Reflections

Happy last day of September! It has been a crazy month! As I look back at my blog posts, I have seen how much I have grown in this past month and all the experiences that I have had. Even my last day of September had adventures!

I woke up this morning full of nerves and very sleep-deprived – I had my very first Italian test today and I prepped all week for it. As I got ready for my 9am class, I picked up directions that were sitting on my dresser, the directions that I wrote last night. They were to the hostel that I was touring with my Sustainable Tourism class… which meant that I had to leave my apartment NOW (aka forty minutes early). It was supposedly a twenty minute walk from my university but of course, I get lost really easily so the extra time is needed. Of course, I get totally lost (I overshoot the street I need to turn on) and I full out run to the hostel, arriving with five minutes to spare (my sister would be SO proud of me).

What makes this hostel really cool is that it participates in sustainable practices, such as reducing their carbon footprint, using fair trade goods, and giving back to the community. They give back to the community by becoming a homeless shelter between November and April. Then they are a normal hostel from April to October (for tourist season). These funds support their efforts to better the city of Florence and raise awareness of certain issues. It was really cool to see. Florence has so many amazing places that have environmentally friendly practices.

After navigating my way home and having some lunch, I trudged off to Italian class. I sat down and reviewed with my classmates before class, dreading the exam. As we painfully learned a short lesson, I began to get more and more frantic. Then I realized something. If I keep panicking, then I will do horribly on my exam. I took some deep calming breaths and made it through the lesson. When the test was distributed, I flipped through it and a smile came to my face. I knew it! I knew all the material! I went through the quiz, going slowly to make sure I had all the answers. After I handed in the exam, I felt free. I think I skipped back to the apartment.

My last adventure was to find Chinese food with my roommate. I know that some of you are saying, “The food is so good in Italy!!!!” Yes I know, the food here is so awesome, but after a month, I am getting a little sick of the pasta (and meat is so expensive here – but it is local meat, so I guess it is worth the price). We walked around our neighborhood looking for this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. When we finally found it, it felt like we were walking into a Chinese restaurant in the states, only the menus were in Italian. We ordered our food and took it home and had roommate dinner (or family dinner as we call it). It was a fun, low-key night.

So to recap my September, these are all the things that I have learned this past month and a little bit in Italy:

1. Stairs = why Italians are so thin

2. Classes will challenge you, make you think about things in a different way, and make you want to make yourself a better person

3. Italian is a really hard language to master if you have taken Spanish

4. The food here is awesome (and cheap!)

5. Being environmentally conscious is not advised, it is the lifestyle

6. Be a six year-old and always look both ways before crossing the street (maybe an extra time, just in case)

7. Gelato is good and is the perfect pick-me-up after a bad day

8. High heels + Me + Florentine streets = disaster (then again sneakers + Me + Florentine streets = disaster)

9. Always look your best – you never know who you are going to meet

10. The San Lorenzo Leather Market is a money sinkhole – too many cute things!

11. Pasta will be your staple food (look in my pantry - I have at least ten pounds of pasta in there at any given time)

12. Showers will be approximately 6 minutes long because that is how long there is hot water

13. Getting lost is inevitable; the way one deals with getting lost shows their character (apparently I freak out, then find someone, ask for directions, and then feel better when I get to my location - what that says about my character, who knows)

14. You will be tired ALL the time

15. Meeting locals is the best way to practice your Italian

16. Tuscany is beautiful (so I’ve heard…)

17. Trips to amazing locations are fun and memorable – do not take them for granted (Verona and Venice!!!!!)

18. The museums in Florence are awesome… this place has so much creative energy

19. The milk is not the same as the milk in America (who knew)

20. This is an amazing experience and it is teaching me so much about myself and what I can accomplish!

It was an amazing September – I hope October is just as memorable!

Ciao!

Fall In Florence

Sorry for the space between blogs – it is T-Minus 3 weeks until midterms and lots of things need to get done (papers, tests, and booking plans for October Break). I promise that I will be better about posting a blog about every day or so. On a happy note, here is a blog post!!!!!! Today was an amazing day!

Today started with a visit to La Specola (Florence’s Natural History Museum). I had to go for my Environmental Conservation class to look at all the organisms that they have there. Then we are supposed to be inspired and pick something as our topic for our research paper. I already chose my topic – I am writing my paper about beluga whales and I am very excited…

 As many of you know, I love natural history museums and I love animals – thus you can probably figure that I was really excited (I think I might have skipped to it). As I walked up the stairs, I passed a floor of laboratories and resisted the urge to peek into one of the open doors. I wonder what they are researching.

After four flights of stairs (the reason why Italians are so thin, they put everything up at least two flights of stairs), I paid for my ticket and walked into the first room. This was the point when I realized that this natural history museum was NOT like the one in New York City or the one in Washington DC (I should know, I have been to them at least one hundred times). It was a room of coral, some dried and some in bottles. It was really different to see the specimens just nailed to the wall with a little explanation in Italian to the side. The coral just looked out of place on the wall – I was waiting for an underwater exhibit, with the coral and light effects that make me feel like I am underwater. I looked at the coral and kept walking – right into the bug room… It was all good (I saw the most beautiful butterflies – really awe-inspiring) until I turned around and saw a bug the size of my fist. The Italian tourist in the room just stared at me as I almost ran out of the bug room (I really do not like insects and this one was really gross).

