Now that I’m back from the majority of my travels, I have relaxed and felt a change in both my mood and outlook on being in Florence. I admit, the weather might have something to do with it! I’ve certainly had my share of ups and downs but it's all be apart of the ride. I have exactly a month left of my abroad experience with school projects still to think about, day trips left to take, memories left to make and still more experiences to encounter before I make my way home. Recently I experienced an incident that happened at home that really affected me, more than I would have expected. It partially had to do with the fact that I’m in a different country and can’t fix the problem as quickly as I would like. After thinking about it constantly for a few days, I made the conscious effort to put it out of mind. All of a sudden Florence was too beautiful to miss by moping about and being upset. I realized that even when I get homesick and think about how there is no place like home, not everything is perfect. My life here is not better than my life at home and my life at home is not better than my life here. Each has its share of difficulties and struggles, it’s just a matter of which one I’m living right now and what I'm going to make of it. I will have plenty of time living my life at home when I return and I’m just starting to realize that I don’t want it right yet. I’m not finished with my experience here and I’m ready to give my last month all I’ve got.

Today Matters

Over the past week or two, I’ve been talking a lot about being excited to go home. After talking to a friend tonight, he told me not to wish away my days. I got really frustrated he was saying this to me and I wasn’t sure why. Was I upset that he was accusing me of something as ridiculous as wishing my days away? Did he interpret that as me not appreciating my time here? Or was I more upset that maybe he was right. The more I think about it the more I wonder what exactly I’ve taken away from this experience and what I wish to come of it from this point on. I want to know what happened to my enthusiasm? What happened to my goals? Recently it feels likes everything has become redundant and now I’m too eager to move on to the next phase of my life. I’ve developed this “been there, done that” sort of attitude. Maybe I’m just trying to deny all the things I haven’t yet accomplished because subconsciously it's too difficult, too far fetched- Like forming bonds with the Italians. I don’t know the first thing about forming bonds with Italians. I can hardly even speak their language. Maybe I don’t know how I can become more independent than I already am. I want to be able to come out of this and say, I had the time of my life and I’ve been moved by this experience. I want to be moved in the way that love and faith has moved me in the past. Maybe my expectations are too high and my mind too focused on everything else that I’m overlooking the most important things. Maybe I just need to have a little faith and let a little love in. Maybe I should start thinking about today. Think about what I can do to make today great. Take a moment to think about what I want out of life and apply it to today. Because before I know, I'll wish I had and I'll never get this chance again. Maybe I just need to think of all the possibilities, pick one, and make today matter.

When i first arrived abroad I was determined to travel to all of the places I wanted to go, regardless of whether or not anyone wanted to go with me, or if I was close with people I found to travel with. Since Barcelona however, my outlook has changed completely. After an interesting weekend to say the least, I realized that traveling is truly much more fun when spent with people you enjoy to be around. While I've gained confidence in myself, my ability to figure things out alone, take initiative, and be the independent person I've always strived to be, I've realized that not everything is peachy perfect. Traveling to a new destination always leaves room for uncertainty, uneasiness, none of which are comfortable states to be in. Before I begin describing a bit about the weekend and what may have caused this realization, I can say that if it wasn't for my closest friends being with me to endure it all by my side, and staying positive through it all, I wouldn't have enjoyed my weekend at all and I seriously would have reconsidered traveling again. And that would have been a huge shame.

On that note, as soon as I arrived home from Barcelona, I got on my computer and after having debated whether or not I wanted to fly to Paris to see my longtime friend Alan, or have him come visit me here, I chose to be completely spontaneous, because that's allowed with people you know, and suggested we meet up somewhere instead. I requested the beach and he suggested Portugal and two days later our flights and hotel were booked. Yep, I'm going to Portugal in 3 weeks.

Now, BARCELONA!

(photo taken by Kylee Seacat, above)

The first hour or so of arriving was rough between ripping my j.crew jacket (I've never felt such heartache), one of my friends almost getting stuck on the metro by herself, and then her arm almost getting stuck with her luggage on one side of the door and her body on the other, and moving into our hostel with diarrhea stains on one of the beds (props to me for finding such a classy hostel). We packed minimally and grunged it the entire weekend. It wasn't long before we realized that there are types of men far creepier than the Italians we are used to. One particular evening we were sung to by a drunk in a bar who then tried to drink our sangria and eat our food and became aggressive when we told him he could not and that he should leave. Later that night we were literally CHASED by some crazy spaniard all the way back to our hostel. Yeah, Barcelona was quite an adventure. Traveling on your own is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before, granted I wasn't alone but most trips I've been on before have almost always been planned out for me. On one hand it is liberating, on the other hand it’s a huge responsibility.

