Things I will miss in Italy...

Here is a list of things I am going to be working on over the course of the next few days of things that remind me of Italy. The good, the bad and the ugly. I'll miss you Florence.

1. the black puffy Italian jackets that everyone has and wears even if its 70 degrees outside

2. the sirens---they have the strangest tones, im going to record them before I leave

3. gelato, gelato, gelato, its a perfect way to end the evening and its so amazing. there are really no words to describe it.

4. the Arno, even its disgusting color

5. Gaia and Daniella-our cleaning ladies that cleaned our apartment every week, gave us fresh sheets and towels on Thursdays

6. Villa La Pietra and the gardens behind it-how does NYU just get an entire estate donated?

7. the man at the mini-market who gets excited to give me a euro off my purchases every time I cash out

8. Massimo, my Italian teacher who speaks very little English but when he does its priceless... my favorite quotes "Let's get de show on de road" and "No discussion-no debate"

9. the cobblestone that has completely destroyed my feet and all my shoes

10. looking at the ground when you walk past men because if you look at them straight in the eye you will be followed home

11. the never ending walk down Via Maffia

12. stuffed animal gold fish

13. the Duomo being the back drop of everything we do in Florence

14. people watching in McDonalds

15. the sketchy people that work the Kebab place

16. my friends at the leather market who remember me now and speak to me in Italian

17. being harassed by the men that sell leather jackets, and being escorted arm in arm down the street

18. gypsies

19. l'autobus numero 25

20. death valley

21. nutella croissants and Fernando the nicest café guy that always promises to make me hot nutella croissants

22. unreliable internet

23. WIND, prepaid phone cards, and cell phones from the ice age

24. having to call cabs because they wont come get you any other way

25. carousels in piazzas, piazzas in general

26. really slow walking Europeans, they have even slowed down my pace

27. spending 3-4 hours at dinner and that being perfectly normal

28. the ponte vecchio, bridges, and bridge ledges

29. smelly Europeans in small spaces

30. sidewalk cleaners that are always everywhere

31. campus life, campus drama, having a campus!

32. Italian language--it really is beautiful and I wish more than anything that I could have become fluent in it this semester

33. terracotta floors-uhhh always filthy even after Gaia mops

34. heating that shuts off if you use too much of it

35. showers that cant work simultaneously and only after you've reset the heat

36. hallway lights that shut off before you make it to the end

37. bidet---does anyone honestly use those? why are they also in public places?

38. Gusta. enough said, the best pizza ever and its on our side of the Arno.

39. personal pizzas-why split one when you can have your own with exactly what you want on it?

40. Pizza Man, panuozzo, and my "cousin" Pasquale who gives us free stuff perché siamo i amici di Massimo

41. tanning in Boboli Gardens

42. Free museum card with access to everything we didn't actually go see. but you could cut the lines and that made me feel like a movie star. i would go back just for that

43. competitions in Maffia

44. MAFFIA! and all the amazing people that fill it.

45. Lungo-its a special place, especially the kitchen.

46. screaming from the other end of my apartment for no apparent reason until 2 in the morning

47. living on the "second floor" which includes 6 flights of stairs

48. considering blogging, journalling, and uploading pics to facebook as real work because i dont have any for my classes

49. Tabacchi

50. Firenze.....you stole my heart, why are you making me leave?

New Yorkers a Firenze

I had a very long day. I was at campus all day and we had an extra guest lecture for politics so I was completely exhausted. I was rushing home to eat before we had to meet with our Marketing group to finally finish our project. As I am about to cross the bridge almost at my apartment I see a group of women surrounding someone on the ground in front of the Salvatore Ferragamo museum. There were a lot of them so I figured they didnt need my help, whatever was going on. But then I realize they all only speak English and everyone looks really panicked so I stop to make sure everything is alright.

It appeared that an older women had fallen and broken her nose on the cobble stone. Her daughter-in-law is dramatized by the whole situation and can barely speak. Then these other 3 ladies from Brooklyn are trying to help in whatever way they can. As I'm walking by I hear them going let's call an ambulance, we have to call an ambulance. I stopped to ask them if they needed the number and they were like yes, yes! I was like oh ok it's 118. And they were like well how do we call from our phone, how do we do this? And I was like how about I just call, not a big deal. So i call the ambulance and the operator does not speak English. perfect! So i manage to use whatever Italian I can to say the this lady is hurt and to send an ambulance to our address. The guy understands but then transfer me, so I desperately try to explain the situation again but this new operator can speak English. He tells me to go get ice at a bar and put it on her nose until the ambulance gets there. So I tell the Brooklyn women this but they are like well we don't know the word for ice, I was like ok I will go with you. In the meantime the daughter-in-law runs back to the hotel to get all the insurance cards, phones, etc. to help her poor mother-in-law. As I walk with one of the ladies from Brookyln I realize they dont know these other 2 women at all. After we got ice from a bar we dumped some out in the sewer because the ladies from Brooklyn were convinced that it was simply too much ice. I was like it's fine better too much then too little we can just dump some out.

So as we are waiting a local Florentine comes up to us and tells us in Italian that he is a doctor. He pulls a glove out of his briefcase and feels this poor lady's nose. He then calls the ambulance again but they reassured him that one was coming and that I had already called. So he left us and I thanked him.

The daughter-in-law we find out is getting married in Florence and her and her mother-in-law were here to plan the wedding. The old lady is just so upset that she is ruining this bride's vacation that she is just crying repeatedly saying sorry. The bride is just in shock because she doesn't know what to do. She's in this foreign country with her fiancee's mother who now has a broken nose. She is trying to call everyone at home and really can't stop shaking she's so nervous. The women from Brooklyn are now concerned about the lady's nose for the pictures. They were like o no is the wedding Saturday!?! We found out the wedding was actually in October and the Brooklyn ladies were relieved, they said "O honey, you will definitely have a new nose by then, no need to worry!" I dont think they quite realized that wasn't anyone's main concern, how her nose looked in the wedding photo. The rest of us were just trying to make sure she was okay. Finally the ambulance arrived. Then I hear one of the ladies say, "I heard the Italian medical care is the worst" I didnt say anything but I just wanted to be like, why would you say that? How is this helping the situation for this poor bride and her mother-in-law?Luckily one of the medics spoke English so she was able to help a lot. After the ambulance arrived the Brooklyn people said bye to us and congratulated the bride. The medics put the lady on the stretcher and I took a minute to talk to the bride. I assured her that she would be able to ride in the ambulance and that everything would be okay. I know plenty of people who have had to go to the Florence hospital. Because of the healthcare system they take an excessive amount of tests and there is usually a really long wait but this is all normal. I also told her that someone in the hospital will speak English and that everything will be fine. She was still extremely nervous when she got in the ambulance. But she thanked me and said bye.