To my relief, I ran into the animal wing (how bad could furry cute things be?). Well, like a pin to my balloon, the animal wing destroyed my joy at being in a natural history museum. In the natural history museum in New York City, most of the organisms have a serene looks on their faces. I feel if I look hard enough, I could see them still breathing (they are that lifelike). The animals are displayed in an exhibit that is modeled after their natural habitat (the lions looks like they are in the African desert). At La Specola, all the organisms look ANGRY (and they are all smooshed together into glass exhibit cases – no cool backgrounds). Even the brocket deer look angry (and from my experience, deer really don’t look that way). As I walked through the rooms, I decided to take my mind off all the scary faces the animals were making (maybe this helps prepare you for coming face-to-face with an angry animal), I decided to challenge myself with “Catherine Zymaris’ NAME THAT ANIMAL GAME”. It was great fun looking at the animals and guessing what they were (beluga whale, lowland gorilla, polar bear…). I must have been really getting into the game, because I actually said “Zebra!” out loud, startling a group of German tourists.

What I thought was cool, though, was the diversity of animals (there is a silver lining for everything). There were three huge bird rooms (yes, three – all packed with different species of birds, their eggs, and their nests – Mom, this is a place for you). I loved trying to name all the birds I knew (emu, roseate spoonbill, red-tailed hawk,…). I walked out of the bird room and almost walked into a HUGE glass case holding the biggest Galapagos tortoises I have ever seen. They must have been about five feet in diameter – totally gigantic. Totally cool…

I skipped quickly through the snake room (I like snakes, but not that much) and the shark room (petrified shark, no thanks). I found myself in a room surrounded by body parts made out of wax. La Specola is famous for their collection of anatomically correct wax figures of the human body. My aunt was a medical illustrator and she would have loved it. I was expecting for me to be really grossed out (I hate blood) but it was really cool. One room showed the muscles, the next showed the nerves, one showed the skeleton and how joints worked. I must have looked bizarre because I was looking at the displays then looking at my own body – you really don’t think about what makes your body work.

As I walked out of La Specola (the wax figures were the last things on display), I was greeted with a chilly breeze. That means only one thing – FALL HAS COME TO FLORENCE! Again, for those of you who know me very well, you know that my absolutely favorite season is fall. I love the changing of the leaves, the colder weather (it feels very crisp and clean), apples, pumpkins, all the holidays, cider, and it has the best food (apple pie, need I say more?). Thankfully, I was wearing pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I walked back to my apartment, enjoying the perfect weather. When I went to my Italian class, I put on a coat and I was so happy.

Fall brings new things to Florence. It gets a little rainy. Squashes and gourds are beginning to replace the peaches in the market (hello butternut squash!). Soccer is beginning to pick up, so that means pizza and beers at a local pub or even going to the stadium to see a game. My program is even throwing a Thanksgiving dinner for us – we still get to celebrate the holiday with people we care about. There are new things to discover about Florence and new experiences to have.

The seasons are changing, shaking up the routine and adding a little bit of spice to the day. Who knows, apples and pie crust exist here – apple pie here I come!

Ciao!

Let's Go On A Picnic!

Today was one of the best laid-back days I have ever had. We woke up to no water (this was day number 3) so I walked next door to the supermarket and bought three liters of water. I then showered to the best of my ability (I have no idea what people did before running water…). As squared away, I was ready to start my day. I did a little bit of homework and then packed my bag full of lunch, a blanket, and water and then my roommate and I set off to our program’s office because today we were having a picnic in Boboli Gardens!!!

We got there and we had a nice long chat with our housing director, who has been on the phone with the utility company since yesterday. She was going to go over to the apartment and have it all checked out. We all were very excited at the thought that we would have running water when we got back. So off we went to the gardens, with a bunch of friends and a couple program advisors.

We walked over Ponte Vecchio (the jewelry bridge) and I realized that this was my very first time on the other side of the Arno River. It was really cool to see all the little jewelry shops and clothing stores. Then it rises up in front of you, Pitti Palace, which is where the Boboli Gardens are. If I was ever going to go back in time and live somewhere, I would really love to be a Medici child – they had an amazing house.

We went into the gardens and you catch your breath – it is huge and it is so beautiful. We went to a grotto, where there is a secret tunnel, which leads to a covered bridge (it is on top of the jewelry stores on the Ponte Vecchio) and then that leads to the Uffizi Museum, which is where the Medicis ruled Florence (way before it was a museum). And this was all put into place because it allowed the Medici to walk to the office without crossing paths with a commoner – the first version of head-of-state security. The grotto is really cool; I first thought it was falling apart but then I realized they built it to look like a sea cave. The walls were adorned with plaster seaweed, shells, and sand deposits. It was spectacular.

