L'Ultimo Giorno

Thursday, June 19th

Today was filled with more lasts.

I had my last day at my internship, in which I finished editing the archeological museum guidebook (which took forever, thanks for asking) and kept my badge because they didn't ask for it back (I think they forgot). Once we finished, I went and got my last tomato, mozzarella, and basil sandwich from the pasticceria down the street—seriously so good. (Have I mentioned how I love tomatoes here and hate them in America? 'Cause I do.)

the Tuscan landscape

The rest of the day was spent getting the last souvenirs on my list and enjoying my last day in Siena. I am truly going to miss this city and the ability to just sit in the Piazza del Campo and read on a beautiful day. I really wish we had an equivalent of piazzas in America. We've got public parks, etc. but there is nothing like a big piazza where people hang around, eat, meet up with friends, and love life. I will miss it!

young Anna (bella, no?)

Tonight Shauna and I had our last dinner with Anna and Marcello. It was delicious as always—spaghetti alla carbonara, fillet, salad, bread, and an apple torta dessert. The best part was when Anna brought out the old photos of her and Marcello that she showed at dinner last night, because Shauna wasn't there. There were so many pictures of a young, handsome Marcello and in each one he was with a different girl, none of whom were Anna. She assured us, however, that she wasn't jealous at all, since she's the one who ended up with him. Love it. She also pointed out Marcello's receding hairline in every picture.

After looking through all the photos Shauna and I asked Anna for some of her recipes to bring home, which I'm very excited about. I can't wait to make my own spaghetti alla carbonara! Mmmmm.

my last night on Via San Marco

Around 10, most of the people in our group met up for a last gelato at KopaKabana (our favorite spot) and then went for a walk in the Campo. A few people had a speed-walking contest around the piazza that was very entertaining, and other than that we mostly reminisced. This was our last time all together, which is really sad. We have all become such close friends that it seems unreal that I won't be seeing any of them anymore (possibly ever, since I'm not returning to BYU). But I guess that's what Facebook is for, right? I have been blessed to be in the company of really good people and fun friends. I got lucky.

So, I am headed for Rome in the morning! I am way excited to have one day in Rome as a bookend for my trip, bringing it full circle. I plan to take tons of pictures and listen to Dean Martin songs all day. Then, Saturday morning I head home! What a whirlwind. I really cannot believe it is over.

A domani,
Ciao!

Some Lasts

Wednesday, June 18th

Last night my group had a final dinner together, since most of us are heading back to the States this weekend. We went to a restaurant where one of the girls from our group works for her internship. It was fun to all be together one last time! And the food wasn't bad either. Mmmm gnocchi.   ---->

Today there was a big rainstorm, even though it was meant to happen yesterday. Note: Italian weather forecasts are generally one half to one full day behind, so don't put away your umbrella if it was supposed to rain yesterday but didn't. Because it will most definitely rain the next morning and drench you as you walk home from your internship. Hypothetically.

Tonight a girl from BYU who stayed with Anna and Marcello two years ago came to dinner with her parents and brother and sister. Her family didn't really speak Italian, though her parents understood some because they speak Spanish, so it was fun to help her translate for them. It made me want so badly to come back with my family next year!! I know Anna and Marcello would love it. They are so fun and really good at having a conversation regardless of the language barrier. They brought out old photos of them from the 40s and 50s and we all had good laughs.

That was about it for today. Tomorrow is my last day at my internship! And the next day I leave for Rome! Time has really flown.

A domani,

Ciao!

A Pasta Situation

Monday, June 16th

Funny story.

I decided to bring back pasta as souvenirs for people. Because what could be better than an edible souvenir from Italy? Nothing, that's what.

I had quite a bit of downtime today, so I decided to go get all the pasta I'd be bringing home. No reason to put it off till the end of the week.

I went to the grocery store and spent a long time finding just the right pasta, and eventually I found this great-looking brand that was on sale and had a variety of pastas.

I bought five packages of pasta (penne, mafalda, casarecce—a few different kinds).

Then I went home, excited that I got some great pasta and my souvenirs were all taken care of and I could relax the rest of the week. Hooray!

So I worked on my Venice blog post for a while, then hung out with some friends for a while, then ate some dinner. After dinner, my mom FaceTimed me for a little bit since we hadn't talked for a while.

I was so excited about all the things I bought this past weekend that I started showing her my gifts (for myself and others). I showed her the Venice t-shirt I bought for myself, the keychain I bought for myself, and finally—the pasta!

