houeskeeping

So, I realized I've never really explained what my program here is like. Because of that, this post is just going to be some background information and general "housekeeping" things, to hopefully clear up any possible questions or confusion.

THE PROGRAM
I am one of about 20 American students studying at AEF. There are other international study abroad students, however none of them are American, and the majority of us Americans don't have class or anything with any of them.

I am the only student from Bay Path, all the others in the program are from Elon University in North Carolina. Not only that, but I'm also the first person from Bay Path to come to AEF (and Florence). Ever.

I've been called "The pioneer." No pressure, right?

CLASSES
Classes are Monday through Thursday with Italian every morning at 9. I have two Italian classes: grammar and conversation. I'm also taking Art History Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, which brings us to see so many different, beautiful pieces of art and history. For example, today in class we got to go see Michelangelo's David! It was amazing! Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me (and the museum didn't allow photos anyway) but here's a photo from the internet to remind you what I'm talking about.

He's about 16 feet tall, so you can imagine the presence this guy has in a room! There were also some unfinished sculptures, which helped show the techniques, time, and skill needed to create such magnificent works of art.

As a part of the Art History course, three trips are provided. This past weekend we spent the day in Sienna, this coming weekend we're going to Rome for two days, and near the end of April we'll go to Venice for two days. All our transportation and accommodations are included, we just have to buy whatever food we eat, as well as any souvenirs we might want.

On top of the two Italian and the Art History classes, I am doing an internship with an Interior Designer who works with/for AEF. Monday-Wednesday I go to her studio to work on whatever it is she needs me to do.

Right now, we've been working on "revamping" an apartment. So, taking the floor plan (on my computer) and figuring out the best way to divide it into two separate apartments (one side for the owner, the other to rent out), where to place a new bathroom, and other logistics.

It's more architectural than I want to do, because I prefer the decorating side more than the designing, but it's good experience and now I know what I don't want, and what to look for when I'm looking into another internship for next year. (Bay Path requires 6 credits of an internship, which is 240 hours, so I'm going to get 3 credits done here, and then I'll have to do another 3 credits at some point during my senior year.)

Thursdays we have a kind of "class" where the Professor is the same woman I have my internship with, but one other student attends. So far, we have discussed different techniques to sketching and thinking about a space and things to think about and consider when dealing and coming up with a space. Again, more architectural than I would like, but helpful, useful, and important information for me to have.

HOUSING
All of the Elon students are in apartments together. I, however, am doing a "home-stay". I use quotes because while I am staying in an Italian home, it's not with a family. There is one woman and three other American students.

While I was expecting more of an Italian family environment, this is nice because the five of us eat together every night (unless we are out with friends or traveling or whatever) so we get that "family" aspect. We also get the Italian aspect because our host-mother is Italian and she cooks for us, and speaks Italian. She does know some English, but not a lot. Luckily, two of the other students (John and Kelsey) have taken Italian before and so can understand what she is saying and can converse (for the most part).
At least more easily than I can!

None of the three of them go to AEF, so it's nice to meet and get to know some other people outside of my classes.

ACTIVITIES
The school has/is organizing different activities (in addition to the Art History trips) for us Americans to continue getting to know each other and experiencing all Florence and Italy have to offer. So far we have gone to Carnevale in Viareggio and had aperitivo together.

Aperitivo is when you go to a restaurant that offers it, pay a set price for what ever drink you want (usually 5-10 euro) and with that you get access to an all-you-can-eat buffet! I've only done it once so far, but it was delicious, and I'm sure we will do it again.

We are going to a cooking class in a few weeks where we will spend 2 hours learning Italian techniques and cooking Italian foods and then we get to eat everything we made!

Toward the end of April we are going to a Fiorentina soccer match.

Speaking of soccer, some of the Florence study abroad schools are part of a Calcio "league," including AEF. Starting Monday, we'll have weekly soccer games against other American students. I'm pretty excited about this, even though I'm not very good at soccer - also, I don't really know the rules...but it's going to be fun! And the others in my program are excited about it, and we are all pretty athletic so I know it's going to be a great time.

