Plan?... What's A Plan?

This weekend was so busy I did not have time to write until now!

Let's see if I remember everything I did. (I will have to reference my budget book for assistance)

Friday:

I decided that I wanted to go to the bus station, close my eyes, point, and travel to any town I land on. My friends said they were all for this idea, however, I still sensed some hesitation in their voices. I am pretty sure I was the only one who was 100% "gun ho" to carry out this plan. When morning came, Alex, Caitlin, and I blindly traveled to the station. We arrived at the train station, and quickly realized we had no idea where the bus station was, nor did we have any clue as to how to find it. 

Right when I was losing hope of my idea of having an adventure filled non-planned out day, we finally found it. It was across the street and around the corner. Duh. Perhaps a sign would be a good investment for future adventurous American students. 

Anyway, we got there and I picked! Saltino it was! 3.00 euro and 5 minutes later we were on the bus and on our way to... some place called Saltino. We were excited and iffy at the same time.

After about an hour of Caitlin thinking we should get off at every stop the bus made, we finally arrived. Except we made it to the small small town of Pontessieve. Hm. 

Everything happens for a reason right?

We accepted it and decided to explore. 

It was a cute little town, hidden in the hills of Tuscany. It was so small, no one spoke English. This would have been a major problem for me if Alex was not with us, seeing that she speaks Italian very well and I can only read and write it as of now. 

The three of us shopped and ate some amazing food. We got weird looks because this is not really a place for tourists. 

The town itself comes off a bit rough looking. I guess I did not notice as much until I just edited my photos, but I am partially blaming that on the rainy weather and winter cold. This is just suburbia Tuscany, regular people living every day in as if it is normal to see mountains in the background or be surrounded by 

vineyards. 

After walking around in the drizzle for a few hours, we decided it was time to go back home. 

A nice lady directed us to the right bus stop. When we started to run after what we thought was our bus, she in a very stern manner told us to NOT get on that one, and proceeded to guide us until we were safely tucked onto the right transportation path. I was so gracious, but I am pretty convinced that she thinks we are idiots. 

That is fine with me.

Saturday:

We thought it might be best to plan a little bit before the next trip. This time, we were going to Siena!

I was so excited because all I heard about was how beautiful it was. I mapped out the city, and planned some activities according to those recommended by the traveler guide my sister got me for Christmas. Before I realized, we were back on the bus again- this time I was a pro at finding our stop and right bus to get on. Alex, Caitlin, and I showed Tiara and Adriana how it's done. 

We actually got off at the right stop this time =]

We arrive and it was slushy, rainy, snowy, and cold.All at the same time. It was gross and I was unhappy about it.

The city was gorgeous- but I felt like I could not really enjoy it because we were all so cold, and the pictures did not even turn out that good. 

I had planned on us going to an art gallery and to St. Catherine's house where her and her 24 siblings lived. Each room has been turned into a little chapel, filled with paintings by local artists back in the 1800's. It sounded beautiful, but by the time we got there, there were prayer services in those rooms so it was closed. I was disappointed to say the least.

The Piazza Del Campo (pictured below) was really cool though.

We ate at the cutest little restaurant tucked into  a small alleyway leading to the Piazza. It was adorable and delicious.  

During the summer, people fill the middle of the square and there are horse races here. Apparently, it is very intense. From the pictures I saw of the event, it looks like such a cool thing to go to. 

I loved the city, and my friends and I already planned on coming back to see the monasteries which are outside the city walls, about a half hour into the hills of Tuscany by foot. I guess now we just have an excuse to come back twice!

Sunday:

I went to San Lorenzo. I am addicted to that place I swear. I finally got my journals. 

Only two of them are mine- the bottom two. One I carry everywhere, the other I will use as an actual journal. The leather is SO soft on these it is crazy. I am in love =]

I did not go any place BIG over the weekend, but I think overall, it was a success. I will make a point on going SOMEWHERE every weekend. Even just day trips.

There are a lot of trips up and coming, I will not ruin the surprises, but they are very exciting I can assure you!

Ciao!

You can call me Macklemore

Macklemore: A rapper who has a hit called "Thrift Shop" which is a song I recommend to all those who either love a good beat, or thrift shopping. 