Me: "Look! I bought all this pasta to give to people! I even got different kinds."
Mom: *looks at it through the camera* "Cool! Wait. Let me see that again?"
Me: *holds up pasta to camera* "Isn't it great?!"
Mom: "Oh, yeah. They sell that at Costco."

. . .  world. shattered.

I was SO DARN EXCITED about getting this amazing just in Italy pasta and then I go and pick the one they sell at Costco. Costco. Gah.

But the packaging is all in Italian, and it says it was made in Napoli! Still. Costco. Ugghhhh.

the culprit

So, I might be leaving the pasta with my host parents and finding something else, some other—TRUE ITALIAN—pasta to bring home. We'll see.

A domani,
Ciao!

Venezia on My Mind

Friday, June 13th through Sunday, June 15th

VENICE!!

My dreams have officially come true.

Besides Rome, Venice has always been that one place in Italy where I have dreamed of going. And finally it happened! I spent almost three days there, and it was magical.

First, Friday the 13th. Things seemed to be going wrong. We found out there was a train strike planned in Venice from Saturday at 9pm to Sunday at 9pm, and we had tickets to leave Venice on Sunday at 2:45pm . . . so that was a major problem. We eventually decided that we would worry about the strike when it was time to worry about the strike, so we pushed it out of our minds. Then we arrived in Mestre (just outside Venice) where our hotel was for the weekend, and couldn't find our hotel for a while. Eventually, we walked down this alley-like street and found it, the Hotel Giovannina, and it was completely awful. It was burning hot inside and there was no air conditioning. In the meantime, an Indian guy was working on pulling fans out of boxes and assembling them to put in the rooms.

When we got to our room it was stuffy and sweaty and tiny. There were no sheets on the beds and no towels, and it was beyond hot. We basically dropped our stuff and then left, hoping that the fan (which the Indian guy eventually brought to us) would have cooled down the room by the time we got back. (No such luck.) Then, we got on a bus to Venice.

Venice is so so beautiful! I felt like I was in a dream as I walked around the city, going over all the bridges and watching gondolas and boats float by. Every bridge was an opportunity for a photo—Venice looks good from almost any angle. It was wonderful to just take our time and really look at the scenes around us. I can't tell you how perfectly amazing it was to realize over and over that I was in Venice, the Venice. It felt like a major accomplishment.

After wandering for a while and taking too many photos, we went to dinner at a pizzeria. I got a carbonara pizza because I had had spaghetti alla carbonara in Rome and it was the greatest pasta I have ever had in my life (true story). So, I assumed the pizza version would be just as wonderful.
Here's how it went:

Me: "There's an egg on my pizza."
The group: "Yeah, that's carbonara. Egg and prosciutto."
Me: "But there's an actual egg sitting in the middle of my pizza."

In the spaghetti, the egg yolk is all mixed in with something delicious to make a sort of sauce for the pasta, so you never see an egg and you don't even taste it. With the pizza, they hide the prosciutto under the cheese and then crack an egg on top of the whole thing, then bring it out to you like it's the most normal thing in the world. Weird. So I popped the yolk and tried to spread it around as best I could, then just dug in. It tasted pretty good, but it just wasn't the same. My heart is set on spaghetti.

After dinner we continued our touristy wandering before heading back to our hotel for the night. The fan had done nothing to lower the temperature of our room, so we went from sweating in our day clothes to sweating in the shower to sweating in our pj's. But what can you do? Just be grateful that air conditioning exists somewhere on the planet, I suppose.

We got up early the next morning to make sure we had a full day in Venice, grabbing a quick bite to eat and getting to Venice around 8:30am. Our first stop was going to be St. Mark's Basilica and the Square, which was quite a walk from the bus station (especially since we didn't know how to get there).

St. Mark's Basilica

It took us around half an hour to get to the Basilica. When we stopped to ask an Italian man for directions he told us that in Venice it is good to get lost. I liked that.

Bridge of Sighs

We found the Basilica, and then we saw the line. It spanned the entire square, and as it was still blistering hot outside no one in our group was particularly interested in finding out what St. Mark's looks like inside. So we opted to take pictures outside (even though almost the whole facade was covered in scaffolding . . . seriously bad timing) and then hang out in the Square for a bit.

Being Mark Wahlberg

My favorite part of being in St. Mark's Square was walking through a group of pigeons just like Mark Wahlberg did. All I needed was Donald Sutherland and millions of dollars worth of gold bricks and I would be living in The Italian Job. Pretty sweet.

After taking many touristy pictures (per usual), we walked around the city a bit more before getting tickets for a ferry to take us to Murano and Burano, two islands just outside of the main city of Venice. Murano is famous for its glass and Burano is famous for its lace (also its colorfulness, I think).