Although Barcelona is a city, it is much more laid back than other cities we have been to thus far. This may have partially been due to the fact that we were on our own time schedule. Deciding what to do and when to do it was very nice and we accomplished everything we had hoped to, visiting the well known sights such as the

Sangrada Familia

Park Guell

(photo taken by Kylee Seacat, above)

the beach

(photo taken by Kylee Seacat, above)

and the Picasso Mueseum. Of course we took full advantage of the existence of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, both of which we visited several times a day.

Now that we've had our fun, it is time to buckle down writing papers, studying for exams, and in my case, painting pictures for midterms this upcoming week. The worst part about it is that it is supposed to be absolutely beautiful outside, nearing 60 degrees and sunny for once in our lives, and I can hardly enjoy any of it. Well, I wish I had a bike so I could bike to the park and work there. I may just have to make the walk.

Oh yeah, I apologize sincerely for not posting pictures promptly. This I will work on.

When in Rome and after

Since settling into Florence once again, things are indeed starting to look up after my long and uncomfortable weekend in Rome. I will first talk about my weekend and then proceed to update about some of my courses since I haven't written anything about them thus far. Aside from being completely stressed out from such a large metropolis, I managed to visit many famous sites in Rome such as the Colosseum

the Arch of Constantine

The Pantheon, Piazza Novona, Castel S. Angelo, Trevi Fountain

Vatican

(St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Museum, Popes Tombs) and much more. Free time was spent exploring around the city and finding our way to see ruins and the National Geographic exhibition (very cool). We stayed in a snazzy four star hotel that API arranged for us, with the best complimentary breakfast ever. The weather was beautiful (in the 60's- practically bikini weather) and aside from the yummy breakfast I ate every morning, St. Peter’s basilica remains my favorite part of Rome. It took over 100 years to build, and I still can’t imagine how such a structure was built with such precision and DETAIL! Well you can take a look at the pics, but it’s really something you have to see for yourself.

Overall I didn’t enjoy Rome as much as I had hoped I would. Rome is much more city-like than Florence- much bigger, everything is more compact, and there are many more people around. It’s hard to breathe and a little overwhelming. I couldn't handle it. I’ve been to Rome before but at the time I never considered living in such a city. Going back a second time while abroad made me realize I couldn’t live in such a big city. I may not ever want to live in a city ever again, not unless it had a huge park, or if it was right next to a jungle. One thing I can’t wait for when I go home is to smell fresh grass and run around on it without shoes!! I also started to realize that I would never want to move permenantly to another country in which I don’t know the language. Living in Italy without knowing much Italian has been quite challenging as well as embarrassing. It has prevented me from getting accustomed because I cannot communicate very well with the Italians and learn more about their culture through them. I still feel separated from them even though I’ve been living amongst them for over a month now. My biggest goal at the moment is to learn more Italian, practice, and hopefully meet more Italians to communicate and form bonds with. I think that will make me feel much more connected.

Lately I’ve definitely noticed myself becoming more independent and secure with myself. I do much more exploring on my own with ease. I feel confident walking alone along the streets of Florence. On excursions I don’t always need to stay with my friends. I don’t always need to do what my friends are doing so that I feel included. I am becoming more and more comfortable knowing that I don’t have close friends here. I've accepted that this is okay. Several times I’ve taken initiative such as planning trips, leading my friends on the hike up to Cortona, and navigating us through Rome. Seeing myself grow, even in the small ways, definitely helps me to look on the bright side of everything.

Today God graced me with the most beautiful day. A day I have most certainly been waiting for. Tuesdays are usually my favorite day of the week because it is the day I take my walk to get groceries. It was warm enough outside to walk to class without a jacket- During Italian we had to write things that we do in our free time. I told the class in Italian that during my free time I eat lots of bananas. They laughed which made my great day greater. After class I made the long walk over the bridge to the big grocery store half listening to all of the birds chirping and half listening to the most uplifting song I just discovered on my sisters computer. On the way I stopped by the park to swing on the swing set. I bought food for 20 euros, walked home eating cheesy bread, and got down to work planning out my schedule from now until midterms. I went to yoga and received love that came in a large envelope in the form of birthday and valentines cards from my friends at school. What a great end to such a wonderful day!