It was quite an experience, one I was not ready for especially after my very long day. However, it was really interesting...the bride was from Manhattan, the mother-in-law from Long Island, 3 women from Brooklyn, and me from NYU in Manhattan all together on the streets of Florence trying to deal with the situation as best as possible. I also realized that Italian class needs to place emphasis on emergency vocabulary especially if you are taking Italian in Italy, it was almost impossible to explain to the operator what went wrong.

Fiorentina v. Inter Milan. Partita di Calcio

We had been meaning to go to a soccer game all semester and when NYU put together an event at the last minute we decided we had to go. On the way home from class we picked up some Florentine jerseys to be real fans from a street vendor. (Cic and Michael I bought mine extra big so that one of you can have it, 1st to be a good brother and read my blog wins). We went back to the apartment to change really quick and then walked to San Marco to meet NYU where all the buses depart from. The group of us decked out in purple jerseys certainly drew a lot of attention. People honk their horns, people on the street scream "Forza, Fiorentina" it was actually a lot of fun. Also the streets had a lot of purple on them in general. There were a lot of people going to the game. This is Italy and although Florence is not the best team they certainly have a lot of pride. We then got on the bus and took about a 20 min bus ride to the stadium. Outside the stadium there is an Italian version of tail gating which involves Florentines eating Lampredottos and drinking beer. Lampredotto is a Florentine classic which is the inside of a cows stomach, something really gross that I'm still too afraid to try. It was all chaos though with all the street vendors selling food outside the stadium. Of course the lines were long to get inside the stadium because they have this queueing system that is well, Italian. But it was fun to see everyone wearing some sort of purple and eating the lampredottos. Inside the stadium is pretty basic, not quite a Yankee stadium. We went to find our seats and then our NYU leaders showed us the general area we could sit. We had some of the best seats in the whole stadium and we soon learned that the seat on your ticket really didnt mean anything. Everyone just sits where they want and if you are in their seat well too bad, go find another one.

Soon the stadium began to fill up and the true Italian soccer game experience kicked in. It is exactly how you imagined it. Everyone is just screaming at the players. Of course Italian class does not teach you all the inappropriate phrases you yell at the opposing teams so we couldn't really understand what the fans were yelling but it was entertaining nonetheless. Also they had the strangest soccer songs and chants. Everyone in the stadium knew them except for the NYU kids, however we quickly caught on. I have videos of these songs and madness as well but the slow Italian internet won't let me upload them to the blog. Overall it was so much fun. The crowd was just as crazy and Italian as you would have imagined and all the soccer players were gorgeous. The only major disappointment was that Florence never scored a goal so we didnt get to see the stadium go crazy. When Inter Milan scored a goal the whole place was silent, which was funny but not as much fun. Inter Milan ended up winning 1-0. After the game on our walk home many people stopped to ask us the score. Some people in English others in Italian. Everyone regardless was happy to see our Florentine support.

The game was fun a great experience. I really wish my brothers were there. They would have absolutely loved it. The soccer players are all so dramatic when they get kicked its almost ridiculous and even more dramatic are the fans, this is Italy let's not all act surprised. :-)

Paris!

Even before everyone had gotten their study abroad results and plans confirmed. We had all agreed to celebrate Vinh's birthday in Paris. What's the 4-1-1? Vinh's birthday. He had it in our heads before we ever left for Europe. Well it actually happened. Sabira our friend studying abroad in London was on her spring break so she came to Florence to visit for a few days. Then we all flew from Florence (well Pisa) to Paris together. We wanted to maximize our time in Paris so we took a Thursday night evening plane. This required missing Italian which is kinda risky because we have a very strict attendance policy. They have to have one otherwise no one would go ever because classes here a joke. But anyway I told Massimo (my Italian teacher who is so much fun) that I was going to Paris and that I wouldn't be able to come to class. He told me "exception, tell no one...shhh!" So I sent him my homework via e-mail and he gave me a 94 on a project I wasnt even there for. I love Massimo! We had a field trip for marketing that morning. So Jesnie and I went to it. It was actually at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum right across the bridge from my apartment so it worked out great. We brought our backpacks for the weekend to the museum and then left a little early to catch our bus to the airport. The museum was kind of interesting actually they had like the mold used for Audrey Hepburn and Drew Barrymore's foot to make Ferragamo shoes. But it was a little too long and after a while Jesnie and I were too anxious to get to Paris to pay attention.

It ended up working fine for us and we made it to the airport with the perfect amount of time to grab some food. But then our flight was delayed so it was just kind of annoying. This was our first time flying EasyJet airlines. I really enjoyed it because we didnt have to check-in at all. We just walked through security no one checked the size of our bags we just walked right through. I also fell asleep for the entire flight. I fell asleep before we took off and didnt wake back up until the plane hit the ground, it was perfect. At the airport Vinh's cousin picked us up. Vinh actually has a lot of family in Paris. His cousin drove a really nice Mercedes. It felt so nice to be in a car again but the Mercedes made it a million times better. So his cousin drove us to Katie's homestay where Vinh and I dropped off our stuff. Then Katie brought us to meet up with Katlin where Sabira and Jesnie dropped off their stuff. Then all of us went to this fondue place. It was a really small place but it was a lot of fun. They had HUGE pots of cheese fondue with endless amounts of french baguette to dip in it. Then they gave us bowls of meat where we cooked ourselves in this boiling hot oil mixture. There were also these different sauces to dip the steak in. When we were there (mind you this place is VERY tiny and not that well-known) in walks Julie Olney (who is studying abroad in Paris) with some of her friends that were visiting her from a different study abroad Florence program. So in the middle of no where in Paris the two Roman girls were in the same place. It was so crazy that we ended up in this same restaurant at the same time. We exchanged the latest updates we had from home. I was just in shock the whole night that we met up. After I got a nutella crepe, I had been waiting forever to get one from Paris and then we all went home.