Murano

We got to Murano and were immediately ushered into a glass factory for a (free!) glass-blowing demonstration. The guy made a vase and a fish—really cool. After the demonstration we were directed into a store where we could buy almost anything made out of glass. Seriously, there was everything from jewelry to clocks to chandeliers. As much as I would love to have a glass chandelier, I don't think it'd make it to the States. Darn.

Burano

We strolled around Murano for a bit before getting on the ferry to Burano, about a twenty-minute ride. Burano is gorgeous, almost beyond belief. The colors are so bright and beautiful, especially reflected in the water. It is an opportune place for pictures, and I took plenty of them.

After getting some food and walking around, taking in the beauty of the island, we decided to head back to Venice. The weather was starting to look stormy, which was a major relief from the heat, but we wanted to be back in Venice before the rain hit. We made it back and looked around a bit more, doing some window shopping and actual shopping, before heading back to our hotel in Mestre.

That night at midnight (Italy time) Italy played England in its first World Cup game, and we won! Forza Azzurri!! I was too asleep to notice until the morning though. Plus I have never watched soccer in my life (except for Madelyn's games). Anyway, viva l'Italia!

Also, there was a major rainstorm Saturday evening and night that dropped the temperature down to a livable level, which was wonderful. Because of the storm, we stayed inside our hotel room and I read The Fault in Our Stars and bawled my eyes out for a while before we went to bed.

Sunday morning we slept in a bit before getting packed up and checking out of the hotel. After a quick breakfast we took a bus back into Venice for a final hurrah visit. For most of the time we sat on a dock on the Grand Canal and people-watched, gondola/boat-watched, and read. I really wanted to go on a gondola ride, but no one else was up for it. And although "gondola for one!" might have gotten me a discount out of pity, I didn't think it would be very much fun to go alone. So, I guess I'll just have to come back! (I am definitely okay with that).

After relaxing and enjoying the (much cooler) day, we headed back to Mestre to catch the train to Florence. We decided to stop in Florence for a bit of shopping before going back to Siena. We went to the market and I finally got a leather wallet that I've been wanting! Then we got back on the train and made it to Siena in time for dinner.

Anna (my host mom) is so funny. As soon as we walked in the door (carrying our heavy backpacks and damp from rain) she gave us big hugs, told us she missed us, and then pushed us into the kitchen to eat dinner ("Venite! Mangiate!"). It was like coming home. Siena has become this home base, which makes these "vacation within a vacation" excursions more fun. I'm definitely going to miss Anna, and Venice, and Siena, and all of Italy. Everything.

So that was my amazing weekend in Venice! It was incredible and I can't wait to go back to ride in a gondola and see what's inside St. Mark's Basilica. Perhaps next year . . .

I can't believe I have less than a week left in Italy. I'm not ready for my dream to end!

A domani,
Ciao!

Oh Summer Nights

Wednesday, June 11th

some of the editing we've done

Shauna and I have a new roommate! She actually came on Sunday but I forgot to mention her here before. She is a British woman in her late 60s (ish) named Caterina. It's kind of nice to have someone else to bounce questions off of when we don't know what Anna and Marcello are saying at dinner. Also, it's awesome to hear her accent. Also, she told us to give her our contact information and visit England. Done and done.

at the market with Shauna

Aaaand that's about it! I went to the Siena market this morning and bought some more (awesome) gypsy pants and after that I went to my internship (more editing...hooray for having work to do!)

Tonight there was a warm, summer thunderstorm—love. We're hoping that this means we're in for cooler weather! Crossing fingers.

Well, I have a week and a half left in Italy! I'm excited for more adventures.

A domani,
Ciao!

I'm Melting

Monday, June 9th

Last night I didn't blog because—drumroll—I was tired. Like always. But it was actually a pretty fun day!

In the morning I had my internship, and I didn't have anything to do again. So the other two girls and I took initiative and went to explore the museum for the second time since we've been there. This time we took time to read labels and look in different rooms that we missed last time. It was fun to go slowly and look at everything, but the most fun was going down into the archeological section and going through the excavated rooms and corridors.

Don't know if you can tell, but those are bones.
This is one of the mass graves from the Black Plague
(remember the museum used to be a hospital)

After that we sat for a while and drew random pictures until it was one o'clock and we could leave. Then after that, not much happened during the day. I went to the grocery store and all the chocolate bars in the store were melted, because—did I mention?—it's really really hot here. REALLY. The real-feel temperature is between 96 and 98 degrees. Apparently that it very unusual for Italy in June. Awesome. But hey, I am in Italy so there really isn't much I can complain about. So anyway I didn't get a chocolate bar.