Also, I'm excited to be doing something active - more than just the daily walking to and from classes etc. - especially since I'm missing "spring season" for field hockey and I haven't done much since last semester ended in December...anyway, it will be a fun way to work toward getting back in shape!

MAIL
If you are hoping to send me something, my address is:

Ruth Choate
C/O Accademia Europea di Firenze

Via Roma 4

50123 Firenze, Italy

I think that's everything for "housekeeping" and background on my program, but as always, if you have any questions or comments let me know!

Or if you just want to talk, I'm always willing!

(Just remember I'm 6 hours ahead of the East Coast)

I'll write again, probably Sunday, with updates about my weekend in Rome!

Until then, I leave you with a giant THANK YOU to Bay Path for this wonderful opportunity, my family and friends for supporting and loving me through all my ups and downs, and my wonderful parents for everything. I would not be the woman I am today without your constant love, support, guidance, and confidence. I LOVE YOU.

A Soggy Scene in Siena

“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” 
― St. Catherine of Siena

Today, the 20ish of us in my program ventured to the Tuscan city of Siena. We knew it was going to be cold and that there was a chance of snow. That was putting it mildly.

Granted, I am from Maine so this was nothing compared to most of the storms we get at home, however, for Italy, it was unexpected and not pleasant. For the most part, we had dressed warmly enough, but Siena is a hilly town so during our walk around the town, from place to place, we had to walk along slippery stone streets trying not to fall and break anything or anyone.

When we left Florence, around 7:30 a.m., the weather was not bad - just chilly and overcast. However, as we were on the hour-long bus ride, the clouds got thicker and more ominous. The bus dropped us off and we walked about 15 minutes to the "city center" where we then had about half-an-hour to find a restroom and grab some breakfast/coffee/a snack etc.

When we re-congregated our Art History professor talked about the town hall and government "square" which is more like an oval, and is still used for an annual horse race between the different sections/neighborhoods of the city.

The government square

The town hall

Once we had learned about the "square" and all it entailed, we ventured inside the town hall where we learned about the history of the building as well as the frescoes decorating the different rooms and some of their influence on the government leaders of the time. The building is still used for government offices and functions, however the part we saw was the museum section where the government officials used to meet but don't any longer.

From the town hall we walked to the Cathedral.

By this time the rain had started to fall and the puddles we forming.

At the cathedral we learned about the altar, the different "shrines", the pulpit, and a personal library - of the Medici family (I think...)

The ceiling of the library       The Cathedral altar        The ceiling of the dome

From the Cathedral, we slogged across the piazza to the Cathedral Museum where we saw the original statues that adorned the facade of the Cathedral (the ones there now are replicas.) We also had the chance to climb to the top of the museum building to get a panoramic view of Siena (in the rain and snow...)

After we were all safely on the ground, we had a break for lunch.

Julia, Max, Sam S, Erin, Lauren, Lexi, Sam D, and myself made the short trek to a small restaurant where we all had some form of pasta (of course!) I had spaghetti with meat sauce, while many of the others had Pici with sausage and mushroom sauce. We got bread and water with our meals to share.

Following lunch, we attempted to meet up with the rest of our group.

We had been told the restaurant we went to was closer to the church we were going to than the meeting point, so we were going to meet the group there - instead of going to the meeting point and then going back to where we had just come from.

HOWEVER, no one really knew where the church was.

Or the name of it...

Let me just paint the picture for you:

8 American students who have only been in Italy for 3 weeks,

never having been to Siena before today,

attempting to find a church we didn't know the name of.

Oh, and it had started snowing.

And by snowing I mean giant golf ball-sized flakes, mixed with rain.

Remember how I said Siena is a hilly town? Yeah.

Needless to say, we had a great time trying not to slip and slide up and down the stone-paved roads,

along with making sure each other was safe...

Well we ended up having to call our professor to figure out where we were supposed to go (after trying to find it on our own) and ended up going back past the restaurant - where we had started our travels - and literally two minutes down the street in the OTHER direction was the church.

It was certainly an adventure!

Once we finally got back to our group, it was time to meet the bus.

15 minutes later we were back on the bus and about 10 pounds heavier thanks to the weather.