The next morning I woke up and got to meet all of Katie's host family. We were staying in Katie's room but she lives with the most amazing french family ever. The Mom said my name..Jen-nee-fair in her French accent. It was so beautiful I was obsessed. She was also so classy and nice and was excited to have us in her home. She spoke some English so it wasn't that hard to communicate with her. I met her host sister who is about 16 years old and then her host brother who is in 6th grade. Her host brother is absolutely adorable I wanted to bring him home. He has huge blue eyes and so sweet. He just started learning English this year in school so when he woke up he said Good morning and used the few words that he knew. The whole family though was just so welcoming and nice.

We got up and showered grabbed croissants at the bakery near her homestay and headed over to Notre Dame to meet Jesnie and Sabira. We were there early so there was no line and we got to walk right in. It was interesting to be back, the last time I was there was with Sound of America performing a concert. In fact it was the concert Marina passed out. I walked through again pointing out to everyone...ooo look here's where Marina fainted.

outside of Notre Dame. :-)

Then after Notre Dame we went to meet Mike and Joe. They wanted to meet us in Paris but their flight didnt arrive until Friday morning. We helped them find their hotel and check-in. In the meantime we went and bought stuff for our picnic at Versailles. We got huge French baguettes and packed them in a bag as well as some fruit and 5 or 6 different types of cheese. Then we met back up with Mike and Joe and got on the train to Versailles. We walked to the back of the palace to the gardens where we had our very French picnic. The bread and cheese were absolutely amazing. It was so classy and wonderful. The weather was perfect it was gorgeous. Also, versailles is like one of my favorite places ever. After our picnic we all fell asleep in the grass for a few minutes. See Mom and Dad I'm not the only one who naps.

Picnic!

Gardens at Versailles, near where we had our picnic.

Jumping pictures at the gardens!

Eventually we got up, took pictures in the garden and then got up to tour the palace. The palace is supposed to be free because we are students in the European Union but because our visas aren't for a full 6 months they made us pay. The French are very particular and most definitely not the nicest people in the world. Anyway it was worth it because Versailles is just simply gorgeous. However, after our very long picnic it was kinda late and they were closing so we did not have much time. I've been before so it didnt really matter to me but I think we managed to see it all before we left. Then we got back on the train to get back into Paris. Our next stop was the Eiffel Tower. The lines were of course out of control but Sabira, Jesnie and Joe had never been to the top. You can't go to Paris and not climb the Eiffel Tower so we decided to get in line and deal with it. Vinh, Katie and Mike opted out of climbing the tower because they've done it before and didn't want to pay again. I've done it before too but I didn't want to just wait outside so I paid to do it again. The lines getting in the elevator on the way up weren't too bad but the way down was long. We planned it perfectly so the sun was setting as we were getting to the top. So we got views of it in both daylight and at night. Also while we were in it, the lights turned on and did the little twinkle thing, so it was fun. We got stuck in a long line on the way down and conveniently there was a Ben & Jerry's on that platform. So I ate Ben & Jerry's while I waited to get down, so not ok. I need to stop eating. When we finally got down Mike, Katie and Vinh were very much ready to go. Everyone was ready to get dinner but it had gotten kinda of late so we decided to do something quick and cheap. We went over near Katlin's apartment because they have a lot of really good crepe places over there. So for dinner we got savory crepes. I got one with some French cheese, onions and peppers. It was absolutely delicious, like phenomenal. I believe we also got a sweet crepe but I'm not quite sure. All I know is I ate a lot of crepes while in Paris, it was a little out of control.

The next day we all agreed to meet at the Louvre early in the morning. We get in free because we are students so that is really nice. I'm not really into art at all so not having to pay for it was definitely a plus. Katie gave us the quick tour through because she's done it so many times before to all the most famous pieces of art. Which was perfect because none of us really wanted to spend an excessive amount of time there. Jesnie and Sabira actually did want to spend some quality time there so we split off from them. They used their guide book to look at everything and then Katie, Vinh and I brought Joe and Mike to see Notre Dame because they missed it the morning before. The line was too long this time though so we didnt go back inside. The inside in my opinion is not that exciting. I think it is much nicer on the outside. So they wandered around the church looking at it while I sat in front. My feet did not do well in Paris and I was in a lot of pain so I sat trying to fight off all the gypsies. Then we got sandwiches from a stand outside Notre Dame, mine was called a croque-monsieur I think. They put the ham and some sauce inside the bread but the cheese on the outside of the bread. It was really delicious whatever it was. Then we met back up with Jesnie and Sabira at the catacombs. So supposably for sanitary reasons they cleaned out the French cemeteries and put all the bones underground in this one spot in Paris. The boys all wanted to see it and we kind of got dragged along. We went deep underground like walked a long time farther and farther into these dark tunnels. It was weird, it kind of felt like a disney world ride but the bones were actual real. We got yelled at for taking pictures with the flash. I'm not really sure why they were concerned with a flash wearing away at the bones, aren't they rotting anyway? Anyway we finished with that and went to the church called sacre coeur. It is a really really pretty white church near the place we got cheese fondue. Before climbing up to the church we got crepes. This time mine had banana, nutella, almonds, and whip cream. It was absolutely delicious. Then we were heading up the stairs and Katie warned us of these people that try to tie bracelets on your arms and then you have to pay for them. I was like whatever we'll be fine. No, these people were crazy. We literally had to put our hands in our pocket and shove them off us. They were out of control. Then these other people tried to get us to sign a petition and one of the ladies tried to steal Jesnie's crepe. These Paris gypsies are CRAZY. Anyway we finally made it to the top of the stairs to the church. It was really beautiful and kinda different from the other churches around Paris/Europe. Then to the left of the church is a nice little area where you can see a nice view of Paris and the eiffel tower. Oh yeah, the church is on top of a hill so you can see almost all of Paris so it's really really nice. Well then my nose started bleeding for no reason at all. So we decided to sit on the steps of the church until it stopped bleeding. There were tons of people hanging out on the stairs and all sorts of entertainment. There was this man singing with his guitar who was actually pretty good and he got the whole audience singing along with him. BUT more exciting was this amazing soccer juggler who was doing all these crazy tricks. I tried to upload a video but Italian internet won't let me. :-( But he was so amazing! Katie looked him up later and found out he is actually world famous. He was so talented.