Being ruled by our stomachs, we asked our program advisors if we could have our picnic before looking through the massive gardens. They agreed and we walked to a meadow with a big chestnut tree and we spread out blankets and had lunch (yummy tortellini). It was so amazing – there was a lookout point and we could see all of Florence and the mountains. It was peaceful and quiet and it was a good time of reconnection with all my friends. We ate, laughed, and traded stories of the week.

After lunch, we walked around the gardens and headed back to the apartment because the rain clouds began to form over Florence. As we walked into our apartment, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the sink to see if we had water (out of habit now). I was delighted to see water coming out of the faucet! After taking a real shower, I got dressed, had some dinner (yummy pesto pasta), and my roommate and I headed out and met up with friends for a night of dancing and fun. It was the perfect end to the perfect day.

Ciao!

How Not To Be A Tourist In Florence...

It has been a low-key couple of days, so I decided to write a list of things that I have observed in my transition from tourist to townie for my blog entry. Here are some helpful hints if you are coming to Florence:

1. Blend in – dress like the locals (within reason). Summer is cute sundresses, nice shorts, simple, classic shirts, and nice sneakers. As much as you love that ratty worn-in t-shirt, you will stick out in a sea of well-dressed Italians.

2. Do NOT walk around yelling in English. As I walk through Piazza Signora, I always hear, “GO UP NEXT TO THE DAVID SO I CAN GET A CHRISTMAS CARD PICTURE!!!!!!!!”. I know it is very exciting to see all the beautiful sights of Florence, but yelling distracts everyone else from what they are doing (plus it is really annoying).

3. Do not get all upset if people do not wait for you to take a picture. People have places to go – students need to get to school, people need to go to work, little kids love running around. If you really need a good picture, try early in the morning when there are less people.

4. Do look both ways before crossing the street – the cars will NOT stop for you! (that goes for bikes as well)

5. Do not buy anything being sold off the ground (bags, watches, etc). These items are counterfeit and you can be fined many thousands of dollars (for that much, you can buy the real thing).

6. Something that intrigues me is that all the tourists eat gelato (the Italian version of ice cream) at 10 am. There is nothing wrong with it – it’s just an interesting thought.

7. If you REALLY want to blend in (I love doing this), grab an Italian newspaper (they get handed out for free in the morning) and pretend to read it.

8. Do not have pizza or pasta the whole time you are here. Try everything, plus you get sick of pizza and pasta pretty quickly. Beef is really great here and so is bruschetta (toasted bread with olive oil; if you want tomatoes on it, you need to ask for bruschetta con pomodori). Of course, there is nothing wrong with chicken (I eat it all the time). Try everything but I’d stay away from tripe (it is a local specialty, but I have neither the desire nor the stomach for it).

9. Ask for directions if you need them – and always ask a police officer. Most of the time, they speak English and they will point you in the right direction. If you cannot find a cop, go into a pharmacy, especially in touristy areas – someone will definitely speak English.

10. Do get lost – it is the best way to see Florence and find amazing places that you’ll be talking about forever.

11. Do try to learn some Italian. Just using “per favore” and “grazie” (please and thank you) will be the best thing you ever do.

12. Be prepared for smaller cars, smaller hotel rooms, smaller appliances, smaller portions of food, and smaller spaces. It is so different but you’ll get used to it quickly.

13. The food is really fresh and usually really local – food tastes so much better here…

14. As my Italian professor says, “Don’t not be a hooligan”.

15. Walk, walk, walk. It is so tempting to take a taxi, but my best memories are from when my friends and I have just walked around. Walk until your legs hurt; it is good exercise and the only way you can truly see Florence. Just walk in proper walking shoes – I have no idea how Italian women run around the cobblestones in high heels (I hurt my ankle with just sneakers…).

16. Haggle with the San Lorenzo leather market merchants. It is lots of fun and you get a great purse (or two, or three…) at a great price.

17. Finally, let yourself go and be open to new experiences!

Some helpful hints and tips that I have observed every now and then. Who knows what I’ll learn next?

Ciao! 

I Love Science...

Today is Tuesday, which makes it the best day of the week class-wise because it is the day when I have Environmental Conservation. I love this class so much and I feel the topics discussed in class draw upon my previously learned knowledge and introduces me to new concepts, then finally pulls both schools of thought together – I love making connections between what I know and new information.

Today we talked about species extinction (a topic that makes me so sad). I learned a lot during my past biology classes about this topic but we really delved into different facets of extinction. What is extinction? Why is this called the potential sixth mass extinction? We looked at certain case studies about extinct or will soon be extinct species. We wrapped up the second half of class by talking about different types of conservation methods and some examples.

What makes this class so interesting is that my professor actually has done conservation work for some of the leading institutions in this field. She is a wealth of knowledge and she still contributes to research of the Amur leopard – a highly endangered species that is almost extinct. It is incredible to be learning from her.