We had been scheduled to go from Siena to a vineyard for a wine tasting, however the snow was getting heavier and the vineyard is even more rural so we decided not to risk it, and we're going to try to do the wine tasting another day.

We all wanted to get out of our wet clothes, however we had to sit in them for the hour-long drive back to Florence...

By the time we got back (about 4:30) we all still had to walk back to our separate apartments, which was another 10-15 minute walk.

Luckily, the snow hadn't reached Florence yet, but it was raining.

Needless to say, as soon as I got back to my room,

I stripped off all my wet things and extra layers and jumped in the blessedly warm shower.

While my wet feet and cold hands were not pleasant by any means, the snow and Siena were beautiful and it was a grand adventure none of us will forget!

A weekend in Switzerland

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to spend 3 days in beautiful, snowy Switzerland. A group of 12 of us from my program at AEF, plus other American students from Florence, were part of a group trip to Interlaken, Switzerland; organized by Florence For Fun. 

We left Florence Thursday evening around 7 p.m. and boarded a coach bus for the approximately 8 hour ride. We stopped for dinner around 9, and finally arrived in Interlaken at about 3 a.m. Friday morning. We got our room assignments (all the girls in our group from my program were in one room together) and headed to bed.

The Funny Farm Hostel where we stayed.

Friday we all woke up around 7:30 (after only about 4 hours of sleep) to sign up for the activities we wished to do over the weekend. I didn't sign up for any because they were all out of my price range, but about half of our group went night sledding, some went skiing/snowboarding, and others went canyon jumping, sky diving, paragliding, or hang-gliding. While I would have done any of those things (I would say I'm some-what of an adrenaline junkie) they were all quite pricey.

Because we were already up, a small group of us (Lexi, Tyler, Sam D, Sam S, and myself) went off to explore the tourist town of Interlaken. Part of our "deal" with the hostel got us free bus passes, so we "bus hopped" around the town to see what we could see.

Enjoying the snow and sights in Interlaken!

After meeting up with the rest of the group and stopping in to get some lunch at a sandwich shop some of us headed back to take a nap and rest for a bit of the afternoon.

That evening we went to a free Swiss Chocolate Tasting in a small chocolate shop in town. They closed the store for us and we got to try 4-5 different kinds of chocolate: champagne truffles, dark chocolate, white chocolate with nougat, chili chocolate, and alcohol-filled chocolate. Of those, my favorite by far was the champagne truffles.

Swiss Chocolate Tasting!

That night Sam D, Sam S, Max, Lexi, Danielle, Lindsey, and I got Thai food (my first time ever having Thai) and it was delicious! After that I relaxed in the lounge of the hostel reading then headed to bed early to make up for only getting a few hours of sleep the night before.

Saturday Lexi, Sam D, Sam S, Max and I ventured into the mountains to explore the small towns, see the views, and do some hiking. The weather was perfect: beautiful blue, clear skies, and it wasn't too cold either.

We took a bus to the train, a train to the gondola, the gondola to another train, and that train to Murren. Once there we walked around, took loads of pictures, and simply soaked up the magnificent beauty.

Murren, Switzerland

Enjoying lunch with a panoramic view of the Swiss Alps.

After our lunch in Murren, we hiked for about 2 hours down to where the gondola left us, got the gondola back down the mountain, the train back to Interlaken, and the bus back to The Funny Farm. We then relaxed for a bit before heading out for a "traditional" Swiss dinner: FONDUE!

We then stopped in a cafe/bar owned and run by an American-born, Swiss-married woman. We got some drinks - I finally got the real hot chocolate I'd been craving - and we pre-ordered bagels to pick up before the bus left Sunday.

Sunday Max, Sam S, Sam D, Leix, Danielle, Lindsey, and I headed with our tour guides (and some of the others there with Florence For Fun) to explore one of the lakes (Interlaken means "between two lakes").

I was only there for about 3 days but it was a life-changing adventure. Saturday was by far one of the best days of my life. The views literally took my breath away. The only other time I can honestly say that has happened was when I got to go the the Grand Canyon Freshman year of high school.

