungry when I went but wanted to go for the fellowship time. Me, Meredith, Olivia, Alva, Kyle, and Ian ate together and dunh dunh dunh! talked politics. Kyle and Alva got on an Andrew Jackson/Trail of Tears joking debate, and Alva swears he'll burn a twenty dollar bill if he comes into contact with one (he's 1/32 Indian and has an aversion towards Jackson because of it). I'm happy to say that I am not as in the minority politically here as I had originally thought. Many more conversations to come, I hope.
My roommates are now talking about yeasts for their Wine Appreciation midterm tomorrow. Over my head.
Also, Jess, Nicole, Leyla and I watched "La Vita e Bella" or "Life Is Beautiful" in the ISA loft. It's one of the best movies I have EVER seen. I loved the actor's attitude towards his son and the movie was so fun, but so touching and real. And depressing at the same time. It's filmed in Arezzo, so I recognized all of the little streets and hills and porticos! I've never been able to do that in a movie before. All the ISA people were so sweet to us, too. They brought us chips and tea and set everything up for us. Wednesday tradition? Check.

I am now packed and will leave my exam tomorrow to board a train to Rome. I will spend two nights with Ma and Pa before heading back on Saturday for the UKY and UGA tailgate at Meredith, Olivia, and Sabrina's apartment! I can't wait!
I guess I better go to study a bit more before heading to bed...or watch an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I've still been on my kick and my parents have joined me. Dad LOVES stuff like the Twilight Zone, but Mom hates anything that doesn't have a happy ending or is the least bit gory. They really have to compromise when they watch movies together.

Buona sera!

MOM AND DAD ARE IN FLORENCE!

Tomorrow I take my two hardest midterms, so I'll be brief.
Mom and Dad are here! And I'm bunking up and spending the night with them.
We've spent every waking moment together for the past two/three days. It's been fabulous! It's so surreal that I get to take them around on my cobblestone streets and lead them to my favorite spots in Florence. I love seeing them enjoy the things that have become so dear to my heart...and my growing up.
They're exhausted but having a great time. Mom takes a while to adjust to the time change. About an hour ago she started getting REALLY hyper because it's the time of day back in the States that she comes alive. I'm sure right now she's laying in bed staring at the ceiling wishing she could sleep.
Venice was GORGEOUS. I'd love to say it's my favorite, but each city is so "particular," to use a word Italians love. San Marco's Basilica, its square, the Correr Museum, the Doges' palace, the Bridge of Sighs, ahhhhh. I love it all! Being by the water makes the city more magical (although I'm sure it'd be tiresome to live with the flooding year-round!). If you get the chance, GO! Don't listen to what people say about it being dirty or smelly...it's full of history and beauty and its the most unique city I've ever visited.
We came to Florence yesterday and toured my apartment - they loved my windows, my vaulted ceilings, my Florentine cabinets. Then, we met up with my friend Garrett, who is studying in Milan, and we all took a walking tour of Piazza Signoria, Repubblica, and the Duomo at night. There are a fraction of the crowds and everything is lit up perfectly. They loved it! We stopped by my apartment to grab a tub of peanut butter (yes, M&D brought me JIF from home--such a delicacy!) and stumbled upon Jess and Alexi! They were meeting up with some more of our friends after a day of SKYDIVING over Arrezzo. And yes, my friends actually jumped out of a plane. I'm so impressed. I love how full of life they are. Mom and Dad loved to meet them, too. They were so happy to get to see my friends and listen to their crazy stories. I can't wait for them to meet my other roommate, Leyla, next! They were still raving today about how much fun Jess seemed. And she is!
So, today we went to a service at the Anglican English-speaking church, St. Mark's, and then decided to get lunch...all my usual places were closed. Dang. We walked around forever, I became frustrated because I wanted my parents to enjoy Tuscan food, and we finally decided to just go into a restaurant. They asked if we had a reservation, we said no, they said it'd be thirty minutes, then ran back and told us they had an opening in the back. Well, sure, we'll take it. This place loved food. The server told us to not even bother about the menu, he would tell us what was good. So, we ordered an antipasto with the creamiest cheese (burrata, similar to the Italian word for butter, "burro"), endives, cherry tomatoes, and arugula, and each got pasta for our entree. I had gnocchi with pear and gorgonzola. To die for! Mom and Garrett had tagliotelli with mushrooms and truffles, and Daddy had wild boar on parpadelle. Everything was so good, and pasta was SO FRESH! We loved our special Tuscan lunch.
We then headed to Santa Croce (where Michaelangelo, DaVinci, Machiavelli, and more famous Florentines are buried!) to admire the frescoes by Giotto and look at all of the ornate tombs. So crazy. There is a beautiful courtyard as well, and I took some good pics.
Thennnnnnnn we headed to the Duomo for a bit, then decided we needed to head home so Garrett could catch a train back to Milan. That and we were tired from walking everywhere. We found another sweet little church on the way home. Beautifully ornate and intimate.
At the flat, Gare made some PB sandwiches to take back with him on the train, and I got to study a bit. Mom and Dad took naps. We then led him to the train station, put him on the train, and walked around for a bit.
I love to brag on my dad. The man. knows. everything. He's researched every bit of Florence and even rented a flat for a half a week that is ONE street over, almost DIRECTLY where my apartment is located. The flat is wonderful! So homey, big, has a pullout sofa that I can't figure out, a stove, and ta-da: a washer AND dryer! Only the rich folks have room/money for a dryer...everyone else just hangs up their clothes on clotheslines. This machine does the wash then right after does the drying cycle. Best invention ever. Now my clothes smell like watermelon instead of mildew. Sighhhhhh.
We met an Italian couple at the apartment first, and there was a bit of a language barrier. Everything is stocked, though, and they even had Tuscan wine and cantucci for us! How sweet. We have fresh fruit, coffee, juice, water, a microwave, a toaster, and it's a piece of heaven. Thank you, Daddy.
Oh, and to my Florentine friends, let me rub this in: In Venice, I took A BATH. Ohhhh it was lovely. I just laid there and let the water fill all the way around me. Glorioussssss. It's the little things, you know?
Walking home after putting G on the train, we started getting a craving...for Chinese food. I kid you not, we ate tonight at a place called "China Town," and it was DELICIOUS. I've craved an eggroll ever since I left Georgia, and tonight, my craving was satiated.
Tomorrow is full of class for me, but Mom and Dad are touring all over the city for the next two days. We'll have an early lunch at my favorite panini place, I'll head to class, take and Italian Renaissance History exam, then take a cooking exam, cook something with swiss chard (our ingredient of the week), and hopefully come and crash at Mom and Dad's place. We're planning to get gelato tomorrow night; we'll try out a new gelateria. We had gelato last night, and the woman remembered me. We're pretty much best friends now. We even got a discount. I'm such a regular. At the gelateria. Maybe that's a bad thing.
Daddy had "blood orange" gelato, and he loved every bit. Mom had berry yogurt (typical) and adored hers, and Garrett had cookies and a chocolate sorbet. I had panna cotta and berry yogurt. Perfect. We licked it up and kept touring the town.
Ahhhh, I better go to sleep now. I get up in 8 hours! Yay!
Sorry for not writing for a while; you know how it is...Midterms, parents coming, trains...craziness. Hope you all are well!
And GO DAWGS!