Emily showed me, Caitlin, and Katerie where the flea market was yesterday. I was instantly grateful for this before I had even seen the place.

For a while I thought it would be impossible to get to, and I will tell you why:

The first thing to mention is the hours of it. It is only open on Tuesdays from 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM. How annoying is that? Thank goodness I only have class until 10:15 AM that day. 

WooHoo!

It is also quite a hike from my apartment. On the map it looks like it is fairly close in proximity- oh no. I feel like I walked to a totally different town.

It was weird because the flea market is in the park area, so clearly there is grass, leaves, and trees, which gave me a funny feeling. I had not smelled those things in so long, that it hit me so hard and reminded me of home so much. I loved it. 

I never thought I would say this- but I miss the smell of grass? 

The market itself is huge. It would take the whole six hours it is open every week just to get through it all- which totally gives me a reason to go back next week and explore some more =]. 

I felt like Macklemore because there are just mounds of vintage clothes that are such good finds and all for cheap! I got a dress and cardigan yesterday for 7 euro. my friend Emily got boots for 5! There is jewelry and  purses, fresh vegetables and fruits, plants, there is stuff for everyone. There is even bunnies. Which were very tempting let me tell you.

After we were there for a while, we were starving since we hiked just to get there.  There are food stands lining the edges of the market like at a carnival. The only difference is that there are slabs of fresh meat being cut right then and there. It is clearly fresh and sooo good. Well two stands did not seem to like each other. The families were screaming at each other in Italian and at one point the lady stepped off her stoop and onto the other family's (where we were standing). I thought there was going to be a brawl. 

I just wanted Emily and Caitlin to get their sandwiches so we could leave the scene. I decided to get food elsewhere, and I am glad because my friend's ended up being cow stomach. OKAY YEAH. 

It was pretty entertaining though, I have to say. 

Finally it was Mexican Night! I just got some Tostadas.. and this extremely large margarita.

Mine is the dark pink one with the blueberries. YUM.

Also, please notice my lovely phone in the corner of the table. That is my legit phone.

Well- time to start my day.

Ciao!

Look, I'm A Model

So I did this really dumb thing and gave up chocolate for lent. -__-

Why do I do such things? 

Before I committed myself to this, however, I went to the chocolate festival... twice.

 JUST TO GET IT OUT OF MY SYSTEM. 

Now I am all on board with this promise of "self discipline" I am involved in now.

This festival of chocolate was very similar to what I think heaven will be like. 

There was chocolate that was big, chocolate that was small, chocolate chocolate, it had them all. 

I saw dark, milk, and white of course, but also orange, banana, coconut, coffee pistachio, almond, hazelnut, walnut,   really any type of nut. There was mint, there was SPICY chocolate, there was alcohol infused chocolate and hemp chocolate! There was chocolate on a stick, chocolate in a cup (better known as hot chocolate here), chocolate stuffed pastries and donuts, waffles and strawberries covered in chocolate, chocolate that was shaped as various things like.. a coffee maker or a shoe. There were truffles, covered raisins, fudge slabs, bars, pretty little squares, and boxes. Most importantly though, there were FREE SAMPLES.

Can you see now why I went twice? - Many of you I know just took back that initial judgement that was developed after the third line.

I limited myself on what I was going to buy the first day. I decided to go simple and get some chocolate covered raisins, espresso beans, and ones filled with sambuca. Those may have gotten me a little drunk- so I am glad I didn't go with the grappa. I also got a hot chocolate of course. The second time around me and Alex split a bag of the most amazing truffles I have ever had. I felt a little nauseous after round 2 because I knew it was my last time eating such things and I definitely did not hold back.

This fair wasn't just a colony of chocolate stands just hanging out in a Piazza- there were presentations and activities as well. The school's bakery, Fedora, had a few demonstrations on what their students have been learning so far. My professor happens to be the man in charge of this wonderful week of no shame and so i got my friends and I passes to watch and have free samples for one of them. 

It was a "cold technology" show, so basically they made various things like sorbet, ice cream, and chocolate with liquid nitrogen. It was really cool- it looked like a witches cauldron. 

Everything was really good- except I didn't try the sorbet that was made (pictured above) because it was paired with olives. Ew.