I am so blessed to have the opportunity not only to study here in Florence, but also to be able to travel while I'm here. There is so much beauty in this world and I am truly grateful to be able to enjoy just a small part of it.

“Travel makes one modest.

You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

Gustave Flaubert

Saint Valentine's Day

I had hoped to have time to write Thursday before we left on our weekend adventure but time got away from me, so I'll just write 2 posts today :)

This past Thursday, February 14, was Valentine's Day! I hope you remembered to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.

In Italy, Saint Valentine's Day is no where near as commercialized as it is in the USA. Granted, there are still hearts and candy and flowers and such, but it is not thrown in your face as it is in the States.

During the conversation section of my Italian class we got to go to the chocolate festival here in Florence! They had so many different varieties, flavors, forms, etc. it was amazing! I got milk chocolate-covered strawberries made right before my eyes.

They were soooo delicious!

Then, I got to visit the Salvatore Ferragamo museum with my Interior Design Professor - who I also do my internship with. Right now, the exhibit portrays Marilyn Monroe and Ferragamo's relationship and interaction in her life.

Right after that, around 3 p.m., I gathered in Piazza della Repubblica for a "flash mob"/demonstration as part of One Billion Rising. Apparently, some of my friends from Bay Path Dance Company also participated in a similar event in Springfield, which is so incredible! I didn't participate in the dance, because I didn't learn it well enough, and I wanted to record it. Unfortunately, I was in the crowd so my video didn't come out so great, but here is someone else's video of the event.

Needless to say, it was a beautiful day :)

Fiesole & Carnival

This weekend was filled with beautiful sights, great company, and relaxation.

Since my classes are only Monday-Thursday, the weekend starts Friday! (technically Thursday at 4:30 p.m.)

Friday I got to sleep in later than usual, waking up in time to still get breakfast though. I then spent a few hours just lounging in bed catching up on some TV shows etc. Around 2 I met up with a few others and the four of us journeyed up to Fiesole where we enjoyed beautiful views overlooking Florence as well as getting up close with nature again.
 
(you'll notice I figured out how to put some pictures into my posts!)

Florence is a city, which means LOTS of buildings and stone, and very little nature and trees. Coming from Maine and New England seeing trees is a common occurrence, so to go from having woods in my backyard to less than 20 trees in the whole city...it's extremely different, and getting to spend some time outside the city with the trees was wonderful!

The view was also breathtaking and made me realize how much bigger Florence is than I thought...




Saturday, while the Northeast USA was dealing with "Nemo," I stayed inside all day. Not because it was gross outside, simply because I needed a day to keep to myself, relax, veg, and cry. It was an unproductive day, but one that was much needed and well worth it.

Sunday was Carnevale in Viareggio!! It was similar to our parades and fairs/carnivals, but MUCH BIGGER! There were gigantic floats:





and Rides:

 

We left around 11 a.m. getting to the beautiful coastal town around 12:30, got some lunch and enjoyed the beach before the parade started around 3.



There was even a kickball game!

Needless to say, it was a great day, even though it was a bit chilly. But I can't complain because it was nothing compared to the 24+ inches of snow home got.

Today started week 2 of classes and began with a gloomy, chilly day, and even some snow flurries this morning! Nothing stuck of course, and it turned to rain after only an hour or snow, but all the locals were going crazy: huddling into their big coats, walking (and even biking!) around with umbrellas up, and overall looking pretty miserable.

Three more days of classes and then this weekend a big group of us goes off to Interlaken, Switzerland! We leave Thursday evening around 6:30 and return around midnight Sunday-Monday. So, that will be quite the trip, and definitely a long weekend, but I am looking forward to it!


I'm sure I will post again before I leave, but if it seems awfully quite over the weekend, you'll know why!

Meanwhile, during "Nemo"

Everyone at home is enjoying the beautiful weather that comes with winter in New England during what some are calling the biggest storm in years. I've seen it referred to as the "snowpocalypse" and "snowmaggeden" - much like the huge storm in 2010.

Having been born, raised, and lived in Maine all my life; I love all four seasons. Truly, I do! Granted, there are times when I look forward to summer during the winter etc. but for the most part one of the biggest reasons I love living in New England is that there are all 4 seasons. I get to enjoy all the wonders of the weather without too much of any one thing.