I haven't written much about my courses so I'll give you the scoop about them. My classes have been going great. In watercolor we have taken trips to paint the panorama of Florence and nude models, two things I have never painted before. Its been a unique experience and the best part is that my watercolor painting skills are improving! Last week in my international art business course we went to a privately owned family gallery not open to the public. We were extremely lucky to see it- my teacher told us she had been trying for years to get in contact with them and when she finally did, she had to book a day for us to go 6 months in advance! All the hundreds of artifacts we saw were not for sale any longer, simply on display for the family and friends of the family. To give you some perspective on some of the collected items, we spotted a painting by Peter Rubens. I didn’t realize the significance of this artist until I read in my art business book later that day that paintings of Peter Rubens have been sold for around 76 million dollars. HOLY COW! We were only a few feet from one of his great masterpieces!! In my world of museums course, we are studying the function of museums. During most of are classes we take field trips around Florence to visit and study museums. It is interesting and of course, always very exciting to take field trips every class! I am learning more and more Italian, but as I mentioned earlier, not quickly enough as I only have my Italian course for 2 and a half hours a week. My printmaking class has been very enjoyable and I definitely feel like I’m getting more out of it than I would if I was taking the course at Saint Michael’s. We get to experiment much more with different techniques and use methods that are only used in Europe. Hopefully I will have some neat prints to bring back with me at the end! Normally I don’t have an incredible amount of homework during the week however now that midterms are approaching, I have realized how important it is going to be for me to plan out my days so I can get everything accomplished. For my five courses, I will have to produce 10 paintings (for Watercolor), 6 prints (for Printmaking), and I will have 3 exams and 2, 5 page papers to write. Small sacrifices for spending a semester abroad I guess!!

I’m heading to Barcelona with 4 of my friends early Friday morning. I’ll update when I return! (And hopefully upload my pictures within the next day or so, if my internet gets any faster..not likely)

Bitter Sweet

Sio visited this weekend and reminded me a lot of home. I was starting to forget about how much I miss home. In a way I guess that means I’ve been making the best out of my experience here- at the same time, now I can only think about what I’m missing – being surrounded by those I care about most. In some ways, I’m glad I haven’t made any really close friends because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to continue growing and becoming more independent, which is my ultimate goal. On the other hand it can get a little lonely, and I forget how nice it feels to be surrounded by close friends and family who know the real me. My entire life I have craved security and stability. Everything has always been dictated by what my parents want (granted they'd probably disagree), or what I do depends on if my friends will do it with me. Finally I’ve taken the leap and done something for myself. When I feel lonely, I try to remember that this trip is for me, and nothing can stop me from smiling and making the most out of my experience. These past few weeks have definitely been a roller coaster ride filled with highs and lows for all sorts of reasons. I’ve been managing well though and sometimes Florence even feels more and more like home. I’m constantly pushing myself to try new things- go to new places- take in as much as I can. I still have a lot to accomplish but I’m on my way.

Back to how my weekend was…

Sio and I had quite an eventful day on Saturday, going to see the David, going to my favorite Florentine bakery, climbing to the top of the duomo, hiking to the Piazzale Michaelangelo, sitting and devouring the most delicious mix of pinapple and coconut gelato, attending mass in the duomo, eating a delcious dinner that I made and experiencing a little bit of the nightlife.

Sunday I woke up early early and boarded the train to Cortona with 7 other girlfriends. I really wanted to go to Cortona because for all of you who are obsessed with Under the Tuscan Sun, like I am, this is the town that it takes place in. This was one of the greatest decisions of my life. So far, Cortona is my favorite place- it’s located on the side of a hill, with a central road that winds up and down one side.

It is such a homey type of village, and well kept. When we got off the train we purchased bus tickets, but realized afterwards that the bus wasn’t coming for 2 hours. My friend Kelly and I decided to take the lead and start the hike up to Cortona. The weather was warm and sunny- finally I could smell fresh green grass and hear birds chirping all around- this, I cannot find in the city. I can’t even describe how good it felt to be back around nature. It's the closest thing to vermont I've had in awhile. It was a long walk but completely worth it and we were all very glad we hiked rather than taking the bus.

Eventually we arrived to Cortona and found a place to stop for lunch. I had a cheese quiche, and chicken marsala. Both meals were different than what you would expect in the U.S. but my meal as a whole was one of the most delicious meals I’ve had here so far- and it was reasonably priced. * We stayed the entire day, exploring and hiking the rest of the steep, narrow roads to the fortress at the top of the hill.

I took a seat and had a moment to sit, breath and relax, taking in as much of the view as I could. It was truly breathtaking.

I can't wait to continue exploring the Tuscan country side. It will have to wait a little while though because next weekend we are off to Rome! Can't pass up an opportunity to see the Pope. I'll post after I return.

Carnival in Venice!

I've returned from Venezia! The weekend was by far my best yet and it only reminded me of how much I want to travel. Very busy but very exciting and nothing less striking than the last time I was there. Saturday we woke before dawn and drove, by bus, for 4 hours. When we arrived, we were escorted by a private boat to Venice.

All day was spent on the island, touring and pushing our way through the enormous crowds of people that stretched around every corner. Many could be spotted dressed in outrageous costumes for carnival. (see below for the most extravagant!)

