It's Back to School Time!

Today was my very first day of class in Florence! My Monday class was Galileo and the Scientific Renaissance. I got up nice and early to make sure I had enough time to shower, eat and walk to class. After one last look in the mirror, I was off to my first class.

Thank goodness I left so much time because I got horribly lost. I could not find my turn and ended up in the piazza that houses Florence’s town hall and the fake David. Completely turned around, I willed myself not to start crying. I was running late and lost on my very first day. I spotted a police officer and quickly composed myself. With map in hand, I went over to her. She was on the phone so I politely said, “Scusi”. She looked at me, looked at my map, put her hand up in my face and walked away. I was furious. Tears began to well up in my eyes and I knew that I did not want to have a meltdown in the middle of the piazza. I decided that I would find the way myself. I marched around the square, looking for the correct street. The second street I looked at was the correct one. Feeling better, I quickly marched down the street and let out a huge sigh when I finally reached Piazza Santa Croce. I was five minutes from school and just in time. I walked into my building, ran up the stairs and took a seat right in time for the beginning of class.

My classroom, Sala Rosa,  is a little girl’s dream. It used to be a classroom for fashion majors – it is set up like a mini catwalk with lights and flat screen televisions. The walls are baby pink. Instead of desks and chairs there are baby pink leather couches and hot pink suede ottomans. My professor looked very out of place in his all black ensemble.

My class is entertaining and interesting. It combines philosophy, religion, history, biology, physics, and art. Galileo is such an interesting person and his life and work have been influenced by many people. We get to go to the Florence Science Museum as one of our field trips and actually see all the instruments Galileo built and used to create his theories of astronomy. It is going to be a fascinating semester.

After class, I went back to my apartment, made myself some pasta salad for lunch and did my readings for class and wrote in my blog. My day was finished up with a dinner of pasta, chicken and pesto and the anticipation for my next class, Environmental Conservation. This class is the one thing I have been waiting for. It is a subject I love and a field of study I might want to pursue. So cross your fingers for not being lost and for an amazing class.

My very first meal that I made!

Ciao!