Spring brings growth and new life and the world waking up from its winter slumber. Summer brings sunshine, blue skies, and a sense of relaxation. Autumn/fall brings the wonder of the leaves changing colors, cooler temperatures, lower humidity, a return to more of a set schedule, and a feeling of settling in. Winter brings cold temps, freezing water, the holiday season, a sense of gathering together, and, of course, SNOW!

I swear, I am still a little kid at heart, and that is emphasized every time it snows. There is just something about the snow that makes everything beautiful. After all, snow is white, and white is often thought of as a color of purity. But not only that, when it snows everything sparkles and shines and is covered in a coat of white, as though everything was given a clean slate. In addition, I still get a feeling of anticipation and hope that there will be enough snow for snow angels, snowball fights, snow-people creating, and SLEDDING!

There is nothing like spending a few hours outside racing down a hill, feeling the rush of the world flying around you, and then burning calories hiking back up the hill just to do it all over again. And then, after all your extremities are numb, heading back inside to relax with a steaming mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Last year (2011) the weather during the actual season of winter was light. We got some snow, but not as much as usual. That is, unless you count the close-to-15 inches Massachusetts got Halloween weekend...with that storm though we hardly got to enjoy the snow. During the storm, we had to stay inside whichever building we were in due to falling tree branches and wind and blue lightning. And then, when the snow finally stopped there was no room or time to spend in the snow, because pieces of trees were everywhere, power lines were down, and everyone that could was sent home for a week, and by the time we got back, all the snow had melted...

This winter (while I was home) we had snow, not a ton initially, but we had some and it even snowed on Christmas. And then we got a few storms which provided enough for a group of us to go snow tubing, but this storm (Nemo) is the kind I truly enjoy. Enough to cancel school, shut down roads, and keep everyone safe inside, surrounded by the people they love to enjoy the beautiful silence of the falling snow.

I am honestly jealous that I am missing the storm. I realize storms can be a hassle and a lot of work, but I still love them. There is just something about a snow storm that reminds me there are bigger things in this world than just me and the small bubble that is my needs, wants, disappointments, etc. It also brings everyone together to make sure all are safe, sound, warm, and entertained. I miss that connection, my family and friends, and I wish I were home now to enjoy it and everything that comes with a big snow storm.

Adjusting... (continued)

Part 2 of 2
*Warning: long post*

There has been much crying and up's and down's but luckily and thankfully my mom and Cat (one of my best friends) let me vent, help me figure things out, and just overall supported me.

I am so grateful for all the wonderful, loving people in my life that I can sometimes take for granted. Especially since I've been here I've realized how important it is to have people to rely on. I understand it's good to be independent and go out of your comfort zone - believe me, I'm doing it every day I'm here - but it's also extremely important and beneficial to maintain those truly important relationships with loved ones. That way, if you're ever in a tough situation, even if they are not physically with you, you know that you have people supporting you.

This past Monday was an extremely low day.
And the weather reflected it.
As I mentioned, it was the first day of classes, and I'm still - even now - adjusting to the time change and jet lag and all that.

Simply put, it was not what I was expecting.

I thought i was going to be a part of this group of other Americans taking classes together and making friends. However, because the school administrators bent over backward to get me to come here it was not what they had been telling me.

So, after ranting to Cat and discussing and crying with my mom, I set out to make it better. Still not exactly what I was expecting, but definitely an improvement. Although, as one of the other American students in my home-stay said, "Since I've been here I've learned not to have expectations because I just get let down."

This sounds like an awful way to think of things, and not necessarily how I will live most of my life, she has a point: if you don't expect something, you can't be let down, and there is more room for surprises.

I don't think I particularly like this "motto" very much, but after the day I had Monday and the realizations I've made since I've been here it doesn't sound too wrong for me right now...

Tuesday morning was rough:
homesickness + bad sleep + new food + culture shock + ...

but I talked with the academic coordinator, and cried some more, and changed around my classes, so now I have 2 classes with the other American students (all from Elon University) as well as my interior design internship which will be a few hours every Monday-Thursday.

