Ciao Firenze!

Well, it's actually here. I have never felt so torn in my life. Now that the realization of leaving this place I have grown to love, (despite my constant banter about how there's not a tree or blade of grass in sight here,) I am feeling very sad to have to depart. I am ecstatic to see my family and friends; time spent with them is long overdue. But Firenze has been a place of memories, learning, loving, and appreciating the differences of another culture and the benefits of ones' own. I have to say that studying abroad was quite an adventure, an adventure that should continue on long after I return home, for there are many places in my own country which I still have yet to visit. Hopefully I will be able to return to Florence some day! For now, Ciao Firenze, è stato reale!

Rome!

Okay so ROME!

So that feels like a while ago, because it basically was. Forgot to do a blog post about it! Woops.

Okay so the weekend was super rainy.

On the first day we visited these really cool / creepy catacombs. We couldn't take pictures, but it was still pretty crazy.
Here's a picture from google just to give you an idea:

Everything was made out of pieces of a skeleton, all bones. Creepy as all get out.

We also went to Saint Peter's Basilica and the colosseum.

Not much else to report!

In other news, the semester is almost over and the reality that I am coming home in a little over than a week is unreal. I cannot believe the things I have seen and done. BUT, it's not over yet, I am going to spend this last week (aside from all the art hw I have..) exploring and getting in some last minute gifts and visiting last minute places :)

I am sure I will write a post before I leave!

Ciao regazzi! A presto!

Croatia!

So this last weekend I had the privilege of traveling to Dubrovnik, Croatia to visit one of my friends, Caitlin, from Champlain who is studying there.

I flew in Thursday night, travel went smoothly, thankfully. That first night I was introduced the ways of all who live in Dubrovnik: stairs.. lots and lots of stairs. It was pretty exhausting. There has to be at least 100 just to get to Caitlin's apartment alone! Crazy!

But anyway, I woke up on Friday to the beauty that is Dubrovnik. The view from Caitlin's apartment was GORGEOUS. I couldn't believe I was actually there.

This first picture is Dubrovnik's "Old Town"

Friday was probably one of my favorite days there because of what we did. Caitlin had heard that they were filming for Game of Thrones Season 4 at some cave.. So we shoved off to find where it was! And we ended up at the tip of the piece of land that comes out into the water on that last picture. We ended u finding an abandoned hotel from the 80's! It was a 5-star hotel that had waterfront property with pools and an elevator and an amphitheater! (They rebuilt the amphitheater for the filming of Game of Thrones Season 4)

wrecked swimming pools:

this is the amphitheater: 

You can see more pictures on my facebook page, I will be loading more on soon! 

As I forgot to mention, when we were walking, trying to find our way there, I said hi to a feline friend and then a bunch just started following me. I kinda became a cat whisperer after that hahaha. (they were kind of everywhere.)

So that was lots of fun, got to see a lot of cool things.

We then went to this super awesome place for lunch that Caitlin and her friends love. It was a sandwich place that serves insanely big sammies! I got a chicken with lettuce, mayo and onion, I think? It was delicious!

Then Friday afternoon, I walked the walls of Old Town which was really cool. I got to see every part of the town and all the little houses. It was pretty cute. I also got a taste of the reason why Croatia as a country isn't doing so hot- they're not very hospitable.. They show their emotions upfront and don't care to be polite really. The ticket woman was a bitch to me so that wasn't cool. But that was the only part of my trip that could have been better haha.

That night I went out with Caitlin and her friends to a place called Sky Bar where we hung out a bit. Had my first "Sex on the Beach," which I split with Caitlin, (it apparently wasn't a very good drink, I didn't particularly enjoy it myself. She said it was the bartender...) But all her friends were there and we were pretty much the only ones and we were trying to figure out why that was.. But 2 of her friends were extremely hammered when we got there at 11 and they were just hilarious. I enjoyed their company so much. One of them called me "big eyes." I love the things that people are comfortable enough to say when they're intoxicated.. Anyway we were hangin out there for a while then people wanted pizza and it was really cold that night so me and Caitlin went back after that because it was somewhere between 12 and 1 and we were pretty much sober.

The next day we hung around then went to the beach later which was really nice. The water was a bit too cold for me to go in but Caitlin didn't have a problem with it haha. I just sat out and enjoyed the lovely rays of sun. Then that night I got to witness not only a water polo game (a first,) but a Croatian water polo game (also a first). It was pretty cool and the team that we were rooting for dominated by like 8 points or something with a score of like 10 to 2. Then that night me and Caitlin went back and hung out with some people and finished watching 16 Candles together.

Sunday I was able to do some souvenir shopping.. Got myself a cool Dubrovnik mug (on sale for 3 euro- what a bargain!) I also got myself some lavender face lotion. And I also did some christmas shopping.. shh ;) Then we had lunch, had myself some awesome chicken nuggets and fries from a local joint then we just waited for the bus to pick me up!

Overall it was a great trip and I am so happy that I got to see Caitlin :) I have missed her a lot, as well as my other GDD friends. It was cool also because I realized that we have a lot more in common than just our name ;) We got to do some deep talks and that was really refreshing for me after not being around anyone from home for a while.