Our lectures also have little video clips embedded into them – they are usually of a demonstration of a conservation technique or an interview with a leading expert scientist in the area we are learning about. Today, we watched clips from a very famous television series that aired on the science network a few years ago. I am a very big fan of this series and all shows about the planet and the species that inhabit it – it is a bonus when there is a conservation spin on these shows. We saw clips on the Amur leopard and how their Species Survival Plan involves harvesting and freezing some of their cells to be stored. When the time is right, the cells can be thawed and cloned – yes, I did just say cloned. We then had a debate whether it is a good idea to save cells of endangered species, just in case we can clone them later. What if their habitat does not exist? This class is the best combination of science, history, and ethics and it really does provoke thought amongst all of us, including our professor.

I love science and this class is the highlight of my class schedule… I can’t wait to see what we are learning about next week!

Ciao!

Verona Is For Lovers

I saw a popular movie this summer that takes place in Verona and since I saw that movie, I really wanted to go. It sounds really shallow when I say it like that, but the back story of the movie is a lot more intriguing than just another romantic comedy (boy meets girl, they fall in love, something happens to dramatically tear them apart, they get back together when the credits roll). Verona is the setting for one of the best (in my personal opinion) and well-known love stories ever written. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is set in this picturesque town, dragging lovers and singletons to its city gates. My original plans with my program was to go hiking in a coastal town, but on the account of rain all weekend, we went to the city of built on love.

We woke up early, climbed on to a bus, and slept until we pulled up to our hotel in Verona (will probably never see the Tuscan countryside on a bus). A quick unpacking and freshening up were followed by a guided walking tour. We saw the Arena, the old Roman amphitheater (it looks like the Coliseum) and the city hall. We walked in the main shopping center and saw a cool water fountain. Then we turned and there it was, the entrance to Casa de Juliet, or Juliet’s House. The walls in the covered entrance are covered in graffiti in every language imaginable – there are names, hearts, dates, and drawings, all a tribute to the fated lovers who apparently met each other in this fated area. As you enter a small courtyard, you see the balcony of Juliet’s house. It is modest balcony, about five feet wide and four feet deep, but just staring at it, you can hear Shakespeare’s lines echoing in your head.

The Balcony!

In the courtyard, there is a statue of Juliet (what someone thought she looked like). It is the only true link between the modern world and the girl who knew and lost love. Apparently her tomb is somewhere in Verona but I never found out where it actually is.

After the photo-op in Juliet’s house, we toured the rest of Verona. We saw where the market used to be and a whale bone suspended from an arch – it was brought to Verona from Asia and it marked where the Asian spice seller was (very clever way to get business). We saw where they started excavating an old Roman house and where the Scala family was buried (they were the ruling family of Verona). Since Verona has a history of floods and earthquakes (everything in the city was destroyed at one point or another by a flood, an earthquake, or both), the Scala family decided to build tombs outside their private chapel. Sounds good, but what makes it strange is that the tombs are elevated on stilts (albeit fancy carved stilts) twenty feet in the air. Very interesting way to be buried.

The best part of our tour of Verona was when we went up to this church on a hill outside of Verona. We could see the whole city. I was amazed. My roommate found these stairs leading to a better view and it was through a prayer garden (to make ourselves feel better, we said a little prayer, “Dear God, thank you for giving us the opportunity to be in Italy. Please let us take pictures here. Amen.”). It was here that I wished for teleportation. I felt so small in comparison to what I saw. Verona looks like a little toy model, surrounded by a river and flanked with tree-covered mountains. It was so beautiful, I wanted to cry. It was perfect – it stopped raining, there was a little bit of a chilly breeze (I love the cold), and I had clear views of everything. It was perfect, absolutely perfect.

Me!

My friends and I went sightseeing at night and had to cut it short because of torrential rain. Verona, just like Florence, is so amazing at night. After drying off, we went to bed, ready to wake up and go sightseeing. When we awoke, we were granted a perfectly sunny day. Before we left for some more sightseeing, I wrote a letter. A part of that popular movie I mentioned, was that the heartbroken write letters to Juliet, asking for love advice. I, of course, could not have come to Verona and not write a letter. In the movie, girls are hysterically crying, writing and leaving their notes to Juliet – I understand that it is very emotional to write to someone about what is in your heart. As I readied my paper and wrote “Dear Juliet”, I found that what I wanted to write to Juliet was really clear. I jotted down my note and signed it, folding it carefully and tucking it into my bag for safe keeping.

We (my friends and I) went back to Juliet’s house. It was early yet and the square was nice and quiet. I walked into a shop and headed upstairs to “Club Juliet”, where her secretaries collect the letters and write the appropriate responses. As I rounded the upstairs landing, tucked into a corner a room was shadowed with red velvet curtains. I stepped in and I had the weirdest sensation. I felt very at peace – I felt no stress, no emotion other than calm. It really creeped me out, this instantaneous feeling of calmness. I tucked my letter into the mailbox and looked around. They have a Juliet costume in the corner and the walls are covered with letters. The languages amazed me – English, Italian, Spanish, German, Finnish, Swedish, you name it, and it was there. It is the perfect space where a modern Juliet could share heartbreak with those who write to her – it is perfectly calm and quiet, the air is filled with compassion, tissues are abundant, pens appear endlessly, and the fragrance is parchment and ink. Quietly as I came, I slipped out of the room and into the bustling Verona sidewalk.