Mostly everyone has been staying inside, either at the school or in their houses, to avoid the heat so we haven't been doing much as a group lately. However, last night we had a surprise birthday party for Rebeca, a girl in our group, which was really fun. We had Italian cake and some Sicilian sodas on the steps of Siena's Duomo—a successful Italian party, I'd say. It was really fun to all be together again and just hang out in the city.


Tuesday, June 10th 

Today has been much of the same. Actually, at my internship we were given a task! Edit a guidebook for the museum that was translated from Italian into English. The English translation is really poor, but luckily I actually enjoy editing. And I got work to do! Hooray! We spent about an hour and a half editing two pages and the book is pretty long, so we should be busy for a while.

That's about all for the past couple days. The biggest aspect of my day is doing my best to stay cool while also trying to see as much of Siena as I can before I leave (in less than two weeks . . . noooo). In the meantime I'm working with Shauna to plan what we'll do in Venice! Woot woot!

Ciao ciao!

Catching Up: Niente, Bottini, and the Beach

Sunday, June 8th

I haven't blogged in a few days, mostly because I didn't have anything to talk about. I know I know, how could I not have something to share? I'm in Italy!

Well, at my internship we haven't had anything to do besides read novels and play tic-tac-toe. Still, it's exciting to go to work every day in a centuries-old building that is now a museum and interact with Italians.

one exit of the Bottini

So on that front, Thursday and Friday included nothing significant to report. However, yesterday (Saturday) I had a pretty great day! In the morning our group went to the Bottini, the underground aqueducts spread out beneath Siena. Way cool. Warning to claustrophobic tourists: do not attempt this adventure.

Most of the way, the tunnels are so narrow that you must walk single-file while also sidestepping the little river carrying water throughout the tunnels. At some points, you have to bend in half to avoid meeting the ceiling with your head—or if you are tall, you pretty much have to stay bent the whole time. Luckily, I did not experience that problem. Seems uncomfortable.

(not my photo)
This is what the Bottini look like.
Except darker, since I didn't have
a floodlight on hand

We had a guide showing us the way, but as he was Italian and spoke rather quickly—and also because we were in a single-file line down a tunnel and therefore could not hear him very well—I didn't actually learn anything about the Bottini. Some of us had to ask returned missionaries who are fluent to give us a brief summary of the tour once it was over, but I still didn't learn very much. It was definitely a cool experience though. Very Indiana Jones. Also, we each had a little flashlight because it is pitch black in there without one, and guess whose light slowly dimmed as we walked further into the deep darkness? That's right, it was mine. It just added to the excitement.

Castiglione

After the Bottini, a group of us decided to make the one and a half hour trip to the beach! We went to Castiglione della Pescaia, which is absolutely beautiful. Plus, not many tourists! Huzzah! I know it's wrong to hate tourists since I technically am one, but really. They are pretty annoying sometimes. Anyway, we spent several hours there—and I have the burn to prove it—enjoying the gorgeous sunny day.  Overall it was a great day with great friends . . . and for the second time in a week I was at a beach in Italy. It still amazes me.

Me and Shauna

So, that was about all for yesterday. It was a lovely day to relax and enjoy our last weekend in Siena. Next weekend we go to Venice (!!!) and the weekend after that a few girls and I are headed to Rome to fly home! It's seriously crazy how quickly and slowly this trip has gone. It feels like a dream and a new life all at once. I am excited for what the next couple of weeks bring!



A domani (or when I write next),
Ciao!

some very kind Italian graffiti

One Month Mark

Wednesday, June 4th

I really don't have anything to share about today, sorry.

I went to my internship but they didn't have anything for us to do so, once again, we sat and talked and listened to music for about three hours before leaving the museum. As nice as it is to relax and do nothing . . . it really isn't. I'm hoping that we'll get some work next week!

After my internship I just wandered around Siena, looking in shops and getting some groceries, then sat and read for a while before going home. Like I said, not much going on today.

However, I would like to point out that today marks one month since I left my house in California and embarked on the stressful and long journey to Italy! I really can't believe it's already been a whole month. I have seen and done so much but I feel as though it hasn't been enough. But hey, I've still got two and a half weeks left! Sadness is premature at this point!

Well, there you have it. I don't even have a funny or crazy story to tell, except that the number of times per day that I trip while walking has increased rather than decreased over the past few weeks. Those uneven cobblestone roads do not agree with my feet. It's hazardous. Seriously though, everyone in my group has stopped asking if I'm ok every time I trip . . . that's how often it happens.