So that's pretty much it for this post, I should be posting one about Roma sometime next week, hopefully! ;)

Rimanete formale regazzi!
Ciao
Kaitlin

Amici Italiano!

I just met some cool Italian peeps that were hangin out downstairs, I traded numbers with one of the 2 girls that live in the apartment!

They were all SO nice and we played this funny little drawing game that they like! (They're all animation majors so they are all about drawing and movies and stuff). They were so funny too. They were attempting to Irish step dance which was a sight to see. There were 2 people that spoke English which is good because otherwise I don't know if I would be able to communicate with them otherwise.

But the girl who's number I got speaks only a little English and we want to help each other out. I want to learn more Italian so we are going to try to teach each other :)

I am so excited to see them again! I want to hang out wit them and watch Disney movies and play more silly drawing games! This is so exciting!

I don't know if I will post any more before Budapest, so if I don't I'll be back later posting pictures from the trip this weekend!

Ciao!
~

Dublin

Sorry these are taking so long!

This is Dublin post here we go!

So I was supposed to go to Dublin on the first Friday of break but instead I had my first bad travel experience abroad. I took the wrong train into Rome and was late and totally missed my flight. Luckily, though, it was a learning process and mom and dad were able to give me the money towards a new flight the next weekend. So I cancelled the flight coming back, but there wasn't anything I could do about the train tickets. :(

So I spent some time in Florence hanging out and visiting places. I got to go to the Uffizi Museum and see "The Birth of Venus" and the "Primavera" which was definitely pretty cool and the highlight of the Uffizi for me.

I did a little exploring and took lots of film pictures which was cool too.

Then when the weekend finally came, I went to Dublin. (This time I took a bus to Pisa which went straight to the airport and all was well)

My first night in Dublin (Thursday), I met up with Laura from the Aircoach bus stop and we walked back to her apartment together. Then we went out to an Irish pub to get some food. I had the best sea chowder of my life there and heard some great live Irish music.

Then on Friday, we spent the day exploring Dublin a little. We went to the college with the Book of Kells, we did not go in to see it though. We just walked around and it was still gorgeous. (I've never seen the grass so green!) She showed me the mall which was beautiful with so many windows and great architecture. (Those pictures are on my film camera, so I will have to wait until I get home to post them). I got to have my pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks too! Then that night, I went to my first burger place there and got one of the best burgers ever!

and a milkshake :)

Then on Saturday, we went to a town 2 hours from Dublin called Kilkenny. It was a cute little town with some graffiti and nice little shops. It was a bit cold and rainy that day, but we managed. We got to see some very interesting things while we were there. 

Those were just a few of my favorite pictures I got from that trip! 

( Then me and Laura had some awesome bonding conversations on the ride back that we missed oh so very much. We also made a list of things we HAVE to do when we get back to Burly! :) Can't wait! )

Then when we got back from Kilkenny Laura let me take a different route back to the apartment so I go around taking some pictures! It was the perfect timing just after the sun had set-

That night me and Laura went to Porterhouse to get some sweet ass burgers (more burgers, new place!). We had to wait a little because this place is super popular and was super crowded. But it was definitely worth the wait. We also got a little taste of some live Irish music there too! And I tried some Bulmer's! (Me and Laura split it). 

The next morning, I already had to catch my flight back to Florence and I did not want to go. It was beautiful in Dublin and I definitely want to go back sometime when I can. The city was just amazing and there was so much art. I could wander and take pictures for days. So maybe someday when I go back, I just might. 

~

Corri La Vita

Hey everyone! I realized I forgot to post pictures from Corri La Vita, so I am going to cover that one first! (Some of these will go up on facebook as well..)

That's Angel Rose - easily one of the coolest people I have met thus far! 

* this is a really bad picture of us though, we shall have to get more together ;) *

It was super fun to dodge all the walkers while we attempted to run but it ended up a fail run but it was still great fun! (hey i rhymed!)

Dublin post is up next :D

Venice/Verona

I am sorry that I don't post as much as I mean to on here. We have midterms coming up next week and I am just going to be crazy getting everything done in time.

But while I am taking a break from my linoleum, I will take a few moments to explain what I did on my weekend away :)

API took us to Venice and Verona this weekend and it was a lot of fun even though it was really rainy and cold. I really liked both places. Venice was gorgeous but I do think it would have been so much prettier while it was sunny. I saw a lot of places with masks and glass figures. A lot of great architecture too. Verona I liked because I got to see Juliet's house and put my letter in Juliet's mailbox! I am going to get a response at some point from her secretaries! I am so excited! If you are unaware of the story, confront the movie "Letters to Juliet" with Amanda Seyfried - which we did watch the night before we left ;) I want to make it my mission to buy a lock before I leave Florence and come back to Juliet's house and put my lock there with the one I am going to marry! <3

So that's about it for now, we are going to Bologna this Saturday and then me and some friends are doing "Corri La Vita" which is a marathon for breast cancer (apparently it's not much of a marathon and more of a walk) But I am excited regardless! I will definitely be posting pictures!

I am just counting down the days until next Friday when I get to leave for Dublin! :)

until next time, xoxox