Day 1

These are just a few of the shots of the sights that took my breath away today. We started out wandering around again today and wandered to the Duomo. Christian and I started out the adventure by making friends with a girl named Zoe who is also in the program with us. The rest of the members of our program were trickling in through out the day and Zoe had traveled by herself so Christian and I invited her to join us on our wanderings. We started out with a visit to the supermarket where we spent an hour just looking at the produce and the oil and the pastas. The three of us split a minny pick nick lunch (we bought a loaf of bread, some pinapple juice, and cheese ) and we went back to our room in the hotel where we ate on our balcony. Because its Italy and that is what you do in Italy.
After lunch we went on a minny walking tour. We headed over to the Duomo (the first four pictures) which is simply breathtaking. All the detail. I can't wait to go inside and look at it more. We went back there later this evening as well and it was just as cool in the evening all lit up with the shadows. We ran into the San Lorenzo market which was an open air market of leather leather every where. There were beautiful masks, and scarfs, and leather; leather bags, journals (which I bought for 14 euros), belts, wallets, key chains, jackets, ect. You name it, it was there, in leather. The three of us enjoyed and afternoon of wandering around looking at all the goods and enjoying the architecture of the city.
We headed back to our rooms to freshen up before the program actually started. Happy day one! Of course there was boring paperwork to fill out but it was worth it for the dinner we had. As a group (all 19 of us plus 4 professors) went to dinner at a restaurant (that I was too distracted to catch the name of) we all sat down to a lovely 2 course meal of garden pasta (penne pasta with a mild pestoish sauce with zucchini, carrots and mushrooms) and turkey with a light gravy with zucchini, green beans and carrots. There was wine, and ice water to drink and for those who were vegetarians, there was a caprisi salad option (with simply beautiful tomatoes.) Dinner was a non stop chit chat affair as we enjoyed good food, good wine and good company. First impressions mean a lot, and so far everyone seems talkative and mellow and interested in enjoying themselves as we learn more than just art. Most of us are hear because we love art, but we are mainly here to soak up everything we can culture wise.
We finished up the night with a brief evening walking tour (with gelato. I had peach and blue berry and it was so good and so fresh and simply delicious.)
It was an excellent day to say the least.Tomorrow will be a little bit more paper work and another dinner, but there are more people here to hang out and explore the city with. Who knows what day two will bring?

Better than our dreams

We are here. We did it. All by our 20 year old selves, we made it to three countries in one day, over 5,000 miles, over the Atlantic Ocean and finally to our hotel (that looks like it belongs in a romantic comedy) in breath stealing Florence Italy. The last leg of the trip was not nearly as smooth as the first two were. Because our flight from Germany to Italy was more of a shuttle flight, we had to pick up our boarding passes in Germany. After going to the wrong gate, finally getting out passes, annoying a number of air port officials with out lack of German language skills and our separated liquids (we took our contacts out on the plane over to Europe) we finally made it to our gate on the other side of the air field with out boarding passes in hand. We had been warned that gates change quit frequently in Frankfurt so we were listening to see if ours would change too like so many other around us seemed to be. On a whim we decided to get up and walk around and low and behold we discovered out gate had changed with out our knowledge. (It also wasn't showing up on the electronic flight boards) So we two of us felt pretty lucky that we just stumbled on our flight by accident. The flight its self was uneventful with a yummy chicken and mozzarella sandwich and a slightly bumpy landing, but we reached Florence earlier than intended. It was a little confusing finding the bus, but we just made the one that would take us to the train station that is a how skip and a jump away from our hotel/school where we will be working the next couple of weeks. Complements of Professor Mockridge, the women who recommendation the program to us (and provided letters of recommendation) we had directions to the hotel where we checked in and promptly took showers and naps. Despite the fact we both tried to sleep on the plane a bit, we've both been up for over 24 hours at this point in time and we are functioning on at least one solid hour with maybe 2 more of shut eye rest. But even jet lag could not keep us from exploring the city. On complete accident we stumbled across the Arno River (I kid you not. We just chose one street at random and kept following it for a couple of blocks and just got that lucky) We snapped a few pictures before grabbing a grilled sandwich for dinner (which we ate on the balcony of our hotel.) We are living the dream, actually better than the dream since it is beyond anything either of us could have imagined. We are blessed to be safely in this beautiful and historical city (with all of our luggage) for over 3 months. What more could we ask for?