After we were extremely entertained by the soccer player we went over to the Moulin Rouge area. Supposably it is really dangerous at night but during the day time it's just a tourist spot. We say the Moulin Rouge with the windmill thing out front from the movie. Then I got Starbucks and we went home to take a nap and change before dinner for Vinh's birthday. All of us met back up at the Arc De Triomphe to take pictures before the sunset.

Then we had dinner at Laudrée it the most amazing place ever. Melissa told me to go to get pastries here the first time I went to Paris and I have yet to stop talking bout them since I was in Paris 3 years ago. They are just beyond amazing, simply incredible. But this time we decided to go big and get the full dinner. The restaurant itself is like a mini mansion and it is decorated in the most classy way ever. Katie and I made everyone go to the bathroom just because the upstairs is so amazing. My first course was this butternut squash soup. Then I got this chicken and wild mushroom dish that was served on top of the most amazing buttery croissant. After was dessert which Vinh's was served with a cute little candle. I got the raspberry pastry thing that I remember o so well from the last time I was at Laudrée. It was just as delectable as I remembered it. Then we also got two macaroons. By this point I literally felt like I was going to explode but it was all just so amazing. Just the fact that we all had dinner at Laudrée on the Champs de Elysee was an unreal experience. It was the perfect way to start off Vinh's birthday.

Then we ran to the subway so that we could be out before midnight. We got off in front of the pyramid at the Louvre which was lit up all nice at night and at midnight we sang Happy Birthday to Vinh in multiple languages. The eiffel tower then also went off. The lights all flash which I think is really pretty and I thought looked like a big birthday candle. Cheesy but it was a great addition to our fabulous evening.

Us outside of Laudrée before dinner.

Vinh's birthday dessert.

The next morning Sabira, Joe and Mike had to catch early flights back home. Vinh went to meet up with his family. They took him out for lunch and made him a cake for his birthday. While Vinh was his family Jesnie, Katie and I went to the Paris Opera house. It was the opera house that Phantom of the Opera is based off of so I really wanted to go. Last time we came to Paris we tried to go but it had already closed so I wanted to make sure I saw it this time. It was actually really really beautiful. They claim there is actually a small lake underneath but they don't let you see it and I'm not sure I believe it. After Jesnie and Katie got French onion soup and I got a goat cheese salad at a café. Then we said bye to Katie and thanked her for the most amazing weekend. It really was flawless and simply wonderful. Then Jesnie and I got a train to meet Vinh who was with his family who also bought us Vietnamese sandwiches (they are so good and we used to get them in nyc all the time). Another one of his cousins drove us to the airport which was really nice of them because this airport was about an hour and a half outside of Paris. We all fell asleep on the way. Once we got to the airport we checked in and then ate our Vietnamese sandwiches. Then we flew home. Again I fell asleep on the entire flight, I am starting to get really good at that. Then we arrived in Pisa and caught the bus back to Florence. I was wide awake on the bus from all the sleeping I had previously done. So the bus ride home I spent realizing what little time I had left of study abroad. It made me so upset I was about to cry the whole way home.

From then on that's all I think about. Anytime anyone mentions going home, I'm that girl that's on the verge of tears making everyone else upset. I don't want this fairy tale of a lifestyle to end.

Buona Pasqua-Easter Dinner.

Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Luke 24:46-47

Easter dinner made everyone a little sad. Usually we are all with our families, cousins, relatives, neighbors, etc. to celebrate and to be together. However, seeing we are all 4,00 miles or more from home that was not exactly an option. To me it seemed like the perfect opportunity for an Easter dinner party. So I invited everyone on facebook but only a few people seemed to be interested. So Victoria and I sat down and made a menu for about 10 people figuring we were overestimating by a lot. We were in Venice all day on Saturday and knew that most grocery stores would be closed on Easter so we asked Krysten if she could go for us on Saturday. She willingly agreed and ended up carrying enough groceries for all of us from the store all by herself. Her arms have bruises on them from how heavy the bags were. I felt awful and told her she should have gotten a cab and added it to the grocery bill. So after word got out that we were cooking Easter dinner our head count grew exponentially to 17 people. Victoria and I were very concerned we weren't going to have enough food so we went and found a small deli that was open and was able to grab a few more things. The menu was lasagna, baked ziti (vegetarian version), salad, garlic bread and tiramisu for dessert. Earlier that day our PA Antonio came up and taught us how to make tiramisu. It is actually fairly easy especially in Italy where all the ingredients are really accessible. Then I cut up 5 loaves of garlic bread and then Mary and Danielle buttered them. Finally I seasoned them with a plethora of seasonings. I also cut up veggies to add to the salad and then we got ready to tackle the big project, the lasagna. None of us actually knew how to make lasagna and all tried calling home to Moms, grandmothers, grandfathers, Dads, uncles but no one picked up. Everyone was either out at church, or still sleeping because of the time difference or just not picking up. Finally I got a hold of my Grandpa Hoehn who ensured us that we were in fact doing it right. We made one big tray and one small tray of lasagna and then made two trays of baked ziti as well. Vinh, Victoria, Paul, and I did most of the cooking. And a few other people helped cook some of the other food in the kitchen downstairs because it wouldn't all fit in our oven. Finally at around like 9 pm all 17 of us were there with hot food ready to eat like one big family. I led everyone in grace thanking Jesus for Easter day the food and our wonderful times together (even though there were multiple religions represented) I felt it was necessary, it was Easter dinner after all.