After that meeting, I had a short break where I had time to think (or not) and went on the internet (Facebook) to "get away."

I don't know what it was but after that break I had a much better sense of inner peace and calm. I can only believe God was looking out for me. After all, as the saying (according to my dad) goes:
"God helps those who help themselves."

I believe God saw that I was struggling, heard my prayers, helped me figure out how to fix my situation, and then brought me a sense of inner peace (for a while anyway).

I still find myself missing home every day, but each day gets a little bit easier, and keeping in contact with my family and friends definitely helps :)

Tomorrow brings the start of the weekend and days off (except for homework...) and most likely some exploring.

Sunday the majority of us are going to Viareggio for Carnivale which will be a wonderful distraction, a great way to continue getting to know the others, and a ton of fun!

Stay tuned for future posts, if you're "friends" with me on Facebook all my pictures are up there, and if you have any questions about anything in particular, what I'm up to, or just want to check in please do!
(just remember it's a 6 hour difference between here and the East Coast)

Adjusting...

Part 1 of 2

It is really difficult getting used to a new place, being away from home, and simply being out of your comfort zone.

I speak from experience.

My first time at college was extremely hard for me because I had never really been away from home for longer than a week at-a-time, and even then it was to go to summer camp. College brought a whole new level of being away from home and being, as my mom calls me, "a home body" was not easy. at. all.

I had field hockey and orientation to keep me busy, and then classes started and I started making friends with the girls on my floor, and field hockey picked up and games started and things were going well. There were definitely still times where I would cry, and miss my family, but having a cell phone made it easy to call and check in.

Now, I've been at Bay Path for 5 semesters and honestly, at the end of last semester I was ready to get the heck out of there. Don't get me wrong I love the place, the faculty and staff, and of course my friends are wonderful; but I was sick of the drama and immaturity and ready for a change.

Good thing I was headed abroad for 3 months

Because I didn't go back to Bay Path this semester my winter break was almost 7 weeks instead of about 5 and a half, which I was fine with :-P
that is until everyone was together again and I was trying to find things to keep me from going insane with boredom at home...

Fast-forward to this past Monday, the first day of classes.

My original schedule was to have Italian, History of Architecture, Interior Design, and an Interior Design internship. Come to find out, all of my classes (except for Italian) were to be one-on-one, me and the professor...not exactly what I had been expecting.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against one-on-one TUTORING sessions but I didn't want that for 95% of my CLASSES.

Orientation and the start of classes

The first few days here were "orientation" to welcome us to the school, show us around Florence, and get all the necessary paperwork squared away.

Saturday we signed up for out "Permit to Stay" and all got Italian cell phones with free incoming everything and a pay-as-you-go plan for all incoming. So, unless I need to call someone, I don't have to pay anything for it!

It started raining while we were in our sessions, so we all went our separate ways to get dry and continue settling in.

Sunday was a 2+ hour tour of the important places in Florence and around the school. We saw both buildings where our classes are held, the cinema (movie theater), post office, change/ATM locations (which are all over the city), what a pharmacy looks like, how to buy stamps, different markets for leather, food, and other goods (and some not-so-goods), the train station, the bus station, and the hospital.

We then stopped for pannini's for lunch and were treated to our first gelato's in the city by our tour guide Enrico (who also happens to be one of the Italian language professors and possibly one of the best professors I've had. ever.)

We then all went back to the school to meet some of our professors and heard a little bit more about some of the classes we were/could take.

After that we all went our separate ways to relax before the start of classes the following day...

Monday brought classes and all that they entail, starting with Italian at 9 a.m.

My classes are Monday-Thursday, with Italian everyday: grammar 9-10:30 and conversation 11-12:30.

I then got lunch on the way to the other building for the final part of our orientation: a meeting with an officer from the Italian state police about things to watch out for, laws that may be different from what we're used to, and overall safety tips.

From there, I met with my internship adviser/professor (Katia) to get to know each other, our expectations for the semester, and a walk around to see one of the library's as well as her studio - where I will be spending the majority of my time during my internship hours.

Here goes nothing!

