Proud to be a study abroad American!

So I am back in Florence! I had an amazing time traveling to Paris and Germany and will be sure to post further entries that detail the adventures. But being back in Florence after traveling for a week and during an exciting time for America, I have been having an amazing week!
I got back from the travels on Friday and by Saturday morning I was bummed. Although Florence was shiny and glowing, I was not so much. I went for a walk with my roomie up to our favorite spot that over looks Florence. I looked out and for the first time, I didn't want to go back down.
I decided to take these feelings to God and just said to Him "Lord, I don't know why but I don't want to be here right now." But at the same time, I could still feel the peace that He has blessed me with throughout this whole time being here. It was like He was saying "You have know idea what I have in store."
He was right. This week was probably my favorite week in Florence thus far! I acted as adventurous and joyful as I do when I am traveling. I went to museums, churches, ate out, read, went for long walks, and shopped! What am I, a tourist? There is this whole study abroad culture that conflicts with the actual culture of the Florentines and instead of being torn by it, I decided to just ignore it and have fun! Mom, I still went to every class.
I also had time to fit in an election party and a couple trips to a new bakery that is run by an American and his wife that serves bagels, muffins, and get this, COFFEE!
I have picked up a couple of traditions this week as well (I know it was a big week!) Museum Wednesdays, Walks and Coffee Thursdays, morning praises from my bed, buying chocolate bars at grocery stores, baking bread with cheese, garlic, tomatoes, and olive oil (I am enjoying that right now!), and reading instead of facebooking!
Not only am I on a Paris, chocolate, coffee, and reading high, but I am excited to be spending the weekend in Florence where I plan on relaxing, museuming, going to a soccer game!!!, and apparently blogging. Bellisimo!

Who knew COFFEE could taste so good?!

Yes, I love the little cafes on every street corner. The little cafes, with their beautiful little cappuccinos! But I am a girl who loves to wake up and smell the big cup of coffee. Working at the best coffee shop in Bloomington, IN (http://www.thepourhousecafe.com/) I know my coffee, and know that there is, in fact, a difference between coffee and espresso. Since being here, I have craved a big cup of coffee! This morning, after having received a package from two of my best friends, and after boiling hot water that I poured over the Plentiful Earth coffee grinds, that sifted through a paper towel into my cup, I finally had my cup of coffee. I hope many who have experienced being away from such a necessity for so long would understand my delight this morning, as well as this blog entry. :) This cup of coffee made me feel so loved by those two girls, and reminded me of just how loved I am by our Father. (It was that good!) I am headed to Paris in a couple of hours and it is just one example of how He has blessed me and fulfilled hopes and dreams that I have had since I was little.
I am so excited to be finally having a cup of coffee, and being able to finally take a real picture of the Eiffel Tower to hang in my room!

Venice, Verona, and Veronica

I know I've been a bit of a slacker when it comes to blogging. . . I have no excuses. All I do is eat, sleep, travel, and some school work. Well, two weekends ago I went to Venice and Verona. Well I think I described the weekend best when I wrote to a good friend from home about it in an email.-

"This weekend was a beautiful bummer. I was really sick but excited to go on our last excursion with our program and talk to my parents for the first time in a lonnnng time right before I left Sat morning, because their time it was Friday night. But as you can imagine, the only thing we had to talk about was my mom telling me about Veronica passing away. I was okay at first, realistic like I usually am. Then I sat down to pray for a sec before we got on the bus and it started to hit me. Then I had a 4 hour bus ride with 120 of my closest program friends, which doesn't mean close friends at all, and I just had a lot of time to think about it and cry, and pray. Then we arrived in Verona for the day, and you know how I am with words and all you have to do is add two letters to call the city Veronica. But it was a lovely day of site seeing and wine tasting and coughing and crying. The next day was Venice and we had a guided tour in the morning and then six hours of free time. And so there was a lot of sitting and thinking, and wanting to be home at WPC, or just back on the Internet talking with WPC people. But then something amazing happened. I laughed. I laughed harder than I have laughed in a really long time. I mean, I'm talking on the ground laughing. Don't worry, I'll tell you why. Kate and I had found this cute little side street with a canal to sit by. I sketched, she read. We went to leave and I told Kate to go down the steps to take her picture (there were about five steps, but only three obvious dry ones) ... I think you can see where I am going with this. But Kate, as I am setting up the camera, goes down the three steps, and just kept going. . . .right into the water!! She fell in!!! Completely submerged. Imagine the reactions of the people going by on their romantic gondola rides! Imagine Kate getting up and having to walk around Venice soaking wet. (She was such a good sport!) But it was hilarious. I laughed the rest of the afternoon. There is an aftermath picture, but I was too in shock to take one during. But egh, I can still laugh so hard about it. Veronica was a big laugher too. She would have loved that story."