Then slowly in shifts people split up washing the dishes and we served the tiramisu. Also everyone paid Krysten back for groceries and most of us put in a few extra for her labor. So 17 people ate for only 4-5 euro each. The dinner ran so smoothly and it was just really wonderful. Also, I now know that I am capable of throwing a 17 person dinner party. It was no substitute to being with our families but it was a great way for us to spend time together and celebrate Easter.

Only one table at Easter dinner.

The main chefs.

Florentine Adventures Mary and Jen style

So during the week we didn't have much time to sight see because I had class. Also the hour commute back and forth eats up the day very quickly. Monday we stopped at Mama's for breakfast (naturally) and headed up to campus early so I could show Mary around. Vinh and I gave her a quick tour and then Mary had the joy of experiencing what we call "Death Valley" across campus to get to Villa Ulivi. Waiting for us at Ulivi was hot nutella croissants!!!! I think they made Mary a little sick so she wasn't as obsessed with them as the rest of us crazy NYU kids are. Mary sat in the cafe while I went to Italian for an hour. Then we moved outside on this big stone table to do try and do work and upload pictures from Staletti. It was a beautiful day and it was so great to be outside but unfortunately the peace to not last long. First the drawing class decided to come outside and we thought we had to move. However the teacher was nice and said we weren't in the way at all. Also Vinh is in that class so he just drew while Mary and I failed at trying to get work done. But then the Music kids came out and decided to try and sight read outside. So we had the joy of listening to 15 music kids sing random notes for a solid hour. It was awful but really provided Mary with a 'true' NYU experience. Then we caught the bus home and stopped at McDonalds because we were starving, I know pathetic but I can't help it. I miss America sometimes. We had originally planned to go out to eat but instead decided to make dinner with some people from downstairs.

Tuesday we wanted to wake up early but ended up sleeping and stopping at the Oil Shoppe for lunch. Since there were so many of us we decided to cab it to campus. It was such an amazing feeling to not have to walk but it's too expensive for it to be an option again. Then Mary did work while I went to Italian and then we came right home because we wanted to climb the duomo. It was raining though and we wanted our pictures to be really nice so we decided to wait and instead we just got gelato and came home. Then we met up with Pratik and some of the other London kids that were visiting Florence and went to Il Gatto e La Volpe one of our favorite pasta places for dinner. They also have that amazing balsamic vinegar to dip the bread in..perfection. After dinner a lot of us had to go to a Marketing night lecture at a FIAT show room where this lady talked up FIATs and her business. During the lecture she let us sit inside the FIATs but I was dumb and chose to sat in the backseat. There is NO room in those little cars so my legs were numb by the time her presentation was over. After our lecture a bunch of us got together to go to this place where a Beatles cover band comes every Tuesday night. It is really funny these Italians try to be the Beatles and they actually are really good. Mary loves the Beatles so I figured it would be a fun/random activity.

Wednesday I had politics early in the morning so Mary slept in and walked to campus with Jesnie. After Italian I had to stay on campus until 6 pm for a marketing lecture so Mary and I devoted the day to catching up on work. Mary wrote her whole paper. I was proud to have got some things done although I was not as productive as her. Then we came home and got Gusta Pizza, my favorite pizza place in all of Italy. That night I asked them if they had onions and would put them on my pizza. Perfection, so delicious. We just sort of relaxed the rest of the evening and planned out our weekend.

Thursday everyone has class early in the morning and then Italian until 2:45 pm. So Mary decided to stay home and explore Florence a little on her own while we were in class. Then after I got back from class we went to get some coffee from Mama's because I was exhausted and Mary got a bagel. All of a sudden while sitting in the bagel shop the nice sunshine went away and hail chunks started falling. We were like umm, ok and waited inside of the coffee shop for a little bit until the sun came back out again. Then we headed over to the Boboli gardens which were really stunning and I got to get in free with my student museum pass. Unfortunately I thought my camera was broken so I didnt get to take any pictures. Aside from the gardens being really nice the view of Florence were really awesome and Mary got some great pictures. Then we crossed the Ponte Vecchio and looked in all the gold shops at really nice jewelry that we could not afford. We also did some normal shopping and Mary got some things and discovered Zara, which is in the USA but really big in Europe. We also went to the Leather Market with the Boar. Supposably the story goes that if you rub its snout you will someday return to Florence. So we took the touristy pictures with the pig and then moved on to the big leather market near Mercato Centrale.

We were casually walking through the market and I was on my phone when all of a sudden Mary disappeared. I was like where'd mary go? And some street vendor was like your friend? and I was like yes Dove la mia amica? He goes oh this way I'll take you. So we walked arm and arm down the street to find Mary who had been convinced by some other Italian man to try on coats in his store. I am laughing and speaking in Italian to them. They were very excited and I hoped this would get Mary a better deal. Then we found out the lady working in the store has family in Calabria and I'm Calabrese and everyone was excited. And it was just chaos and happening so fast. Then next thing we know Mary's coat got reduced because she's student, then because I'm italian, then probably another discount because she is beautiful and then more because she paid with cash. After 5 min of commotion and laughter Mary had a new Florentine leather jacket. It was great. Then we had to go back to other street vendor's store who had helped me find Mary. He tried to convince me to buy a jacket but I told him that I could not buy one today that I needed my money to go to Paris and London (all in Italian, my Italian is finally starting to kick-in). Then I told him I'd come back so he gave me a business card and then asked me if we wanted to go out that night. I kindly replied no and Mary and I ran down the street to escape before we got ourselves in more trouble. That night we went to our other favorite pizza place because it's so cheap A Casa Mia and I got the most amazing Calzone. The cheese inside was so fresh it was absolutely delicious. It was very eventful day, to say the least.

Friday we woke up and got ready to try and do all the touristy things in Florence. First we tried to climb the Duomo but it was closed until Monday so we climbed the bell tower instead. It almost worked out better because this way we could get the Duomo in our pictures. However the 414 stairs up was HORRIBLE, I honestly was not sure if I could make it at one point. The stair cases get narrower and narrower as you go up and two people cannot really fit. So as one person is going up the other person has to squish themselves against the wall so one person can get down. We have really great videos of our reactions and heavy panting once we get to the top. So we took nice photos from the top, even though it was cloudy it had a great view of Florence.