There were people crowded around the table, anyone could come watch but not necessarily eat the sample. The weirdest thing happened- a homeless man/beggar- which are quite common here- came up in front of everyone looking for a handout. He was this giant person who was bundled head to toe and smelled of pipe tobacco and vermouth or something. When he saw there were a few of these left on the table, he preceded to eat the remaining five samples. This all happened directly in front of my face. I actually had to move out of the way just so I did not get stepped on. It was the most bizarre thing and everyone, both Italians and Americans, looked at each other half way in disgust and confusion. 

Whatever it was all apart of the experience.

The next day my friend Caitlin somehow talked me into going to a Synagogue for her world religions class. I was actually very happy I went. It was gorgeous. I was not able to take pictures inside- the security check was pretty high there.

But right when we walked past the gates, I felt like I was in another land. It had palm trees and such outside, and the architecture of it just had an "Arabian Nights" feel to it. 

On the inside, from the walls to the ceilings of the domes and everything, there was a very detailed and colorful design that was hand painted. It was overwhelming but beautiful at the same time. I do not know much about the deep deep history of the Jewish community, but there was a small museum inside where it showed the design of the ghettos they were forced to stay in here in Florence during the 1700 -1800's. It was interesting. There were ceremonial garments on display, so I had to of course make a Seinfield reference by pointing and whispering to my friend: "I like the hat" - George. 

In other news:

I have recently become a model. 

Although it was quite obvious that it was my path in life, it all just happened so fast. 

Don't I look beautiful? =]
**Mom let me know if you want copies, I am thinking "Christmas card 2013"**

But back to reality- you are all probably wondering what I am talking about and are asking why I am standing there with a scarf tacked around my face. 

The answer: I live with a photographer and I am the guinea pig to her creative creations.

 She asked me if I could be her model, I instantly began to blush, eagerly agreed, and fixed myself up right away. Let me tell you, I was feeling PRETTY DAMN GOOD, I was ready for my closeup. 

Then she came at me with a scarf. 

My moment was short lived.
During the shoot, I was actually bizarrely comfortable. I think at one point I began to doze off. I did the "vogue" dance a few times, which I thought was a great idea for shooting. Ya know, throwing a little Madonna inspiration in the mix, representing Michigan to the fullest. She did not find that as brilliant as I, so I just went with the flow from that point on.
**Dad if you are reading, it was somewhat similar to the cardboard Sr. Laverne directing traffic idea you had years ago**

In all seriousness- I was happy to help her out. I made her give me the ones that were not "quality photos" - just in case I ever decide to build up a modeling portfolio for myself. That is this one above- I took a picture of the real picture so it looks much better in person.

She has a whole bunch of different angles, and I know I am the last person who should be making any sort of input when it comes to the art of photography, but I think they turned out really good!

 Alex is a wonderful photographer with so much talent and potential! I can tell it is something she really loves, and I am honored to be a part of it. Please do not take my sarcasm as an insult to her creations- I am just poking fun at myself. 

I will be her guinea pig anytime. 

=]

Ciao!

Challenge Accepted

Today I went on a field trip to the Mazzei Company Winery. My professor told me we could go and it would be free because our class is doing a project for them. 

That opportunity was not about to be passed up- I jumped on it immediately, and I am so glad I did.

I finally got to see (a very small) part of the hills of Tuscany.

When we arrived I was actually very surprised at the main building where everything is done. It was small and modern. I guess many wineries are switching over to this type of design and vision for their business. I always thought of Italian wineries, or any wineries for that matter, housed in an old castle-like place that is oozing with history, culture, and wisdom. 

Either way- the speaker had my full attention- I was ready to learn about some wine!

I saw how it was made, blended, aged, and finally bottled. 

The I got to drink some. =] Not like a $15.00 bottle- I am talking wine priced at 70.00 Euro. I won't lie- I felt a little fancy.

After, when we were driving through the breathtaking hills to get to good ol' Florence I started thinking about my experience so far, and how fast time has flown by already. 

"I am driving through the hills of Tuscany. I literally got tired of taking pictures of the landscape. It doesn't capture the essence and feeling you get when you see it- so I thought I would just enjoy it.