Veronica Pomeroy was an amazing woman! She always inspired me and even in her passing she continues to inspire me to live.

So that's just what I have been doing! I had a great weekend taking walks around this beautiful city, going to a Euro Chocolate festival (I know! If you weren't jealous before ....!!!) and well, studying for midterms.

And at the end of this week I will be able to live out my childhood dream of going to Paris! We have fall break after midterms and I am going with three friends to Paris for three days and then going with Kate to Heidelberg, Germany to see one of my favorite WPC friends!

Veronica, I am truly living. Thank you!

Cinque Terre and Prague

So it's been awhile since I have written, but it most be all the traveling. So Cinque Terre and Prague! Two amazing and amazingly different weekends. Cinque Terre was a program trip with A.P.I (which stands for Academic Programs International but "api" is the Italian word for "bee" so when we walk around with our sign in groups people always chuckle a bit and it's not always just at our flip flops) anyways... Cinque Terre was just wonderful. It was a series of walking, boat, and train tours of these five coastal lands. We actually only made it to four of them but saw all from the boat. My favorite was actually a town right before the five that is called "Portovenere." It kind of reminded me of the wedding scene from Mama Mia! I wouldn't mind getting married there, I guess. The day in Cinque Terre was spent mainly with shoes off, feet in the crystal blue water, or eating bread with the besto pesto, or just taking pictures in awe that the buildings could look so bright and colorful next to the blue sky and water! It was a great mix of a beautiful natural coast line, and man made buildings that were meant to simply complement the former!

So then it was out of the country to Prague!! Experiencing one of the best cities in the world with one of my best friends was just more than I could ever ask for! The contrast to the previous coastal beauty weekend was so cool!! The Gothic architecture and the dark instead of obvious beauty was so neat. I only had one full day there, but we made the most out of it, seeing almost all of the main sites! My favorite was the Cathedral and the views of the building tops and tree tops with all their changing leaves that matched the colors of the buildings, and the Old Town Square, the bridge, the drip wall, the John Lennon wall.... well I guess I just love it all!! So great!

Well... the next adventure is Venice and Verona this weekend! I'll try to stay more up on my postings so that this joy that is uncontrollable at times can just be spread! Ciao!

I do go to class, I'll prove it!

For one of my classes, I was assigned a project. The description of this project was to do something creative. We had to define our creative outlet and after some thinking, I realized how much I love using puns (thanks dad) and irony to address deeper issues of society through studio arts. (Hence my "Bowl of Oranges" piece from freshman year). This time, though, I decided to do a little spoken word addressing the irony between the idolization of man made objects and the apathy towards humans (God made). The inspiration came from being in Rome where there are a lot of homeless people and statues who were missing limbs. Here it is:

Man, Made

Masterpieces. They have masters.
They had the thought, the dream, the vision, the job.
A creation. Creative touches
-Don’t touch! They are on display.
Unreachable, unworkable, many unforgettable
Do we get it though?
When we stare, photograph, or analyze?
Do we recognize the being?
Or is it just, another one.
One, two, there are more than a few here.
Here- hear the reactions? The attractions bringing the crowd.
The same crowd that passes them by, doesn’t see them for what their worth.
What are they worth? Worth an afternoon? An entry fee?
To watch them be? Or ponder at the purpose, the reason.
What was the intention? To awe at their dimensions?
To read a detailed description describing their state.
But look at the state that they are in.
They are broken, aged, missing arms, legs, limbs.
And yet they are still treated as works of art.
But if art is a sculpture, a figure made with unique features, delicate creatures
Then why is it that the sculptures, creations, masterpieces, of our generation, belonging to our population, lack the popularity of the passer bye’s eye?
Do we not see them?
Do their stains and missing limbs scare us instead of strike us with awe.
Awe, but they are the ones with souls!
Sold out of attention to give to them? Are we?
We, I say we because this isn’t a sermon. Sir, or ma’am that’s who they are.
No different than the we that we are.
Are we supposed to pay their fees or just let them be?
B.C. See them as people, person, per son.
A son , a daughter, with a creative master.
Not Angelo, De Vinci, but a divinity. I believe.
Leave them be? Or believe that they are what I be.
A masterpiece- I have a master.
Who had the thought, the dream, the vision, the job.
A creation- creative touches.
Don’t touch. They are on display.
But maybe for today. We see that they are man, made.