Me at the top of the bell tower.
Duomo from the bell tower.

Then once we got to the bottom of the bell tower (it took some time because there is no room for anyone to move) it started pouring rain. So naturally we ran into Ben & Jerry's. Obviously we couldn't resist so we got Ben & Jerry's ice cream on top of a waffle drizzled with chocolate syrup. Needless to say, it was delectable! Then by the time we had finished the ran had stopped completely and the sun was out. So we waited in line at the Duomo, walked in to see the inside and then left to go see the David.

Inside the Duomo.

However when we got to the Academia the line was SO long and probably would have taken hours. Then I realized I could just give Mary my museum card and photo idea. We looked enough alike that she got to cut the line walk in for free, see David and Vinh and I waited for her at the exit. It worked out perfectly. Then we headed back to the leather market. This time no major creepers just a really nice Italian guy that Vinh and I talked to. He led us into his shop which was really nice and had great prices. Also he loved that we were speaking in Italian to him and Vinh ended up with a really great messenger bag. Then we headed over to the train station to get our tickets for Venice the next day. After we took the bus from the train station to Piazza Michelangelo where I think has the best view of the city. There is a fake David there that is green from being out side. So by the time we got there it was still sunny and beautiful outside and the view was AMAZING. It was so beautiful. I took video and pictures but it really doesn't capture how awesome it was.

Mary in front of the fake David.

View from Piazza Michelangelo, told you, its amazing!

Mary and I in Piazza Michelangelo.

Us again.

After we picked up a few groceries in case everything was closed on Easter Sunday and Monday for when we returned from Venice. Then I had to fill out summer housing really quickly because I didnt realize it was due that day and we headed over to Golden View. On the way we ran into a parade of Catholics saying prayers and holding candles for Good Friday. It was actually quite erie. Dinner at Golden View is always nice, it is a restaurant located right on the Arno so it overlooks the water and they usually have live music. After dinner we got gelato of course and went to bed.

The girls in Venice on the gondola ride. :-)

Grand Canal Venice.

Early Saturday morning we woke up to catch our train to Venice. It was awful because the train was overbooked because of the Easter holiday and we had to stand for the first hour long train ride to Bologna. In Bologna we were lucky enough to find seats but the train quickly filled up and was jam packed with people. Also children traveling is AWFUL. Dear parents if you cannot control your children do not travel with them. Love the rest of the world. When we got off the train in Venice it was SO crowded, you could barely move down the streets. The five of us Kara, Victoria, Vinh, Mary and I all were meeting up with Allie and Caroline who also happened to be in Venice that weekend at Hard Rock Cafe. Yes, we miss american food that much. However it look an hour to find Hard Rock and get through the mass amounts of people. Once we all finally got to it they said there was a 90 min wait. So we decided to hop on a gondola ride to kill time. The gondola could only fit 6 so Vinh offered to stay back. The ride was only 30 min but it was really enjoyable and the guy let Mary help steer the gondola. She specifically wore her striped shirt to match the gondoliers so it was absolutely perfect. The guy was great too he gave us random facts about Venice and his life as a gondolier. By the time we finished our ride we got a text from Vinh saying our table was ready so the timing was perfect. We all stared without speaking waiting for the waiter to bring us food, we were pathetic. Then we walked around Piazza San Marco which was unfortunately under construction so it did not have its usual charm. I was sad because I wanted everyone else to be as obsessed with as I am. Then we walked along the water and shopped our way back to the train station. We really didnt have much time in Venice at all but Mary and Victoria picked up some really nice glass things and it was a nice day trip. The train home luckily was not as packed so we could relax and spread out a little bit.

Mary steering the gondola.

Sunday. Buona Pasqua! Easter in a Catholic country is obviously a big deal but don't be fooled Italians are more in it for the ritual and celebration than the holy part. At the Duomo there is a big opening ceremony so we all woke up early and made sure to get their to take part. There were all these people dressed in different outfits in front of the church and then obviously the priests and altar boys in their traditional robes. Then a fake dove comes sky rocketing out of the church which then leads this cart on fire. The cart explodes with different fireworks and then releases a white cloud of smoke, a red cloud of smoke and then a purple cloud of smoke. Also the fireworks last for about 10 min and then I think the entire cart is burned. It was hard to see the cart itself but overall it was cool to see.

Different clouds of smoke in front of the Duomo. Also notice the huge crowd.

Also at the end was a parade with all the people in the strange costumes.

After we tried to escape and get back to the leather market because Mary wanted to pick up a few last things. Trying to push through the crowd we hear someone yelling "permesso, permesso!" I was like honestly is someone trying to push through with all these people? Come to find out there are 2 giant bull/oxen things dressed in flowers just walking through this large crowd of people. There was nothing I could do but laugh. Italy is so unpredictable. The leather market was of course filled with adventures yet again. One man told mary that she was Jennifer Lopez's sister and then stared at her lower half. Also another man told Victoria he'd give her half off of a jacket and something about being her boyfriend. Then we all walked back to Maffia for Easter dinner.

Those cows/bulls/oxen were walking down the street, I found a picture of them outside a restaurant but the ones we saw were way bigger.

Easter dinner will be a separate post! Overall we had an amazing week filled with endless adventures and unexpected people oh and of course a ton of food and gelato. It was truly epic and a lot of fun.

Stalettí -Ask and you shall receive.

So I apologize, I am so far behind on my blog. I am also very behind on my school work and just caught up on job applications. Tonight and tomorrow is going to be a very productive time for me, it has to be.

So rewind to perhaps my most dreaded weekend of the semester. I thought it would be a lot of fun to visit Grandma and Grandpa Mellace's hometown but forgot that there wasn't a wikitravel article to guide me, a map to print off the computer, or a basic public transportation. Also that whatever Italian I ever learned needed to be used 24/7. The whole thing took a lot of phone calls and forced me to drop my usual planner self and just go with the flow. It made me so stressed out but led to one of the most amazing weekends of my entire study abroad experience.