The last part of tradition we needed to participate in is writing on the wall of the covered entryway. Most of my friends have significant others, so they put their names, entwined in a heart, on the wall. I wrote on the wall as well. What did I write? You need to go to Verona to find out.

All the writing on the wall...

After these adventures, we had some lunch (pasta with pesto, yum!), boarded the bus, and headed back to Florence. I slept and woke up as we pulled into the bus station. It was a perfect weekend, filled with love, famous quotes, and friends.

May you find you find love, whether it be through a significant lover, a friend, a child, a sibling. Romeo and Juliet would have wanted it that way.

Ciao! 

Grazie...

I just got home from Verona and I am exhausted, so the extensive blog will come tomorrow… What I learned this weekend was that I am so grateful for all the love and support from America.

This blog was started to help me reflect and remember my adventures here in Florence, but it has turned into a way to incorporate you, my readers, into my life here. Studying abroad is the biggest change (and challenge, in a good way) in my life so far, and I love it so much. I would be lying to say that I am not homesick; standing on a hill overlooking Verona, I was hit with a wave of emotion. I wanted to be standing on that hill with all my family and friends and share with them the view I was seeing. At that moment, I wished with all my might that teleportation existed – that with a snap of my fingers, everyone who I care for could be with me. It kills me to be seeing all these wonders and not be able to share them at that moment with the people I love.

I am so blessed and thankful for being given such a great opportunity. Thank you for the emails, blog comments, social networking comments, and verbal support. I appreciate it all and I am so glad that you are following my blog and participating in my adventures.

Grazie mille, baci, and ciao!

Low-Key Days

I am smooshing two days together for this blog post because they were so low-key I have neither had a resounding revelation nor a funny story to tell.

Yesterday was class all day. Sustainable Tourism was interesting; we learned about what sustainable tourism is about. It was basically asking us how can we tour around in an environmentally friendly way – using resources but keeping enough and leaving safeguards so future generations can enjoy the same location (like we learned that Venice is sinking and it only will take one good storm to totally wipe it out – never living in Venice). It will be interesting to see how we build upon this concept.

My Italian class was very challenging yesterday – we learned definite and indefinite articles. We were doing textbook problems as a class and we would come to a word, say it in Italian with its article. As we felt a sigh of relief for saying the correct answer, the professor would frown a little bit and say, “Well, actually for that word, there is a special case”. And this went on and on, and I can now say that I was really lost. The professor must have seen my lost face and she said that this was the hardest part of learning Italian. So, I will let you know how my Italian progresses next week. What I am really excited for is my homework. I have to go to the market with this list of different food products and have to ask what the names are in Italian. I get to shop for food and do homework at the same time – multitasking at its best!

Our nighttime activities involved pizza at the local pub near us, beers and limoncello for everyone. After, we walked around and looked at Florence all illuminated (which is so much more beautiful than the daytime, trust me). We found ourselves at a popular bar and we danced all night. It was a fun outing with my friends.

This morning was our first really gray, rainy day in Florence. My roommates and I stayed in, sat around in pjs, had breakfast for lunch, and did homework. It was a perfect low-key day. All that is left is packing for Verona (where we are going for the weekend with our program) and sleeping. Very excited to see the setting for Romeo and Juliet – maybe I will find myself a Romeo…

Ciao and talk to you on Monday!

The San Lorenzo Market

If you have ever been to Florence, you should have gone to the San Lorenzo Leather Market. It is a wonderland of leather goods – purses, jackets, gloves, wallets, and belts. I love the smell of the leather and it is so much fun to interact with the merchants.

My roommate and I decided to walk around the market a little bit before dinner (after we went to the pharmacy – the cute pharmacist was there and his ring was on his middle finger, so not married… hmmmm). I found a beautiful bag (a creamy brown with camel trim) and I really wanted it. But the merchant was selling it for €75. I am WAY too practical for that. So I decided to haggle and I have to say, I am very good at it (or at least I think I am). I told him that the bag was really beautiful but I am not dropping that kind of money on a bag. So he turned around and asked me what I thought the bag was worth. We went back and forth until he dropped the price to €55. Happy Birthday to me!!!! I got it – it was a great bag for a great price and every time I wear it, I’ll think of Florence.

What makes the market a lot of fun are the merchants themselves. They call you “bella” (beautiful), offer you student discounts, or they have really cool stuff. Each one tries to connect with you and then proceeds to explain to you that you really do need that €100 purse or €300 jacket. But everyone once in awhile, you get a really great merchant. My roommate was looking for a bigger, across-the-body purse. She saw this beautiful one at this one stand. It was camel colored and had great pockets and a strap that could be lengthened or shortened. It was perfect. She haggled a good price, but noticed that it had a little spot on it. The merchant ran, literally ran, to go get her a new one. It was the best customer service I have ever seen.