January 31, 2013. 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Dad and I left the house (Lewiston, Maine) for an approximately 3 hour drive to Logan International Airport (Boston, Massachusetts). We arrived around 1:30 p.m. I got my boarding pass, checked my exactly-50-pound bag, got through security, and made it to my gate before 2. Perfect timing for a flight scheduled to leave at 2:59 heading for Newark Liberty International Airport (Newark, New Jersey).
The weather was not going to have it however...

The plane we were to take was flying up from Newark and didn't even leave there until almost 4..so we didn't board until just after 5, and we finally left around 5:30. THEN because there's still weather happening in Newark, we had to wait in the air before landing around 6:40.

My next plane was scheduled to leave at 6:10...

So I missed that flight (Newark to Frankfort, Germany) but was able to get on a later flight to Munich, Germany. However, my luggage was still tagged to go to Frankfort first...(more about that later)

So I wait around the Newark airport for a couple of hours, got some over-priced unpleasant airport food for dinner, and logged onto my computer. I was able to send an email to my school here [Accademia Europea Di Firenze (AEF)] to let them know that I would be arriving later than expected, so someone would be there to meet me. I was also able to check in on Facebook to make my presence known :)

Around 9 p.m. we started boarding and were in the air about half an hour later, and I settled in for a 7+ hour flight. Lufthansa is a great airline, I highly recommend them if you are flying to/from/through Europe and/or Germany. They are a very professional company, have spacious planes, and good food (as far as airplane food goes). We got food twice (one around 10 for "dinner" then breakfast at 9ish local time, which was technically 3 in the morning...)

We landed in Munich around 10:30 and I got through all the "check points" and made it to my gate before 11 for my 12 o'clock flight. However, that plane had mechanical issues so we didn't leave until almost 12:30, which got us into Florence at about 1:30.

Here's where my luggage comes in...

My bag got on the next plane from Newark to Frankfort, and a different plane from Frankfort to Florence, so when I arrived of course my bag wasn't there...so one of the airport workers was able to trace my bag and discover that the plane was scheduled to land around 1:50 (only about a 20min wait).

So, I waited around, finally got my bag, went through "customs" (which was nothing, unless you were claiming items, which I wasn't, so it was just like getting off at any other gate...COMPLETELY different from the USA), and looked for someone there to meet me.

Another road-bump.

Because my Munich-Florence flight left late and due to the extra wait for my luggage, no one was there to meet me...luckily I had cash on me so I exchanged my US currency for Euro's and got a taxi to my host-house.

So almost 24 hours, limited food, even less sleep, and lots of stress later I finally arrived!

I had about 3 hours to unpack and get settled in my own room and take a shower in my own bathroom; before meeting with the rest of the students in my program for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Greetings were exchanged, the usual get-to-know you questions were asked, and good food was enjoyed by all. Afterword, we all went back to one of the groups apartments to hang out for a bit, before deciding to venture out to explore the area and nightlife. Some found a bar and hung out over drinks, while a handful of us walked around soaking up the reality that we were actually here. In Florence, Italy.

Jumping on the bandwagon

When my mom asked before I left if I was going to write a blog, my response was, "Uh..probably not. I don't like writing." Well I'm still not a fan of writing but I have found that sometimes writing is a great outlet, a good way to keep everyone informed, as well as a wonderful way to look back at my time here in Florence and all of the wonderful traveling opportunities I'm going to have.

Just a few "warnings":

1. I am not a writer. Obviously I can write, I have taken English classes, but I am not a fan and do not spend much of my time writing; so, needless to say, I will not promise that my posts will be mistake-free. Don't get me wrong, I get annoyed with easy mistakes when I'm reading, and I will be editing my posts, but there will probably be a few grammatical mistakes here and there. But hey, I'm human!

2. I will do my best to post as often as possible, and in the beginning there will definitely be more posts; but as I get into school and more accustomed to being here the posts will not occur as frequently. However, I have a goal to write at least twice a week, and after every travel adventure :)

3. Some of my posts will be more sentimental than most of you are used to seeing/hearing from me, so hopefully this will give you a look at another side to me.

So, if you're ready, come join me as I experience all Florence; Italy; and Europe have to offer!