Obviously the plane left a little late, we are in Italy and the Pisa airport is not known for efficiency. But we managed to still get there at the scheduled arrival time which was good. Luciano had called about a half hour before my flight to ensure that it was still on time (this is all in Italian of course). When we landed in Lamezia Terme, the airport that Manuella told us to fly into although I'm not sure exactly where it was especially in relation to Staletti. The sun was shining there were palm trees and the Mediterranean Sea was visible from almost everywhere. We were so excited to be where ever exactly we were. Then we passed through the airport and a man met us with a sign that said "Baia Del Est" the name of the hotel that Luciano works at to drive us to the hotel. We followed the taxi driver and he drove and drove and drove. Finally about one hour and 70 euro later we had arrived at the hotel. The hotel is kind of like a resort that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. When we arrived Luciano was there to greet us and make us some cappuccinos and then show us to our room (all in Italian, just assume that everything is spoken in Italian from this point on). The room was perfect there was one big bed in the main room with the TV for Mary and I and then a small bathroom and then a separate small bedroom for Vinh. The balcony had an amazing view of the sea. However, it was very overcast by the time we got to the hotel and because it was off season there were no guests at the hotel. We were basically stranded on the side of a mountain in this great hotel with the Mediterranean Sea but with no signs of civilization and overcast weather that made everything scary, kinda. We decided to go explore until dinner that Luciano told us would be at 7 pm and he'd bring us to his parents house. We walked down the massive hill/cliff and made our way down to the beach.

We just sorta sat on the beach it was too cold for us to really enjoy it and very overcast. Also on top of this we were starving and did not have any way of finding food. Nothing in the town is open because it is off season and there were no people to be found. Then along comes two guys on the beach picking up sticks and building a campfire. We were just like whatever glad to see that some other people are around. All of a sudden one of the guys stopped and said OMG are you guys speaking English? We were like ummm... yes... He was in shock he could not believe there were Americans in Staletti and from that point on we realized everyone in Staletti was going to be amazed by our presence there of all places. He asked us what we were doing here and we explained that my family lived here and that we were staying in the hotel on the side of the mountain. Come to find out him and his friend are culinary students at the hotel Luciano

runs. They pay money to come to Staletti to learn Italian cooking and then return home which for them was Canada or Mexico to be chefs. Both of them were seemed rather bored and unhappy with the program and were excited to speak to other English people. So then I asked them if they knew anywhere we could get food and they said their was a McDonalds in the next town over that was connected to a grocery store. We asked if we could walk but they said it would take about 2 hours, I thought about calling a cab but realized that I didnt have any cab numbers. Then they offered to drive us. All of us were very skeptical about the situation and Mary and Vinh were pretty sure we were plotting our own murder. But in the end it was an adventure and it was totally fine. McDonalds has never tasted better and I have a new outlook on McDonalds. If they can survive and have a location in Staletti they certainly know something about business. After McDonalds we went to the grocery store that was conveniently attached behind it to grab some snacks and food to live off for the weekend for the meals not pre-arranged. Well instead we just explored and ended up with water, a box of crackers, and a thing of cookies. Fail, like how dumb are we? Why wouldnt we have gotten real food to live off? Whatever it worked out fine. Then they guys drove us back to the hotel where we found out we all lived and we got ready to go to dinner with Luciano.

Luciano actually had to stay at the hotel so he introduced us to Diego who drove us up to his parents house, Antoinette and Salvatore. The car ride up the hill was insane going back and forth, back and forth to get even farther up the cliff than our hotel. About 10 min later we arrived at the house where we were greeted by a tiny tiny old Italian lady, Antionette. She had pizzas prepared for us and we politely sat down in the kitchen. Then slowly from different doors and bedrooms 3 more pizzas appeared along with various family members. The dinner started off very quiet and awkward but slowly I started to use my Italian to have some conversations. Also the two little children were providing us with entertainment in return for our attention. Eventually Vinh decided he was going to use the little Italian he learned to try and join the conversation. Within a few short hours our Italian sky rocketed about 5 levels. This was not Florence and no one spoke a word of English. So it was either learn fast or sit their in silence and confusion. Of course I was not going to just be quiet so I used what I knew and it was a lot of fun. Then Salvatore asked us if we wanted to go out with Diego to see the town and hang out with the young people. After our adventure this morning we were up for another adventure. So Diego drove us down the hill and brought us to a Pub type place where all the Italian teenagers hang out. He only spoke Italian as well so it was a lot of fun trying to communicate the whole night. When we arrived we soon found out that it was a karaoke place. One of Diego's friends spoke some English and insisted that we do Karaoke and proceeded to give us the list of karaoke songs. Aside from the Italian songs there were actually a lot of English ones. So Mary and I agreed to sing Mambo No. 5 (5th grade talent show song) but half way through Diego's friend cut us off and changed it to Frank Sinatra's New York, New York. Laughing hysterically we proceeded to sing the whole song very off key but had a lot of fun. Then we sat down and kinda of just relaxed while we watched the other Italians sing karaoke. Turns out Italian karaoke is more like a talent show and anyone who sings is actually trying really hard and showing off. Oops. Mary and I did not get that message but it was fun nonetheless. Eventually we got tired and asked Diego to drive us home. He brought us back right away and was really great about making sure we all had fun at karaoke. He also told us to call him the next day if we wanted to do something or if we needed anything.

The next morning we wake up to sun shining into our room and the whole town of Staletti transformed. The water was glistening blue and green and we could see the rocks underneath in some parts. The whole town looked magical not empty and scary. The sun had literally transformed the city and we could have not been more happy. We had said multiple times, it has to be nice out on Saturday it just has to. Quickly we put on bathing suits, grabbed towels and were about to head back down the mountain. Then we realized we needed to eat something before we left. So I went to ask Luciano if there was anything we could eat and some one from the hotel led us into the room where he made us cappuccinos and they had our favorite nutella croissants, regular croissants, and juice. Ask and you shall receive. So now that we were fed and content we walked down the mountain to the beach where we laid out all day relaxing in the sunshine. It could not have been more perfect, the whole beach was ours. Everyday in Florence I had been saying how I wanted to just be tan and visit somewhere with a beach because everywhere we visit our cities. Well, ask and you shall receive. Three hours later we decided to climb back up the hill to find food. Feeling a little sunburnt I could not have been happier. I again went to ask Luciano if there was somewhere we could find lunch nearby or for a cab number to bring us to a restaurant. He told us to go to our rooms and that he'd come get us in like 15 min. About 5 min, our doorbell rings and a hotel worker has a basket of paninis and appetizers for us. Ask and you shall receive. It was so perfect. So we sat on our balcony eating lunch overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Then we all showered and go ready for Ornella and Rosario to come pick us up.