That's it. Oh, I also just purchased my tickets and a hotel room for Venice in two weeks!! I am SO excited!

Anyway, hopefully I'll have more exciting stuff to share over the next couple days.

Buona notte,
Ciao!

Beauty, the Beach, and Bugs (Lots of Bugs)

Friday, May 31st through Monday, June 2nd

Cinque Terre! It happened!

We left for Cinque Terre on Friday afternoon and it was a pretty easy journey. We took the train from Siena to Empoli then on to La Spezia, which is just outside Cinque Terre. From there we had to take a bus to our hostel, but we missed the first one so we had to hang around until about 8:30pm before catching the bus to the hostel. In the meantime, we relaxed in a random piazza we found. I mostly people-watched which was really interesting. A couple of guys in our group found an old soccer ball under a bench and played keep-away with a dog.

view from our hostel

We finally made it to our hostel around 9 and got settled. I had never been in a hostel before, so it was definitely an experience. But hey, I've done enough girls' camp to know how community showers and bathrooms work (and for the record I still despise them). After dropping off our things we went out for a quick dinner then went straight to bed.

Riomaggiore

Saturday morning we got up and prepared for a long day of sunshine, hiking, and the beach in the Cinque Terre. In reality, we got a long day with only two of those things, but it was still a successful adventure. We got to Riomaggiore—the first of the five little cities—in the morning and the grey sky threatened rain, but it didn't actually start pouring until we made it down to the beach. Still, we enjoyed sitting on the rocks in the rain (since the "beach" of Riomaggiore is covered in rocks, not sand) for a bit before heading back to the town.

Riomaggiore beach

You are supposed to be able to hike from Riomaggiore to Manarola (the next town over) and then from Manarola to Corniglia (the third town) but the trails were closed due to falling rocks and cave-ins. Sooo that wasn't an option. Instead, we took a train from Riomaggiore to Corniglia and began our journey there.

We arrived in Corniglia—to get from the train station into the town you must climb about fifty million stairs, and sadly, I thought that was part of the hike . . . nope, we hadn't even made it to the town yet—and briefly looked around before beginning our hike to Vernazza (the fourth town). All the while, it was raining somewhat heavily but it was also really hot and muggy, so basically we were all drenched in some nasty mix of sweat and water while our shoes became coated in mud. But it was really fun, I promise.

Vernazza

The beginning of the hike was pretty strenuous, almost entirely uphill and very rocky (plus, stairs...they never end). But the views were beautiful and it was fun to be in a group of friends, taking our time and enjoying being in Italy. Because, I am in Italy! I won't get over that anytime soon.

Vernazza

Eventually we made it to Vernazza, which is bellissima. We spent some time taking pictures and also grabbed some lunch. As we were eating pizza and taking in the view of the coast, we decided as a group that one hike was enough for that day. So rather than hiking to the last town we took the train (a good decision, I think).

Monterosso beach

Monterosso is the place to go to the beach in Cinque Terre. The only problem is, everyone knows it. It was pretty crowded but we managed to get a pretty decent spot on the public section of the beach. We spent the rest of the day hanging out on the beach and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea—which is freezing, by the way—until we got hungry again and went to get dinner. Overall it was a relaxing day, once the rain and walking had both stopped.

Sunday was much sunnier. Hooray! Instead of going town to town again, we had a quick breakfast in Riomaggiore then took a train straight to Monterosso and spent the day at the beach. It was a great day for relaxing in the sun and swimming in the sea. That was until I got stung on my neck by a (possibly) bee while swimming, but that ended up being the least of my bug problems from this trip.

sunset in Riomaggiore

You know when you're walking or sitting or eating and suddenly you start scratching your leg because it itches, and then you come to the realization that the itch is only getting worse, and you are immediately filled with dread? Yep, that's a bug bite, and—lucky me!—aside from the bee sting I got eight bug bites this weekend. The price you pay to go hiking and to the beach. Regardless, it was a really fun weekend and, bonus, I got a bit of a tan! Woot!

Monday was a national holiday so we slept in before heading back to Siena. On the way back our train got delayed a while but we eventually made it to Siena in time for dinner.

As for today (Tuesday), I went to my internship—where they had literally nothing for us to do, which was kind of nice after a long and tiring weekend—and then hung around Siena for the rest of the day.

And that's a wrap! A fantastic weekend in Cinque Terre and a few more weeks to go! Can't wait for more adventures.