I need to find a nice black bag, so I have been looking through the market for potential purchases. I stopped and looked in a tent and out comes a guy about my age. He was cute and he asked me what I was looking for. So I told him – “A black bag that is not too big, ladylike, and I can wear over my shoulder”. So he says, “I think I have a few” in perfect American English. I think I stared at him for a really long time. So we chatted a little bit and I looked at the purses. Talking to him was really nice because if I closed my eyes, it felt like I was home. It was comforting but also made me realize that I am on an adventure of a lifetime – I am purse shopping in FLORENCE!

Overall, it is good to make connections because they can probably give you a better deal than someone else. So maybe I’ll be back to my American (I think) merchant get a black bag… we shall see.

Ciao!

No Pointing Fingers!

A low-key day in Florence today. Got up early and went to my Environmental Conservation class. It was very entertaining because we learned about how humans have impacted the Earth (we kinda trashed it according to leading scientists). It is my favorite class I have decided. We are going to Florence's natural science museum in a few weeks, so I'll definitely let you know what its like and definitely will post pictures!

The big part of my day, though, was learning how to order food in my Italian class. I have a good relationship with the mother/daughter grocers, so they are really patient with me and my limited Italian skills. When I ordered the ground beef, I was getting a little flustered with the growing line behind me, so I pointed at the ground beef, said the name in Italian, and added “per favore” (please). But overall, most people talk to me in English first. In class, I realized it is not really polite to order food by pointing at it. I need to say, “Anch’io vorrei…” (For me, I would like…). Of course, please and thank you are always required. I am very excited to use my Italian the next time I go to the market or the restaurant. I feel a lot more confident because now I know how to ask for food politely.

I wrapped up my low-key day by starting one of my essays and doing some homework. Things are starting to slow down and it feels like I am finally in my routine. I think I am becoming a Florentine.

Ciao!

Sunny With A Chance of Meatballs

After an invigorating class about Galileo, I hauled myself to the market, for I was very low on peaches and tomatoes. Heading to the mother/daughter green grocer stand (they were as wonderful and patient as ever as I asked for my produce), I filled my basket with tomatoes, peaches, and beautiful bell peppers (they are called pepperoni here in Italy – very confusing for people expecting a meat product). After collecting my bags, I spotted a door that I had never seen before. I went in the door and I entered into a meat wonderland.

I was surrounded by cases upon cases of meat. It was a really weird experience. The food was really fresh and a lot of the meat had parts on it that one does not find in American grocery stores. Some of the things I saw made me a little green and start seriously considering becoming a vegetarian (which is probably more environmentally conscious). But then I stopped in a pasta stand, took a deep breath, and looked at the meat market with fresh eyes. Yes, the products were being displayed in a manner not found in the USA; but it showed that the Italians utilize everything the animal has to offer, making every scrap, thus every cent, count. It is very environmentally conscious and very resourceful. I was in a world of locavores, people who live and eat by the seasons and what is available. How can I argue with that?

I walked up to a populated meat counter (lots of locals probably means good product) and looked at the offerings. I saw that ground beef was inexpensive and looked very fresh. It also seemed less threatening. When I was my turn, I politely asked for a kilo of ground beef (in Italian… very exciting). In my joy of ordering ground beef in a foreign language, I totally forgot that a kilo equals 2.2 pounds. I had too much ground beef. As I walked home with my purchases, I wondered what would be a good use for all that meat. I decided that meatballs would be the best bet.

With email guidance from my mother, I set out to make my version of meatballs. I sautéd onions and garlic, and added it to half the meat, bread, egg, salt and pepper. I divided up all the meat into the correct proportions, and filled the pan with oil on the stove. I put all the meatballs into sauté and I freaked when they started to fall apart. I called my friend via internet and told her that my meatballs were falling apart and dinner was going to be horrible. She calmly told me that if they fall apart, the sauce will turn into meat sauce instead of meatballs. With this new wave of confidence, I finished searing my meatballs and made a version of tomato sauce (with some Chianti) and set it all to bubble away happily. I poured it over pasta and my roommate and I dug in.

I have to admit that it came out really well. The meat balls were really good (nothing like my mom’s though) and the sauce was sweet and tart at the same time. My first major culinary experience was a success, giving me confidence to try something a little more complicated, yet still sticking to fresh, local ingredients. So I still have half a kilo of ground beef left – what to do? Any suggestions, my dear readers?

Ciao!

The Beach and The Clown

After five hours of sleep, my alarm blared and I rolled out of bed and slipped into my swimsuit, made fifty peanut butter and cracker sandwiches and packed a book into my day-bag. Then my roommate and friend were off to Viareggio Beach with Florence University of the Arts.

It was a sleep-filled hour and a half to the beach, Tuscan hillside flanking us on either side (I caught a glimpse or two between naps!). When we arrived, you could just smell the sea air and it felt like summer all over again. As we walked to the beach, we looked at this bustling beach community – fishermen selling their catch to shop owners, families heading to the beach for a day of sun, and pharmacies selling suntan lotion. We finally made it to the beach and we stopped in front of a clown statue. As many of my relatives can tell you, I hate clowns, even when I was little. I have pictures of when clowns came to preschool and every kid had to take a picture with this clown. In my picture, the clown is sitting on the ground and I am a good five feet away, standing ready to run if the clown made any movement. So meeting this childhood fear, even in statue form, was not pleasant. At least this one was surfing, paying attention to the waves and not me (I really need to get over this fear, it is just a statue). The reason the clown is so popular in this town is because this is where they used to have Carnival (which takes place before Lent) and some famous Italian cartoonist drew this as the face of the carnival – like fifty years ago (so it is very popular and beloved). At least I did not have to see him for the rest of the trip.