This has made me realize how comfortable I have gotten with the Florence life. It makes me uncomfortable to think how quickly a person can get used to their surroundings, no matter the situation. The past half hour, the ideas, goals, dreams, and challenges I have set for myself have been running through my head. I cannot let myself forget them- I can't let myself forget them. I know that as I am here and I learn more and more, my "bucket list" is only going to grow.

I am reminding myself of this because believe it or not, I have already began to lose focus. Not necessarily from an academic perspective, but more so in my own life:

Which I think is the worst because usually these are the aspirations that other people don't know about- so there is no one to keep you on track or point out when you are veering off the path. It is me myself and I that needs to remember why I am here and the type of person I want to be when I leave. 

 People seem to find a niche, then fall into a comfort zone which allows us to subconsciously  limit ourselves in terms of potential and growth. My plan when coming here was to NOT do that. So therefore, I had to actually tell myself to keep pushing and challenging myself by doing things that seem scary, difficult, even impossible. Allowing myself to be open like this is only going to enhance my time here. 

Falling into that "rut" is my biggest fear I think. Not seeing all of Europe or Italy is something I can live with, but not doing all I know NEED to experience, enjoy, and see, will be something I can never get back or do later in life. The time is now. I need to make the most out of each day- each moment even. I am here to learn- for my education and career yes, but mainly about myself- my ambition, drive, and passion."

 So all of these thoughts came into my mind when reflecting on last night's Valentine's Day celebrations. I run with a large group, so it is hard to plan things, but for some reason I was put in charge of the dinner selection. Even though a majority of us wanted to go to a romantic Italian restaurant (with a pack of girls no less), my roommates ended up booking an Argentine place. To say the least, I was upset. I figured I came here to eat Italian, not Hispanic, and if I wanted that type of food I would have studied there. I was being ridiculous basically. To give myself the smallest credit though, many people did not participate because of said restaurant choices, so I was not alone in this feeling. 

Half way through the dinner- after I ordered a pizza just to be difficult, I stopped and noticed how good of a time we were all having.  My narrow mindedness blocked me from seeing that I should be open to everything- who cares where we go? It is the experience, not the location. Later on I apologized, for being 5 years old and ended up having an amazing night. 

Good news- I made it to a secret bakery! Turns out it is literally down the street from my apartment. Go figure. That may be dangerous as time goes on. I know what people mean now when they say "follow the smell." It is so true.  

This story is very much a ... I guess "textbook" example of how not to behave or think, but it is stupid stuff like that that get people caught up, it leads to other limitations. Thinking about it also got my thinking about how much I have fallen into a routine with classes, friends, and activities. I will not form a clutch here that hinders the independent "gun-ho" spirit I had on day three. I will not I will not I will not.

I WILL:

Try new things.

Be crazy/adventurous. 

Accomplish something everyday.

Everyone back home keep these things and this type of mentality in mind too. You may get a whole new perspective on your life. 

**My mind is sometimes all over the place with this type of stuff- so if it doesn't make sense. I'm sorry. It does up in my noggin.**

 Okay Ciao!!

What's the Difference?

Last week I was talking to my friend Lauren and she asked me, 

"what is the most different in Italy compared to back home?" 

For some reason I was at a loss for words and my mind went blank. I had no idea. I mean there are obvious differences here- that is a given. I realized at that moment, however, that up until this point I had yet to describe said differences and had only vaguely referred to them as "everything" and that they were "everywhere." 

I apologize.

So I decided to go around and try and capture as many things that are extremely different here from good ol'    Michigan.

Not listed in any specific order:

1. Coffee

This here is a picture of my perk. I use this to brew coffee. It makes about a half cup each time. If you know me well enough, you can only imagine how many times a day I use it. (For those who don't it is about 5).

Me and this contraption have become very close due to my coffee addiction. I wish it would grow up though.

2. Laundry

As you can see it has taken over my life. Dryers are not a normal machine to have in the house here in Italy. So I must dry my clothes on this very inconveniently shaped rack. Thank goodness Alex doesn't mind the company in our room. I did not hang my clothes outside on the line because after several comments, I became paranoid they would fall to a filthy death of pigeon feathers and cigarette butts 5 stories down.

By the way- these things, as well as the smaller things like my socks took four days to dry. Please note number three for the reasoning.