A domani,
Ciao!

p.s. we had some takeout pasta,
because apparently that's a thing

Adventures Await: Holiday Weekend

Thursday May 29th and Friday May 30th

Vacation time! Like I'm not already on vacation.

I'm leaving in an hour to go to Cinque Terre for the weekend with my study abroad group! Monday June 2nd is an Italian national holiday, so that means we get an amazing three-day weekend in a beautiful place!

Cinque Terre, everyone

yes, this is real life

As for yesterday, I had a busy day! At my internship in the morning, I helped with an art class for elementary school-aged kids. It was definitely an experience! I was pretty limited with how much I could help because I don't have a vocabulary that extends to art terms—and I'm not really fast enough with Italian to keep up with little kids anyway—but it was definitely good practice. 

After my internship I hung around Siena with some friends for a while. It was such a beautiful sunny day! I am excited every day to find myself in Italy.

Later on our whole group got together and bought flowers and a card to give to Cinzia, because she is leaving Siena on Saturday. So sad! Then we took her out to dinner at a restaurant. It was so much fun to all be together and tell Cinzia how much we appreciate her. And that pizza . . . wow. Cinzia said the pizza she ordered was in the top five of the best she's ever had. And she's Italian! It seriously was that good. Overall, a wonderful night with good friends. I am so blessed!!

Well, this morning at my internship we had another class of kids, this time doing a craft project. These kids were crazy rambunctious—so loud and hyper!—which made it a hundred times more difficult to understand them and communicate back. I was really struggling with one kid who spoke really quickly in a low voice. So this 8-year-old keeps asking me questions and I have to have him repeat everything he says a few times before I get it, and eventually he just gave up and went to his teacher. Apparently he asked her what my name was because he came back to me and said"Hey, Dark Hair." (I guess she asked if he meant the girl with the dark hair and he took that as being my name? no idea) Kids. So anyway, that was certainly an experience.

After my internship I came home and finished up my packing! I'm pretty excited about this weekend. Allora, I will not be blogging this weekend because a) I don't know if I will have Internet and b) I am not bringing my laptop. Sorry to disappoint any avid followers. I am sure I will have plenty to share when I get back on Monday!

A lunedì,

Ciao!

And I Thought Italian Was Hard

Wednesday, May 28th

Well, today was the day! Cora, Rebeca, and I started our internship at the museum. And by "started," I mean they didn't really have anything for us to do today so we sat at a table listening to music and began figuring out lesson plans for teaching English to the museum staff. I'd called that a successful day!

It was actually interesting to go down to the basics of the English language and try to figure out the best way to teach it. Let me tell you, English is hard! You think there is a structure to verb conjugation, then suddenly you get hit with a verb like "to be," and the rules go out the window. I am, he is, you are? What is that? I am just so grateful that I somehow learned English when I was young and have managed to speak it ever since. But in all honesty, it was really fun to work on the lesson plans.

(Another example of why English makes no sense: take the word "fish," then take the words "enough," "women," and "nation." Based on the sounds made by the letters in these words, "fish" could also be spelled "ghoti." Yup. That's the English language, ladies and gentleman.)

We also spent a little over an hour chatting with an Italian lady and cutting out paper circles for some activity the museum is putting on later this week. It was great to get better experience speaking the language in a relaxed setting.

After a few hours we were free to go. It is so awesome to go to work and then be d-o-n-e for the day! No homework or studying hanging over heads, just free time to explore this amazing city we get to live in! Three and a half more weeks!

That's really all there is for today. We finalized plans for a weekend in Cinque Terre this coming weekend, which everyone is ecstatic about. Exciting things ahead!

A domani,
Ciao!

(More) Studying and Creepy Crypts

Monday, May 26th

So . . . I purposely skipped blogging last night because I had to study for my final exam. But now I am finished! Hurrah!

Seriously though, I just took my last final exam possibly FOR-EV-ER. And man, it feels good!

Yesterday was relatively uneventful. I mostly studied all day, and I was supposed to go to my internship but the director of the museum had a family emergency so instead we met today (Tuesday). I met with some other students in my group and we studied together (like I said, lots of studying all day) and then had a quick FHE before going back to studying. Not exactly the type of day you want to spend in Italy, but what can you do?