We even spotted some of the most unlikely creatures. The majority of our time was spent in San Marco's square, (the most touristy spot), where everything is ridiculously expensive, and where the beautiful San Marco's Basilica can be seen. (I took a side shot of the cathedral because the other half was under construction*)
We also saw the most important palace in Venice known as the Doges Palace. Eventually we found our way through the alleyways, looking for masks in the spirit of carnival, browsing in the shops,

finding the cheapest places to eat, and walking over the famous Rialto bridge.

Of course we took some time to take pictures of ourselves too!

After exploring, I picked out a beautiful golden mask to give to my sister as a souvenir (but I made sure to wear it all night long first, hehe).

Eventually it was time to get back on the boat and check into our hotel in Bologna. At the hotel, we had just enough time to freshen up and make our way across the street to the McDonald's for dinner. It was by far the most unhealthy meal yet I couldn't help but savor every bite. It surely satisfied our hungry bellies. We boarded the train to venice once again for the nighttime festivities, masks and all. * Lights were hung everywhere and we made it in time to see a fire show. Afterwards we roamed around and made our way back to the hotel fairly early so we'd be well rested for the morning.

After a much needed 8 hours of sleep I woke, ate a hardy breakfast, and went in search of a pharmacy for motion sickness pills. I didn't find out until late the day before that we would be taking a boat tour of several of the venetian islands. Knowing my stomach all too well, I knew that the breakfast I just ate would not sit well once setting foot on the boat. When I walked to the nearest pharmacy in the morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find the shop closed. I hoped the for best, and decided to go on the tour with everyone. Luckily I didn't get sick because I sat on the top of the boat in the fresh air which helped the most. We stopped at two islands, Murano and Burano. (Side not: along the way our guide pointed out the vacation home of Elton John and told us that he was currently in Venice for the carnival.

Unfortunately we did not see him, but that is not surprising since every other person was wearing a mask! Sneaky sneaky man. Venice is famous for it's glass blowing so in Murano we watched how to blow glass. Later we had free time to peruse the shops selling glass jewelry, bowls, vases, etc. (Perfect for souvenirs, although you will be sad to know I did not get anything there). Our next stop was Burano which is known for it's brightly painted color houses (every adjacent house a different color). It was a quant little town but we didn't spend much time there because we had to make our way back to Venice for the last few hours of our trip. Back on venice we explored once more, and my roommate and I managed to sneak into San Marco Cathedral for a look. We weren't allowed to take pictures but decided we might as well continue with our devilish ways and take videos of the interior. That concluded the end of our trip and we just barely caught the boat back, boarded the bus and drove home to Florence.
Now I'm safe and sound back home, (weird to start calling it that, but for the first time it feels as such) and completely exhausted. I'm hopelessly trying to upload pictures for this post but I'm afraid this is going to come to an abrupt ending. I hope the photos will due it justice or at least add some flavor!

First I'll talk a little about my weekend. After staying up until 4 or 5 for 3 nights in a row since Thursday night, I can say that not much was accomplished. I did however succeed to wake up several hours before my roommates (who slept until 2 in the afternoon from friday to sunday). I really wanted to explore but couldn't do much all by myself. I went on a walk to find the nearest park, walked in the rain to the big supermarket because it's the only store I feel most comfortable shopping at (I like all of the brand options because it's most like home), I went for a run along the river arno on the most beautiful, sunny 52 degree day and finally found my way to the Uffizi museum with some friends I made. I also took two beautiful pictures of the river on the way back from the museum (see below).


Today was the longest day of my week. Glad to know it's done. I had printmaking studio art at nine, but due to my alarm clock not going off, I ended up being an hour and a half late. My overwhelming guilt for being late eventually subsided after I caught up, and my teacher complimented my work saying "molto bene" (which could only mean, freakin amazing), and showed my carved board to another student as an example of what it should look like. SCORE! Yah that's right, she loved it. But I have to admit, everyone here is amazing at art. It's a little bit of a reality check for me. During our lunch break I spent 45 minutes in line to sign up to take yoga on tuesday nights. Yeah, I was 15 minutes late to class AGAIN but I didn't want to miss out on any club opportunity. After printmaking, I had watercolor from 3 to 8:30. During our dinner break I made a new friend who is a senior in high school. We found out we have a lot in common, and she seems very mature for her age (she must be because I never would have imagined living in another country as a senior in high school!! She also goes to a boarding school at home and has traveled around a lot). After class, I came home and made the most delicious chicken that I've ever made (this, I'm becoming a pro at) with a balsamic vinegrette salad and potatoes. It was so good after such a long day. I'm looking forward to my classes this week because they are all very fascinating. At the end of the week I will be going to Venice for carnival with my study abroad program!! I will be sure to post when I return and tell all about it.