Florence So Far pt. 2
17 January 2015
19:37
Wow, sorry I have not been staying up to date with the blog! Its amazing how time escapes you in a place like this. For some reason, it still hasn’t hit me that I am in Florence yet. However, I kind of don’t want it to because I fear then I would start to miss home. If I was in Kent right now, I would be facing the negative degree wind chill. Its good to be here J
Here’s what I’ve done in the past week and a half that I have been in Florence:
-spent a lot of money on the sales here
In the first few weeks of January, the sales, “saldi” in Italian, are amazing. I scored a pair of black denim jeans, a sweater, suede boots, shorts, and two tops for 130 euro. I actually didn’t have enough at first, bought the had-to-have items, went home, went back to get money, and got the other items. You just can’t pass up the sales!!! So, no more shopping for me. Seriously though, everything is on sale.
-eaten a lot of gelato – were starting to get ~gelato bodies~
The best place we’ve purchased gelato from in Florence is Grom. Their tiramisu gelato is like nothing you’ll find in America. I have spent at least 35 euro on gelato in the past week and a half. My wallet is crying.
-seen the Duomo (S. Maria del Fiore), San Lorenzo, and Piazza de Michelangelo
To learn about all of these amazing buildings since the tenth grade and to see it now is unlike anything else I’ve experienced in my life. My History of Interiors II class took a field trip to San Lorenzo and learning what prompted the design of Brunelleschi while sitting in his creation brings a whole different, and exciting, proponent to learning. Piazza de Michelangelo is located on Mount Everest (dramatic), and you need to climb the equivalent of 32 flights of stairs to reach the top (this is real). The trip up to the top was rushed by our professor, however the view at the top was worth the hustle. You can see all of the beautiful cathedrals from here. My friends and I plan to go up there as much as possible.
-consumed many glasses of wine and legally went to multiple bars!
Having a drink or two with friends at a public place is nice. However I am not one for American bars. Italians don’t like to get drunk, which is preferable. The American bars are too much for me. We went to a bar called The Old Stove last night, and waiting in line for the bathroom, there was a girl standing next to me who looked very unwell. I was terrified that she was going to vomit on me. Thankfully, I got out of there quick enough, so I do not know what happened. Viva Italia.
-eaten “family dinners” with some of the greatest people to hang out with.
I am beyond thankful I have an amazing group of people to be with here. My boyfriend Forest, his best friend Taylor, and my good friends, Rachel and Dana, comprise this little group. We’ve made lasagna, breaded chicken, grilled chicken, mac and cheese, pork, tortellinis, pasta, garlic bread, and salads. Thankfully, Dana and Forest can cook. Rachel, Taylor and I do all of cleaning up after.
-said, “parle-anglese” to too many Italians – need to work on my Italian.
I have never spoken Italian in my life before entering Italy. So that’s good. We learned a little Italian over orientation, however it’s challenging to retain it all. I learned how to say “vorrei…” which is “I would like…” and miscellaneous food items and directions. Basically, if I want to accomplish any kind of transaction, I have to ask “parle-anglese” first, because if I put up the charade that I know how to speak Italian, they start to try to hold a conversation with me, and then I sort of gaze like an idiot and smile and wait for them to understand that I am a dumb American. I will improve this by the time I leave.
A cat approached me! So happy!
this is what I picture when I think Tuscany