Tuesday, May 27th

Today was more exciting! I finished my exam and then went to the Santa Maria della Scala museum for my orientation and tour. I am so so grateful that I am with two other girls (Cora and Rebeca) from my group! Luckily one of them is basically fluent in Italian so I was able to ask her when I didn't understand something the museum director told us. We got basic instructions for what we'll be doing for the next four weeks. Basically we will be working in the section of the museum that is aimed toward kids! We will be helping to plan activities and exhibits for them. Another aspect of the internship is that we will be teaching English to the museum staff, which will definitely be an interesting experience! I'm not really sure how to do that . . . teach my native language in a foreign language . . . but among the three of us we will work it out. I'm excited to get started!

After our brief orientation Rebeca, Cora, and I took a tour of the museum, and it is humungous. It used to be a hospital in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, but then was transformed into a museum. There are many levels, including crypt-like areas featuring many dark corridors and empty rooms—in other words, creepy (but awesome). There was even an old mass grave, and you can still see all the bones piled on top of each other. Too much information?

Anyway, it was an adventure, and we are all anxious to start our work tomorrow morning! After the museum, Rebeca, Cora, and I went to grab some lunch then did some grocery shopping and just talked for a while.

Tonight we had a dinner at the Torre contrada. Here in Siena, the contrade are like a religion. You can be baptized into a contrada and it becomes your family. The contrade also have enemies amongst themselves—very very serious enemies. For example, the Torre's (Tower) enemy is the Oca (Goose) contrada, and they hate each other. This is especially apparent during the Palio (the horse race). There really isn't something to compare it to in America—you'll just have to take my word for it, I guess. Anyway Cinzia and the director of the school in Siena are both of the Torre contrada, so we took a tour of the Torre region of the city and went to the museum where they have Torre memorabilia and all the Palio awards they've won, etc. etc. Also, each contrada has a church, so we saw that as well.

Afterward we had dinner—a simple dinner cooked by volunteers. Our whole study abroad group sat together and we had a good time telling stories and riddles.

And that was about it for today! Tomorrow I start work at the museum.

A domani,
Ciao!

Here Comes the Sun and the Palio

Saturday, May 24th

Yesterday (Saturday) was a fun and relaxing day. I was able to sleep in a bit and hang around before going out for the day. Lauren and I went around Siena and did a little shopping. We went to OVS, which is basically the Italian H&M or Forever 21. It has good prices and fun clothes. I bought, if you can believe it, a pair of gypsy pants. I've been seeing them all over Italy (apparently they are a very popular style over here) and decided to try on a black pair. AMAZING. They are the most comfortable and wonderful pants I have ever worn. They are, in essence, publicly acceptable sweatpants. I am in love with them.

Once I had purchased the pants of my dreams, we took a trip to the grocery store for some lunch food then sat in a park while we ate. It was a beautiful sunny day, just perfect for an outside lunch. It was one of those days where I fully realized that I am in Italy, and I couldn't be happier about it.

not kidding

After our lunch we went on one of our required Siena Walks (where we found a Mexican restaurant...in Italy) and then sat in the Piazza del Campo in the sunshine while we did some reading and studying for our final. Despite sitting out there for over two hours, I didn't get sunburned! Incredible! Lauren suggested something about afternoon sun angles and the atmosphere and science stuff that is probably correct, but I like to think that it means I got tanner (and it just hasn't shown up yet).
Either way, it was a lovely and relaxing day.

What I've noticed recently is that Siena feels like a home, a place where I live, not just a vacation spot. It's so normal—people eating in parks, going shopping, arguing, laughing—which for some reason I didn't expect. I expected it to be more foreign, but people are people, regardless of where you are in the world. Obviously I will be happy to be home with my family and friends in my own country, but I am definitely enjoying my time as a foreigner.

Sunday, May 25th

This morning we had church again, which was great. However, I have discovered that it is much easier to feel sleepy and stop paying attention when the meetings are in a foreign language. Constantly translating in your head takes considerable brainpower that might just start to wane by the third hour of church, especially if you didn't get much sleep (i.e. don't stay up really late Saturday night).

After church Shauna and I stayed in to work on homework because everything is still due on Tuesday, and I've got a long way to go. We planned to do a Siena Walk this afternoon with other people from our group, but a little thing called "Sunday naptime" got in the way. Because how can you have a Sunday without a nap after church? You can't, that's how.

Later on, after waking up and working on homework again, we took a break to go to the choosing of the contrade for the Palio.

Let me explain.

a small section of the piazza

The Palio is a huge horse race in Siena that happens twice a year, in July and August. Siena is divided up into regions, called "contrada"s, which are represented by different animals (for example, my host family's contrada is the Snail). In the Palio, ten contrade each put in a horse to race. Seven contrade are determined ahead of time, and the remaining three are chosen at random and presented in a ceremony, like the one I went to tonight. It seemed like the entire city of Siena was in the Piazza tonight! So many people, and such excitement. Siena is one big community and we could really feel that at the event tonight.