3. Heat

This is one of our heater. Granted there are heaters that look like this is America, but the story here is somewhat different. We can only have our heat on six hours a day. It is the law. We have no control over when this happens. Therefore, it is always freezing. So my clothes do not dry. It also is probably why I drink coffee so often. My Puerto Rican roommates suffer everyday. 

4. Grocery Shopping

How cute is this little bag? Just think about walking down to the little market to pick up grocery items and wheeling it home. It is a simple idea. However, it is poorly thought out for those who LIVE ON THE 5TH FLOOR. I had to drag this thing up the stairs when it was filled with heavy items. It gave me flashbacks of my first day here. The cobblestone and small sidewalks also make this quite inconvenient. It flips over on average 3 times every trip I make with this thing. Tomorrow is market day- I will have to go through that process yet again.

5. Cars

Emily and Caitlin posed as my models for this example. This is an example of a car here that is actually on the bigger side. Fiat 500's are the car to have let me tell you. Everything is miniature, or you own a Vespa or bike. I have yet to see an american made car which is so weird to me. I think it is normal to every other one of my friends though. It's a Detroit thing.

6. Garbage

This is very dark, I apologize for that. However, I kept blowing this post off until I took a better one, and that never happened. Again, please notice my lovely models.

These dumpsters are on every few blocks and it is where you need to WALK to PERSONALLY throw your garbage out every day. It's great. I forgot that when i made a left out of my building, there was not a dumpster area until after the Duomo. Which is about a 7 minute walk from me. I felt like people kept looking at me, wondering why I was walking past the Duomo with garbage bags. I was the "dirty American." Since then, I have not taken it out unless I was going to one specific location. 

7. Vending Machines

HOW AMAZING IS THIS? If you can recall from number one, I have this dependency on coffee and I am missing my big pot at home. This magical machine is helping so much. At just .60 Euro cents a cup, I can get any type of coffee/espresso/tea I want, personalized to my liking. This is seriously the best thing ever. I get to choose the sugar level, and if I want my cappuccino with or without chocolate. There is foam, and I even get a little something to stir with. I use this quite often. It is located in a couple school buildings which is nice on our breaks. YUM YUM. 

8. Bidets

This is my bidet. pretty standard in Europe. I think it is slightly humorous.

9. Hot water heater

Is in my face all the time.

10. No Tipping

There is no picture of this but when I go out to either a restaurant or a bar.. I don't tip. Now the first night I went out with my roommate I felt so weird not giving the waiter a tip, I walked out with my head down and tail in between my legs. I got used to it pretty quickly though. The wait staff here in Italy get paid a normal wage that they can live off of, so there is no need for them to get tipped and it can actually be offensive if you try to. instead, there is a 2 euro service charge for larger groups or if they offer endless bread and things like that. I love this and it makes things so much easier when you are with a large group of people. Which I usually am.

11. Tax

THERE IS NONE. If something is 15 euro, then you literally pay 15 euro. It is awesome. 

12. Tabacco Stores

They are everywhere for one. Also- the weird thing is that this is where you buy your bus tickets and stamps.  Huh.

13. Afternoon Closings

Italians used to have something similar to a siesta in the afternoon. This is where workers would go home for a few hours and have their big meal of the day- lunch- then head back to work until the day is over. Mot of the community does not actually go home and take part in this anymore, however, many businesses still close down during the afternoon hours. It is difficult for me to find some place to eat or shop from 12-3. 

14. Secret Bakeries

Apparently, there are bakeries that are not obvious to the public eye. They open very early in the morning, around 4 AM and you have to search for them. My friend was told you have to "follow the smell" to find them. I think this is the weirdest concept and I am determined to look for one next time I am awake at 4 AM.

15. Dog Clothes

Now granted, Michigan certainly has its fair share of foofy dogs dressed in cute coats. However, it is still appropriate to gawk, laugh, and point over such a sight. Here, on the other hand, it is a very normal occurance. It is almost weird to NOT have your dog dressed up in a fur jacket with a hood. I still find myself smiling at each dog I pass, which I feel is very "Michigan" of me. 

These are the top 15 things I could think of that are part of my life on a daily basis. Obviously there are so many more things that I can mention, but that would take all day.

As I go on and discover such things they will be mentioned. 

Off to bed I go.

Ciao!