The beach was wonderful – the sun was warm, the water was perfectly chilled, and the sand was not too hot. What surprised me was how covered the Italians were, relatively speaking. My travels have brought me to Greece and at beaches there, men and women wear swimsuits that consist of very, very little fabric. I always felt like I was wearing a parka when I went to the beach – my tankini, perfectly fine by American standards, was way to conservative. At this beach, I fit in with some of the population who decided to wear something other than a bikini – it was quite refreshing. All in all, I had a wonderful time relaxing with my friends.

My Friends and I

Sadly, all amazing days have to come to an end. We packed up all of our stuff and headed back to the train and sat on the train platform for a good hour – I got to experience my very first train strike. Apparently, train strikes can be spontaneous, but thankfully last for a period of time. This one was over at 9 at night, but our supervisor got on the phone and got us a train three hours earlier.

A sleep-filled train ride ended with our arrival into Florence. Tired out from the sun, surf and sand, I fell into bed and slept (shhh… this blog was written the next day).

So summer is officially over and it is now time to usher in fall – I can’t wait to see what the change of seasons holds for me….

Ciao!

He Won't Sing For You???

I am exhausted, absolutely exhausted. Italy is wonderful, but it really does tire me out (I think it is all the stairs…). Today was no exception because today I went to Venice. I was very excited to see this famed city. Merchant of Venice was one of my favorite Shakespeare comedies and I was very pumped to see its famous sights (because you all know how much I love to look at famous things, take pictures, and talk about them forever).

I got up really early and walked to the bus station with my friends, camera ready and boarded the bus. I felt really rested and I was going to get that picture of the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Sadly, I never got the picture – I fell asleep five minutes after we started and woke up at the bus station in Venice. Something tells me I have to go into the Tuscan countryside and actually stand in it to get a picture.

We took the waterbus everywhere and it was the perfect way to see Venice (since it is a city built upon water). The group decided to go to Burano first, a island off-shoot of Venice. I have decided that I want to have a vacation house on Burano. The houses there are every bright color of the rainbow – electric blue, hot pink, lime green, and canary yellow. The colors were so out of the ordinary but they worked so well. A bride was taking wedding pictures on a bridge and her dress looks so beautiful against all the crazy colors. It was like being in a fantasy land that was colored in with a bunch of crayons.

All the pretty houses!

After Burano, we sailed off to Murano, the home of the most beautiful glass in the world. Sadly, they stopped glass blowing demonstrations on the weekends so we just had to shop… not too bad. I loved looking in all the little shops and seeing all the glassware, sculptures and jewelry – these are real craftsmen. Everything was so beautiful you wanted to cry, then make yourself feel better by buying it all.

Our boat ride back to mainland Venice was very entertaining – the port was filled with many cruise ships and we occupied ourselves by waving frantically at the people on the cruise ship decks. We were interrupted when we pulled into port and we saw the wonderment of Venice. We could see the top of St. Marc’s church and the gondolas. It was amazing.

Our guide (who walked really, really fast) led us past the docks and we launched ourselves into the hubbub of St. Marc’s Square and all I could say was wow. It was so incredible. So many people have described how wonderful and beautiful it is but it cannot prepare you for the real thing. Everyone should try and see it in their lifetime.

The Square!

We made our way to the Rialto, making our way through side-streets and over canals. We were walking up a small street and then we saw it, the Rialto, the famous bridge. It was so spectacular and a lot bigger than I thought. It is very similar to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence (they both have shops on them) but it is much larger. From the top of the bridge, you could see all the gondolas in the canal. It was magical.

Dinner was pasta and meat sauce, so simple and so good. I wonder if the beef is from Tuscany – I want to be a locavore for as long as possible. As we waited for some of our group outside the restaurant (which is on a little canal), a gondola went past. And the gondolier wasn’t singing! My friend and I contemplated this fact. Isn’t it said that it is very romantic to take a gondola around Venice and have the gondolier sing you a love song? Well, when the next gondola came around the corner, we decided that the people should be sung too and if the gondolier wasn’t going to it, we were. So we belted out a song for the people, who laughed and clapped (they were American so they understood our song choice) and got a nasty look from the gondolier (who now has to hear about the two American girls who sang to his passengers). It was really fun.

We went back to the Rialto and saw it all lit up and we got amazing views of Venice and the Grand Canal all illuminated. A quick waterbus ride and then we were back on the bus. I promptly fell asleep and awoke as we pulled into Florence bus station. It was a wonderful day, full of exploration and wonder.

Ciao!

By a canal in Venice!!!!