Overall this weekend was great but I probably should have gotten more schoolwork done . . . Tomorrow I meet with the director and learn more about my internship, and possibly start on Tuesday! I'm excited to find out more about the work I'll be doing for four weeks!

A domani,
Ciao!

Firenze, Round Two

Friday, May 23rd

Today, our last day of official tours as a group, we went to Florence again! We saw the Uffizi Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio, and the Ponte Vecchio.

The Uffizi was, to be completely honest, much less exciting than other museums we've seen—especially after seeing the David at the Accademia Gallery last Friday and the Bernini statues in Rome. Still, there were many impressive pieces, and that gallery is huge. I loved seeing works by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Raphael. I also loved the ceilings, which were all beautifully decorated with either paintings or gold-plated designs.

After the Uffizi, a few of us went to an amazing pizza place in the city. I got a pizza with prosciutto and artichoke, and it was ridiculously delicious (and only 7 euro!). I've documented the restaurant's name in preparation of future trips to Florence. Which are guaranteed.

We had to power-walk from lunch to the Palazzo Vecchio to meet up with our group. The Palazzo Vecchio is where the Medici family once lived and ruled over Florence. But really I loved the Palazzo Vecchio because it's where Robert Langdon runs all around in Dan Brown's INFERNO. We saw Dante's death mask, the map room (and the location of the secret door in the wall!), the hall of the 500, and lots of different works of art. It was a cool experience.

After the Palazzo we headed over to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous Florentine bridge that has jewelry shops (very expensive) lining the whole walkway and has a magnificent view of the city. Here our group got some gelato and strolled along for a few minutes. Once we had taken in the sights a few of us headed to H&M to buy some shirts, because apparently we all packed too lightly. It was an interesting/strange experience to shop in a store that I know very well while in a foreign country. But not to worry, they played American music most of the time.  Once we made it out of the store, we rushed over to the market a bit before realizing what time it was—nearly 6pm—and sprinting to the bus station to make the 6:00 bus home to Siena. We got there at 5:58pm (yesss) only to realize that—hey! look at that—we were early. Bus didn't leave till 6:10. No worries though, I'd rather be early than late any day. It also gave us time to sit down and admire/show off all the things we bought.

We had an uneventful ride back to Siena and each of us went to our homes for dinner. Instead of being active young adults on a Friday night, we all stayed in to work on homework, because everything is due on Tuesday.

But when everything is due that means we are done with the "study" part of our study abroad and we will start our internships! I'm excited to get working!

That's about it for today. Not the most dramatic of days, I know, but there you have it.

A domani,
Ciao!

Fascism and Food, Round Two

Thursday, May 22nd

Last day of classes! Woot woot! Today we had our last classes at the Dante Alighieri school, because tomorrow we go to Florence and next week we start our internships! Speaking of, I got my internship assignment. I will be working at a museum here in Siena along with two other girls from my group! I'm really excited for this experience. I'm excited to have a regular schedule for four weeks and have free time each day to explore Italy. I can't believe my time in Italy is nearly halfway over. Crazy!

Classes today were the same as normal—language for four hours then a break before our group class in the afternoon. In our group class we talked about World War II and Cinzia told us some more unbelievable stories about her family's experiences during the war.

For example her mom's brother was drafted into the Fascist military and through some form of resistance was sent to jail. One day he and another inmate found an empty vehicle with two Nazi jackets laying on the back seat . . . and decided to make a run for it. They put on the jackets and drove the car out of the prison. No one stopped them. The two men got away and never saw each other again. Cinzia's uncle went home but had to hide for many months in a room behind a false door in their house for fear of being imprisoned, redrafted, or killed for deserting. A few times the family even hid Jews in that same room. Absolutely amazing that no one in her family got hurt. I love how real history can become through the stories of people we know!

mmm meat

the group

Anyway (sorry for the detour), after our afternoon class we got to do a cooking class again! Seriously so much fun, and so delicious. We made pasta again (my favorite part) and also focaccia bread, grilled vegetables, veal, and a strawberry and cream dessert that was buonissimo.

After dinner Cinzia had a surprise for us. She and the director of the school went over the funds for the trip,  and each of us got 50 euro back because there was extra left over! Just in time for Florence. Yay!

So, that's all for today. Tomorrow we head to Florence and I plan to do some shopping!

Ciao!

*Brief list of things I didn't expect to miss about America: grass, carpet, window screens, and Target