Annoying Officials in Germany

I can say like 3 things in German. "Can you speak German?" "Butter please" and I can count to three. So when I got up to a German security agent after already having gone to the wrong gate, and he just leans back in his chair with a huge sigh and mutters in German, I was convinced I did something wrong. Especially after annoying a German TSA agent when I didn't have my liquids separate because I took my contacts out on the plane and didn't expect to go through security again. The good news is I was in the right place and the security agent (who was really cute might I add) waved me through and now I sit waiting to get on the final plane to Florence. 

The flight into Frankfurt was just as smooth as the one into Toronto. The pasta on the plane was blah, the salads had the saddest green beans I'd ever seen (trust me. School teaches you what sad green beans look like) but the chocolate pudding dessert made me a happy happy camper and the wine put me to sleep. Which was good seeing as I couldn't figure out how to recline my seat. I finally got to watch the movie Lincoln which was awesome by the way. Mom, if your reading this, I'll buy it when I'm home so we can watch it :) perks of having a history nerd as a daughter. 

Words cannot express how great full I am that things have gone as smooth as hey have and that I am on this trip that has only just begun. Next stop Florence; my home away from home for the next 3 and a half months.

Good Bye Laura Shively, hello Fabulous!

This past few times I've flown, I've been a pro at getting through TSA and wight of my suitcase was not even a thought. Today however I was at exactly 50 lb.s (and that as after I took out contact solution and a bottle of lotion.) TSA also provided me with the honor of my first pony tale pat down which I got an absolute kick out of. The stress of heavy luggage aside, Christian and I both agreed we had the smoothest fight of our life to Toronto. Legit, this flight took off on time, the take off was clean, the flight was peaceful and really really short and the landing was a perfect touch down. Both of us are thoroughly impressed with Air Canada and the Toronto air port at this point in time. And of course, the trip would not be complete with out a fellow ginger sighting! I sat next to a fellow red head on the plane, but we were super awkward and didn't say anything to each other. Cahristian and I even ran into four other very nice individuals who are traveling to Frankfurt on the same flight we are, so we have a bit of company as we cross the Atlantic. Now Christian and I have a couple hours to kill until our flight to Frankfurt later this evening. 

In 2003, the Lizzie McGuire movie was released. I was in like 4th or 5th grande and my pre tweeny bopper self was adored Lizzie McGuire who was the perfect combination of quirky, awkward, sweet as she went through middle school. In the movie, Lizzie and her best friend Gordo get to go to Rome as a pre high school trip. In Rome, Lizzie meets a famous pop star who she starts to date and then poses as a famous pop star herself to sing at a music awards show. The release of the movie singled the end of Lizzie McGuire as the show went off air. I forgot how much I had loved her until this past spring when I got excepted to the Italy program and one of my friends pointed out my adventure was just about to be like Lizzie McGuire. I highly doubt that I'll double as a famous pop star but I will confess that as I was walking down the walk way to the plane I did say in my head "Good Bye Laura Shively, hello Fabulous!" just like Lizzie does. Unlike Lizzie, I promptly dropped my water bottle and got some very judgmental looks from the agent stowing my bags as I doubled back to collect myself. Needless to say I had a good laugh. And no matter how cute the guy is, I don't think I could cut class while I'm in FLORENCE of all places to go run singing songs. Besides my voice isn't that good. 

As I travel on the trip of a life time, it was a nice little reminder of my childhood. For those of you interested in a little Through back Thursday goodness, I've posted the link to the trailer for the Lizzie McGuire Movie bellow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIm8g4IA_1Y

Last Night In Tosa

To think that the next time I'll be sleeping in my bed will be in four months when there is snow on the ground and I'll be snuggling in blankets rather than basking in central air, blows my mind. Tomorrow starts the trip of a life time and I can't wait. Christian and I are all packed (we think) and all prepared (we think) and can hardly sleep tonight (we know) because Italy is finally finally here. I spent the weekend in Ripon just to help my friends move in and see them all one last time before I go. If I've learned anything from college its that I am not much of a good bye person. I'm much more of a see you later. So to my friends and family here at home and at school of this is my see you later. I love you all and I'll see your lovely faces in December!