Sitting in Siena

The city's simple antique beauty matches the pronunciation of its name "Siena." Just a fun 70 minute train ride from Florence and we were in another Tuscan town. This one sits on top of a hill and I found it fitting that we spent most of our day sitting in the Campo, Siena's main fan-shaped medieval piazza. We explored the city and went in a few museums but mainly enjoyed our Saturday soaking up the sun with our gelato and smiles (both, a given).

"Good bye Lizzie McGuire, hello FABULOUS!"

Well, I didn't know quite what to expect from this eternal city. I mean I have read the book of Romans several times, I have seen the Lizzie McGuire movie an embarrassing amount, and I have heard from the male species the insane war-related history. So when going from one fashion famous street, to the land of the holy, I had many perspectives to observe this historical city. But the best part was just sitting in one of the Piazzas and watching the mix of tourists and the Romans. Seeing the Colosseum, the Divine Touch, the Treve Fountain, and so much more, with my own eyes was just wonderful! But I would have to agree with many of my new friends, and roommie, Kate, that coming home to Firenze was just what we needed to feel a bit more adjusted to living in the country whose capital is Roma!

Florence Fruit

Because I actually am living in Florence I must live like a Florentine... or at least attempt. This morning I went to the local market, and by market I do not mean Vons (for the Californians) or Kroger (for the Indianans). I mean market, as in the first floor is all the raw meats, the second is all the fruits and veggies. Now, I am a little afraid of the first floor, so when I made my trip I stuck to the second floor. At the market not many people know English and although this may seem childish I paced around all the different vendors before making eye contact and actually buying the food. I saw some grapes though that I couldn't resist. The man was sweet and helped me get some peaches, apples, and of course the grapes. One Florentine told the group that we will be eating perfect fruit for only a little while longer because of the seasons. He did use the word perfect or "perfecto" because, as he said, "in Italy there is enough perfect fruit for everyone." Well, it was a successful day at the market!

Italian or Brooklyn?

I do not speak Italian. I try to just repeat what people say to me and work on my impressions as a means of getting the accent. There is a problem though. Many people on my program are from the East Coast. Now, since I am mainly around the people on my program (ordering food, finding new places, getting directions) I have noticed that instead of picking up my Italian accent, I have developed an East Coaster accent. So now when I refer to "The Duomo" which is the magnificent cathedral at the center of town (my only way of knowing my way around), I say it "Di-yomo" with my tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth and my eyebrows curling with attitude.
I'm adapting well.

Growing up

Classes at The Lorenzo De' Medici School have not begun yet, so there has been a lot of time to reflect and explore. Recently, I have thought a lot about this whole process of coming over here and I find it so suiting that I turned twenty right before leaving. This whole experience just has so much hope for personal growth, in fact, sometimes I get so excited about the end results of this process that I forget that I just got here. I was reading last night in the Bible and found this verse, "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow" 1 Cor. 3:7. My experience here in Italy has so much potential to be full of watering adventures, but knowing God has a delicate plan for my growth brings me much hope and excitement!

Sept. 2

Ciao! After over 24 hours of traveling, I have arrived in Florence, Italy! We took a tour today of the city and I can just feel the warmth of the tans, yellows, and oranges of all the buildings that reflect on the river as well as the canvas of the artists that line the streets. I bought a cotto mozzarella sandwich on bread that was brushed with salt and olive oil. Why did I choose Florence? Because I knew how right it would feel to be in this city where people love to love, where art is essential to architecture, where people use their hands instead of their mouths to talk, and where there is gelato on every corner! There is just so much to take in, but I love every sight and every awestruck sigh.