Ornella went to high school with my parents so conveniently she spoke English and gave us a break from our very Italian filled 24 hours. Her and her husband bought us gelato in a nearby town and we walked along a boardwalk near the beach. It was really beautiful, more developed than where the hotel was. There was a soccer game going on and kids riding bikes it was just really adorable. Then the wind picked up and the sand was blowing so bad we had to run back to the cars. After we got in the car I asked Ornella if we could go visit Manuella and Pepe because I was originally going to stay with them and didnt want to leave without at least saying hi. They also speak some English so it was a little bit easier for Mary and the rest of us to communicate with them. Manuella gave us these really amazing cookies one with cream and chocolate in the middle and the other that tasted like the rosette cookies Grandma makes at christmas. Then Pepe showed us old pictures he had of all the Mellaces, Melissa's wedding, Grandma & Grandpa's Anniversary photo, Jerry's wedding, random other pictures. Vinh and Mary thought it was funny to see us all so little and I promised Pepe I would send him more updated pictures. Not only do we all look different but he's missing a few cousins! Some one remind me when I get back! We also tried this drink that tasted like a carbonated Iced Coffee it was really strange but I kind of liked it. After visiting Manuella, Pepe and all of their kids and grandkids Pepe brought us to see Grandma & Grandpa Mellace's old house. I had mentioned something to Ornella about it and when she mentioned it to Pepe his face lit up. He had not been there since they left in 1960s and was so excited to show us.

Pictured above is Grandpa Mellace's house and below is me in front of Grandma Mellace's house.

We drove through the town and then past this castle into these tiny, tiny, tiny little streets. I have seen small streets before. In Florence I have squished against the wall as taxis drive through but this was unlike anything I have seen before. I really didnt know if we would make it. Then Pepe hoped out of the car and we all followed into this little place where he pointed out Grandpa's house that had this cute little balcony and then Grandma's house. They literally live less than a block away. It's hard to explain the houses because they were set up so that you could only walk from place to place. There was no room for cars or even horses, it was strictly to walk through. All of the houses were on top of each other and it was just so adorable. I dont know how to describe it. And I forgot my video camera, probably the worst time ever to not bring it. Also, Pepe being excited and energetic proceeded to walk into Grandma Mellace's old house and was surprised when it was locked. Then these two very old people came up to the door and Pepe explained the situation and they let us in. Of course they were watching the Pope on RAI when we walked in. Typical. Then the old man told Ornella who was translating because his dialect was so strong I did not understand a word, that the room adjacent to the living room was where Grandma Mellace and Nonna used to make cheese. He also remembers buying the house from her back in 1959 (Grandma says 1962 but regardless that's a long time ago). It was really quite an amazing and unreal experience. After that Pepe went home and Ornella and Rosario brought us back to their home. They had planned to bring us to a pizza place but were waiting for it to open and wanted to wait until we were hungry. Their house was very nice and Ornella showed us pictures of everyone that she had from home and of her parents 50th Anniversary party and yes Mom and Dad you were in it. We watched some TV they had a huge flat screen TV with like 500 channels. I had not seen a TV like that since I've been in America and was shocked to see that anywhere on the mountain could get that many channels! We also watched Gli Amici which was Ornella's favorite Italian game show. After we started to get hungry, so Ornella and Rosario right away brought us to their favorite pizza place. The pizza was really delicious and they treated us even though it was not necessary. After they brought us to get caffé and cappuccinos. Ornella wanted us to dry this dessert where they put espresso on top of gelato but unfortunately they had not started making gelato yet for the season. She was disappointed that we didnt get to try it but we promised to try and find it in Florence. Then they brought us back to our hotel and walked us over to say bye to Luciano. A little while before this Mary was said, "you know what would really top off our day, is if we could go dancing." Well we walked up to the lobby to say bye to Luciano (he told us to say good bye tonight because he wouldnt be at the hotel early enough on Sunday to say bye) and there were tons of people in the hotel. Supposably on Saturday nights they do a dinner and then everyone dances after (kinda like a wedding). Luciano asked us if we wanted to dance with everyone later and that it started at 11 pm. Ask and you shall receive. We told him we would be back. However, we all got tired and instead decided to just say thank you for everything, pay him for the room and go to sleep. It had been such an amazing day but we were exhausted.

The next morning we woke up to more beautiful sunshine and said good-bye to our little paradise located in the middle of nowhere somewhere in Calabria. As we waited for Ornella and Rosario to pick us up at the airport we reflected on how perfect the weekend was. It really was. Everyone was so wonderful and we would have never been able to survive with each and every one of them. Then Ornella and Rosario picked us up and drove us an hour to the airport. Even though we insisted we'd be fine they waited for us to check-in and made sure we got to our flight ok. Thank God we did because this airport happened to do things differently than the other 10 airports we've traveled to and we needed Ornella to help us. We said bye and thanked them for EVERYTHING. They were two of the nicest people ever and so generous. We truly were going to miss their company and want to meet up with them when they return to Rome.

We made our flight perfectly and landed in Pisa around 1 pm. Then we decided to spend the day in Pisa and take the typical, cheese, tourist pictures in front of it. We spent some quality time trying to be creative but the pictures didnt quite capture what we were going for. We got lunch in Pisa and then caught the train back to Florence. The weekend was magical. It could not have been more amazing and it was dumb how much I stressed over it. Italy has taught me to relax a little but Staletti did not give me an option. I had to relax, enjoy life for what it was, and rely on family and other amazing people to take care of us. I cannot wait to get back and tell Grandma everything and show her all the pictures Mary, Vinh, and I took. It turned out to be a perfect weekend. Ask and you shall receive.