Kings and Soup

I love to sightsee. I am obsessed with it. If it is important, historically-relevant, really cool, famous, or just plain weird, I need to see it, take multiple pictures of it, and then talk about seeing the thing I saw to everyone I met (did you know I went too…). So today I saw a very cool place, Medici Villa Petraia. It is a beautiful palace-turned-villa right outside of Florence (we walked right past the “Leaving Florence” sign before entering the gates). This beautiful villa was past down from family to family, when it was finally given to the Medicis. Anna Maria, the very last Medici, left the villa, along with the rest of the family fortune, to the Italians when she died – this let the villa become a historical site in which I can take multiple pictures and bore you to death with all the stories for years to come.

When you enter the property, you can’t even see the house. All you see are manicured shrubs, citrus trees in huge terracotta pots, and flowers everywhere. A huge fountain dominates the garden and gravel paths lead you to a patio with a view. I could understand why this lot was chosen for this house of ruling families. From the edge of the garden, I could see the roofs of my beloved Florence. It was truly breathtaking.

Views of Florence

After aimlessly walking through the gardens for about ten minutes, we got to go inside the beautiful villa (which I learned also has a game park behind it because the first king of Italy lived here and apparently he LOVED deer – this is also seen in the numerous deer head adorning the walls of the villa). Sadly, no pictures were allowed and it was a real shame. The courtyard had a huge chandelier, covered in amethyst stones. The walls were all frescoed with hunting scenes, the coronation of popes, and scenes of the Medici family. What was also cool is all the rooms had a color/pattern and the color/pattern was not repeated throughout the whole house (which is really difficult because there were A LOT of rooms). The dining room was red, the music room was salmon, and there were a blue, green, yellow, gold, and baby blue floral sitting rooms. The two bedrooms were blue on blue stripes and a dusty orange. The two private chapels were all frescoed with angels, saints, and popes, all blessing the Medici family. The greatest surprise was the game room – a room filled with super long pool tables, card tables, and a small piano. I wonder if there was a rule that the king always had to win… Our tour concluded with a room that was filled with things that the Medicis left in the house, including a priceless Botticelli (so beautiful!).

Back in Florence and totally wiped out, I had lunch with my roommates (riboletta soup – a soup with everything but the kitchen sink in it) and looked into the fridge to see if I had dinner for Monday. I didn’t so I decided to make soup. I had bought star-shaped pasta and I remember how my mother used to make chicken soup with the pasta. So I decided to make star soup. Cutting up leftover chicken was the easy part. I pulled out the “soup-making cubes” (the things that you drop into water to turn it into broth – I have no idea what they are called) and looked at the box. Of course, the instructions were in Italian (and as we know, my grasp on the language ends at “Ciao”). So I plopped one into boiling water and hoped for the best. I boiled the pasta, added chicken, and seasoned to taste. When it was all done, it looked a lot like my mom’s. It even tasted pretty good (not as good as yours, Mom!). I am excited to have some when I get home from school Monday, and I will let you know how it is… cooking for myself is not too bad, so far at least! Any Florentine recipes you like to eat, my dear readers? Is there a Florentine treat you love and I should try? (Comment below and I will try to find it – who knows, it might end up in the blog!)

Riboletta

Ciao!

Hello, my name is Catherine and I'm a Biology major...

I had my fifth and final class today – it is called Sustainable Tourism and it is a fascinating class about how people around the world are trying to make tourism as environmentally friendly as possible. I am very excited to see how this is going to play out for the rest of the semester, for as many of you know, I am a great lover of eco-friendliness.

What also will be interesting is my involvement in the class. As with any new class, we introduced ourselves, where we went to school, and what our major was. I was the second to last person to talk about myself. When it was my turn to speak, I said my name, the name of my school, and that I was a biology major. The whole class of twenty people, including the teacher, looked at me like I just confessed to burning down the Uffizi Museum (where priceless works of art by the greats are displayed and is still standing, perfectly intact) – pure and utter disbelief. I should add that everyone else was a hospitality or tourism major. The professor, trying to be friendly and helpful, added, “Well, you can ask any questions if you get lost”.

Okay, I understand that it is very bizarre to have a biology major in a course about tourism but I am concentrating in environmental studies. Just because I am not a tourism major, does not mean that I will not understand this course. I can see how I can use it in the future, when I graduate and potentially get a job as an environmental conservationist (one of my many career path choices). Eco-tourism is a very big part of this course and it impacts more than just the people who pay for them. I can find connections between this kind of tourism and how it will affect the natural world. How will trails be made for hiking? How can we inform the tourist about not stepping on the native vegetation? Will this type of tourism, even with its good intentions, still have negative consequences? So much to learn and many connections to make. So, even though my class may think so, my major might have a lot more to do with this subject than one thinks.

After that class and my Italian class (we learned that Ciao means hello to only people you are familiar with), I wandered around looking for phone sim chips and shoes with one of my roommates. We finished up the excursion with gelato. I got a chocolate cone and was a truly happy camper.

Going to an old Medici palace tomorrow, so keep checking back to hear all about it!

Ciao!